Coron, Palawan.

We began the year with a trip to this paradise with so many magical islands -- Coron. Words are not really enough to describe how truly enchanting and beautiful Coron is. I would certainly visit it again, do more dives, and breathe in its beauty.

Coron Island is located at the northern tip of Palawan. It is known for its several Japanese shipwrecks from World War II. The waters in Coron are usually calm, many people love to dive and snorkel in the surrounding areas to see these shipwrecks.

We had a grand time hopping from island to island, diving, snorkeling, swimming.

Airline from Manila : Philippine Airlines fly to Busuanga daily. It is about an hour and a half flight from Manila.

Accomodations : We stayed at Sea Dive Resort. But there are a lot of hotels, resorts and inns in Coron.

You might want to try the Village Lodge, KokosNuss, and Dive Link Resort.

Transportation : To go around the main island, there are a lot of triycles. To go island hopping, your hotel can help you find a boat. Rates usually starts at P1500.

Things to do : Take a walk around the main island, visit the market, go to the spa. Above all, go island hopping, swim, and dive.

Places/Islands to See and Go :
Banol Beach
Siete Picados
Kayangan Lake
Twin Lagoon
Barracuda Lake
Maquinit Hot Springs
Calauit Wildlife Sanctuary
Shipwreck Dive Spots

Just two pieces of advice : 1) be very fit when you go to Coron. You'll be doing a lot of trekking, walking, climbing, and swimming; and 2) Ask your boatman for advice which island to see or let them help you plot out your island hopping itinerary. The locals know best.

If you are a diver, here's a list of shipwrecks to see while in Coron.

For your diving needs,
contact Arni Pabelonio
Coron Divers
+63918 6539854
arnipabelonio@hotmail.com

While already in Coron, you might want to visit the Calauit Wildlife Sanctuary. From Coron, you can hire a van to take you to a small harbor about an hour away. From there, you take a 15-minute banka ride to Calauit. A little note though: leave early (as in dawn early).

We immensely enjoyed our Calauit experience. We fed giraffes, took pictures of zebras, and got fascinated by so many animals roaming around the island. The place is beautiful and quiet.

One More Thing (before leaving Coron): Drop by Aling Trining's Restaurant (Trining Bacsa). She serves good food and she makes mean pancit!