CORON ISLAND: 5 DAYS IN PARADISE

Coron Island was an absolute dream ( besides the fact I got bit by fish and got poison ivy mango allergies) ! We stayed at the Coron Soleil Garden resort and it was PARADISE.

The hotel has a complimentary shuttle so when we arrived at the airport all the transportation was arranged at the car was already there waiting for us. Make sure you check ahead of time if your hotel has a shuttle it'll make your travels so much easier. We stayed here for five days and four nights in the poolside suite. This was super convenient as it is steps away from the pool,bar, and restaurant! You get complimentary breakfast but I also want to mention, that the staff is so amazing and friendly! Thank you so much to Carla, Josephine, and Jerome for your incredible hospitality. They were extremely accommodating towards us especially when we were arranging tours! I miss them already haha. When arranging tours I suggest you book your tours at the hotel as it's cheaper and you don't get charged for towels.

Now i'm sure you're wondering what there is to do in Coron! Let me give you a run down of which tours I took and also other things to do on the island.

THINGS TO DO IN CORON, PALAWAN

CALAMIAN TOURS ( link here)

Calamian tours was recommended to us by a family friend. We booked a private day tour, which means you get a private boat for your tour. There is also a public tour option which is less expensive and a good option if you're travelling on your own/with a small party. We booked two tours with them and you can find our itinerary and a quick summary below!

Sidenote: Our tour guide Anthony was great and he shared a lot of knowledge about the island and also the fish we were seeing while snorkelling. We were well looked after, he even gave us bananacue ( fried banana) on our way back to Coron island! 

Itinerary #1:

1) KAYANGAN LAKE- One of the cleanest lakes in the world. This is a beautiful place to visit. You have to do a small hike to get to the lake but it is quick and easy! The water is pristine and well maintained as it is looked after by the indigenous people of the island.

Note: There is a fee to enter this site but if you book a tour they will cover that fee for you

2) TWIN LAGOON - This was fun because you had to swim under a limestone rock to get into the lagoon. The most interesting thing about Blue lagoon is that the water is cold at the surface but warm as you sink deeper. Weird right?! It's because the cold water comes from the limestone that encloses the lagoon. The water is Brackish which is a mix of salt and fresh water and that's why there's two temperatures as well. I'm no scientist and not an expert on why this is how it is but I know that you can pee in the water and no one will know because it's all warm down there.

3) Lunch at BANOL BEACH- SO BEAUTIFUL. We were brought to this white sand beach for lunch ( see featured photo) We had a hut to ourselves and enjoyed a lunch with fruit, bbq pork, chicken, and fish! We were given an hour of leisure time here to swim and tan.

WARNING: FISH HERE BITE. I was bit here twice by a territorial fish called the Damselfish. They are everywhere in Coron and if you look down into the water you'll see them charging at you. Damselfish lay their eggs in the sand so if you step on it you will definitely know because it'll bite you. Their teeth are quite sharp and I remember just running out of the water with a bleeding leg. It bit me twice! Evil fish. Anyways, moving on....

4) SKELETON GARDEN - A sunken cargo ship in the middle of the ocean. Enough said.

4) CORAL GARDEN- This is the place to visit if you like to snorkel. They preserve the corals here to the reef is thriving with live corals and fish. Unfortunately, we were here on a cloudy day so it wasn't as vibrant but if you're lucky you'll be there when it's sunny! 

Note: I ran into a sea snake here but I think I'm just unlucky in the ocean...or nature in general .

Best Beaches Tour:

1) MALCAPUYA AKA " BAD GAL" ISLAND

we were told that Malcapuya island was named after a woman with an attitude problem. Felt like home to me ( LOL JK). This is awesome because it's a private island and there aren't a lot of people there. There are huts in the shade, a cozy hammock, and beautiful white sand. It's nice to swim here because there aren't any fish to bite you and the beach isn't rocky. 

2) BANANA ISLAND

We were brought to Banana Island for lunch. There's plenty to do here! Kayaking, snorkelling, or you can chill in the treehouse!

I kayaked and snorkelled while I was here and got bit by fish again ( twice). I also saw an eel and that's when I gave up on snorkelling. I've never swam so fast in my life. I spent a lot of time sitting by the shore and would constantly hear people screaming " OW" as the fish bit them. At least I was safe hehe. 

3) BULOG BEACH- This is basically a small beach with a sandbar attached to it. When the tide is low you can cross the sandbar to reach the other island. I felt like Moses lol parting the Philippine sea. ( You can see this in my Philippine video below)

HOT SPRINGS- Maquinit Hot springs 

I didn't get to go here but I wish I did! These hot springs are known tourist destination and I was told the best time to go is during sunset when it's a bit cooler out. 

 MOUNT TAPYAS - You can hike Mount Tapyas and climb the steps to reach the " CORON" sign on top. It's a lot of steps but the view is worth it! 

CORON VIDEO DIARY