Do me a favor, and think about the top 3 tourist destinations the Philippines is known for. Well I bet Palawan or Coron is part of it. It is one of the most famous destinations in our country, and as a matter of fact, if you search for images of the Philippines in Google, stunning photos of Coron will mostly pop out in your screen. I mean who wouldn't be left breathless because of its enchanting lagoons and Instagram-worthy beaches?
With that said, please don't think that Coron is only within reach for those who have moolah. Let me tell you how we enjoyed its pristine beaches and stunning views under 7k! I even think you can survive for less than that!
How to get to Coron
From Manila.
Book a flight to Busuanga through Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, or SkyJet. Travel time takes a little more than an hour. Then, get a van to take you to the Coron Town Proper for P150/head. For the van, we reserved seats from Kuya Jojo of Seahorse Guesthouse (0916 400 4534). Better to ask your hotel if they provide pickups from the airport to your hotel.
Another option ( the cheaper yet longer alternative) is to book a ferryboat ride via 2Go to Coron. This usually takes around 8 hours. You may book your tickets here.
2Go also has ferryboats that goes from Puerto Prinsesa to Coron and vice versa. Estimated travel time is 8 hours. You can checkout the schedules here.
From El Nido.
Board a boat to Coron from one of the tour operators in El Nido. It costs around P1200, and travel time is about 5-8 hours.
Getting Around Town
Coron is a pretty small town so you can just print out a map (like I did) or let your Google Maps do the work, and walk around town to where you wanna go. If it's scorching hot (or you'd rather be lazy) you can ride a tricycle for P10/head.
What to do in Coron
I'd like to say that you won't really experience Coron if you don't do any of its island hopping tours. Since Coron is a little town, and there are no beaches on its borders so there's nothing much to do aside from island hopping.
There are 10 different tours in Coron (I know that's a lot!). Please note that tours in Coron are not standardized, and prizes for each operators may vary. Inclusions in these tours are life vests, entrance fees, buffet lunch, tour guides, with complimentary merienda and cottages.
If you're staying in Coron for just 4D/3N just like we did, I suggest taking the Coron Island Ultimate Tour, Island Escapade Tour, and doing your DIY version of the Coron Town Tour. For the town tour, you can just hire a tricycle for P300. He can take you to the foot of Mt. Tapyas then to Maquinit Hot Spring.
We booked our tours with JY Travel and Tours Coron via Facebook Messenger (yes, they reply fast), then they just sent us a booking confirmation via email. You can do this if you're OC, and want everything in order just like me. If not, you can just go to Coron and book a tour there. I even heard from my friends that you can haggle on the cost if you're taking more than 1 tour.
You can checkout my blog posts about the Coron Ultimate Tour, Island Escapade Tour, and the DIY Coron Town Tour to know more about the things and the sights that awaits you on those tours.
The Itinerary
As promised, here's the 4D/3N itinerary I made when for my Coron trip.
#AlistayoTips
- Bring all the cash that you'll need. The ATMs in the town are limited, and most are only available for local ATM cards.
- Take a joiner tour if you're just a small group, and a private tour if you'll go with a bigger group. This will help you save a ton of money.
- Bring snorkelers and aqua shoes to protect you from sea urchins, jellyfish, and stone fish. These are also available for rent in the tour operators for P150 each.
- Keep your bottle. Have it refilled in your hotel before you head out to save money.
- Eating in the small karenderias adjacent to the main road will help you cut down your food expenses too.
- Extend if you can! No explanations needed.
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