Coron, Palawan is one Island you will surely fall in love with. It took time before we were able to visit this island since as a budget traveller, a cheap plane ticket matters. It is difficult to get cheap flights to Busuanga from Manila maybe because the airport is very small which means only small planes can land and take off thus there are only limited seats available for this route. Also, there are no night flights to Busuanga. We have been constantly travelling every year to visit the different islands of the Philippines and when we were already tired of the usual tourist destination I have thought of why not visit Coron now, maybe it’s about time to experience what Coron has to offer us. So I decided to visit Coron. I was eager to look for the cheapest flights to Coron for this summer, and after almost 6 months of waiting for a cheap flight I was finally able to book our round trip tickets to Coron 6 months before summer of 2015.

When our vacation to Coron was nearing, I now had to take care of looking for the best Coron, Palawan package we could get and we came across this package deal from Coron Island Loop. There were several packages that they offered and since it would be our first time to visit the island we had no idea which was the best package and ended up in choosing Pass Island and Coron Island loop Package.

Where and What to Do in Coron

Before we actually landed in Busuanga, I was already so amazed by the aerial view of Coron, the Clear waters, the virgin islands and mountains welcomed us, from that point I knew I will have one memorable and fun experience. Upon arrival to my surprise everything was still manual, there were no conveyer belts for the luggage we checked in the flight, no x-ray machines to check our bags and boarding passes were hand written. Anyway, after we got our bags, we went straight outside the airport and looked for our service which was already included in the package we got. We were lucky to have a local tour guide onboard and told us tips on where to eat, what to do and where to buy souvenirs. When we arrived our hotel, Eco Lodge Coron we were welcomed by a glass of iced tea and was escorted to our rooms. Eco lodge is a small hotel located at the center of island so everything was so convenient all you have to do is walk a few blocks and you have already reached the banks, some local restaurants, souvenir shops and other business establishments.

We make the most out of our vacation and since our flight was delayed, we had to catch up and left for Maquinit Hot Spring right away after leaving our stuffs in the hotel. We just took a tricycle outside the hotel to bring us to Maquinit since it was low tide during our visit and tourist boats won’t be able to dock there. We paid P450.00 for the round trip travel and for the tricycle driver’s time waiting for us to finish and enjoy the hot spring.

On our second day in the island, we woke up early to catch the sun rise in Mt. Tapyas. It was a steep walk climbing to the top but we made it just in time before the sunrise. After that, we went back to Eco lodge to have our breakfast and then we were set for CALUMBUYAN & PASS ISLAND tour. (I will list the places we visited below)

On our third day we were then scheduled for Coron Island Loop. Every single place we visited was majestically beautiful. God has really blessed the Philippines with the Best Beaches and islands. The sand was pure fine white sand, water was clear and clean. Even without snorkelling gears, you can see the different species of marine life. For me the place was perfect. Coron isn’t as crowded and dirty yet as Boracay, it’s a place where you can relax, have fun and enjoy what the place has to offer.

On our last day, since our flight was in the morning we did not book any activities already. It was a free time for us to do our last minute shopping.

Where to Eat in Coron

Since Breakfast and lunch was already included in our tour package, we only had to think for dinner. On out first night in coron we ate at Lobster King. We ordered 1 kilo of Lobster worth Php1,200, an order of Tinola around Php200.00 and Crabs worth Php500.00. We spent almost Php500.00 each for food but it was so worth it knowing when you order seafood in Manila, it would cost you more.

For Day 2’s dinner we ate at Kawayanan, there we ordered an Original Birds Nest soup which is Php500.00 per order good for 4 persons and 2 platters of seafood varieties. We spend again roughly Php500.00 ea for that night’s dinner.

On our last night, we were already running out of cash so we decided to drop by a nearby carinderia and ordered beef tapa. 1 order of beef tapa only costs less than Php100.00. Apologies as I forgot to get the name of the carinderia.

Where to Buy Souvenirs

We bought a few items from Coron Souvenir Shop however souvenirs and foods are more expensive in Coron as compared to Puerto Princesa since items need to be shipped from nearby San Jose Mindoro. A small pack of Cashew nuts costs Php100.00, but it only costs Php50.00 in Puerto Princesa. Tshirts, sando and other souvenir items also cost around 20-50% more expensive. There are also Post Cards, magnets and other usual items seen on this store but expect it to be more expensive than the usual.

Our Coron, Palawan Itinerary

Below was our itinerary when we visited Coron. Please note in planning your vacation that each island/destination has an entrance fee. Usually Php 100.00/spot but some would also cost Php200.00. I will list the price.

DAY 1
Busuanga Airport to Hotel
Maquinit Hot Spring

DAY 2 Calumbuyan Island Sites
1. King Fisher Mangrove Garden, Mangrove forest and Bird sanctuary.
2. Sangat Rock Formation, Sangat magnificent limestone rock formation.
3. Coral Bay Garden, Protected coral and fish sanctuary.
4. Japanese Shipwreck, WW2 Sunken Japanese Shipwrecks near Coral garden.
5. Calumbuyan Island, Relax and swim at Calumbuyan Island
6. Pass Island, island with pristine white sand shoreline.
7. Pearl Farm, open area pearl farm.

DAY 3 Coron Island Loop Sites
1. Dimanglet Island, Also called Sunshine Beach, White sand shoreline.
2. Coral Garden Reef, Coral sanctuary, snorkeling and fish feeding activities.
3. Atuwayan Beach, Another pristine beach near skeleton Ship wreck.
4. Skeleton Ship Wreck, 15-20 meters sunken WWII Japanese shipwreck.
5. Banol Beach, cove pure white sand with magnificent panoramic view.
6. 91 Beach, Another white sand beach, near banol beach area.
7. Diwata lagoon, lushes with mangrove, captures some picture.
8. Twin Lagoon, small cave opening where warm and cold water meet.
9. Barracuda Lake, This is recommended for deep water divers.
10. Sampaloc Beach, also called Vivian Beach, r pristine white sand Beach.
11. Twin Peaks Reef, also known as Smith Point, vast coral sanctuary.
12. Sieti Picados, A group of 7 islets, confined Coral reef and fish haven.
13. Kayangan Lake, dubbed as the cleanest lake in the Philippines.
14. Wishing Lagoon, Hidden lagoon with astonishing volcanic rock formation.

Coron Island Loop Sites

CYC Beach – P100
Twin Peaks reef – P100
Sampaloc beach – P100
Atuwayan beach – P100
Baraccuda lake-P100
Diwata Lagoon – 100
Kayangan Lake – P200
91 Beach – P100
Sieti Picados – P100
Maquinit Hot Spring – P200
Twin Lagoon-P100
Dimanglet Island – P100
Coron Reef Garden – P100
Skeleton Ship Wreck – P100
Banol Beach – P100
Wishing Lagoon – P50

CALUMBUYAN ISLAND SITES
Coral Bay Garden – P50
Hidden hot Spring – NONE
King Fisher Mangrove –NONE
Pass Island – P150
Calumbuyan Island –P150
Shipwrecks area -NONE

My Overall Coron Experience

I will always love to go back to this island because of what it has to offer, I have yet to explore more islands and scenery. I have only been in this island for just 4 days but fell in love quickly since it is one of the Best Islands I have been to here in the Philippines. I can definitely say it really is more fun and beautiful in the Philippines, every penny spent was worth it.

On an estimate, we spent a total of Php10,000/ea for our whole Coron Vacation and this already includes the Airfare, Tour, Food, Hotel, Transportation and Souvenirs. If you are looking for the perfect vacation, Coron might be the best option for you. I can help you sort things out, just leave your inquiries, comments and suggestions below.

If you have any questions, just ask us in the comment section below.

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