The islands of Palawan really are the top travel destinations in the Philippines and it’s no doubt that we’ll include Coron on our blog too! How can we not when Coron is one of the best provinces in the Philippines in terms of beaches with super clear waters, beautiful sceneries, and most importantly, a peaceful environment?
You’ll definitely love the beaches in Coron since they have powdery white sand, and turquoise waters, as well as lagoons and lakes that not many people have visited yet. Even most Filipinos have not visited this wonderland yet.
Unlike El Nido, Coron has fewer crowds which means that you’ll have the place almost to yourself. You won’t see a lot of people racing to do something before others and for budget travelers like us, Coron is relatively cheaper than that of El Nido!
We’re not trying to put El Nido in a bad light, though. It’s a beautiful place to experience the wonderful nature of the Philippines. We’re simply saying that just because you’re in Palawan does not mean that you can’t explore further!
So, without further ado, let’s explore the 11 best things to do in Coron!
1. Maquinit Hot Springs
Let’s start the list with something a little mellow. You know, a place where you don’t really have to do much except enjoy the hot water amidst the cool, breezy forest that surrounds it.
The Maquinit Hot Springs is the place to be if you’re down to relax your muscle sores or relieve your body pains! It is located in the southern area of Busuanga Island. Locals say that a volcano heats up the water of the spring and is circulated in the pool and the temperatures could go up to 40 degrees celsius!
The pools of water in the Maquinit Hot Springs are quite big so even when there are a lot of people, there’s enough space for everyone. You do have to remember that the spring is a saltwater spring and that there is no place to shower to get rid of the saltwater on your skin. But actually, that’s okay since saltwater baths are known to be soothing for any type of aches.
The Maquinit Hot Springs would be best after a full day of touring around Coron too!
Location: Sitio Maquinit, Barangay, Coron, Palawan
Opening Hours: 8 AM to 7 PM, daily.
Entrance Fee: Php200 or $4 per person.
2. Mount Tapyas
Want to challenge yourself to hike up a mountain while in Coron? Then let’s go to Mount Tapyas!
Mount Tapyas is a 689-foot peak that offers you a stunning view of Coron! Hiking may not be a popular outdoor activity in the Philippines but Mount Tapyas could be the reason why you should do it anyway. It takes about 724 steps to reach the top of the mountain which may sound a lot but we promise you, the sweat and tears are all worth it!
At the top, there is a big Christian cross that looks over the area and a Hollywood-style sign that spells out Coron. But the highlight of the mountain is the view you’ll get from the peak which is phenomenal, to say the least.
Some say that the best time to hike up Mount Tapyas is during sunrise but the sunsets are something else! The feeling you’ll get when the sun starts to go down and the sky slowly exhibits different shades of yellow and orange is just surreal.
Location: Sitio Maquinit, Barangay, Coron, Palawan
Opening Hours: 8 AM to 7 PM, daily.
Entrance Fee: Php200 or $4 per person.
3. Twin Lagoons
A common sight in Palawan is the many lagoons scattered all over the place. Some are hidden and some are boastful of their beauty.
Speaking of beauty, the Twin Lagoons in Coron is one that exudes just that. With its crystal clear waters and the ragged limestone formations that majestically guard the area, Twin Lagoons is one place that you should never skip!
Visiting Twin Lagoons is part of the Coron island-hopping experience so missing it shouldn’t really be a problem. You’ll get to swim, dive, and take tons of raw, instagrammable pictures for keeps or for social media. Also, you’ll get to talk to one of the oldest ethnic groups in the Philippines, an ethnic group that has lived here for the past 16,500 years, the Tagbanua.
The Tagbanua tribe has taken care of Coron for thousands of years. Today, they own over 22,000 hectares of land and sea in Coron which gives them the authority and sovereignty to govern the Calamianes group of islands and its natural resources.
The first lagoon is where you’ll arrive and where your boat will stop. The second lagoon is where you’ll get to swim among crystal clear waters. You can easily access the second lagoon when the tide is low and a small archway is revealed. You will be able to feel the cool and warm temperatures dancing with each other since there’s both fresh and saltwater in the area.
Location: W6X5+2VV, Coron, Palawan
Best Time to Visit: It’s recommended to visit the Twin Lagoons early in the morning to avoid crowds.
Entrance Fee: Php200 or $4 per person which will be paid to the tour guide. A private tour also costs around $55 per person and $38 if you’re in a group of 8-10 people.
4. Lake Kayangan
If you’re looking for the most instagramable spot in the whole of Coron then you should really visit Lake Kayangan because calling it beautiful is an understatement to describe what Kayangan Lake looks like!
It is probably the most photographed site in Coron and the highlight of the Coron island-hopping tours. It’s no surprise though since the towering limestones lined with lush greenery perfectly complements the crystal clear waters of Kayangan Lake. It’s so clear that you can almost perfectly see the bottom of the lake! That’s why it is a favorite diving spot as well!
The Kayangan Lake looks extremely magical and otherworldly but maybe because spirits used to dwell in these waters and that rituals were done to transfer spirits from this lake and Barracuda Lake to Cabugao. At least that’s what the legends have told.
Going to Kayangan Lake requires you to do a short 15-minute trek. You’ll probably want to start recording a video as you approach the lake since the reveal is awesome once you finally see the stunning sight. You also have to check out the viewpoint from which you can fully see why this lake is highly patronized!
Location: Busuanga Island, Coron, Philippines
Opening Hours: Always Open.
Entrance Fee: Php300 or $6 per person.
5. Barracuda Lake
Kayangan Lake is a beautiful diving spot because of its crystal clear waters but why stop there when you can cross to the other side and dive in the waters of Barracuda Lake!
It’s not just the blue waters that have made Barracuda Lake so popular but it’s also because of the actual Barracuda fish skeleton found underneath! And who knows what else you’ll get to find there, right?
The waters in Barracuda is quite similar to that of Kayangan Lake. It’s also made up of fresh and saltwater so when you go freediving, you’ll get to feel the differences in terms of temperatures, especially as you go deepr and deeper. There are rock formations at the bottom too and you might even get to see some live Barracuda fish.
Location: Coron, Philippines
Best Time to Visit: Depends on the tour package.
Entrance Fee: Php250 or $5 per person.
6. Banana Island
We know you’re looking for a family-friendly destination in Coron and how can we not think of your little ones, right? Well, Banana Island is the best place to go to if you’re visiting Coron with your kids.
You might not find bananas randomly floating on the beach but the fine white sands and crystal clear shallow waters here are extremely perfect for everybody in the family. And if you want to explore a little more, there’s a coral reef found at the shore which you can go snorkelling in!
If you’re looking for something more adventurous and you think that snorkeling is not enough to complete your ritual in becoming a mermaid (or merman), you can go diving into deeper waters and see the wonderfully vibrant and healthy marine life!
Location: North of Busuanga Island, Coron, Philippines
Best Time to Visit: Depends on the tour package.
Entrance Fee: Php200 or $4 per person.
7. Shipwreck Diving
It’s pretty clear by now that Coron really is a diver’s heaven! There’s just a lot of diving spots that one can explore and discover and to add to the list of diving spots is the shipwreck found in Busuanga Island.
Back in the 1940s, when the world was too busy fighting with one another for the second time, a lot of Japanese ships which were docked at the coast of Busuanga Island san due to an aerial attack. The sunken wrecks have been colonized by teeming marine life.
Lusong Gunboat Shipwreck
An easy shipwreck diving spot you can go to is the Lusong Gunboat Shipwreck which is the shallowest diving site of all the shipwrecks.
This is perfect for those who may not be as experienced in terms of diving but still want to see the shipwreck from above. The ship is already quite visible even if you stay on the boat or if you go swim down a bit.
Skeleton Wreck
Another easy shipwreck diving spot is the Skeleton Wreck which is a Japanese fishing boat that sunk during the aerial attack in the 1940s.
The remains measure about 25 meters and is a fan favorite among all the shipwrecks here. What’s really wonderful here is the marine life that has really overtaken the wreck. You’ll get to see a lot of fishes here as well as corals and other marine creatures.
Location: North of Busuanga Island, Coron, Philippines
Best Time to Visit: Depends on the tour package.
Diving Package: There are different diving packages that you can avail but usually the price starts at Php3,200 or $58 for 2 dives and Php3900 or $71 for 3 dives. These dive packages already include lunch on board.
8. Bulog Island
Powdery white sand, gradient shades of blue waters, and cute island full of trees in the backdrop. These are surely the recipe for a perfect vacation photograph that will surely make your friend sand family envious! And there’s no other place but Bulog Island or also called, Bulog Dos.
The island is quite small in size but it definitely is quite marvelous! The waters are very clean and cool which is great on a hot day! The sand bar here further accentuates the beauty of the island, showcasing creamy white sand!
You can come here anytime of the day but it is best to visit Bulog Island in the afternoon so that you can see the sunset as well as walk on the sand bar too! Definitely, you should not miss the chance to take a lot of pictures!
Location: Q4JM+GV5 Sulu Sea, Coron, Palawan
Best Time to Visit: During low tide which is either early in the morning or in the afternoon.
Entrance Fee: Php200 or $4 per person.
9. Coral Garden
Finding Nemo won’t seem to be a hard task because we’re sure that any fish would love to live here at the Coral Garden!
It’s a known fact that Philippines is the world’s center for marine biodiversity and Coral Garden is the place to really see that! With over 40 meters in depth, this protected reef is abundant in marine life. There are corals of various, sometimes obscured, shapes and colors. Fishes are happily swimming around their habitat. And there are even species that you never knew existed!
The water is so clear here that the visibility can reach up to 80 feet! You do have to take into consideration getting an Advanced Open Water certification since it is a requirement if you want to go diving here. Luckily, Coron offers great help if you ever want to learn diving and earn your certificate.
Location: Coron, Palawan
Best Time to Visit: During the Summer season, March to May.
Diving Fee: Usually starts at Php2500 or $45 but is also included in tour packages to Lusong Gunboat Shipwreck.
10. Siete Pecados
Siete Pecados means “Seven Sins” and the name originated from the grim legend where seven sisters went swimming against their mother’s will and they all drowned. After the incident, seven islands appeared.
Going past that story, Siete Pecados is actually considered as one of the best snorkeling spots because the marine life here is also the healthiest in the region! This is where you’ll actually get to see numerous schools of fish, healthy corals, and bright reefs! You might get to see a baby octopus or a shark here too! Don’t worry, they won’t eat you!
Going to the site it’s best if you hire a private boat and go there early in the morning where there’s still not a lot of people. As you go diving, you can feed the fishes around and they’ll literally swarm around you. Just don’t forget to tell your tour guide to bring fish food.
Location: X6MJ+772, Coron, Palawan
Best Time to Visit: 8 AM to 4 PM, daily.
Tour Fee: Php600-800 or $11-15 per person. Entrance fee of Php100 or $2 per person may or may not be included.
11. CYC Beach
The Coron Youth Club or CYC Beach is a very popular destination because of its resort-like ambiance. As per Coron standard, the beach has fine white sands and clear blue waters, and also features some mangrove trees!
Although, some would argue that the CYC Beach has lost its luster because of how popular it has become and how it gets overcrowded but the true highlight of this beach is the awesome snorkeling experience you’ll get when you go deeper into the waters!
The good thing about CYC Beach is that it’s one of the most family-friendly island beaches in Coron since your little kiddos can also swim in shallow waters. It’s simply a the place to relax and chill because the vibe here is just that!
Coron’s USAID Awards in 2022!
Coron has some of the best and most protected areas in Palawan and USAID has given Palawan MPAs Empowered through Awards and Recognition to Enrich Marine Life (PEARL) Awards to four marine protected areas in Coron last October 5, 2022.
The Siete Pecados Marine Park was named Best Managed MPA while the San Jose MPA was named Best Emerging MPA. The Balisungan MPA and the Bulalaco MPA were also recognized as Best Community Managed MPA and as Best Locally Managed MPA, respectively. The Calamianes MPA Network—an inter-LGU alliance between Busuanga, Coron, Culion, and Linapacan—also received a special award.
Excerpt from “USAID GIVES AWARDS TO FOUR OUTSTANDING MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN PALAWAN” via the US Embassy in the Philippines.
Marine protected areas (MPA) help protect the marine ecosystem in the Philippines from illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and other forms of dangers that bring harm to the livelihoods and well-being of coastal communities.
What is the best way to explore Coron?
One of the best ways to explore Colon is to go on a whole day trip which includes island-hoppings and diving experiences to the best beaches and diving spots in the Philippines!
You can book these tours locally but if you want to skip the hassle finding the best tour agency, you can check out these booking websites for tours and attractions. Palawan can get crowded which means that somebody might have already booked ahead of you so, secure your tour now by usung the booking websites we’ve curated for you!
You can also quickly check out flights and accomodations on our Travel Resources page!
Which is better El Nido or Coron?
To be fair, there’s really no competition between El Nido and Coron in terms of what they can offer you. Both of them have perks that you should definitely experience for yourself.
However, if you’re planning on visiting Palawan and you don’t really want to deal with crowded places then we recommend going to Coron. Simply because, El Nido is already very popular. In fact, when we say Palawan, it’s always El Nido that first comes to mind. Because of this, there’s usually a lot of people in El Nido.
Coron, on the otherhand, is less well-known. Not a lot of people come to Coron, even most Filipinos have not realized how beautiful Coron is, yet. So, naturally, that would mean that there is less tourists and you get the same experience as youo’ll get if you went to El Nido (some would say that it’s even better)!
So, in conclusion, if you’re not too particular about which site you want to visit and you simply need a place to unwind and relax, and at the same time, have an adventure then Coron is for you! It has some of the best shipwreck sites, abundant marine life, and you get to explore the area almost to yourself!
If you want to know more about the best places to visit in the Philippines, you can read our blogs about other places in the Philippines that you should definitely go to!
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