{"id":1827,"date":"2015-04-11T10:00:20","date_gmt":"2015-04-11T10:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/Adventureinyou.com\/?p=1827"},"modified":"2017-08-21T07:39:46","modified_gmt":"2017-08-21T07:39:46","slug":"top-things-to-do-in-coron-palawan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adventureinyou.com\/philippines\/top-things-to-do-in-coron-palawan\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Things to Do in Coron Palawan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coron, Palawan is a haven for underwater adventurers. From snorkeling, island hopping, and wreck diving, it has been one of the top destinations here in the Philippines that I wanted to take Tom to. After spending almost a week there, I realized there is so much more to this town than just exploring the underwater world.\u00a0Although I had a rough idea on what we wanted to do, as we got to the place, we were faced with the question that most travelers ask themselves when they get to a new destination. In this case it was, what to do while in Coron?<\/p>\n

Read:\u00a0How to Travel like a Local in Coron<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Go Island Hopping<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Since there are no beaches close to Coron town itself, island hopping of course, is an essential must while in Coron. The Coron island tour will take you around its lagoons and lakes set amidst its famed dramatic limestone cliffs whilst other tours can take you to white sand beaches like Malcapuya and Banana Island.\u00a0Most of the spots have an entrance fee of P100, while Kayangan Lake, known to be the clearest lake in the Philippines charges P200. It is also the viewpoint for the iconic Coron shot seen in most photos.<\/p>\n

Although the tours are much cheaper, we highly suggest renting a boat yourself rather than joining a tour, which shuffles you off to every destination on a time limit. We rented a boat with a lovely French couple that we met on the 2GO boat for P2500. We chose which islands to go to and just paid the entrance fees ourselves. We also made a side trip to the wet market to buy some food for our lunch, which our boatman gladly grilled for us. Soon, we were on a secluded beach eating\u00a0grilled chicken and squid while sharing a few rum cokes. Trust me, this is the way to go! Just head on to the local pier and get ready to bargain with the local boatmen.<\/p>\n

Read: Reasons Why Not to Visit the Philippines<\/a>\"Rugged<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Explore the Underwater World in Coron<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Diving in Coron is a dream for most scuba enthusiasts. There is nothing more\u00a0exhilarating than swimming through the tiny nooks and caverns of these WWII shipwrecks as schools of fish both big and small swim around you. Barracuda Lake is also an unreal experience with limestone rock formations resembling a foreign alien world. It is also known for its thermocline where the cold fresh water meets the hot salt water. Although there is very little marine life due to the temperature, there is a fabled single barracuda that still lives within the lake. Rock Steady and Neptune Divers were the two schools that I have personally tried. They were both well-organized, good equipment, good food on the boat, plus both schools give out a cold beer at\u00a0the end of your last dive. Oh, yeah!<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not a diver, the snorkeling in Siete Pecados and Coral Gardens by the Lusong Gun Boat wreck is\u00a0an amazing experience as well.<\/p>\n

Read: Diving through WW2 Shipwrecks in Coron Palawan<\/a>\u00a0\"Diving<\/strong><\/p>\n

Climb Mt. Tapyas for a Breathtaking View of the Sunset<\/h2>\n

If you find yourself back early from a day trip somewhere, make the climb to the top of Mt. Tapyas. Although seemingly daunting, the 700 concrete steps lead to a breathtaking view of Coron Bay. Head up as the sun is setting to avoid the intense heat, and bring water with you (there are some being sold by the steps). Mt. Tapyas, set at 210 meters is the second tallest mountain in Coron, which trust me, is well worth the steep climb.\u00a0\"A<\/p>\n

Rent a Motorbike and Explore Coron<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tom and I wanted to get off the beaten track a little bit after a few days of island hopping and diving. We initially planned to get away for 3 days, as we made our way to Calauit Safari. Tours from Coron town cost P2500 per person, which we found too expensive so we decided to rent a motorbike and drive up there ourselvess. Although the roads were known to be rough, we were up for the adventure<\/p>\n

(WARNING: If you are planning to go this route, rent a bigger bike and not a scooter. You can thank us later!).<\/strong><\/p>\n

We had planned on renting the bike for 3 days, driving up to Ocam-Ocam beach, stay there for a night then head to the safari early morning. On our way back, we planned to just stop at small towns for possibly another night of exploring. We rented our bike from Boyet (09282929884)<\/strong> who told us that we could also visit a town called Higari where we could stay at his father in-laws house for free. We ended up staying in a small beach hut in Ocam-Ocam, doing a side trip to Calauit Safari and to Black Island.\u00a0Afterwards, we headed over to Higari where we spent three nights at\u00a0Boyet\u2019s father in laws house. There, we spent our days trying to fish for our lunch, exploring islands, going on boat rides, and getting to know their family and the other locals.\u00a0It was the highlight of our trip!<\/p>\n

Read: Top 5 Strangest Filipino Street Food<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

For shorter motorbike destinations, you can drive up to Conception to visit the waterfalls, or to Sanctuaria Treehouse for a refreshing hideaway from the hustle and bustle of Coron town.\u00a0\"A<\/p>\n

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Looking for a Place to Stay While in Coron?<\/h3>\n

Click the link\u00a0below if you want to read the full article with all our hotel and hostel recommendations or check out our top picks below.<\/p>\n

The Best Places to Stay in Palawan<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

$ Budget: Lagrosa Backpackers Hostel<\/h4>\n

Located right in the heart of Coron, Lagrosa Backpackers provides a clean and affordable place to stay while touring around. The satff are very helpful and can help you get things done like laundry or arranging for a massage. Please note that because this is located by the main street, it can get noisy sometimes.<\/p>\n

To compare prices and read reviews, check:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hotels Combined<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>|\u00a0Booking.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n