Philippines, Coron Palawan Super ultimate day tour

Coron super ultimate day tour

Let’s go together to find out the highlights of Coron!

So as in El Nido, the main activity in Coron is to explore the beautiful islands by boat. A  combination of breathtaking limestone cliffs that drop into the warm water, lagoons, lakes, shipwrecks, coral reef and indeed beautiful beaches bathed by a transparent sea will leave you awestruck. Within the tours you can choose, the “Coron super ultimate tour” gives you the chance to visit the highlights of Coron, among which the Barracuda lake, Kayangan lake and the Twin Lagoon. You can book your trip with the operators in town, your accommodation or, as we did, through the web platforms Klook.com or Viator.com.  Our tour was booked through Klook.com and managed by the very affordable Calamian Travel e Tour (the office is in front of the place where boat tours depart). It costs about 1700 pesos, and the price includes an English speaking guide, the environmental fees and the lunch buffet (snorkel gear are not included -150 pesos). It’s also possible to book a private tour and decide the time to spend in this paradise’s several spots. The cost to hire a private boat is about 2700 pesos up to 4 people, but it only includes the boat fee. The fees to see the main attraction not included in the boat tour are about 700 pesos per person.

• Click here to book your shared or private tour using klook.com;
• Click here to book your shared or private tour using Viator.com.

Our Coron Super Ultimate tour

At 8.30 am, we are ready to leave the Coron Town pier to discover our first attraction: Barracuda Lake. The lake is a wonder of nature, and its dark blue waters contrast with the sheer limestone cliffs covered with green vegetation and with the clear blue sky. Our guide tells us that the real name of the lake is Luluyan, but Barracuda was nicknamed because a barracuda skeleton was found in its waters …. or so he says. It is famous because its waters have different temperatures depending on the depth. On the surface, it is about 28 degrees Celsius, at a depth of 15 meters, the temperature increase by 10 degrees Celsius, whereas it returns cooler around the bottom at 30 meters. We have seen absolutely no fish swimming into the lake,  but the rocky formations of the seabed and the submerged walls of the cliffs are absolutely incredible; it looks like a lunar landscape. Obviously, to enjoy the lake, you should join a diving tour (we met many tourists diving into the lake) because with the only mask and fins, you can do very little if not a pleasant refreshing bath. To access the lake, you have to climb a series of winding steps through the rocks until you reach a platform.
Before diving into the water, it is mandatory to wear a life jacket. There is only one small area for swimming and snorkelling, which is bounded by buoys. 

The second highlight is the Twin Lagoon, enclosed in breathtaking scenery among limestone cliffs. The boat dock in the first lagoon, then we need to swim in the second hidden lagoon passing through a small crevice underneath the rock. If the water level is too high because of high-tide, there is a short slippery ladder to climb the rock and dive into the water of the lagoon.

The third stop is the small Malwawey Island, a popular Coron spot for snorkelling. On its right side, there is the Skeleton shipwreck, a Japanese ship that sank during WWII and on its left side, the Malwawey Coral Garden reef. The wreck is about 20 metres long, and 4 metres deep and goes down to 20 metres at the stern. We snorkel the island for about 30 minutes, and the best place to spot tropical fish is next to the shipwreck.

The fourth stop was the tiny Beach 91, enclosed between high limestone cliffs with a stunning clear sea. It s not only a quite long stop for relaxing but also to eat. There are a few cottages where the lunch buffet is served. The beach for lunch is always different, and it depends on the tour operator which you booked. The tiny Beach 91 is the lunch stop for the Calamian Travel e Tour. It’s also possible to have a free ride on the kayaks left on the beach for the customers. It’s really worth kayaking for only 5 minutes on the right side to reach the fantastic Smith Point beach with its breathtaking crystal-clear shallow water.

The fifth stop is CYC beach, the only public island in the area. It s a tiny island with powdery white sand surrounded by a colourful sea where we stop for 30 minutes for relaxing and sunbathing.

The sixth stop is another highlight of Coron: Kayangan Lake. The boat docks in a suggestive lagoon, then we have to climb up the hill (almost 400 steps! It takes 10 minutes) to reach the lake. Along the path, there is the most famous viewpoint of Coron before clambering down the other side to reach the lake, where you can take “a magazine pic”. When you see a postcard, a magazine or an advertisement of Coron, 9 times up to 10, the pics are shot from this viewpoint. Kayangan Lake is the cleanest freshwater lake in the Philippines and boasts impressive underwater rock formations. It s mandatory to swim wearing a lifejacket. 

The last stop before heading back is the Seven Picados, a protected marine area teeming with tropical fish and an incredibly well preserved coral reef, undoubtedly the best we have seen in the tour. Everything was perfect, the tour well organized, and we highly recommend Calamian travel and tour!