This is it! My 1st ever blog. I’ve finally got the courage to start blogging. Been dreaming of doing this ever since me and my ex-boyfriend, now husband started having passion in food and travelling. So, here we go!
It has been a tradition for us (me and my hubby) to travel at least once a year. I guess due to the nature of work both of us are in to, call center agents confined in a cubicle with an avaya, computer and headset, and taking in calls for more or less 7.5 hours a day, 5 days a week. This, I think for us is a must! Haha! It’s like our breather… an escape from reality.
We've been to Boracay twice, Puerto Galera for like 3 times, Batangas beaches for the nth time and all over Luzon for I dunno how many times haha! Me and my hubby started thinking of going somewhere different. We told my dad about our plan and he said “why not Coron, Palawan?” “So, why not Coron, Palawan?” we asked ourselves haha! My dad went there last year and he showed us few pictures (literally few! like 7-pictures-few) he took using his cellphone’s camera (forgive my dad. He’s a bit afraid of gadgets esp. after making his 2 cellphones swim in the beautiful beach of Batangas. He could not risk having a digital camera swimming again because of him haha!). It was beautiful but not enough to satisfy our craving eyes. So we searched pictures of it on the internet and voila! We’re in awe! Paradise is all we can say! We were super (like duper) excited and we started checking about accommodations and anything and everything about Coron, Palawan.
For our flight… we got ZestAir’s P11.00 promo fare. We booked it November 11, 2011. Just got lucky with the tickets huh?! Travel date is July 2012 for 4days and 3nights.
After inquiring and comparing… finally, we have a winner! For our accommodation… we got Island’s View Inn.
It is located right at the very center of Coron’s town. Just walking distance to Coron’s port, public market and restaurants.
I think what makes Island’s View Inn different from other hotels there is their restaurant located at 3rd floor. It gives you a great view of Coron’s Island. Nice view while taking your free breakfast.
1st day
-if you’re a friendly type of person that is ready to mingle… I would greatly suggest you joining a group tour! It will not just save you money; you’ll gain new friends too!
REMINDER: They accept reservations one day before the tour so better be early in their office and have your names listed. ►Do-It-Your-Own City Tour
We toured the whole town by foot! Haha!
►Maquinit Hotspring
| RATES/ENTRANCE FEES |
Tricycle to Maquinit Hotspring (rent for 2-3 hours) | P250 |
Maquinit Hotsprings | P100/person |
REMINDER: Maquinit hotspring comes from the root word “init” which means “hot” and believe me… they mean it! 2 hours is already enough to dip yourself there. More than that, oh gosh! Have mercy! haha!
2nd day
►Coron Galeri’s Coron Island Ultimate Tour – P650/pax (all fees + lunch included)
•Hidden lagoon
•Twin Peaks Reef
•Kayangan Lake
•Calachuchi Coral Reef
•CYC Island
►Dinner at Seadive Restaurant
►Private Malcapuya, Banana, Bulog and Coron Islands tour.
2 couples from our group tour decided to join us in our private tour. The more, the merrier, the cheaper right?! hehe!
We met a bangkero (boatman) while chillin’ in Maquinit Hotsprings on our 1st day. At that time, he was with a Japanese group for a private island hopping tour. We had a little chat and asked him about his private tour. He said that although private boat tour is expensive compared to the group tours, the good thing about it is that you get to manage your itinerary. You can go in all the islands there at your own time. He even said you can go up to 7-9 islands in one tour. Your boatman along with his sidekick will transform into chefs to prepare your food in the boat (food is not included so you’ll have to go to the market early in the morning before your private tour).
| RATE |
Boat | 2,800 |
Food | 1,000 |
| Entrance Fee |
Malcapuya Island | 200/pax |
Banana Island | 200/pax |
Bulog Dos Island | |
Twin lagoon | 100/pax |
Skeleton Wreck | 100/pax |
| 100/pax |
Siete Pecados | 100/pax |
TIP: it is good to go to the private boat’s main office at Coron’s Port to inquire and possibly book for their private tour but it is cheaper if you negotiate with the boatman away from their office. Believe me… they’ll give you discounts!
| STANDARD PRIVATE BOAT RATE | HAGGLED PRICE |
Within Coron Island | P1,500 – P1,800 | P1,300 |
Coron Island + Malcapuya, Banana, and Bulog Island | P3,000 | P2,800 |
►Dinner at Lolo Nonoy’s
4th day
►Shopping for pasalubongs!
►Lunch at Centro Coron
►Chill at Dad's Coronzy Coffee and Tea
►Way to Airport - back to Manila
Things to consider and must-haves before visiting Coron, Palawan:
1. ►Brownout/Blackout – this is very common and last for hours so I would greatly suggest for you to check if the hotel you’re interested in booking has a generator. You don’t wanna spoil your vacation by sleeping in your hotel in total darkness, mosquitoes and heat hehe!
<! ►Expensive Food – unlike Boracay or in other places, food here is expensive esp. seafoods (ironic isn’t it?). So if you love going into food trippin’ better save up. It’s good to have extra than be sorry right?
►Underwater camera/waterproof camera casing – there’s just so much beauty in this place even underwater. You don’t wanna miss out those colorful fishes and corals and oh yeah! Those underwater candid shots!
►Mosquito repellant – they have huge mosquitoes in Kayangan Lake!
►Sunscreen/Sunblock – You’ll be doing island hopping the whole day so if you don’t want to be burned by the sun or lose your pearl white skin then this is a MUST!
Contact Information
►Tricycle transport to Maquinit Hotspring (DIYO)
Kuya Lo - 09305381765
►Private Boat
Kuya Jerry – 09464680445
Hope you find this useful.
Enjoy life and much love...
Tinah Barretto-Giron
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