CORON
Take a longer trip here for a sweet anniversary. A perfect place for relaxation with your love ones.
Coron is an island in Palawan, Philippines that is highly sought after not only by locals but also tourists from all over the world — it’s easy to see why given its grand limestone cliffs, white sand beaches, and rich marine life among many others. That being said, with such a beautiful destination as it is, you’ll surely be needing an equally beautiful accommodation to make your stay as comfortable and memorable as possible.
Coron is the real jewel of the Calamianes Group of Islands! A picture perfect place that will make you believe that paradise truly exists on Earth.
WHEN TO GO
There are 2 main seasons in Coron:
- The Dry Season runs from October to mid-June with hot and dry weather.
- The Rainy season runs from mid-June to September with daily short but heavy rains.
- There can be Typhoons from June to October but they usually don’t hit directly Coron.
HOW TO GO THERE
There are 2 ways to reach Coron.
Plane:
You have to fly from Manila to Busuanga airport, Palawan. You can take Cebu Pacific Air, Zest Air or PAL Express. From Busuanga aiport, you take a jeepney for about one hour to reach Coron Town. The ride cost about P150 per person.
Ferry Boat:
From Manila you can take the SuperFerry. It goes once a week to Puerto Princesa and stops off at Coron on the way. Departures are every Friday at 4:15pm and you arrive in Coron the day after at 5:30 am (about 12 hours). You can get back to Manila by the same way.
HOW TO GET AROUND
Coron is a small town. You can walk or take a Tricycle (P7 per trip). Another option is to rent a scooter.
But when visiting island destinations, you have two options: join a group tour or charter a private boat.
If you join a Group Tour
You’ll be paying per person and will be sharing the trip with other tourists. You’ll find these tours offered by various operators throughout the town. This is great for those traveling alone or with a small group.
If you charter a private boat
You will need to book with Calamian Tourist Boat Association. Their office is at the near end of the Lualhati Park. They have standardized the rates of boat trips depending on the size of the boat needed, the number of passengers, and your destination.
WHERE TO STAY
The easiest place to base yourself is Coron Town on the Island of Busuanga. Here are a few properties we suggest:
- Corto del Mar (this is where we stayed) | Check Rates On Agoda | Read Latest TripAdvisor Reviews
- The Funny Lion the #1 hotel in Coron on TripAdvisor | Get The Best Price On Agoda | Read Latest TripAdvisor Reviews
- Two Seasons Coron Island Resort & Spa right on their own private bach | Get The Best Price On Agoda | Read Latest TripAdvisor Reviews
WHERE TO EAT
Panget Floating Restaurant
The restaurant had the most incredible setting as a cute hut over the water. You can only get here by boat. Enjoyed the buffet dinner under the candle light, while listening to live performers singing and playing the guitar. The vibe was super relaxed and romantic. Absolutely you can’t miss spot if you are traveling as a couple.
Big Mama’s Pinoy Hot Pot and Grill
Brgy. Poblacion 4, Coron
Kawayanan Grill
Calle San Pedro, Brgy. 2 Coron
Tita Eash Eatery
Malvar Street
Coron
Lolo Nonoy’s Food Station
Palawan National Highway Coron
Bistro Coron
Coron-Busuanga Road
Brgy.1 Poblacion Coron
THINGS TO DO
St. Augustine Church
The St. Augustine Church. It is strategically located in the town center. The church was built on 1901 and had some major renovations throughout the years.
Town Plaza
At the Town Plaza, this life sized concrete ‘Kulon’ or pot which – according to locals – derived the name of Coron.
Lualhati Park
The Lualhati Park is Coron’s very own bay walk. It’s a spacious area where you can grab a bike and ride around or just enjoy the views that it offers.The locals call as the ’Sleeping Giant’. It’s actually a unique formation of the mountains of a man sleeping.
Climb Mt.Tapyas
Mt. Tapyas is a mountain with around 720 steps and is one of the highlights of the Coron, Palawan Town Tour. It provides one of the most astonishing views of Coron so the climb is definitely worth it .The Hollywood-style CORON sign and gigantic white cross at its summit can be seen for miles around, looming large over the bustling port town.The 360º view from the top is spectacular, with pastoral scenes of the surrounding hills on one side and gorgeous blue/green ocean and neighboring Coron Island on the other.
How to go there
Mt. Tapyas can be reached via tricycle from any part of Coron town. Just tell your tricycle driver you want to go to Mt. Tapyas and they’ll take you to a drop-off point less than a hundred meters from the base of the mountain.
Maquinit Hot Spring
The Maquinit Hot Springs is one of the only few saltwater hot springs in the world. Here, mangrove trees surround the area, as if guardians of the stunning beach. There are two available pools of warm saltwater at the site. The flooring and walls of the pool are covered in pebbles. The pool temperature plays between 37° to 40° Celsius. While it certainly takes time to adjust the body to the temperature, remember that it gets more soothing and more therapeutic later on.
How to get to Maquinit Hot Springs: From the town proper of Coron, take a tricycle to the resort. Fare is P300 per tricycle, round trip. The tricycle will be waiting for you and take you back to the town center.
KAYANGAN LAKE
Kayangan Lake, dubbed the 'cleanest lake in the Philippines', is surrounded by a karst scenery of limestone cliffs and guarded maintained by Tagbanua tribesmen. Kayangan Lake is 70% freshwater and 30% salt water. One may choose to swim or snorkel in the lake, or simply float around in a life jacket.
How to get there :
From the town proper, you can either join a group tour (Coron Island Tour) or charter a private boat going to Kayangan Lake.
Entrance fee 200 php
Twin Lagoon
The first lagoon is where the boats dock, while the second lagoon is hidden, the only access of which is a small crevice underneath the rock, or during high tide, a ladder over the rock.One may notice that the waters in the twin lagoons may sometimes be blurry, this is caused by the meeting of the salt water and fresh water.
CALAUIT SAFARI PARK
It is known for its wildlife sanctuary with a substantial population of African animals, including giraffes, zebras, and antelopes, as well as local fauna that all roam freely in a game reserve created in the 1970s.
How to get here:
From Manila, fly to Busuanga airport. If your hotel is in Coron, you can take a van/shuttle to Coron town. Here, there are several options available. You may join a group tour offered by travel agencies, normally around P2500 per head. If you’re a big group, you may charter a private boat to Calauit (which can also take you to other gorgeous islands including Black Island) for P7500 for 1-4 pax or P9000 for 5-8 pax.
Calauit Entrance Fee: P200 for Filipinos, P400 for foreigners
Use of land rover: P1000 (divided by how many you are in the group)
RIYO PLAYA BEACH
This is a perfect beach, you can walk out in the sea quite far and it’s soft white sand, there is a store near by to get snacks, and a few hammocks to lay on. The entrance fee for the beach is ₽50.
BLACK ISLAND
Its overwhelming beach shore is one of finest beaches I have set foot on in the Philippines. The island boasts off powdery fine white sand that your toes would love, crystal clear turquoise water that is ideal for an all-day swimming with friends and loved ones; and limestone cliffs that reveal with a warren of caves. The largest of these caves houses a natural pool enclosed by formations of black rock.
How to get there: Black Island is usually a part of Calauit Island Tours that can be booked in Busuanga and Coron. Day tours from Coron via a travel agency/tour operator costs around P2300 per head. If you’re a big group, you may charter a private boat for P7500 for 1-4 pax or P9000 for 5-8 pax.
Black Island Entrance Fee: P150
Coron Tours
The following are some of the most popular tours in Coron with the usual destinations covered. Inclusions vary so please confirm with the tour or boat operator first before you seal the deal. I also indicated the usual rates as of March 2017, but bear in mind that these rates vary from operator to operator.
Recommended Tours:
- Island Hopping Tours (See Details after this section:)
- Ultimate Tour: Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Siete Pescados, Marine Park/Skeleton Wreck, Coral Garden, Banol Beach CYC Beach: 1600PHP
- Tour A: CYC beach, Coral Garden, Atwayan Beach, Hidden Lagoon, Quin Reef, Kayangan Lake: 1110PHP
- Tour B: Barracuda Lake, Skeleton Wreck, Banol Beach, Twin Lagoon, Reef Garden: 1300PHP
- Tour C : Firefly watching, Bio Luminescent lights watching, Buffet dinner ; 900PHP
- Tour D: Bulog Dos Island, Pass Island, Lusong Coral Garden, Lusong Gun Boat Shipwreck: 1650PHP
- Tour E: Calaiut Safari wildlife, Riyo Playa beach , Busuanga Town Proper, Black Island 2500PHP
- Coron city Tour: Mt Tapyas View Deck, Maquinit Hotspring, Public Market, Town Plaza, Lualhati Park, Souvenir Shops, St. Augustine Church, : 1300PHP
ITINERARY
DAY 1
10:00 am ➡️ Arrival at Busuanga Airport
11:00 am ➡️ Arrival Coron Town Proper
11:10 am ➡️ Hotel Check - in
11:30 am ➡️ Lunch
12:00 pm ➡️ Rest
01:00 pm ➡️ Start Coron City Tour
01:30 pm ➡️ St.Augustine Church
02:00 pm ➡️ Town Plaza
02:30 pm ➡️ Lualhati Park
03:00 pm ➡️ Souvenier Shops
04:00 pm ➡️ Climb Mt.Tapyas
06:00 pm ➡️ Maquinit Hotspring
08:00 pm ➡️ Dinner
DAY 2
07:00 am ➡️ Breakfast
08:00 am ➡️ Start the Ultimate Tour
09:00 am ➡️ Kayangan lake
10:00 am ➡️ Siete Pecados
11:30 am ➡️ Lunch at Banol Beach
12:30 pm ➡️ Skeleton Wreck
02:30 pm ➡️ Twin Lagoon
04:00 pm ➡️ CyC Beach
05:00 pm ➡️ Return to Hotel
08:00 pm ➡️ Dinner
DAY 3
06:00 am ➡️ Start the Tour
08:00 am ➡️ Breakfast at Rio Playa
09:00 am ➡️ Calauit Safari
12:00 pm ➡️ Lunch at Rio Playa
01:00 pm ➡️ Head to Black Island
03:00 pm ➡️ Black Island Cave
03:30 pm ➡️ Black Island Beach
05:00 pm ➡️ Busuanga Town Tour
07:00 pm ➡️ Return to Hotel
08:00 pm ➡️ Dinner
DAY 4
Rest day All Day
06:30 pm ➡️ Tour to Mangrove Forest Firefly watching
07:00 pm ➡️ Planktons watching
08:00 pm ➡️ Buffet Dinner at Panget Restaurant
09:00 pm ➡️ Rest
ESTIMATED EXPENSES
How much should you expect to spend in Coron? To give you an idea, here is a budget break down. Depending on how many people are in your travel group and your travel style, the expenses could be less or more.
2600 php ➡️ Coron City Tour
1300 Php / pax
3200 php ➡️ Ultimate tour
1600 Php / pax
5000 php ➡️ Tour E ( Calauit Safari ) 2500php / pax
1800 php ➡️ Tour C ( Firefly Watching ) 900 / pax
12,600 Php ➡️ Total for 2 pax
20,000 ➡️ accommodation 4 nights
12,000 ➡️ Food 4 nights
16,000 ➡️ airfare
You can further lower your expenses by grabbing a cheaper airfare and a cheaper accommodation. There are inns and guesthouses that offer fan rooms for P500 per night so that’s an option if budget is really tight.
Thank you for reading!
I hope this 4 days Coron itinerary and budget sample has been helpful! Make sure to let me know if you have any questions!
