Coron Part 3: Coron Island Tour (Nemo Found!)

On our second day in Coron, we were scheduled to have the Coron Island tour. According to our tour guide from Be Cool Travel and Tours, it would normally cost Php1200 per person for the whole day tour (from 9am to 5pm) with lunch. Since it was already included in the package we got, we didn't have to worry about this. Our tour guide and boatman were very nice and helpful throughout our trip, unfortunately, I can't remember their names (I'm so bad with names!).

We were picked up at the resort at around 9:30am. After some introductions, we got on our way to our first stop, the Marine Sanctuary. You can rent snorkeling gear from them for Php150, which you can use for the whole day. It's better to bring one of your own though or just use goggles, if you like snorkeling, just to be on the safe side.

Coron Part 2: Mount Tapyas and Maquinit Hot Spring

On our first day in Coron, we arranged to go to Mount Tapyas and Maquinit Hot Spring. Our resort got tricycles to bring us to these places and where ever else we wanted for around Php100 per person. A maximum of 4 persons can ride in one tricycle. Although more people can actually fit in it, that would make it a difficult climb to the foot of Mount Tapyas.

Our first stop is Mount Tapyas. It takes 700+ steps to climb to the top. What's there? Well, according to our pseudo tour guides (they're really just kids selling bottled water), you can see a good view of the Coron islands and Culion islands, the historical leper colony. I would just have to take their word for it because I wasn't able to climb all the way to the top.

Coron Part 1: Dive Link Resort

Coron is on the northern part of Palawan Island, famous for its rock formations, beaches and for divers, shipwrecks and rich marine life.

Our flight from Manila, although scheduled for an hour, landed in Busuanga airport 30 minutes earlier. Upon exiting the small arrival area, you'd see a number of tables outside, where different resorts have setup to welcome guests. It is highly advisable to make your reservations before arriving in Busuanga because I noticed the area was almost deserted once all the tourists have met up with their resort. Another reason is I don't think there's any public transportation from the airport to Coron town.

We went straight to Dive Link's table, where a friendly staff welcomed us and patiently answered some of our curious tourist's questions. The ride to Coron town, where most of the hotels and inns are, is 30 minutes from the airport. From the port, there's a 10-minute boat ride to get to Dive Link.