Top Things to Do in Coron Palawan

written by local expert Anna Faustino

Anna is a co-founder of Adventure in You and has been traveling the world for the last 9 years. She has spent time living in Thailand, Mexico, Indonesia, and Spain and is our local expert in these areas. Her expertise on travel, gear, and building businesses have been featured on Foundr, Business Insider, Yahoo Travel, and more.

Coron, Palawan is a haven for underwater adventurers. From snorkeling, island hopping, and wreck diving, it has been one of the top destinations here in the Philippines that I wanted to take Tom to. After spending almost a week there, I realized there is so much more to this town than just exploring the underwater world. Although I had a rough idea on what we wanted to do, as we got to the place, we were faced with the question that most travelers ask themselves when they get to a new destination. In this case it was, what to do while in Coron?

Read: How to Travel like a Local in Coron

Go Island Hopping

Since there are no beaches close to Coron town itself, island hopping of course, is an essential must while in Coron. The Coron island tour will take you around its lagoons and lakes set amidst its famed dramatic limestone cliffs whilst other tours can take you to white sand beaches like Malcapuya and Banana Island. Most of the spots have an entrance fee of P100, while Kayangan Lake, known to be the clearest lake in the Philippines charges P200. It is also the viewpoint for the iconic Coron shot seen in most photos.

Although the tours are much cheaper, we highly suggest renting a boat yourself rather than joining a tour, which shuffles you off to every destination on a time limit. We rented a boat with a lovely French couple that we met on the 2GO boat for P2500. We chose which islands to go to and just paid the entrance fees ourselves. We also made a side trip to the wet market to buy some food for our lunch, which our boatman gladly grilled for us. Soon, we were on a secluded beach eating grilled chicken and squid while sharing a few rum cokes. Trust me, this is the way to go! Just head on to the local pier and get ready to bargain with the local boatmen.

Read: Reasons Why Not to Visit the Philippines Rugged islands in turquoise water

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Explore the Underwater World in Coron

Diving in Coron is a dream for most scuba enthusiasts. There is nothing more exhilarating than swimming through the tiny nooks and caverns of these WWII shipwrecks as schools of fish both big and small swim around you. Barracuda Lake is also an unreal experience with limestone rock formations resembling a foreign alien world. It is also known for its thermocline where the cold fresh water meets the hot salt water. Although there is very little marine life due to the temperature, there is a fabled single barracuda that still lives within the lake. Rock Steady and Neptune Divers were the two schools that I have personally tried. They were both well-organized, good equipment, good food on the boat, plus both schools give out a cold beer at the end of your last dive. Oh, yeah!

If you’re not a diver, the snorkeling in Siete Pecados and Coral Gardens by the Lusong Gun Boat wreck is an amazing experience as well.

Read: Diving through WW2 Shipwrecks in Coron Palawan  Diving through shipwrecks

Climb Mt. Tapyas for a Breathtaking View of the Sunset

If you find yourself back early from a day trip somewhere, make the climb to the top of Mt. Tapyas. Although seemingly daunting, the 700 concrete steps lead to a breathtaking view of Coron Bay. Head up as the sun is setting to avoid the intense heat, and bring water with you (there are some being sold by the steps). Mt. Tapyas, set at 210 meters is the second tallest mountain in Coron, which trust me, is well worth the steep climb.  A sunset in Coron

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Rent a Motorbike and Explore Coron

Tom and I wanted to get off the beaten track a little bit after a few days of island hopping and diving. We initially planned to get away for 3 days, as we made our way to Calauit Safari. Tours from Coron town cost P2500 per person, which we found too expensive so we decided to rent a motorbike and drive up there ourselvess. Although the roads were known to be rough, we were up for the adventure

(WARNING: If you are planning to go this route, rent a bigger bike and not a scooter. You can thank us later!).

We had planned on renting the bike for 3 days, driving up to Ocam-Ocam beach, stay there for a night then head to the safari early morning. On our way back, we planned to just stop at small towns for possibly another night of exploring. We rented our bike from Boyet (09282929884) who told us that we could also visit a town called Higari where we could stay at his father in-laws house for free. We ended up staying in a small beach hut in Ocam-Ocam, doing a side trip to Calauit Safari and to Black Island. Afterwards, we headed over to Higari where we spent three nights at Boyet’s father in laws house. There, we spent our days trying to fish for our lunch, exploring islands, going on boat rides, and getting to know their family and the other locals. It was the highlight of our trip!

Read: Top 5 Strangest Filipino Street Food

For shorter motorbike destinations, you can drive up to Conception to visit the waterfalls, or to Sanctuaria Treehouse for a refreshing hideaway from the hustle and bustle of Coron town.  A man feeding giraffes


Looking for a Place to Stay While in Coron?

Click the link below if you want to read the full article with all our hotel and hostel recommendations or check out our top picks below.

The Best Places to Stay in Palawan

$ Budget: Lagrosa Backpackers Hostel

Located right in the heart of Coron, Lagrosa Backpackers provides a clean and affordable place to stay while touring around. The satff are very helpful and can help you get things done like laundry or arranging for a massage. Please note that because this is located by the main street, it can get noisy sometimes.

To compare prices and read reviews, check:

Hotels Combined | Booking.com 

$$ Mid Range: Discovery Island Resort & Dive Center

Located on its own private island just 5 minute away from the main town, this place is a good bargain for those that want a beach front property. Although the rest of Coron town is inaccessible (short boat rides to and from can be arranged), everything that you need is already located here. The location is rather perfect compared to the other landlocked places to stay in Coron, Palawan. (Prices Start at $42 for two)

To compare prices and read reviews, check:

Hotels Combined | Booking.com | Traveloka

$$$ Splurge: The Funny Lion

Located just a short drive from one of the best view points in Coron, The Funny Lion offers luxurious amenities which are perfect to enjoy after a day full of diving/island hopping. Things like an outdoor pool and tub set next to a mangrove forest immediately makes you feel closer to nature. The food in their restaurant is also very noteworthy! (Prices start at $120 a night for two)

To see an updated price list and read reviews, check:

Hotels Combined | Booking.com |  Traveloka

$$$$ Luxury: Huma Island

Although Huma Island isn’t exactly in Coron but in Busuanga itself, this private island is as luxurious as it gets. This well decorated high end resort boasts of beautiful views of the ocean. The staff here are all well trained and deliver good quality service. If you are looking for a private getaway, this island in Coron is for you. If the price tag agrees with you, Huma island is one of the best places to stay in Palawan!

To see an updated price list and read reviews, check:

Hotels Combined | Booking.com |  Traveloka


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