The Ultimate Guide to Coron, Philippines | World’s Most Beautiful Island

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In the Philippines, the city of Coron may be found in northern Palawan, not far from the Malaysian border. It should come as no surprise that this location was recently chosen the World’s Most Gorgeous Island not once, but twice. The area has breathtaking beaches, lush forests, world-class snorkeling, secret lakes, and sunken warships that divers can swim through. This book will assist you in organizing your trip to the island and making the most of the time you spend there.

The Only Guide to Coron You’ll Ever Need-

When to Visit:

The months of December through February see the lowest average temperatures on the island during the dry season, which runs from December through May. The months of June through November, which are part of the rainy season, are also known as the off season. The months of July to October are said to be typhoon season, however I was there in October and had no problems. It is recommended that you reserve your lodgings in advance if you want to come during the peak travel season.

How to Get There:

There are a lot of different ways to get to Coron from Manila, which is where the majority of tourists depart from.

Flights:

  • There are several flights departing Manila every day on Philippine Airlines.
  • Cebu Pacific operates many flights each day departing from Manila.
  • There is one flight departing Manila on a daily basis with Sky Jet Airlines.
  • Air Juan is a small charter airplane service with nine seats available and many trips each week. You may see their most recent schedule on their website.

Boats:

If you’re coming to Coron from El Nido, you can also take a boat transfer. Depending on timing, the cost is 1,500-1,800 pesos ($30-$36 USD). I took this boat the first time I visited, and it’s not so bad during good weather. The trip generally takes more or less eight hours, although they have recently added a new high-speed boat option that can cut the trip to about four hours. If you’re prone to seasickness, I’d recommend you take tablets before departure.

Boat schedules here are more akin to suggestions fixed routines. They are prone to change based on weather or whether the boat has enough passengers to make the trip. Several companies leave at different times throughout the day. Check locally for the most up to date information.

Ferries:

To tell you the truth, I have never been on a cargo ship, and I certainly wouldn’t advocate doing so. I’ve heard some really horrifying tales, such as passengers being crammed into ships alongside animals, arrival timings being more than twenty-four hours later than anticipated, and insufficient sleeping accommodations. If you give yourself plenty of time to make travel arrangements, you should have no trouble finding affordable airline tickets.

The following is a list of websites for cargo ferries where you may examine costs and timetables in case you are really adventurous or if you are going on a tight budget:

2Go Ferry is the one that comes the most highly recommended out of the two options since it has a reputation for being the more professional carrier.

Atinenza Shipping Lines is for people who are genuinely courageous or who have more limited financial resources. Before you plan your own vacation, it is highly recommended that you first read evaluations of others who have utilized this strategy as well as first-hand stories of their experiences.

Transportation around town:

In this town, tricycles, sometimes known as tuk tuks, are used as a substitute for taxis. If you’ve been to other places in Southeast Asia, you’ll be acquainted with these vehicles. When I inquired, the going fee seemed to be 20 pesos, which is equivalent to around $0.40 USD. However, I’ve heard that you can get rides in town for 10 pesos, which is about $0.20 USD.

What to Do:

Because there is such a wide variety of things to do and see on Coron, I decided to come back on my most recent trip to the Philippines. This speaks a lot given that the Philippines are made up of over 7,000 different islands, yet I opted to go back to an island that I had already visited in the past!

Island hopping tour:

Everyone who comes to Coron really has to partake in this activity. These day adventures are best started from Coron, which is the ideal starting location. Island hopping trips will transport you to the adjacent islands for the day so that you may explore them. There is a wide variety of tour packages available to pick from, but if you ask me, the one you should go with is the one that takes you to both Twin Lagoon and Kayangan Lake.

When you take a tour of Twin Lagoon, you will dock in the smaller of the two lagoons. If you visit the area at a time when the tide is low, you will be able to swim through a crack in the rock to reach the second, more secluded lagoon; otherwise, you will need to climb a ladder and make your way over the rock to get there (during high tide).

Visiting Kayangan Lake will provide you the opportunity to take the iconic picture of Coron, which you are most likely already acquainted with. There are claims that Kayangan Lake in the Philippines is the cleanest lake in all of Asia. The water is crystal clear and really stunning, and the limestone that is all around provides a dramatic setting.

I was a client of JY Travel, and they arranged up a special island hopping vacation for me. The guides were very knowledgeable and did a great job of avoiding crowds and ensuring that we got the locations almost entirely to ourselves. I suggest this firm; but, when you book your trip, you should make sure to check whether or not the admission fees are included in the price. We paid up to 200 pesos, which is around $4 USD per person, to see each location.

Diving:

Coron is a popular destination for scuba divers due to the large number of sunken Japanese warships that can be located offshore. Although there are a number of other dive shops in the vicinity, I decided to collaborate with Seadive Resort. The team were professionals, and the equipment was brand new; they take the issue of safety very seriously. I strongly suggest that you get in touch with them in order to plan your diving.

Hiking Mt. Tapyas:

Even though there are more than 720 steps leading up to the summit, this journey is really worth it in order to see the sunset. A large cross in white stands atop the mountain, and the name of the town is spelt out in white letters that mimic the Hollywood sign. This makes it very simple to locate the route.

Soaking in the hot springs:

As soon as the sun starts to drop, the individuals operating the tricycles will approach you and inquire as to whether or not you would want to visit the hot springs. Say yes. We were able to negotiate a ride on a tricycle to the hot springs for a total cost of 300 pesos, which is equivalent to $6 USD. The journey takes around half an hour in either direction, and the dirt road is exceedingly rough. Each individual must pay 200 pesos, which is equivalent to $4 USD. Large pools of saltwater that are maintained at a temperature of 102–104 degrees Fahrenheit (39–40 degrees Celsius) may be found in the hot springs. After a strenuous ascent up Mount Tapyas, sore muscles would benefit tremendously from a therapeutic bath.

Where to Stay — Coron Hotels

If you want to travel during the peak tourist season, you are strongly encouraged to make your hotel reservations as far in advance as possible. I would suggest using Booking.com. There is a diverse selection of hotels available in Coron, perfect for travelers of all financial means. In particular, I would suggest that you look into purchasing one of the following properties:

The four-star Coron Soleil Garden Resort is one of the newest hotels in the area. The apartments are contemporary and pleasant, but the property’s highlight is undoubtedly the enormous swimming pool. You can get an in-depth evaluation of the hotel right here.

The Funny Lion Inn is a modern boutique resort that is conveniently located approximately five minutes by tricycle from the heart of Coron Town. Make sure you visit the amazing restaurant that is connected to the property and ask to stay in a room that is located near the pool if one is available. You may get a comprehensive assessment of this location by clicking here.

Where to Eat:

Coron offers an impressive number of eating establishments considering its size as a town.

Brujita has what is perhaps my favorite menu in this whole city, and they never change it. The menu offers a wide variety of vegetarian alternatives, in addition to selections that are both regional and international. Be sure to check the menu board in order to see what the specials of the day are.

Due to the fact that patrons dine over the sea at La Sirenetta, this establishment is an excellent option for a romantic day. The cuisine was quite average; it was okay, but not amazing; yet, the ambiance makes it absolutely necessary to pay it a visit.

The No Name Bar is hands down my go-to location in this town for happy hour. At night, this location is consistently one of the busiest of all the hotspots in the city. The service is amazing, the cuisine is delicious, the beer is served ice cold, and the cocktails are potent while being reasonably priced.

In addition to serving some of the most delicious steaks in town, Blue Moon has both local and foreign cuisine on its menu. Its beef comes from Australia. Another one of the community’s favorites, this establishment is always packed after the sun goes down.

Even though I’m not a coffee drinker, I took everyone’s word for it that Coffee Kong is the spot to go to get your caffeine fix first thing in the morning.

Where to Work:

On Coron, WiFi connections may be somewhat sporadic, but I was able to find two locations that offered reliable and constant connections – provided, of course, that the town had power.

The La Morena restaurant may be found right in the heart of the city. The selections on both the meal and drink menus are appealing. Make it a point to get one of their enormous smoothies at least once.

Breakfast at the One Averee Bay Hotel costs 150 pesos, which is equivalent to $3 USD. The breakfast menu comprises a variety of items, including banana pancakes and regional delicacies. The restaurant is only open until 10:30 in the morning, which is a shame since the internet was quite good and there was even air conditioning.

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Practical information:

On another occasion, I heard that there were no ATMs on Coron; nevertheless, this is not the case. I was able to locate a few automated teller machines (ATMs) on the island; however, the island has periodic power outages, which might render the ATMs inoperable; also, I’ve heard that the ATMs sometimes run out of money. One machine gave me trouble just once, whereas the machine next to it functioned normally for the whole time.

In regard to blackouts, they occur rather often but are typically just for a few minutes.

Be advised that if you leave Coron by airplane, you will be required to pay the airport fee of 200 pesos, which is equivalent to $4 USD.

The whole nation suffers from notoriously spotty coverage for cellular and 3G networks. Globe and Smart are the two firms with the most market share. Both companies provided me with SIM cards, and based on my experience, I would choose Globe.

You may get two hours of internet access at the neighborhood internet café for the equivalent of one dollar and sixty pesos.

Please note that some of the hotel stays and trips may have been provided at a reduced cost or for free. Nevertheless, I stand by every viewpoint I’ve expressed. In addition, there are affiliate links throughout this content. By using these links, you are contributing to the maintenance of this site at no extra cost to yourself.