Coron travel blog — The fullest Coron travel guide for first-timers

As one of the three largest islands in the Calamian islands in the Palawan region of the Philippines, Coron has now become a “paradise on earth” for tourists who love the sea and islands. Furthermore, this place also has countless unique experiences under the clear blue water for you to experience. So, is Coron worth visiting, how to visit Coron, what to do in Coron and how to plan a budget trip to Coron for the first-time perfectly? Let’s check out our Coron travel blog (Coron blog, Coron island blog) with the fullest Coron travel guide (travel guide to Coron, guide to Coron, coron island travel guide, Coron guide) from how to get to Coron, best places to visit, best time to come, what to eat as well as top things to do in Coron to help you maximize your trip as follows!

Coron is the largest island city of the municipality of Busuanga, in the province of Palawan. Usually in the Philippines, the city itself doesn’t have many famous attractions but the surrounding areas and the rest of the island are amazing, Coron is no exception. This place is also famous for diving to see shipwrecks and going on island tours.

Overview of Coron (# coron travel blog)

Coron Island located north of Palawan, Philippines is the third largest island in the Calamian archipelago. This island is part of the municipality of the same name – Coron. It is about 170 nautical miles (310 km) from Manila.

Currently, when referring the Palawan region in the land of thousands of islands of the Philippines, perhaps the two names most mentioned are EL Nido and Coron. Both of these places are considered a resort paradise, especially for tourists who love the island and sea. And among them, the feature to identify Coron is its wildness, peace and freshness.

The area around Coron Bay has dozens of small islands with white sand beaches and World War II shipwrecks. Its breathtaking beauty makes it a paradise for scuba diving and island hopping.

There’s more to Palawan than the world-famous islands and beaches of El Nido and the subterranean river in Puerto Princesa. Coron is a tropical island in the Palawan province of the Philippines that is still quite wild, taking you on a magical journey!

When you come here, you will feel the different pace of life between the quiet city center and the especially vibrant coastal area thanks to natural specialties. In particular, when choosing to travel to Coron, you will have the opportunity to experience extremely interesting diving activities to explore the ocean.

While El Nido is popular for honeymooners and beach lovers, Coron is a bit more laid-back and suitable for family vacations and scuba diving adventures.

Coron’s town is smaller and quieter than El Nido. However, you will find lots of great things to do here, in the surrounding islands and waters and on the main island. You can hop on a boat and head to stunning islands to snorkel, scuba dive, or camp on the beach. You can also climb a mountain to watch a beautiful sunset or soak in a hot spring.

The best time to visit Coron (# coron blog)

There are two main seasons in Coron. The dry season from November to May. The rainy season which begins from July to September. An interesting thing about the weather in Coron is that it has a stable tropical climate, making it a great place to go during the summer.

It’s quite sunny if you plan to visit in the summer, with little chance of unexpected rain and thunderstorms. The warmest months are March to May, while the month with the coldest weather is October.

If you want to come to Coron to find blue seas and calm waves. You should go from February to May. During this time, Coron has a fresh blue color, gentle winds and calm. At the same time, the cool weather and quiet atmosphere will help you have an extremely enjoyable trip to explore Coron. However, this is also peak season in the Philippines in general and Coron in particular. Therefore, if you go during this time, you must book travel services 1 to 2 months before going. In addition, you also have to pay for services at higher prices than usual. So please prepare your mind in advance and limit having too much fun.

If you don’t want to go during peak season because your budget doesn’t allow it. You can go during the low season in the months from May to October. The reason this is the low season in Coron is because of the rainy season. The rainy season in Coron often lasts long with sudden and unexpected rains. Heavy rain will also make your journey uncomfortable. But if you still want to travel at this time, prepare your luggage with items such as: quick-drying, waterproof clothes, hats, umbrellas, raincoats, etc.

The average temperature in the warmest months is about 29°C. Meanwhile, the average temperature in the months with cold weather is about 22 – 23°C.

During the summer, it is best to wear beach attire. Make sure to bring other beach essentials like goggles and a cap. Another essential to bring on your trip to Coron is an umbrella.

Getting to Coron (# coron island blog)

If you choose to fly to Manila, then there are ways to get to Coron such as:

By plane (# coron travel blog)

The Philippines has many islands and seas, so traveling by road and waterway is quite time-consuming and complicated. Flying is convenient, tickets are also cheap. There are only three airlines to Coron: Philippines Airlines (national airline), Skyjet, Cebu Airlines (low-cost airline). From Coron to Manila, there are no night flights and no flights to other places, so it’s a bit inconvenient for people who want to save airfare and time.

The ticket price for this flight is about $37 – $41 and the duration is about 1 hour 50 minutes if flying directly. But you must book your tickets early.

From Busuanga airport into Coron island town (# coron blog)

After landing at Coron airport (Francisco B. Reyes Airport), you will have to travel another 45 minutes to get to the town center. Outside the airport, there are many vans, buses, and taxis to take you to the hotel and town in different directions. Just go out and say the name of the hotel your hotel and the drivers will guide you. The fixed price for a van is 150 peso per person, no need to bargain. When going from town to the airport, I asked the hotel staff to book a car for me, also 150 peso.

By boat from El Nido to Coron (# coron travel guide)

If you depart from El Nido town, the boat will be the most reasonable means for you to get to Coron. The price of traveling by ferry will be much cheaper than by plane. So you might save a bit of money. As for travel time, it will depend on two different types of ferries, which are:

• Fast ferry: Usually departs at 7 a.m. with a ticket price of about 1,600 Pesos. You will have to travel about 4 to 5 hours depending on the weather conditions offshore.
• Normal ferry: You will have to travel about 8 to 9 hours with this type of ferry. Although the travel time is long, you will save a bit because the train ticket price is only about 1,000 Pesos to 1,200 Pesos.

Taking a boat at sea for so long will be a bad experience for those who suffer from seasickness. But currently there is no other option for traveling between the two islands because at this time there are still no flights between El Nido and Coron.

Getting around Coron (# coron blog)

Getting from El Nido, after docking at Coron port, go out and catch a trycicle, it takes about 15 minutes to get back to town.

After arriving at Coron Island, you can try to experience countless interesting vehicles such as poracle cars, the cost is very cheap, only about $0.2/2km. Or you will ride a jeepney to get around the city. And if you want to be proactive and easily get around, rent a motorbike for $6.15/first 3 hours, if you rent for the whole day it will be cheaper.

We were mainly walking, motorized tricycles and electric tricycles (yellow, smoother ride). Tricycle, each trip the driver charges 10 pesos per person, for a group of 4 people it costs 40 pesos. Not sure if it was overcharged or not, but I think the price is reasonable, each person only spent $0.2, I did not bargain anymore.

Tricycle

Tricycle is the most popular and easily found vehicle in the Philippines. You will easily find this mean of transport everywhere on the road with the same design as an auto rickshaw but smaller. If you travel in a group of 4 people, this vehicle will be extremely suitable to take you to explore Coron city.

Tuk tuk

Tuk tuk is also a suitable vehicle for tours with large groups of people. At the same time, the price of traveling by tuk tuk is inexpensive. You will be able to save quite a bit when going sightseeing by this type of vehicle.

Motorbike/bicycle

These are the two most common types of means of transportation that you can choose for your trip. With these two types of cars, you can rent them directly at your accomodation. If they don’t have one, try asking the receptionist for the nearest places to rent one. The cost of renting a car is usually quite cheap and an international driver’s license is required. So please prepare an international driver’s license.

Motorbike rental service in Coron is quite popular with a price of about 500 pesos per day. Compared to auto rickshaw, scooters are more economical for long trips or multiple stops.

Boat/ferry

These are two indispensable means of transportation to other islands in Coron. With a boat/ferry, it will be easier for you to move and visit neighboring islands. At the same time, you will also have other exciting experiences such as diving to see coral, swimming, playing water motorbikes, kayaking, etc. in offshore waters.

On foot

If you want to relax and have a real walk. Look for hotels near the center of Coron. From the center, it will be easier for you to walk and explore Coron city. And of course, with this experience you will not lose any costs. However, it will take a lot of effort and you won’t be able to explore many tourist attractions. Therefore, you should combine other means of transportation to have a reasonable trip.

What to do and where to go?

Island hopping

Most tourists come to Coron to experience island-hopping boat tours. This is the main tour on Coron Island, the tour goes through many of the area’s top highlights in one day.

You’ll visit several white-sand beaches, see picturesque lakes, row boats in twin lagoons, and snorkel with fish in wonderful coral gardens. And visit at least one World War II shipwreck site. Don’t forget Coron is one of the most famous scuba diving spots in the Philippines. You can dive to explore the unique beauty of the islands during your trip.

Scuba diving and snorkeling

One of the must-do and exciting experiences that any visitor to Coron enjoys is diving to see shipwrecks from World War II. This place once was a battlefield for American and Japanese soldiers, so there are still many wrecks were left behind. Therefore, you only need to take about 1-2 hours by boat from Coron to get here to explore the ocean.

The area around Busuanga is one of the world’s most famous wreck diving sites. There are many Japanese wreckships found at this locations. Some wrecks lie deep in the ocean, others are in shallow water. Not only for experienced scuba divers, beginners can also come here. There is also a shipwreck located near the coast, if you scuba dive you can also see it.

Culion’s beautiful beaches

You can also take a leisurely cruise to Culion’s best tourist spots like Malcapuya Island and Ditaytayan Island. This is where you can enjoy panoramic views of the coastal cliffs on the boat ride there. You’ll want to stay a while on this island to enjoy the beauty of its pristine beaches and soft white sand.

Calauit Safari Park

For those who prefer land-based attractions, the Calauit Game Refuge and Wildlife Sanctuary is the ideal destination. Enjoying views of the island’s wildlife with this day tour to Coron’s savannah where African giraffes, antelopes, zebras, and brown deer roam freely… The reserve is located on an island Small island at Busuanga northern portion, about 70 km from Coron town. Leave town early to enjoy a relaxing morning safari around the park before it gets too hot.

Mt. Tapyas

Next is Tapyas peak, this is known as a beautiful viewing spot of Coron, Tapyas peak with a height of 210m and 742 steps has made many visitors admire the beautiful romantic sunset scene. Not only that, visitors can also walk on the stairs with lush green grass slopes mixed with golden sunlight on both sides and enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful Coron Island or the majestic limestone reefs offshore. Below Tapyas peak is the blue color of the sea and is most beautiful when the sunset is gradually falling with the last rays of sunlight in the clearest and most romantic way.

Maquinit Hot Spring

Located in a mangrove forest, Maquinit is one of the world’s very few natural sources of salty hot water. The mineral-rich water of nearly 400 degrees Celsius is loved for its relaxing properties and is good for physical and mental health. Soaking in the hot water pool at dusk is an experience not to be missed, especially on starry nights.

About 30 minutes by tricycle from the main town located in a mangrove forest next to the sea. It is said to be one of the very few natural saltwater springs in the world.

Kayangan Lake

Besides the clear beaches, you can go to Kayangan Lake to swim and dive. Not only is it beautiful when viewed from above and below the lake, but the surrounding space is also very peaceful and fresh. The journey here is also a very chill experience. You will sit on a boat and drift slowly through the rocky mountains, through the small bay and finally reach this fairyland.

One of the interesting activities in Coron is visiting Kayangan Lake. Swimming and diving here are so great! The area around the lake is extremely beautiful. From Coron you will take a boat through several rocky mountains to a small bay. A bit of climbing will be required before you can see the captivating panorama of this area. The image we took was of this place. Surely this is a destination not to be missed.

Coron Island

Besides Coron city in Busuanga, there is a place not far away called Coron island. Only 20 minutes by train from the city to the island. You can experience a day trip here.

Although there are so many stunning backgrounds, have you checked in with the majestic limestone mountains next to the clear sea on Coron Island? You only need to take the train for about 20 minutes from the city to reach and embrace the wild but extremely romantic and worthwhile beauty of this island.

Twin Lagoons

Among the beautiful and spectacular spots where you can trust your soul to the clear blue water, you must choose Twin Lagoons saltwater lake in Coron. This lake is so clear and quiet that you could mistake it for a giant mirror. How can you miss a great spot like that without coming to check-in and enjoy a little, right? And if you dive to the bottom of the lake, you can go through the “underground door” to the other lake.

Twin Lagoons is a paradise on earth with clear water like a giant mirror. When you come to Twin Lagoons, you will be able to freely soak in the cool and clear water. In addition, at Twin Lagoons, you can also become a “hot model” with the most attractive and unique photo styles. Because the natural scenery at Twin Lagoons is like a picture so beautiful it’s hard to believe it’s real.

Barracuda Lake

Among the must-visit and famous lakes in Coron is Barracuda brackish water lake. Viewed from above, this lake looks like a shiny jade sheet surrounded by majestic rocky mountains. This paradise-like space is also a healing place for a very good mood.

Barracuda is a beautiful brackish lake surrounded by rocky mountains. In addition to carrying the responsibility of “masterpiece” in Coron. Barracuda Lake is also an ideal place for you to take a scuba diving journey to the bottom of the ocean. However, just from the shore looking down at the lake surface, you can glimpse a few fish. But once you settle down to the bottom, you will definitely be amazed by the one-of-a-kind beauty of Barracuda.

Furthermore, this is also a place for you to experience scuba diving and explore the ocean floor under the clearest water in the world. So, more or less, you must come to this lake at least to experience and check-in.

CYC Beach (# coron island blog)

If you don’t call CYC beach a natural masterpiece, you can call it “sea paradise”. Because the beauty of this landscape painting is created from the smooth white sand beach running along the green coconut trees, embracing the clear blue sea, but it is wonderfully harmonious. Especially, if you get lost in this peaceful space, it will be very difficult for you to escape.

Coron isn’t just about remote sea beds. Of course, this place also has fine white sand beaches and tall, fluttering coconut trees. Come to CYC Beach to see this seascape painting. At CYC Beach, you will find a long stretch of white sand with an extremely quiet space. Spend the end of the day after sports activities sightseeing and having fun here. And don’t forget to admire the brilliant sunrise at CYC Beach.

Balinsasayaw Reef, Malwawey Reef & Coral Garden

Coron not only possesses heavenly beauty on the water surface, but also an artistic masterpiece below the ocean. If you have dived to explore the wreck, you should also give yourself some beautiful things below the sea surface in this colorful coral “garden”, right? This is also one of those experiences that will be imprinted in your mind for the rest of your life.

Balinsasayaw Reef, Malwawey Reef & Coral Garden are the two most attractive places that we really like. Because when you come to Balinsasayam Reef, Malwawey Reef & Coral Garden, you will come to a colorful coral “garden” underwater. Not only are there corals, but Balinsasayaw Reef, Malwawey Reef & Coral Garden also have other rich marine species.

Tours

There are many beautiful scenes here, the main means of travel is by boat. Taking a tour is the best choice for you to reach all places. Luckily the quality of the tours is very good. You don’t have much choice. Either you focus on the most beautiful beaches, or you go to the most popular spots. Remember to book a tour here!

How to choose where to go if your time is limited?

If you don’t have much time to go to all spots, there is a way to combine it all:

Choose about 8 places you want to go in 1 day, and go to faraway places the next day. Then go to the tour agents and said you want to buy a private tour and go to the places you want.

They will quote you the price of the tour, in the morning they will take you to the market to buy whatever you want to eat, and at noon they will cook it for free on the boat.

Private tour means you rent a private boat and don’t combine it with another group.

Going like this way is very proactive and if there are 4 or more people, the price per person is even cheaper than usual. So if you go in a large group, whether you have time or not, you should book a private tour.

And NOTE: If you book a tour, you should book the day before so that the next day they will arrange a time and location to pick you. You will have to deposit a little money in advance, but rest assured that you won’t be disappointed, the people here are good and honest.

When you return, remember to give the tour guides a few tips to thank them. 100, 200 pesos is ok.

Purchasing a personal Super Ultimate Island tour at Calamian Islands Travel and Tours is all-inclusive. This is a reputable tour company in the Palawan archipelago. I booked an airport shuttle service for 1,500 pesos/6 people because the airport is quite far away in the jungle. This tour will include destinations in Coron, my group of 6 people, 1900 pesos/person. Deposit 4,000 pesos to pay in cash.

What to eat in Coron?

The food in Coron will be quite expensive. Normally, meals in restaurants will range from 150 Pesos to 400 Pesos. If you want to save more money, you can choose small restaurants outside the port for only 50 Pesos for a portion. In addition, in the afternoon there will be stalls selling grilled food with prices ranging from 10 Pesos to 30 Pesos per skewer. You can also enjoy a variety of delicious dishes here.

Although it is said that the dishes in Coron, in general the dishes are similar throughout the Philippines. There are also a few famous dishes. It’s just that in each region, the seasoning is a little salty, a little sweet, just to the taste, the name doesn’t change.

A must-try dish here is a dish called tamilok, raw seafood cooked with vinegar, similar to ceviche. Another type is crocodile sisig, which uses crocodile meat seasoned with onions and chili peppers. You should also try danggit lamayo, a fresh, dried rabbitfish marinated in vinegar, pepper and garlic.

Some dishes mustr-try in Coron

• Roasted Pork Lechon: Lechon in Cebu and Manila is salty, I give 10 points in Palawan because it is not salty but fragrant. Lechon has smooth, crispy skin, a little bit of fat, a little is delicious.
• Bulalo: The name of a stew made from beef bones as the main ingredient, cooked with a few vegetables. In Manila, they add vinegar so it has a slightly sour taste. I heard that in Tagatay there is a restaurant that offers the most delicious and famous bulalo, but I was too lazy to go. In Coron, Season restaurant cooks like normal beef bone soup. The beef is soft and fragrant, one bowl can feed 2-3 people.
• Sisig: Sisig is the name of chopped meat, then fried with oil, diced purple onions, bell peppers, and this and sauce. Depending on the type of meat, there are names like chicken sisig, beef sisig, crocodile sisig, eggplant sisig (vegetarian restaurant) :). Sisig served with white rice.
• Sinigang: Sour soup, ingredients are fish, seafood, vegetables, add vinegar. Serveed with white rice.
• Lato: Sea grape salad, tomatoes, onions, chili, vinegar. This dish is often served with seafood. If you come to Coron, you will see it everywhere.
• BBQ Inasal: This dish is so famous, especially the famous chicken inasal brand Mang Inasal. Chicken is marinated with pepper, coconut vinegar and chestnut oil, then grilled and brushed with sauce. Served with kumquat + fried rice.
• Fried chicken: The most famous are Jollibee and Mc Donald’s, present everywhere across the country, including remote areas.
• Fruit juice: Mango, pineapple, especially green mango shake. Wherever I go, I look for it to drink. If I don’t have any, I only drink ripe mangoes.
• Halo halo (Filipino Shaved Ice Dessert): Traditional sweet treat includes milk, plantain cake, green, red, purple and yellow jelly, water coconut, and taro ice cream. Not sweet, not greasy. Sometimes put in a glass, sometimes in a coconut.
• Tapsilog: Garlic fried rice, I eat it at every restaurant. At every hotel, I have breakfast with Tapsilog garlic fried rice + eggs + bacon. It’s on the menu everywhere, if it isn’t, your request is ok.

In addition, you can try:

• Tuna
• Chicken Adobo (Adobong Manok)
• Kare Kare (Filipino stew with a rich and thick peanut sauce)
• Mani noodles
• Isaw (grilled chicken intestines)
• Chicken Arroz Caldo (Chicken Rice Porridge)
• Tsitsaron (fried pork belly or fried pork rinds)

Kare-Kare is a dish of boiled vegetables with peanut butter sauce and minced meat. Anyone who is tired of grease can try this dish. I’m loyal to this dish because of its heathy.

Kawayan BBQ restaurant is a perfect suggestion on the island. This restaurant with an indigenous motif is perfect for anyone craving seafood and grilled food.

Where to stay? (# coron island travel guide)

The most convenient place to stay is in Busuanga, where there are cheap guesthouses, bungalows and a few hotels for backpackers. Other places in Coron are also quite good to stay.

Affordable: You should stay at the hotels near town. The advantage is that it is cheap and close to the center for transportation. The downside is that it’s not beautiful, but there are also a few places with sea views (the sea on the Coron coast is not nice as expected). But it’s best to book in advance, booking in advance may be a bit expensive but not much…

Resorts: The advantage is beauty and comfort. The downside is that it’s very far. Even though there is a trycicle shuttle service, it’s only hourly and to certain locations, not where you want to go, so it will cost you more money to travel.

Also more expensive but not much. I stayed at the resort was also very beautiful. The resort I stayed at: Sunz En Resort (Agoda, Booking)

Below we recommend more best budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• The Funny Lion – Coron (Agoda, Booking)
• Corto del Mar Hotel (Agoda, Booking)
• Club Paradise Palawan (Agoda, Booking)
• MO2 Westown Lagoon Coron (Agoda, Booking)
• Two Seasons Coron Bayside Hotel (Agoda, Booking)
• El Rio y Mar Resort (Agoda, Booking)

Check out more top and best hotels in Coron on Agoda.com or Booking.com

My Coron itinerary 5 days

• Day 1: El nido – Coron, afternoon arrive in Coron, check in, rest and hang around town in the evening.
• Day 2 and 3: Island hopping (choose your own places to visit).
• Day 4: Safari or play in town then go scuba diving.
• Day 5: Town, Tapyas Mountain, hot springs, return to Manila in the afternoon, fly back to Hanoi at night.

If you only go a island hopping tour and don’t go on safari or scuba diving, then only 3 days will be enough to explore Coron.

Travel costs

In Coron, I found the food to be a little cheaper than El Nido, and the tour a little more expensive. Overall, it’s a little more expensive but not significant, compared to Vietnam, it’s still cheap.

We were free so we went for 5 days, the last day was considered lost due to travel. The remaining 3 days are 2 days of tour, 1 day of walking around town and hot springs. The mentality of eating, drinking, and having fun is not economical, and we miss out on promotional air tickets, so it costs a little.

• Round trip flight ticket Manila – Busuanga (Coron): 5241p (just missed the promotion so got extra cost).
• Buy tour = 2500p
• Eat and drink a lot of seafood 1 or 2 meals a day, each meal costs 1200 ~ 1800 pesos for 4 people.
• Miscellaneous expenses such as transportation, other miscellaneous snacks are not much.
• You should exchange money in Manila before going to Coron.
• When departing the island, each passenger must pay 100 pesos airport fee (terminal fee).
• Also important to note is that wherever you go, remember to bring bottled water to drink.

Some tips before you go

• Visiting islands in the Philippines, you will pay about 200 Pesos for environmental fees and 200 Pesos for entrance fees. If you have already paid 200 Pesos for the environmental fee, you will not have to pay extra for other island visits.
• You should check the ferry schedule in Coron in advance. Then, arrange to book the ferrt 1 to 2 hours in advance to avoid delays on previous journeys.
• If you suffer from motion sickness, consider traveling by plane to save time and not be tired while sightseeing.
• When arriving on the island, you should book a vehicle to take you to the hotel and a car to pick you up from the hotel to the airport. If you do not book in advance, there will usually not be a car to pick you up. You can still use a Tricycle or tuk tuk. But the cost of traveling to the airport will be very expensive.
• Please comply with Philippine regulations to avoid making certain mistakes.
• When visiting the island in Coron. You should work with the people to protect the environment as well as preserve the island’s landscape.
• If you participate in a scuba diving experience, remember not to break or pick the coral reefs.
• Do not catch underwater marine life on shore. Especially starfish, because they die very quickly.
• Most tours in Coron should have the assistance of a professional guide because of their adventurous nature. You can ask travel agencies for support with this.
• Don’t forget to bring sunscreen to help protect your skin from the effects of ultraviolet rays.
• Umbrellas and hats are also two extremely necessary pieces of equipment on every trip.
• If you go in the rainy season, remember to bring quick-drying clothes, umbrellas, raincoats, etc.
• High socks and insect repellent will be your close “friends” when you conquer the jungle and caves in Coron.
• You should exchange money before coming to Coron. Normally, the exchange rate in Coron will be higher than in your country.
• Don’t forget to prepare a 4G SIM card to conveniently contact family and tour services. In addition, you can also use network data to search for information or post photos on social networks.
• You can also use a wifi pocket device to access internet. However, the rental price will be quite high and if you lose it, you will lose your deposit. So you need to consider before renting.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Coron you can refer to

• Coron Tour A
• Coron Ultimate Island Day Tour
• Coron Tour B
• Coron Tour C
• Coron Island Escapade Day Tour
• Coron Super Ultimate Day Tour
• One-Way Fast Ferry Ticket Between Coron and El Nido
• Coron Town Half Day Tour
• Coron Tour D Reef and Wrecks
• Coron Tour in a Luxury Catamaran

Read more Philippines guide here.