Coron: Caught in a Bad Romance

It’s not my first time in what they call the country’s last frontier. I’ve been in Palawan before, in Puerto Princesa and El Nido. Indeed, this part of the country is Paradise. 4 days is not enough and the moment I went back to Manila, I told myself, “I shall return”. Ganyan lang ang aura ko eh. Kung kailan? Hindi ko na-plano pero nangyari naman.

One of the best things that happened in this decade was CEBUPACIFIC. I’m sure, marami ang mag-aagree sa akin dyan. Filipinos should be grateful of CebuPac because it is through their cheap domestic flights that discovering the Philippines became more convenient, affordable and accessible to “every juan” (ayan free plugging yan ha!). My friend, Ace, “the queen of cheap flights” was able to book us a 2-way flight to Busuanga for 99 pesos only per person! (wah kyeme yan!) It’s even cheaper than going to Batangas via Bus! As usual, we booked this trip months ago together with Ritz and with Sarit who booked his flight with Zest, not the soap but ZestAir! (waley ang joke ko dito hahaha)

My first attempt to do aerial shots from the window of the plane.

We arrived in Busuanga around 11am at the quaint Francisco A. Reyes National Airport. Busuanga is one of the municipalities found in the province of Palawan. Busuanga covers the western one-third of Busuanga Island, which is part of the Calamianes group of islands. From the Airport, there is a 30 minute land transfer going to municipality of Coron and will cost you Php150. Vans are usually found outside the airport waiting for pre-booked transfers and at the same time also accommodating those who don’t have. Remember, last trip going to Coron is around 12 noon since flights in Busuanga (to and from) is up until 11am (if my memory serves me right).

Coron is said to be a recent tourism discovery. Once you get to the town proper, you will notice the newly built lodges, unfinished concrete roads and only few commercial establishments unlike Puerto Princessa. No Jollibee, Starbucks or McDonalds so don't look for one. Wala ring Mang Inasal o kahit Chowking. Ang meron lang …Zagu.

Coron is a known to be a major fishing hub in the Calamianes group of Islands of Palawan (composed of four municipalities—Coron, Busuanga, Culion and Linapacan). Local Tagbanuas called this island Calis. According to locals, most of the islands here are owned by the Tagbanuas. The government awarded them the ownership due to ancestral domain.

On our first day, we stayed at Amphibiko. For this season, we were charged 1650/ per room (and we were 4) , inclusive of a very "bad breakfast". We had our first lunch at Lolo Nonoy’s. Nothing really special about this carinderia which regarded by most locales as one of the best place to eat. Their entrée is what you usually find in any carinderia in Manila. There’s lutong bahay like menudo and adobo and sizzling platters like sisig and porkchop.

view outside the amphibiko lodge

Around 3PM, while Ritz and Ace took their afternoon siesta, Sarit and I decided to do some cam whoring. Sarit is sooo excited to do his first travel photography with his new Nikon d3000. We went around the area and found this pretty boat dock connected to our "nipa hut inspired" lodge. While taking shots of the area, we saw this mountain with huge cross on top of it.

Going to Mt. Tapyas is not your usual mountain trekking. It is said to be over at 2,000 feet above sea level. In fairness, you don’t have to endure the old school mountain climbing since they created concrete stairs. Be sure that you do some leg stretching because there are almost 700 steps going to the peak of Mt. Tapyas. Weeeh? Ay day! Totoo. Full blast jabar talaga ako. But once you get to the peak, it will all be worth it. From the peak, there is a viewing deck that will show you the panoramic view of the Coron island.

We tried exploring the peak and I saw this part of the mountain that has a very charming view. Feeling ko bigla, nasa “Sound of Music” ako… the hills are alive! Bet ko sanang tumakbo-takbo at mag emote kaya lang masakit sa balat ang talahib at baka sa sobrang dala ako eh mahulog ako. Sayang naman ang camera.

After an hour, we decided to go down and again endure another 700 steps. Ang sakit sa tuhod! On our way down, may mga nakasabay kaming cute locals. Nagpa-cute pero hala dinedma lang kami. Natakot yata kay Sarit! Hmpf!

On our second day, we woke up early to go to Malcapuya Island. We started with a bad breakfast- hotdog (isang maliit na Swift o Bibo hotdog yata yun), sunny side up egg at white rice. So cliché, hindi ako nabusog.

Going to Malcapuya will require you to rent a boat. It will cost you Php 3,500 (so share-share kami) plus 200 each for the food that they will cook in the island.

On the way to the Malcapuya, we saw a lot of breathtaking scenery. But after 30 minutes, you’ll get tired of the same view. It will take you an hour and half of boat travel going to Malcapuya. Yes, ang tagal nya...

Hindi ko alam kung sino ang malas but upon reaching the area, umulan ng sobrang lakas. Who would want to go “beaching” ng umuulan? Good thing, when we approached the shore, rain slowly subsided and we were able to get some sun!

Malcapuya Island is definitely beautiful but not FABULOUS. Even if it was regarded as the most beautiful island beach in that area, I am still not impressed. Yes, it is still raw but the sand is not as fine as Boracay’s. The area is well maintained by caretakers and there are cottages you can use for free.

What I like about this island is that after the shoreline, you will see a portion of land filled with green grass with this proud rooster roaming the area. Malcapuya also has a famous resident, a cute dachshund named Audrey. I suddenly missed my chihuahua named Kenzo.

Rumor has it that this island will soon be developed as a private island with 5 star hotel complete with your own butler and a helipad (maybe ala-Amanpulo). They said, it will only served select and rich clientele.

There is also a hill within the island that has a viewing deck where you will get the chance to see the other side of Malcapuya. The boatmen (there are 2 of them) prepared our lunch while we enjoy ourselves under the sun and the white sand plus a lot of photo whoring. But it all went to an end because the rain poured again. We tried to enjoy the moment pero hindi rin nagtagal dahil ang sakit sa likod ng ulan and it’s sooo cold. We finally had our lunch- grilled pork and fish (sambong) and a lot of RICE.

Dahil sa likas akong "girl scout", hindi nawala sa bag ko ang isang bote ng the “BAR”-Always Open. Dahil sa sobrang lamig ng hangin plus the fact that we are all wet, we badly need HEAT. The Bar Strawberry flavored vodka gave us that. Oohh I so love the Bar.

Si Ace, feel na feel itago ang chanda romero

reddish tan skinned ritz complemented the rough texture plus receding hairline hehehe

When the rain finally subsided, we decided to leave the island before we get stuck in there. Before leaving, we paid Php 200/person. Yes ganun kamahal. Konti na lang, entrada na sa Enchanted Kingdom o Ocean Park!

We were supposed to get into the Banana Island after Malcapuya but because there is still rain shower, we decided to just go home.

Upon nearing Coron shore, the sun was already up and that made us major, major happy. We decided to have a stop over at Banol Island. The island is actually small, so not much to explore but just enjoy the beautiful shorline. Entrance fee for Banol Beach is Php 100.

Day 2 of our Coron is dedicated to the popular island hopping. We also moved in to another hotel called Oriental lodge. Fully booked na kasi yung Amphibiko at may available lang na room during our first day so we don’t have any choice but to move out. The van driver we met at the airport recommended this lodge. Oriental is located near the plaza where tourism center is located. We spent Php 1040/room/ per day, which is 520/person. This comes with an acceptable breakfast meal.

Our first stop is Siete Pecados, a lovely snorkeling site. Be sure to bring bread when going on snorkeling so you can feed the fishes and have a close encounter with these magnificent creatures. Yun nga lang be prepared na magpagkamalan nilang bread din ang kamay mo. But don’t worry, they’re harmless.

Siete Pecados is a cluster of seven islets and is a sanctuary to a rich marine life. The beauty underneath makes Siete Pecados one of Coron best sites for snorkeling. Legend has it that the seven islets were formed after seven sisters went swimming against their mother’s wishes. Because of that they all drowned and afterwards, seven small islands sprouted from the sea.

Snorkeling pa lang, sulit ka na. Oo nga pala, you can rent the snorkeling gear for Php 150 and you can you use that for the whole day. Buti nalang we were able to get our for Php 100 lang. Entrance fee for Sieta Pecados is Php 100.

After an hour, we decided to move to another spot, the Kayangan Lake. Upon docking on the shore, we were welcomed by the Tagbanuas , the tribe responsible for taking care of the lake. We have to climb up and go down before we can reach the hidden lake. Buti na lang, our boatman/tour guide was there to bring our stuff.

After going through the short mountain trail, we finally reached the ooh-lala Kayangan Lake. The lush green trees, the texture of the limestone formation and the serene aqua blue lake was a picture perfect nature scene. So postcard pretty it will drop your jaw. It is regarded as the cleanest lake in Asia and is also known as the “Blue Lagoon” of Coron.

We tried snorkeling but nothing can be seen underwater. So we decided to just take the “balsa” and just immersed ourselves in the total serenity of the place.

We suddenly felt the rage of our stomach. It’s near lunchtime so we decided to go back to the boat expecting that our lunch will be done. Unfortunately, Kuya just finished cooking the rice. Tomas Morato na talaga kami so we decided just to move to the next island while waiting for our lunch. Entrance fee for Kayangan Lake: Php 200.

Atuayan Beach has the longest beachline among the Coron group of islands. It was originally called Katuayan meaning a place full of Tuay (a kind of shell) by the natives. I also heard that it was used as the location of the TV version of Dyesebel for their pilot episode (I don’t watch Kapuso shows so I really don’t care plus the fact that I hate Marian Rivera). Entrance fee is Php 100.

We finally had our most awaited meal of the day. Before our trip, my friend Ace and Ritz woke up early to buy fresh meat and fish for this trip. We had grilled chicken, pork and the “so yummy sasakit ang batok mo” alimango! Yum! Yum! After lunch, I think I gained 3 pounds.

We headed to our next activity- snorkeling at what they call the Skeleton Wreck. It was my first time to see an actual shipwreck. You don't need to do scuba diving to get the full view of the shipwreck, snorkeling is enough. Medyo creepy nga lang pero you will appreciate pa rin the underwater beauty. I totally enjoyed this site.

For our last stop, we went to the Twin Lagoon. Yes, it was fabulous. Perfect place for kayaking and photo ops. Using a bamboo raft, we went to the other lagoon by passing through a small cove. It was so small we need to lie down in the raft to fit in. It was nerve racking because the lagoon was so deep that any big movement might make us fall! At the same time, I brought with me my dslr that’s why we are oh so careful with our movement.

Around 5PM we ended our Coron Island hopping and went back to our lodge.

Day 4 in Coron, we decided to just rest and chill out and do our own activity of our choice. Ace and Ritz went to Mt. Tapyas while Sarit and I stayed inside the lodge and watched Cinema One for more Tagalog movies (yes, we are fans of tagalog movies na tinatawag nyong bakya!).

Around lunchtime, we went out and decided to get some lunch and do some shopping. Coron was known to produce the best “Kasoy” so we searched for a store that offers a moderate price. And there is none. 1 kilo is around Php 450-500 (the cheapest you can get). I was like…what the…? So we all decided not to buy one. Taga-Rizal ako kaya sa Antipolo na lang ako bibili!. We opted for the dried fishes- danggit, sapsap, dilis pusit at kung anu-ano pa.

Danggit : 3 packs (1/2 kilo) for 100

Dilis: 40/ half kilo

Sapsap: 35/halk filo

Frozen Danggit: 150/half kilo

We went to the famous "Kweba" to buy the handmade tshirt. Again, minalas kami dahil out of stock ang shirts. Urrgh. Sayang, 350 lang yung handmade tshirt!

The shop called "kweba" famous for the handmade tshirt.

Around 4PM, I called my new friend Ruel, a local tricycle driver to bring us to Maquinit Hot Spring. Coron’s major mode of transportation is their gigantic tricycle. It can fit up to 8 people. Fare is 8 pesos around the town proper. Since Maquinit is outside the town proper, we paid Php 400 for the tricycle we rented.

It was a rough road going to the hot springs. The soil is red clay so expect orange dust, good thing, it just rained when we went there.

Macquinit is the best place to relax your muscle after all the activities you have done in Coron. They said that the hot springs produce healing waters with a temperature ranging from 38 to 41 degrees Celsius. Maquinit’s waters are very relaxing and therapeutical. It has a flow output of 85 liters/second or a whopping 5,115 liter/minute! Unlike other hot springs, its waters are salty with a slight sulphuric content. Also, the algae that grow on its pools walls contain spirulina – used as a dietary supplement due to its high vitamin content.

On our last night in Coron we treated ourselves to a fab dinner at Kawayanan Grill. Their entree is so commonn, you can find it in Gerry's Grill or Dencio's. What made them special? Well the food is great. We all loved their sinampalukang manok and crispy pata. Nakadalawang rice na naman ako! After that we decided to get some few drinks at Calypso, the Party Boat.

Entrance fee at Calypso is Php 100 inclusive of 1 drink and the boat transfer going to Calypso and going back to the port. Yes, it is a bar built in a boat or a yacht whatever you call that. I got SanMig light and rum coke. We got to party with other tourists from Manila while enjoying the unusual tribal music. Also, I must commend that they have a very nice staff!

Around 10PM, we went back to the lodge. We did another activity that I can't really share in this public blogsite. Just message me if you want details hehehe!

After staying in Coron for 5 days, I suddenly missed Manila. Na homesick bigla ako! (oh dahil kaya wala ng budget heheh)

So what’s my verdict?

Well, Coron is undeniably a beautiful place. That’s a fact. But overall, I’m not really that impressed. El Nido will still top my list. So what’s wrong with Coron? Here’s my travel yeheys and boohoos...

Yehey!

· Mt. Tapyas – the peak will give you a full panoramic view of the island. Well developed and it’s FREE.

· Lualhati Reyes Park – the baywalk park, best place to see sunset and sunrise.

· Boat Party – love the concept and the staff! Kulang lang ng variety of music- wala kasing Lady Gaga

· Kawayanan Grill – yummy food!

Boohoo!

· Island entrance fee – I don’t get it! I mean I understand that there is a maintenance cost to make sure these areas are protected but Php100 – 200 entrance fee is too much. They should have a discounted charge for local tourists. Imagine, you will pay that fee for just staying 30 mins to 2 hours per island or snorkeling spot.

· Food variety – if you want to taste authentic coron dish then don’t expect because they don’t have. Other than Lolo Nonoy’s and Kawayanan Grill there are no resto you should not miss. Ayan pa naman ang hanap ko everytime I travel.

· Malcapuya Island – such a hype. Really expensive for that plain beach. If you just want to have a day trip there, you may want to remove it in your itinerary. Nothing outstanding about the island. You will save 3500 for boat rent and 200 for entrance!

I think, 3 days is enough to enjoy Coron. If you are planning to visit, save some cash, you will need it. Cheapest meal you can get is at 70 pesos. There are cheap lodges, I think, you just have to search the area. If you want an airconditioned one, cheapest you can get is 1k per room.

For a backpacker travelers like and me and my friends, who always search for cheap deals and raw beauty of nature, Coron did not meet our expectations. But don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful place but too financially manipulated to function as a backpacker’s haven. I thought it was a romance bound to flourish. However it was a romance not meant at all. Sorry Coron... I left my heart in El Nido. :)

On the way back to Manila (via Cebupacific), I seated near the window. I took that opportunity to take some aerial shots ala John Chua. Dahil sa malulain ako, hindi ako nakatagal...

view upon nearing Manila. I'm not sure kung anong province to