A Pinay's Way to Conquer the World: Beauty and Ruins: Coron Island Hopping Tour

The sea hath no king but God alone.
~Dante Gabriel Rossetti, The White Ship

Destinations: Calumbuyan Island, Lusong Gunboat Shipwreck, Coral Gardens (Php990/person)

Additional Destination: Smith Beach (Php100/person)

Me and my roommates woke up early again in time for a long breakfast and a beautiful sunrise. We only had to wait for Capt. Benjie and Rommel at the Seadive port so we took the opportunity to leech on the free coffee.

By the time our boat arrived, the Seadive lounge was filled with foreigners and tourists who were waiting for their boats to Puerto Princessa and El Nido. Because we were an almost all-girl group (9 girls and only 1 boy), we spotted one cute foreigner (Spanish? British? American? We didn’t know) who we called Miguel.

Paparazzi shot of "Miguel."

After we giggled and tried to get more stolen shots, we finally made our way to our first destination: the Lusong Gunboat shipwreck.

The sunken ship is visible during a low tide.

Another pride of Coron, aside from the 0% crime rate and the forests of corals, are the Japanese gunboat shipwrecks which attract divers from all over the world. These gunboats hold Japanese artillery during the World War II and, after the war, are sunk by the Americans. Now, it is a ground for more corals to grow on and home to many seafood—I mean, marine life.

It was early morning so the tide was low and we were able to see the wreck without diving. We swam around for about 30-45 minutes, ogling at the fishes which came near us even though we didn’t have any food. One even bit my friend’s finger!

Rommel swimming under us.

Capt. Benjie said there were skeletons inside the wreck but we had to be a merman like Rommel to be able to see it. Rommel, who accompanied us around the wreck, tried pointing the skeletons but it was far too deep to see from the surface.

After we had our fill of underwater shots and rusty metal, we climbed back to the boat to go to another middle-of-the-sea coral garden. As usual, the corals did not disappoint. The life the coral gardens Capt. Benjie and Rommel showed us could not compare to the recovering gardens of Puerto Prinsesa. So, if you’re going to Coron and are afraid of water, try to conquer your fear! You might miss the chance to appreciate the beauty a few leagues under the sea.

Lunch time finally arrived and so did we in what, for me, was the best island in our tour: Calumbuyan Island.

The island was larger than the ones we previously visited. There was a store that sells toiletries and alcohol. There was even a clean toilet for those who (like me) believed their pee would kill the fishes. Picnic tables and hammocks lined near the beach so we took the opportunity to relax.

The sand was not as fine or white as Banol beach but we enjoyed taking pictures nonetheless. The water suddenly goes deep a few meters from the shore so, without wearing life vests, one can snorkel and observe corals from a close distance. It is also a good place to kayak.

While we were enjoying the beach, Rommel was preparing our lunch of grilled pork, crabs, and cucumber for side dish. After an hour, he set the food on one of the tables and we dug in.

There was a cute dog there which we called Chichi (our boss’ nickname—yes, we love him this much). We met him when he sat on the hole my friend was digging for herself. I followed him around and took pictures of him while he was trying to catch some fishes (and ultimately failed).

When we were eating, I gave him the skin part of my pork. After gulping it down, he sprinted away. We all thought he left for good but he returned with a huge dried leaf on his mouth. When I just looked at him, he pawed me and put the leaf on my hand. It was so cute that I gave him another part of my pork. Again, he sprinted and return with another dried gift. Unfortunately for him, I was still hungry.

After we ate, we used the leftover rice and banana to attract fishes and get as much underwater shot as possible.

Using a piece of banana as bait.

The fishes are chasing her!

We went to another coral garden after our long lunch in Calumbuyan Island. This one is also a pearl farm so it is guarded by a local to prevent tourists from diving for treasures. We were getting a hang of swimming with life vests on so we didn’t need Rommel’s help to drag us along. But I had no choice but to cling to him when we swam on top of a very large dark blue coral. It was really huge I believed it housed a baby lochness monster. And remember I’m scared of fishes?

On our way to the beach.

After the coral garden, we went to Smith Beach—another beach not included in our itinerary but was recommended for its great sunset view. Well, it should have a great sunset view since it’s just beside Banol beach.

Here, we took more pictures and drank shots of gin to celebrate our vacation. We kept asking Capt. Benjie and Rommel to join us but they refused because it was against their law for tour guides to drink during work. We also took a group picture with our tour guides.

Group picture with Captain Benjie and Rommel

We used the mangrove route again on our way back. The darkness did not scare us now so we tried to take some pictures.

The way through the mangroves

Being our last night in Coron, we opted to look around for souvenirs first before we take our dinner. While looking around at a shop that sells shirts, mugs, and whatnots, I heard this weird yet oddly comforting sound coming from an opening at the other side of the street. Leaving my friends behind, I checked it out and discovered this amazing shop:

Kuweba (Cave)

By this time, my financial resources were almost depleted. Our budget for the whole trip (even before we saw the tour prices at the Galeri) was P10,000. We were so happy that we got great deals for our accommodation and tours that we spent so much on food. In short, we splurge on our dinners.

But, since I was so amazed with the shop, I bought an anklet worth P350. It costs a lot but it is handmade and one of a kind so it is worth it. Until now, I’m still wearing it and only remove it when it gets in the way of my boots.

We also bought cloth bags with shell accents worth P250. But since me and another friend already bought an anklet and a bracelet, and since we were loitering in the shop for far too long asking about their tattoos and the bar they were planning to set up, they gave us a discount. We got the bag for P200.

We had dinner at Coron lounge then went back to our rooms and had our last sleep in Coron.

The next day, we settled our bills at the hotel then waited for Kuya Bong. He drove us back to the airport and we paid him for his services (the airport-town transport is not included in the package) which amounted to P3k including our tip for his friendliness (and for allowing us to bother him at his sari-sari store at 10 in the evening during our first night). And finally, we’re back to Manila.

That's me, snorkeling around the Lusong Gunboat shipwreck.

Until now, our trip to Coron is still the best I have had. I always recommend the place to people who are looking for adventures or just to relax. I also recommend it to people who need to be reminded of the beauty of the Philippines. Recently, a new resort opened—the Balinsasayaw—which is a few minutes away from the port. From the video I saw in ABSCBN’s Trip na Trip, the room looks very nice and clean. They also have a restaurant and their own beach. But for those who want to walk around town during night, I suggest Seadive Resort or Coron Villa.

Coron Villa offers an apartment-type room with your own kitchen and a couple of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Seadive is very convenient if you’re a diver or if your tour includes lots of island hopping. Since their lounge is also a port, you can sit there and have coffee while waiting for your tour boat to arrive.

There are also a lot of agencies offering tour packages around Coron town. If not in Coron Galeri, you can walk around and look for the agency that offers the tour packages you want. The price, of course, differs but it’s not as expensive as booking a tour from Manila. So I recommend going to Coron first then planning your tour there.

Unfortunately, I don’t know any good shops that sell quality souvenirs. When we went around town, most of the shops were already closed so we had no choice but to buy from the one nearest our hotel. Of course you can go to that amazing shop we found and buy handmade accessories. Their bar is probably open now so you can also check it out. They said they would be offering local drinks so try it try it try it!

Here are some more of the photos we took on our last day in Coron: