Coron, Palawan Budget Travel Guide: Where To Go, Eat and Stay

Hailed as “The World’s Most Beautiful Island”, Coron, Palawan is undeniably awesome. I think beautiful is an understatement to describe it. This August, I crossed this place off of my list as I conquer Coron on a 5-day journey. What was supposed to be a 4-day trip ended with a flight cancellation, a day extension and an experience of a lifetime. Heavy rainfall, zero visibility, cold weather, it was all unexpected. Still, I’m glad that I got to see Coron from two different perspectives. This is #BudgetTrip featuring #BTCoron: A Budget Travel Guide and a look at Coron’s best and worst moments.

WHERE TO GO

CORON TOWN

Coron Municipal Hall

 

St. Augustine Parish

 

Lualhati Park

 

(I was so excited to go island hopping that I wasn’t able to take pictures haha! But this is where the port is)

 

Pasalubong Centers

MAQUINIT HOT SPRINGS

If you want to relax, then go to the Maquinit Hot Spring. Entrance fee is Php 200. This is a natural hot spring and for someone who loves warm baths just like me, this is perfect! We went here during our first night and although it was raining, the hot spring provided us the warmth that we need. The place is open until 10pm and my recommended time of visit would be before sunset since there’s a pathway surrounded by mangroves where you can enjoy the view (wasn’t able to experience it though since it was already dark when we arrived.)

 

 

MT. TAPYAS

From the municipal hall, you can ride a trike or walk to the jump off of Mt. Tapyas. Climbing Mt. Tapyas is very easy since the steps are concrete and well maintained. This is great for tourists who are not into trekking but still wants to see a 360-degree view of Coron. There’s a huge cross on top and the word “CORON” which can easily be seen from the port and plaza. Read my full guide to Mt. Tapyas here.

ISLAND HOPPING

There are many interesting points in Coron and a day of island hopping is not sufficient since it’ll make you want for more. For our visit, our tour was provided by Expeditions Ecotours. They have many tours that are very cheap and they’re really popular for backpackers. Usual tour costs less that Php 1000 per day and that includes already multiple destinations and lunch. For our trip, our destination includes the following:

P.S. The weather was bad that day. Just take a look at the grayish clouds so taking photos was tougher.

Siete Pecados

Our first stop was Siete Pecados where I got the chance to snorkel for the first time. It was so fun! Unfortunately, the weather got worse and it ended up raining so we had to leave. It was hard to take photos since my main camera is not weatherproof and there’s almost zero-visibility. It was scary but hey, it’s still an exciting experience.

Kayangan Lake

Next stop: the most photographed place in Coron: Kayangan Lake. This place is definitely beautiful! The view was breathtaking. The stones were slippery though because of the continuous rain but we’re still lucky that it actually stopped for a while allowing us to enjoy the view. The lake is very deep and it’s so clear. According to our guide and local friends, the lake looks stunning if its sunny because you can really see the bottom of it. As per their description, it’s like a glass. Too bad, we didn’t get to see it but hey, that gives me more reason to visit this place again!

With Youtube Vlogger Wil Dasovich.

Hidden Lagoon

 

Time for lunch! We settled down to Hidden Lagoon. The place is so serene and I wouldn’t forget my experience here. For someone who doesn’t know how to swim (well actually I do I just don’t know how to stay afloat which I think most of us can relate to haha!), I took the courage and just went for it! I removed my life vest and prepared for the dive of my life. It was pretty awesome!!!

Twin Lagoon

 

Final destination for the day is the Twin Lagoon. Unfortunately, cameras are not allowed (except for action cameras). Here, the experience is very different. To enter the lagoon you have two options: either you go up by climbing the stairs or dive through the cave below. I did both. Twin Lagoon is beautiful. Here the water is cold and the entire lagoon is surrounded by huge rock formations giving you that survivor vibes.

WHERE TO STAY

Finding a place to stay in Coron is very easy. For my trip, I stayed at The Funny Lion for 2 nights and Coron Soleil Garden Resort for another 2 nights (will be doing a separate review so hope you could check them out as well).

 

The Funny Lion

This is our first hotel. They have an infinity pool with a massage pool, a jacuzzi, a roof deck bar with 2 more jacuzzis for that extravagant feel and a very nice restaurant. What I love about this place is they’re very personal. You’ll find yourself enjoying personalized bag tags and the overlooking view of Coron is just nice. Read my full review here.

Coron Soleil Garden Resort

 

Nothing beats a luxurious experience. What’s more if you have the whole resort to yourself? And did I mention that I’m their first guest here? I was really happy to stay here. Although the rain somehow made me want to just curl up in the bed the entire day, Coron Soleil treated me like a king. They’ll be opening this September and I’m so excited for it. If you’re worried about budget, they do have the Coron Soleil Express which is a cheaper alternative without having to sacrifice quality service.Read my full review here.

 

Backpacker Inns

If you’re not picky and really want to save money, you can check out backpacker inns around the town. Popular inns include Busuanga Seadive Resort, RB Transient House and Lagrosa Backpackers. Rates usually go from Php 300-500. You may check out the full rates here.

Check out the hotels and rate in Palawan here.

WHERE TO EAT

There are a lot of restaurants and cafes in Coron. Since food was provided by our hotels, we only got the chance to eat while touring the city. We first ate at Busuanga Seadive Resort and best part of going here is that they serve unlimited coffee! Perfect for the cold and rainy weather.

 

Busuanga Seadive Resort

 

Mixed Fruit Shake (Php 75)

 

Fika Indulgence

 

We passed by Fika Indulgence and we’re so intrigued so we decided to check it out. It’s located on the second floor and can be easily spotted from the main highway. The place was good and the servings is huge that it’s good for 2-3 people already. As for the taste, not a fan. It was good but not that great. Still, it’s a cozy place if you just want to chill.

Mint Java Chips (Php 140)

Tuna Cashew Peso (Php 295)

F3 (Fika Filthy Fries / Php 170)

BBQ!

 

On the corner street going to Busuanga Seadive Resort, you’ll find this small barbecue stand. Trust me, you should give it a try. It’s just Php 10 per stick and for some reason, it tastes so goooood!

TIPS & NOTES

If you’re planning to go to Coron soon, do check the weather from time to time. Although we were unlucky to catch a monsoon during our visit, at least we were prepared. Like I mentioned, electricity and signal is unpredictable so it’s best to carry a powerbank all the time. Make sure to put all your important stuff in a dry bag as well especially when doing island hopping. And lastly, just have fun! The people here are nice and they’re more than willing to help you.

ITINERARY

This is just a rough itinerary of the places we visited. It’s best to visit Coron for around a week to explore the island. Coron is a small town so you can do all the town tour and climb Mt. Tapyas in one day. An island hopping tour is good for one day already though it’s best to go on a 2-3 day tour to visit all. If you want to visit Calauit, Safari Park, allot one more day and another day or two if you plan on visiting Culion island.