Is it your first time heading to Coron? Fear not – this blog post aims to give you tips and tricks to enjoy Coron like a pro! So, read on to figure out…

• When’s the best time to go to Coron
• How to get to Coron
• How to get around Coron
• Where to stay
• Final tips

 

When’s the best time to go to Coron

In the Philippines, we have two seasons (wet and dry). For obvious reasons, folks prefer traveling during the dry season (after all, most folks don’t prefer walking around under the rain). If that’s the case…

• The coolest dry season months are January to February
• March to May are the hottest months (hello summer!) Obviously, the weather would be better during these months, but just be prepared to share the island with hordes of other tourists

On the other hand, if you opt to visit Coron during the wet season (June to December) – expect somewhat less tourists, BUT run the risk of having your plans derailed by typhoons. In our case, we went mid-December, but luck wasn’t on our side, and we essentially spent 3 out of 4 days stuck in Coron Town as all boats were grounded by the Coast Guards due to a passing typhoon

 

How to get to Coron

Coming from Manila? Travel by air to Busuanga Airport (Skyjet, Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines)

Skyjet typically has the cheapest year-round fares, although Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines’ promo fares are well-worth waiting for. In our case, we went with Skyjet as we decided to book one month before the actual dates

Our Skyjet fare cost ~PHP 7,000 round-trip – which is admittedly pricey in a country where budget fares can go as low as PHP 2,000. For the price though, Skyjet offered:

• 10 kg luggage check-in (perfect for packing hard liquor)
• 5 kg hand carry luggage
• Snack plus drink in-flight

Coming from Puerto Prinsesa or El Nido? Travel via ferry

• From Puerto Prinsesa: Use 2GO (click this link for the schedule). Travel time: ~15 hrs
• From El Nido: Use Montenegro lines (click this link for the schedule). Travel time: ~4 hrs

 

How to get around Coron

There are three main modes of transport once you get to Coron:

Van hire

From the airport to your accommodations, you can opt to:

• Hire a private van: ~PHP 1,500, can accommodate ~14pax max
• Pay per person: ~PHP 150

Transport time from airport to Coron Town takes roughly ~30-45 minutes

If you’re also interested in going around Coron Town to check out places like Maquinit Hot Spring and Mt. Tapyas (see blog for further details), then you can also decide to rent a private van as well. It will cost you ~PHP 1,500 – although this can go up depending on the distance and duration of the rental

If you’re interested in either of the above, our main contact was Jomar at +63 915 312 8851. He’s quite responsive – just give him either a call or SMS if you have a query

PRO TIP: The first price he quotes you is typically inflated, so do ask for a discount to make sure you get a good deal (the price typically goes down by ~PHP 500++)

Tricycle

Within the city center, you can flag down tricycles to bring you to restaurants or groceries if needed

• Standard rates are PHP 10 per person, regardless of the number of pax
• Each tricycle can seat up to 6 people, excluding the driver

NOTE: Tricycles are pretty common, and the drivers are pretty familiar with the famous restaurants and hotels. So, just provide them needed landmarks so they’ll know where to go (or have Waze ready)

Outside the city center, you can also opt to use a tricycle (instead of a van) to head to the Maquinit Hot Spring and Mt. Tapyas. Round-trip rates are pretty high though – would say this is only worth it if there are <8 people in the group

• 2 people: ~PHP 350
• 4 people: ~PHP 700

 

Boat hire

Obviously, folks go to Coron for the famous beaches AND dive sites. If that’s the case, then a boat hire (or a shared tour) is the way to go

If you’re interested in a boat hire, total price increases depending on # of pax, but cost per person decreases. For our group of 15, we were quoted the following prices:

Coron Island Tour (PHP 4,500 for the boat only), exclusive of entrance fees outlined below

• Barracuda Lake (PHP 200 entrance fee)
• Kayangan Lake (PHP 300 entrance fee)
• Skeleton Wreck (PHP 100 entrance fee)
• Twin Lagoon (PHP 200 entrance fee)
• CYC Beach (Free)

Malcapuya Loop (PHP 7,000 for the boat only), exclusive of entrance fees outlined below

• Malcapuya Island (PHP 200 entrance fee)
• Banana Island (PHP 200 entrance fee)
• Bulog Dos Island (PHP 100 entrance fee)

If you wish to book in advance, our main contact was +63 915 546 0144 / +63 928 318 5942. I am ashamed to say I can’t remember what her name was…

PRO TIP: ALWAYS haggle. I actually found out once we got to Coron that I could’ve gotten the Coron Island Tour and Malcapuya Loop Tour at PHP 4,000 and PHP 6,000 respectively…

 

Where to stay

OPTION 1: Funny Lion Resort

The swankiest option (with the best amenities) is the Funny Lion Resort. I’ve never been there, but expect to pay ~PHP 9,000 per room per night (max of 3 pax). If you find the price too steep but still want to avail of the amenities (i.e. the pool), you can also make a pool reservation at +63 2 856 1443 – for PHP 400 per person, which is actually consumable

 

OPTION 2: CORON GATEWAY HOTEL AND SUITES

Another option would be the Coron Gateway Hotel and Suites. Location is extremely central (similar to AirBnB below) and is also extremely decently priced! If you want a place to hang out (e.g. a decent sized living room area), splurge for the Presidential Suite. The suite isn’t not listed on booking sites, but you can call them up at +63 949 8700 712 to request for it

 

OPTION 3: AIRBNB

Lastly, you can choose to rent an AirBnB instead  – which is what we did since we were such a large group! We got the entire house…

• Sleep up to 20 pax (4 rooms, 4 bathrooms)
• Decent sized dining area, living room area, and balcony

Our host, John Raymund, was super cool and accommodating – and provided lots of advice on what we can see and do while here. Overall, the place was clean and cozy feeling. Location was great too, as you could easily walk to…

• All the nice restaurants (except for Lobster King)
• The wet market (where you can buy tuna and liempo for grilling while island hopping)
• The port (where you’ll board your boat as you embark on your island hopping adventure!)

To be completely transparent though, the WiFi connection was pretty bad, and the water pressure was weak – but overall, you get what you pay for!

Final tips

I really really hope you enjoy Coron! My friends and I went there during, quite possibly, the absolute worst time of the year (ugh damn you typhoon) – but we still had loads of fun and lots of good food (when in doubt, just eat); so I hope you get to enjoy it too!

Final parting tips to ensure you maximize the experience:

• Bring cash! Most of the establishments in Coron are still cash-based (from restaurants, to groceries, to boat tours), so it would be extremely difficult if you run out. There are ATMs (Metrobank, BPI, etc) but there aren’t a lot, and I hear they run out of cash sometimes during the peak seasons!
• Manage expectations. Coron is absolutely stunning, but it’s also an island. What that means: Power is spotty (expect a few brownouts while here), prices can err on the expensive side (supposedly because they have to import most stuff from Mindoro), WiFi isn’t the best (ok let’s be honest, WiFi sucks most anywhere in the Philippines), and EVERYONE moves damn slow. But if you’re willing to give this island a chance, you’ll perhaps end up with an experience to remember for the rest of your life. I know I did!

 

To better prepare for your Coron trip – do check out my other Coron blog posts as well:

• Everything you need to know about Coron, including what to do beyond island hopping (as a DIY tourist!)
• Eating my way through Coron – top picks!

 

For my other Palawan blogs, do check out:

• Honda Bay Island Hopping: A guide to enjoying the touristy and not-so-touristy beaches of Puerto Prinsesa
• Nagtabon Beach: A guide to enjoying the touristy and not-so-touristy beaches of Puerto Prinsesa