We arrived at Best Western Plus The Ivywall Hotel Puerto Princesa, past midnight—exhausted but excited for our family's first trip to Palawan. The vacation also doubled as a surprise birthday celebration for our toddler, Kid A. He arrived straight from school in his uniform, which made for a pretty funny start to the trip! It was also my birthday—but unlike his, mine, obviously, wasn't a surprise.

BEST WESTERN PLU THE IVYWALL HOTEL PUERTO PRINCESA’S MODERNIST FACADE

Having previously stayed at Best Western Plus The Ivywall Resort–Panglao, we were curious to see if the Puerto Princesa property could live up to the excellent experience we had in Bohol. Would The Ivywall's first Best Western Plus franchise in the Philippines deliver the same level of comfort, service, and value? Here's our detailed and honest review after spending four days at the hotel.

I got to write a feature for Inflight Traveller magazine issue 27 last February about Coron. The reason I’m only getting to write about it now is that I can’t seem to get a hold of the magazine from bookstores and I only got to finally have a copy when I chanced upon a digital one on Issuu’s website.

The article is the usual 10 Things To Do listicle and features major tourist destinations in Coron and Busuanga. Of course, I get to have my photos printed too.

Here’s my original version of the story:

➤ CHECK AFFORDABLE HOTELS IN CORON HERE!

10 Things To Do In Coron TABLE OF CONTENTS ~ WHAT’S INSIDE? Hop Around The Islands Snorkel Along The Corals Wreck Dive Learn About The Heritage Of Culion Island Hike Up Mount Tapyas Engage In A Safari Food Trip Along Coron Town Engage In Watersports Activities Experience A Mangrove Night Tour Dip At Maquinit Hot Springs      ► CORON TRAVEL GUIDE

➤ BOOK DISCOUNTED TOURS IN CORON HERE!  USE DISCOUNT CODE LAKADPHKLOOK 

 

 

KAYANGAN VIEW POINT, THE MOST FAMOUS SPOT IN CORON

 

 

TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORON

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TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORON ARTICLE IN INFLIGHT TRAVELLER 27

Fine white sand. Clear azure waters. Cobalt blue sky. With summer finally here, everyone’s craving for some beach action. And Palawan, the Philippines’ so called last frontier, tops the bill when it comes to beach destinations in the country. And we’re not just saying that, it has been hailed numerous times by both international magazines and institutions as one of the best, not only in the Philippines, but in the world.

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TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORON ARTICLE IN INFLIGHT TRAVELLER 27

There’s actually three major places to visit in the peninsula—Puerto Princesa at the center, El Nido on the north, and Coron on the far, far north. Let’s focus on that last one. Coron, is actually one of the two towns that make up Busuanga Island. Busuanga on the north west, Coron on the south east. And Coron is where it’s happening.

TEN THINGS TO DO IN CORON ARTICLE IN INFLIGHT TRAVELLER 27

The base of operation for most tourists is Coron Town. It’s where most of the resorts, restaurants, and tourist spots are—including, of course, much of the beach destinations on the area. Note, however, that there is no actual beach at the town itself, you’d have to ride a boat to swim and frolic on white sandy beaches. But if you have cash to burn, there are luxury resorts like Huma Island Resort and Two Seasons Coron located off remote islands that have their own exclusive beaches.

So, what do you actually do when in Coron? Here are ten of them.

 

 

HOP AROUND THE ISLANDS

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MORNING SUN AT CORON’S TWIN LAGOON

Since there is no beach in Coron Town, to get to them you’d have to join island hopping tours. And these can easily be availed through the resort you’re staying in or the Calamian Tourist Boat Association.

A Coron island hopping tour usually consists of visiting the lagoons, inland lakes, and beaches of the karts-laden Coron Island or Isla Higantes. Some of the most popular destinations are Banul Beach, Barracuda Lake, Kayangan Lake—considered as one of the cleanest lakes in the Philippines, Twin Lagoon, and CYC Beach.

Once you’ve explored these, then you can have a go at the farther islands of Malcapuya, Banana Island, Bulog Dos, Waling-Waling, and Ditaytayan Islands the next day. And if you still have more time to spare, there are farther islands to explore like Dibatok, Calumbayan, Pass, Tara, and the North and South Cay Islands.

Tours are usually done using traditional outrigger boats, but if you want a swankier ride, speedboats and yachts are also available.

➤ BOOK CORON ULTIMATE ISLAND HOPPING TOUR HERE!
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SNORKEL ALONG THE CORALS

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THE MALWAWEY CORAL GARDEN

Coron has one of the most healthy and pristine underwater marine life in the country. And included with the island hopping tours are snorkeling adventures.

The most easily accessible of these are the nearby Siete Pecados with the site bordered by seven islets, the Malwawey Coral Garden which is replete with massive table corals, and the reef near the Skeleton Wreck which has a very shallow depth. Farther away is the reef fronting Banana Island, which is deeper than those mentioned previously. It is also interesting to snorkel at Kayangan Lake, even though there’s really no coral beneath it, but more for its underwater rock formations—so be sure, to bring your gear with you when you go there.

Life vests and snorkeling gear are also provided for, so all you have to do is jump in the water and enjoy the underwater scenery.

 

 

WRECK DIVE

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CORON’S SKELETON WRECK

If you want a more advanced underwater activity, Coron is just the place for you. With a total of twelve well-preserved World War II shipwrecks lying on its seabed, it’s the perfect place for a unique diving experience. These are mostly Imperial Japanese wartime ships sunk by the US Task Force 38 aircrafts in 1944.

For the uninitiated the Skeleton Wreck–a 25-meter Japanese supply ship—can be seen even by casual snorkelers and is usually included in island hopping tours. But for the real deal, the most popular of the wrecks are the largely intact Irako, the 118-meter long Akitsushima seaplane carrier, the 140-meter Kogyo freighter, and the largest and most popular wreck in Coron, the massive 170-meter long Okikawa Maru Japanese tanker.

The best way to enjoy wreck diving in Coron is thru liveaboard diving safaris where you actually lodge on a small sea vessel, visiting dive sites all through your chosen stay.

➤ BOOK CORON WRECK DIVING HERE!
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LEARN ABOUT THE HERITAGE OF CULION ISLAND

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THE LA IMMACULADA CONCEPCION CHURCH IN CULION ISLAND

For history buffs, an interesting island to visit when in Coron is the former leper colony island of Culion. Delegated as a segregation colony in 1901 by the Americans for people suffering leprosy, it has since embraced its past with the establishment of the Culion Museum and Archives, documenting its dark history. There are also fortifications and a massive stone church, the La Immaculada Concepcion Church, built during the Spanish era along the town proper.

The island is actually a separate town from Coron, but is near enough to be included with the usual tours.

 

 

HIKE UP MOUNT TAPYAS

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AFTERNOON AT CORON’S MT. TAPYAS

Coron Town sits right beside Mount Tapyas, a 210-meter hill topped with a huge Hollywood-esque CORON sign and a massive white cross. The mountain is a popular climbing destination, not only for tourists but for locals as well.

Getting up is actually not that hard, since there are wide concrete steps that ascends from the base of the hilll up to its peak. Just be sure to pace yourselves, it is a tough 718 steps right up to the top. Time your climb during the afternoons and enjoy the view of the nearby islands along with a fiery sunset and a cold drink from local vendors along the stairs.

Besides the main viewing deck, there are also a few pavilions off the side of the hills where you can relax and rest while taking in the view.

➤ BOOK CORON TOWN TOUR HERE!
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ENGAGE IN A SAFARI

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FREE-ROAMING ZEBRAS AT BUSUANGA’S CALAUIT SAFARI PARK

Ever thought of doing a safari but don't have the moolah to fly all the way to Africa? Well, the town of Busuanga—which sits right next to Coron—has a mini safari of sorts to bridge that dream. Located on the secluded Calauit Island, the 3,700-hectare Calauit Safari Park is an animal reserve home to Grevy’s zebras, reticulated giraffes, and indigenous species like Calamian deer, Palawan bearded pig, Philippine crocodile, Philippine porcupine, binturong, and the Philippine mouse-deer roaming freely across a natural and picturesque landscape.

The exotic non-indigenous animals, including waterbucks, elands, impalas, topis, bushbucks, and gazelles—which has since died off—were shipped all the way from Kenya by the former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos during the late seventies.

➤ BOOK CALAUIT SAFARI & BEACH TOUR HERE!
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FOOD TRIP ALONG CORON TOWN

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BABY BACK RIBS AT SANTINO’S GRILL IN CORON TOWN

Coron, a once sleepy town with a few basic eateries catering to tourists is now a food hub complete with posh local cafes and interesting restaurants. A few of the must-tries are baby-back ribs from Santino’s Grill, brick oven-style pizza from Trattoria Altrov’e Coron, grilled meals from KT’s Sinugba sa Balay, budget pinoy meals at Tita Esh, and of course, a bag of cashew nuts from numerous stores around town.

After dinner, there are bars you can drop by for a couple of glasses of drink. Popular ones include Sigpin Bar, Coco Bar, Pirates Tavern Bar, Isla Pool Bar, Tribu Kuridas Bar, and Sunburn Rooftop Lounge.

For your island hopping adventure, don’t forget to drop by the Coron wet market early in the morning for fresh seafood that your boatman will cook for you come lunchtime.

 

 

ENGAGE IN WATERSPORTS ACTIVITIES

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Like all popular beach destinations, Coron has its share of exciting water sport activities for hyperactive solo adventurers and big groups. These are usually held at the popular Royal Island Resort. Jet-skis, parasails, banana boats, flyfish, bandwagon, hurricane, and crystal kayaks—you name it, they probably have it. Get those nerves of steel ready and prepare to get thrown out into the water.

➤ BOOK CORON WATERSPORTS HERE!
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EXPERIENCE A MANGROVE NIGHT TOUR

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Forget about resting after a day of beaching around. Avail of a Coron night tour and be bedazzled by a flurry of magical lights from above and below while enjoying a sumptuous buffet aboard a floating restaurant.

Cruise along the mangroves and witness a symphony of lights from fireflies living along the mangrove forests—a tell-tale sign that the area is still virgin and far from pollution—and watch as bioluminescent planktons glow across the darkened waters of the bay.

 

 

DIP AT MAQUINIT HOT SPRINGS

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THE RICKETY BRIDGE AT MAQUINIT HOT SPRINGS

The perfect way to cap a day of island hopping, a hike up Mount Tapyas, or even a day of food tripping is via a night dip at the hot spring waters of Maquinit. Located at the far end of town, it can either be accessed via tricycles or by boat—if you're coming from an island hopping trip. The natural gravel-bottom pools of Maquinit Hot Springs has an average temperature of 39 to 40 degrees Celsius and are said to have healing properties. The water is actually scalding hot on first dip, but you’ll eventually get used to the heat.

But healing properties aside, its warmth is more than enough to refresh and rejuvenate your body after all the island and inland activities you did in Coron.

➤ BOOK MAQUINIT HOT SPRINGS HERE!
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Coron, a town in the province of Palawan, is one of the most sought after destinations in the Philippines. And you can easily understand why. It has pristine white sand beaches, unbelievably turquoise waters, rich marine life, World War II shipwrecks, and karsts-dotted landscapes that can rival the best that the world has to offer. Often referred to as the country’s Last Frontier, it is located on the upper region of Palawan, 595 kilometers from Metro Manila.

Coron is the perfect destination for casual vacationers, hardcore backpackers, beach lovers, and adventurous divers. Once you’ve visited, coming back for a second time is really something you won’t need to decide on—Coron would automatically make that decision for you.

Huffing and puffing, we took the last few steps up the steel ladders leading to the apex of the El Nido Canopy Walk. The town spread out a hundred or so meters below us, lining the shore like toy houses leading to the blue green waters of Bacuit Bay. Outrigger boats used for island hopping bob lightly along the water, hemmed in by a soaring cliff carpeted in greens on the left and a wooded hill on the right. It was a fantastic view best enjoyed alive and unscathed.

A VIEW OF EL NIDO’S BACUIT BAY FROM MOUNT TARAW

Climbing the Taraw Cliff or Mount Taraw is usually on the bucket list of most climbers visiting El Nido. Even D, one of our friends who was with us during the trip was planning to scale it, only to find it closed due to a recent accident. Apparently a guide has fallen while trying to save a climber who had just proposed to his girlfriend right on the mountain. Besides this incident, there has been other accidents and even deaths involving climbers trying to conquer Taraw’s Peak.

►BOOK YOUR EL NIDO TOURS WITH EASE, GET INSTANT CONFIRMATION

Everyone in the group, except M, had tried the island hopping activities in El Nido. We initially thought of passing up on it, but we considered doing it again for the sake of our friend. Well, it’s his first time on this part of Palawan and we thought we’d treat him to a combo island tour to maximize his island hopping experience.

MOTORIZED OUTRIGGER BOATS USED FOR ISLAND HOPPING IN EL NIDO

El Nido has four island hopping options grouped into Tour A, B, C, and D. The two most popular routes are Tour A and Tour C. If you have limited time like us, you can actually combine these tours—choose where you want to go and cross off those that doesn’t interest you. Already familiar with most of the islands and beaches on the list, that’s exactly what we did.

►CHECK OUT: EL NIDO TO CORON

Linapacan was our second choice for our Palawan getaway. We originally planned on going to Balabac, but due to weather constraints and the threat of being eaten by crocodiles, we whole-heartedly settled for the latter. And can we be so choosy? Linapacan has been tagged as having one of the clearest waters in the world.

LINAPACAN HAS BEEN DUBBED AS HAVING ONE OF THE CLEAREST WATERS IN THE WORLD

Located between El Nido and Coron, Linapacan is actually a municipality in Palawan. It is a menagerie of islands, some of which used to belong to Coron. The town’s jump off is about an hour away from El Nido, and I’m quite puzzled as to why the boom in the region’s tourism hasn’t reached it yet.

►CHECK OUT: CORON TRAVEL GUIDE

After dropping our bags, freshening up, and finishing a cup of coffee at the Northern Hope Inn in El Nido Town, our van transfer going to the Twin Beach of Nacpan and Calitang promptly arrived (you can actually rent a tricycle going there if you’re just three in the group, it’s cheaper by a thousand pesos). We requested for the tour right after our arrival to maximize our stay in El Nido.

NACPAN BEACH IS MOSTLY FREQUENTED BY FOREIGN TOURISTS

The road to Nacpan was still as bumpy as the first two times I’ve visited it years back—granted, it’s only the latter part of the route which remains unpaved up to this day. Our driver told us that a concrete road is actually being constructed as of the moment, and indeed, we saw workers finishing up parts of the narrow dirt track.

►FIND THE CHEAPEST FLIGHT TO EL NIDO

With our hope of going to Balabac dashed, we settled for El Nido instead. From our original plan of exploring the southernmost town in Palawan, we’re now heading north. Everyone in the group had already visited El Nido more than once, except for J, but still, we’re all quite excited since we’ve set our sights on one of the lesser visited places in the area, Linapacan.

NORTHERN HOPE TOURS IN PALAWAN

From Puerto Princesa, we sought the help of Northern Hope Tours. We could’ve taken the public bus going there, but since we were a big group, we decided on taking a van (₱500.00 per person) instead—more fun for us that way. Northern Hope took care of everything, we just texted them where we were staying, and they picked us up early the next day after we had our silog breakfast.

►FIND THE CHEAPEST FLIGHT TO EL NIDO