“The Sleeping Giant”, Coron Islands.
Incredibly clear blue waters, prehistoric rock formations, untouched white sand beaches and thriving marine life. When I think back to my two months in the Philippines, Coron always comes up as one of my top memories! These Islands have a permanent place in my heart.
This picture to your left started it all. A photo of this exact view had captured my heart and was plastered as my cellphone wallpaper for months leading up to my trip. And there was nothing more gratifying than getting to stand in this exact spot and snap the same photo for myself. Of course I’m going to be cliche and say that it took my breath away.
The Coron Islands are located in the Bacuit Archipelago. It’s the most northern tip of Palawan.
I traveled by ferry from the capital city of manila to the small village port of Coron. A long but comfortable 14 hour trip. We stayed at the Coron backpackers Guest House and spent a whole 4 days touring this beautiful diverse island.
If you find yourself lucky enough to be in these islands, these are the things you must do :
- Take a day tour ( Preferably 2 or more)
- Snorkel or scuba dive the many WWII underwater shipwrecks
- Tour the town of Coron on a scooter (for only $10.00)
Here is and example of what we did in our days visiting:
Day 1:
Coron town tour! rent yourself a scooter and travel the path less taken! Hit up the close by natural hot springs and local beaches, FYI they charge admission. The roads hug the coastline so it’s quite a scenic route all around town. Drop by the local wet market to see all the mornings fresh catches. While you’re there pick up some of the most exotic fruits. The market is located on the pier so you’ll be able to see where the bankas (Filipino boats) dock. Save the best for last! Right before sunset trek up the 700+ stairs to the town’s lookout point. Enjoy the view as the sky shows off it’s vibrant colours and the sun dips away into the horizon.
Day 2&3:
Island hopping! You cannot leave this place without taking the day tours that explore all the hidden gems of this island! On these day tours I’ve gotten to swim in the clearest waters, warmest lagoons and sunken WWII Japanese ships. You will meet some awesome fellow travelers on these tours and swap stories and tips. Learn about the Coron people and their respect for the legend of the islands “sleeping giant”. If you’re lucky like we were you’ll get a great boat crew. The acted as tour guides, sailing crew and chefs, they caught and cooked us lunch! We all shared a traditional Filipino lunch on the beach. At the end of the day we did things that seemed unreal.
Here are some places you wont want to miss:
- Kagayan lake
- Skeleton wreck
- CYC beach
- Twin lagoons
- Barracuda lake
- Smith beach
- Coral Gardens
When you get back to town make sure to visit the developing local restaurants. Ask around and eat where the locals go. You might even find yourself buying a super cheap bottle of beer ($1.00). If you are looking for something more hydrating you must have fresh Buko, which is young coconut. Pro tip, Buko does great for during hangovers too. Haha.
Bags packed and ready to leave, I find myself heartbroken. I wished we could have stayed longer. This place is special. I will be back! It’s not a “goodbye”, but a “see you later”.
