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A Mom's Days Off in Coron, Palawan

Nina Dumlao — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:00:10 +0000

When I was still with Kraft Philippines, I saw the pictures of an officemate of mine from her Coron trip and those images stuck with me ever since. It’s been three years since I saw those pics and it’s been three years when I became a work-from-home mom where I only went out for groceries and errands. Unwinding from a stressful work day was going to a neighbor’s store for a couple of rounds of ice cold beer or going to the mall for window shopping and then having lunch by myself while waiting for my four-year-old’s dismissal so I could pick him up.

I wanted to take a break from my routine. On a whim I asked an in-law, who works for a travel agency, what the rates were for a Coron trip. A roundtrip plane fare was P3,500 (this could have been lower had we booked in December or probably availed of a promo) plus P5,200 for accommodation at a B&B for 4 days/3 nights that already includes breakfast and two whole days of island hopping together with lunch. Realizing that I could save up for it from my sideline, I asked a girl friend of mine if she wanted to join me since my husband will never allow me to go on my own. We chose the first flight out and last flight back to Manila so we could maximize our four-day stay. A week before departure, the flight schedule got messed up as the carriers cancelled some flights and we ended up getting an afternoon flight out and first flight back to Manila. That will definitely shorten our stay with our day 1 and day 4 to be spent at the airport :-/ As a consolation to the inconvenience they’ve caused, the carrier offered a free roundtrip to Puerto Princesa after Coron =)

Day 1: The flight was two hours delayed then another hour waiting for the traffic on the runway to clear up for take off. It was already 4pm when our plane was cleared. The flight was only 35 minutes and then another 20 mins on the road to reach town. We just dropped off our bags at the B&B and hired a tricycle for P300 to Maquinit Hot Spring. Entrance is P150. It’s the only known hot spring with salt water. The first dip was really hot, but after a few minutes your body starts to get accustomed to the 40-degree temperature and you start feeling relaxed. Going for a dip at night I guess is more ideal than during the day when the water is definitely hotter.

Day 2: Pick up was at 8:30am for our first day of island hopping. Woke up at 4am so we could squeeze a side trip to Mt. Tapyas to catch the sunrise. It’s 724 steps up. There were landing spots for resting but it still was a heart-pumping climb all the way up. Good thing we always brought bottled water with us. The view was definitely worth it.

See tiny me?

Went back to our B&B for breakfast and then off to the pier. After an hour and a half boat ride, we reached our first destination–Bulog Island. Though a very small island, it had crystal clear water and a sandbar that connects to Two Seasons Resort. Tourists who are not guests of the Two Seasons are not allowed to go to their island.

Had lunch at Banana Island eating fresh crabs, grilled squid, grilled chicken, and fish. After a filling lunch, we rested on the hammocks tied to coconut trees by the beach.

The last was Malcapuya where we did our first snorkeling. All the three beaches were just simply picturesque, but Malcapuya stands out for me because of its powdery sand, beautiful corals and colorful fishes. At the end of the day, my color was that of a cooked lobster but I hardly noticed the heat on my skin compared to swimming in Batangas where you could feel your skin and feet burning because of the heat of the sun and sand. It was around 4pm when we left Malcapuya. The boat ride going back was a bit more rough and could scare the tourists a bit. The captain assured us that there was no danger since that was the “normal” ride for clear weather.

Day 3: Second day of island hopping. The boat ride only took 20 minutes to reach our first stop–Kayangan Lake. From the shore you need to go up then down a steep and uneven rock stairway. After the first flight of stairs up, you get to rest at a landing with a great view and a tiny cave which of course was a perfect spot for picture taking. The next flight of stairs was going down and one still needs to be careful not to slip or miss a step. The lake was well worth our panting. The water was deep blue in color which then means that it was very, very deep. In the shallow part, it was really clear; you could see the rocks and corals beneath.

There was also a small cave in the lake with a very narrow entrance which was really cool.

Our guide then told us to take off our life vests so we could submerge underwater and look through a whole within the rock so he could take our picture. It sounded scary but we tried it anyway since we were already there. It was actually fun and I thought, “So this is how it feels to be like a mermaid” except that I felt more like a blowfish (keeping all the air in my mouth, not wanting to let go) with the hair of a lion king floating around!

We went to CYC Beach, then two other sites for snorkeling which I forgot the names.

Last was Barracuda Lake. You also have to go through a flight of narrow wooden stairs surrounded by great rock formations. After all the snorkeling the whole day, Barracuda Lake is the ideal place to rinse off all the salt water since its a fresh water lake. The only trouble is the dock was so narrow and short. There were a lot of tourists and divers with all their equipment passing through. It was really crowded so I went back to the boat instead and sat this one out. My friend who went snorkeling in the lake said the water was so clear and the rock formations were just simply awesome underwater.

Day 4: Leaving beautiful Coron and back to Manila.

Aside from enjoying the sightseeing, another good thing with having trips like this is meeting new people and experiencing the adventures together:

Lyzel and Me with the honeymooners, Mel and TJ.

Having a few beers after lunch with our Day 2 group.

Grace and friends

Ric and the kolokoy boys

Oblivious to the antics of this Brit kid (forgot to get his name) who was really a character

Coron is a place for nature lovers and beach bums. But you have to be flexible because all islands don’t have the normal comfort rooms with a flushing toilet, doors and a roof. There was even one where there were only three sides covering the toilet bowl (the two sides and the back–no front cover–no door) for both male/female. If you’re not careful, then it’s going to be a free show. The boats also had their own toilet, if you don’t mind your head sticking out while doing your thing. I never heard anyone complain about it though, probably because the beauty of the islands compensated for their lack of standard amenities. You also have to be ready to climb lots of stairs and boats. I only removed my rubber Velcro sandals when I was about to sleep. The bottled water was my best friend.

Food in the restaurants was expensive I’d say, ranging from 180 (chicken inasal+rice) while one viand would start at 250 and up. The restaurants offered mainly seafood and chicken. Pork and vegetables were a bit rare and were imported from Mindoro or Manila. Items for pasalubong were kasoy at P100 for a small pack (standard price was P150), still pricey considering this is where the kasoy from Antipolo comes from; dried danggit at P90, best crispy danggit I’ve tried, which I regret not having bought more; personalized keychains at P10; and T-shirts P130 and up.

The tricycle was the basic mode of transport for getting around at P15, but if you need to hire one for a trip to Maquinit Hot Spring or need to be picked up to and from places during odd hours, contracting a roundtrip will cost you P200-P300.

Being on a joiner’s tour package with both Filipinos and foreigners on both days, one of the tour guides would always tail us around wherever we went which actually irritated me a bit, and I thought that these guides just probably want a big, fat tip since we were both girls who probably looked dumb to them. I even told them to go check on the other tourists just to get them off our backs but that didn’t stop them from tailing us. They came in very handy though as photographers, helping bring our stuff, and most importantly our life guard for snorkeling. Every time we went snorkeling, we’d hold on to the guide’s floater tied to a rope hooped around his body while he paddled away with my camera in hand, pulling us like choo choo train. I didn’t want to hang on to his floater at first since I knew how to swim but it was quite challenging snorkeling and taking pictures at the same time. I was no expert in the deep waters so I gave up and grabbed the floater. I finally found out that it was their standard procedure to really watch after tourists like us, without male companions or not with a big group, since we were the type who would typically get into trouble being only two girls. With all the care and service they’ve done for us, they never asked for tips which really surprised me compared to the other places I’ve been to where boatmen/guides would even ask for extra on top of the initial tip given. I am not the tip-giver type of tourist but this was definitely an exception.

Admiring the beauty of Coron made me reflect and thank its Maker, realizing again how great He really is to create such a beautiful place for us. Most times while admiring the sights, I would think of my family wishing they were there with me to enjoy the beauty of nature that I see. I would be a hypocrite to say that I didn’t have fun. I really had a splendid time…it was after all a mom’s days off

To Coron from Puerto Galera

amorsico — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 05:17:58 +0000

I left Puerto Galera late afternoon and went to Calapan City before dark. Travel time is around 1 hour. Calapan City is the main City of Mindoro Island the seventh largest Island in Philippine Archipelago. Here in Calapan City, there are daily trips that go to the town of San Jose where there’s an outrigger boat to bring you to the Islands of Coron. I decided to stay one night in the City so I could get the first vehicle to San Jose which leave 4 am daily. There are also plenty of ready served local food and delicacies (turo – turo) and barbeque stands along the streets so you won’t go hungry.

The city’s economy is dependent on agriculture and fishing. However, a growing industry in machinery and tourism has contributed well to the city’s annual income making it one of the fastest growing new cities in the country for the last 10 years. Calapan City also serves as the gateway to the Oriental Mindoro province with the implementation of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway and an integrated roll-on/roll-off ferry that extends further to the southern part of the Philippines (Iloilo and Cebu City). The Calapan City Seaport is the largest and busiest seaport on the Mindoro island with ships that travel to and from the Batangas City International Seaport. Calapan City is 45 minutes away from Batangas City and is accessible by ferry boat, RORO ships and Bancas.

I set my alarm clock at 3:30am which is enough time to get to the Van terminal just across the street and I informed the dispatcher to wake me up if I didn’t show in time.

Very few people are awake at this time, only those with early businesses are on the street selling hot pandesal (buns) and the terminal workers.

Time check is 3:46 am but the van didn’t leave on time, still waiting for few more passengers and the driver is hoping that there are more passenger that will show up to satisfy the income that he is expected for a long days journey to San Jose. One thing that you have to take note while travelling in the Philippines is there is no guaranty that your vehicle will leave on time, it would be nice if it will leave ahead but normally always behind the schedule 15 to 30 minutes late.

The total travel time including pick up and drop off for passengers along the way is 6 hours. About two and half hours from Calapan City, you will pass the town of Roxas where the Roll on Roll off ferries that connects to the Island of Mindoro and Panay are docked. Here you will be able to go anywhere from the Island of Boracay all the way to Iloilo.

There is still major road and bridge repairs due to its maturity, but some of the bridges have been there for more than a century. Going more South passed the town of Bulalacao the road to San Jose from here is about 30% concrete and construction still on going.

I reached the town of San Jose about 11am, and start walking around to find a good place to eat. A simple Turo – Turo will work for me.

Turo – turo is ready to eat food or drinks in the streets, roadways, and parks or any public places. It is very affordable, you can buy it at a very cheap price for as low as 2.00USD. it is available anywhere for people who have no time to cook food at home or people on the go. Turo turo is a quick way to taste a variety of home made dishes with everything from fish, vegetables, poultry, and noodles cooked in an authentic Filipino Cuisine.

The majority of the economic activities of San Jose are still agriculture and it is tied to town’s agricultural source. It supplies livestock, poultry and palay ( rice grain) to nearby islands like Northern Palawan, and Panay Island. A number of local and international tourists continue to explore this town on the Southwestern tip of Mindoro along with the major attractions being the Islands of Ambulong, Manadi, and Ilin. It is also a jump off point for Scuba Diving enthusiasts the world- class dive site – Apo Reef Marine Park.

San Jose Airport operates flights to Manila by Airphil Express, Cebu Pacific and Zest Airways daily. There are also numerous hotels around San Jose, and I stayed with Sikatuna Hotel which I can recommend , Aircon with hot shower for as low as 20 USD a night. What I like in this hotel is, it has a beach front where you can swim and watch sunset because it is facing to the west. Its located where most people fishing villagers so you can always get fresh fish. There are also numerous seaside café and restaurant options nearby that offer local and western delicacies. Another thing that you have to take note is some of them don’t know how to serve really cold beverages, especially beer. Since electricity is expensive they only switch on the fridge when there are tourists around.

The boat to Coron goes 3 times a week, leaving every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The travel time is approximately 9 hours, depending on the water conditions. The name of this place where to find the 14 – meter long Boat is in Barangay San Roque. Just ask the tricycle driver and he will bring you here from any terminal either from airport or bus/van station. You also need to find out what time of the day they will leave to Coron, Sometimes as early as 4am or sometimes noon but better check first. My advice is if you are always traveling here in the Philippines, you need to have at least one day margin since boat trips are unreliable. If there’ s not enough passengers they simply will not go unless you pay extra.

On this trip, I stayed for 2 nights in the hotel before I was able to get to Coron, The Engine of the boat breaks and they have to fix it, and it’s the only boat that sails to Coron and back. The boat is powered by a 6 cylinder surplus diesel engine from Japan. In the Philippines, most of the sea transportation is made from hardwood and bamboo for outrigger tied together with fishing lines which can be very sturdy even in a long run. They do a minimal maintenance on occation by painting it when the water condition is not good and removing the barnacles on the keel and hull occasionally.

On that afternoon, a day before I go to Coron, I wandered along the shore with my Nikon Camera hanging on my shoulder to take a good shot of the sunset blended with pale blue sky and watched the kids playing. My feet brought me to the boat station and had a chance to chat with the Kapitan ( Boat Captain) of the MV Bunso boat that will sail to Coron tomorrow. I was a boat driver in the past ten years and a fisherman as well so we had a very good conversation about life at sea. The flashback of some unforgetable moment in the past was spinning on my head.

Next morning, I was up at 3:20 with all my stuff packed since last night. I start walking on the beach at 3:40 and after 5 minutes, I am at the loading area for my assigned boat. The water is pretty shallow so all the passengers are carried by smaller wooden canoes to the boat docked about 100 meters off shore. When I was aboard the boat is already packed full, and they have been sleeping there since last night.

4:15 we finally start to pull out of that San Jose bay with excitement. I was sitting on the bow and could see the horizon.

6:30 am and the it’s already been 2.5 hours of travel, all you can see is the water, and the boat you are. Dolphins are playing and racing with us, flying fish are suddenly coming out and hover for a while then disappeared in the water again. The rock formation that we passed by from tiny small islands are stunning.

4:00 pm I step off in Coron Wharf waiting to unload my stuff. The journey took us nearly 12 hours with the boat moving very slowly. When I asked Kapitan, our speed is 2 knots, while the regular is 5 to 7 knots. Apparently there were engine troubles.

Other than passengers, this boat also serves as a cargo for basic commodities of Coron from San Jose ,like animals, tobacco, rice, and other agricultural products. It also includes commercial stuff like cement, rebar, fertilizer and wood for building houses.

Coron is located in the Northern Palawan which offers beautiful lagoons, beaches and limestone cliffs. Experience the captivating beauty of the lakes, coral reefs and the breathtaking adventure of Coron with WW2 wrecks that make the municipality unique and simply unforgettable.

Coron Wrecks are the most visited destination for wreck diving in the Philippines with depths 10m to 45m and an average depth for most of it around 18-25m. It’s easily accessible by air and by sea to and from Manila. Schedules and other travel information are available at the carrier’s website.

60-minute flights Manila to Busuanga, daily
■Zest Air: http://www.zestair.com.ph
■Cebu Pacific: http://www.cebupacificair.com
■PAL EXPRESS: http://www.philippineairlines.com

Another 35-minute trip by land will take you to the Coron municipality proper. Accommodations can be found easily, If you plan on staying in the main city, bars, restaurants and market are all walking distance. It offers from authentic native Philippine bamboo style cheap enough for backpackers to luxurious hotel accommodations.

Everything you need is in Coron, from powdery white sand beach to a majestic isles of island rock formation. Boats are available all day to and explore the magnificient flora and fauna of the underwater as shallow as 5 meters with your mask and snorkel. There are also plenty of small tour companies that offer island hoping on an affordable budget with lots of food and drinks included.

Coron Palawan

Another thing you can do is climb up to MT. Tapyas where the Giant Cross is located and can be accessed by hiking a 720 step staircase. Over-looking Coron is stunning.

After staying for 3 days here in Coron, I geared up and headed off down south to visit El Nido and chronical the journing in the next episode.

Top 5 Summer Beach Destinations

leighstar — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:27:54 +0000

Hot.

Holy Week.

Waves.

Shorts.

Tan Lines.

Sand.

Bikinis.

and Beach.

are words that best describes summer.

It is the most awaited event of every student. This is the time wherein they could relax, have fun, and play all day. Also, they can apply for summer jobs.

Everyone seems so busy being fit by this time because summer is fast approaching and it is like people wants to go to the beach.

Get your body ready for summer!

I have some few suggestions of places to go this Holy Week / Summer time..

First: Laiya, Batangas

Acquatico

I haven’t been here but I’ve been eying this place. I really wanna go here with my family and friends. This place is perfect for those who don’t want to travel far from the Metro. It only takes 2hrs or less taking the route of SLEX.

Second: Enchanted River, Surigao

Can’t find a good photo. This place was shared to me by a friend and I was amazed that the Enchanted River was just around the Philippines. Based on reviews, the place is clean and cozy. It has a very cheap entrance fee and it is open to the public. The river is a mixture of fresh and salt water.

One of the attractions is the fish feeding at 12noon. Everyone is called out of the water, then the locals throw fish food into the river to attract schools of fish. So better be there before lunch time.

Third: Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Going North, it took as 14hrs by bus just to get into this place but it is worth the wait. Such an impressive view. The sand is so fine just like in Boracay. In my point of view, Bora is too overrated, I would prefer going to Pagudpud than Bora. By plane, it will only take you 50mins to get in here.

Fourth: Camotes Island, Cebu

From the Queen City of the South, Camotes Island. It is a paradise far away from the city that you need to use pump boats for you to reach the islands. They don’t have electricity from 6PM-7PM everyday.

Fifth: El Nido, Palawan

Of course, perfect summer destination! I also been wanting to visit this, I don’t wanna miss out the best place here in the Philippines.

–

Photos were grabbed from GOOGLE.COM

Coron Day 3: Malaroyroy Island + Banana Beach + Malcapuya Beach

manonglakwatsero — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 21:30:08 +0000

The day we’ve waited for. A must-see place. A beach lovers paradise. Indeed! Malaroyroy Island

Island In The Sun

thisseatistaken — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:36:48 +0000

Coron, 2013. Something so tiny from above can be something beautiful too.

Coron Exploits

bane.baner.banest — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 22:28:25 +0000

Coron island- the shipwreck capital of the Philippines, part of Calamian group of islands located at the northern tip of Palawan- Lonely Planet’s #8 in the top 10 list of the worlds best regions for 2013. With it’s pristine calm water perfect for snorkeling and wreck diving and just less than an hour from Manila, this destination might make your summer the most memorable one so far.

Balancing act Kayangan Lake vista

Even if you’re not a diver you will really appreciate the island’s pristine and tranquil beauty. With it’s hidden beach pockets, hot springs to lagoons and freshwater lakes, you will never run out of things to explore in this magnificent island. The jagged limestone formation are very intimidating. There are many attractions you can discover in Coron Island alone. It is a black limestone island with exhilarating cliffs cascading down to thirteen grandiose lakes (only two open to public – Kayangan and Barracuda), sugary white sand coral beaches and is home to the indigenous tribe called Tagbanuans.

Barracuda Lake has amazing underwater rock formations where couple of barracudas seek refuge and used it as home, hence the name. Kayangan lake has the most photographed view of Palawan and considered as the cleanest lake in the country. Both places are stunning and good for snorkeling. A cross on Mt. Tapyas above the town is worth a climb up to see the majestic view of the small islands below. Noticeable from the waters is a huge CORON marker on a hill overlooking the town mimicking the well-known Hollywood sign.

View on top of Mt. Tapyas

Kayangan Lake Can you find the stegosarus?

Other worthwhile activities aside from island hoping, snorkeling and wreck diving includes taking a dip in Maquinit Hot Spring, a beautiful place to hang out in the evening after a long day of activities. Hiking at Mt. Tapyas (a 700+-concrete step leading to the summit) can definately jumpstart your trip if you will put it on top of your itinerary. The entrance is found at the side of community basketball court. Experience a breathtaking view of the sunset, recommended to start setting out at 4pm. Maquinit Hot springs

Getting there and Away

By Air
Palawan’s main airport is in Puerto Princesa, but there are two smaller airports further north in Palawan and one on the island of Busuanga. El Nido and the Bacuit Archipelago are served by small El Nido Airport. Sandoval Airport, about 30km north of Taytay, serves as an alternate entry point for northern Palawan and places like Flower Island and Club Noah Isabelle. On Busuanga Island, there’s the YKR Airport, which serves Coron Town and the resorts of the Calamian Archipelago.

The following airlines offer flights between Manila and Puerto Princesa; all except Cebu Pacific fly daily:

Air Philippines (02-851 7181 in Manila, 048-433 7003 in Puerto Princesa; http://www.airphils.com)
Asian Spirit (02-855 3333 in Manila, 048-434 4344 in Puerto Princesa; http://www.asianspirit.com)
Cebu Pacific (02-551 6250 in Manila; http://www.cebupacificair.com) Flights on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
PAL (02-855 8888 in Manila, 048-433 4565 in Puerto Princesa; http://www.philippineairlines.com)

In addition, SEAIR (02-884 1521 in Manila, 048-434 5272 in Puerto Princesa, 0919 467 4616 in Coron, 0916 628 6665 in El Nido; http://www.flyseair.com) has a number of flights from Manila to various airports in Palawan, including: Manila-Busuanga (one on Tuesday and Saturday, two on Thurs- day, three on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday); Manila-Busuanga-El Nido-Puerto Princesa (one on Tuesday and Saturday); and Manila-Busuanga-El Nido-Puerto Princesa-Cuyo (one on Tuesday). These all operate in both directions on the days listed here.

Asian Spirit (055-209 1189 in Busuanga) has a flight daily to Busuanga but that can be reduced during the low season. It flies to Taytay’s Sandoval Airport (0916 4528197 in Taytay) daily.
Finally, ITI (02-815 5674 in Manila, 09209081025 in El Nido) offers two direct flights daily between Manila (Soriano Hangar) and El Nido.

You would be well advised to keep in mind that the timetables (as well as the routes and fares) of the different airlines, particularly Asian Spirit and SEAIR, are subject to frequent change, so it’s best to check with the airline for the latest update.

By Sea

SuperFerry (02-528 7000 in Manila, 048-434 5734 in Puerto Princesa; http://www.superferry.com.ph) liner sails once a week from Manila to Puerto Princesa via Coron and back again (P1852 Super Value ticket with meals, 28 hours). It departs Manila on Friday, arrives in Coron on Saturday and then in Puerto Princesa later that same day; it departs Puerto Princesa on Sunday, arrives in Coron on that same day and then in Manila on Monday.

Negros Navigation (www.negrosnavigation.ph; 02-244 0408 in Manila, 048-434 4735 in Puerto Princesa) has a ferry that sails once a week between Manila and Puerto Princesa (P1835 economy class with meals, 23 hours). It departs from Manila on Thursday and arrives in Puerto Princesa on Friday; it departs from Puerto Princesa on Saturday and arrives in Manila on Sunday.

San Nicolas Shipping (02-243 4595 in Manila, 0918 216 1764 in Coron) operates three trips weekly between Manila and Coron (P800, meals included). All trips leave Manila at 4pm (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) and arrive in Coron at 5pm the following day. Coron-Manila trips sail Monday, Wednesday and Friday, leaving Coron at 4pm and docking in Manila at 5pm the next day.

Atienza Shipping Lines (02-243 8845 in Ma- nila, 0927 406 6036 in Coron, 0918 566 6786 in El Nido, 0919 257 4455 in Liminancong) operates a Liminancong- El Nido-Coron-Manila route, leaving Liminancong at 7pm Saturday and arriving in Manila at noon on Monday. The reverse journey leaves Manila at 6pm Wednesday and arrives at its final destination at noon on Friday. The Manila-Liminancong fare is P940, with meals included.
Iloilo (Panay)

Milagrosa Shipping (033-335 0955 in Iloilo, 048-433 4806 in Puerto Princesa) has a ferry that sails once a week between Iloilo and Puerto Princesa, stopping in the Cuyo Islands en route (P800 economy, 26 hours). The ferry departs Iloilo at 7pm on Monday and Thursday and arrives in Puerto Princesa at 9pm on the following day; it leaves Puerto Princesa, headed in the opposite direction, at 3pm on Sunday and Wednesday, arriving in Iloilo at 5pm the following day.

San José (mindoro)
San Nicolas Shipping (09182161764 in Coron) does a weekly Coron-San José trip, departing at 10am Tuesday and arriving at San José about six hours later. The return journey leaves San José at 10pm on Saturday and arrives in Coron at around 4am the following morning.

the most photographed Kayangan Lake Bay overlooking the hiking trail

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Coron Day 2: Island Hopping + Snorkeling At Its Best

manonglakwatsero — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:08:23 +0000
Really excited on our second day, we woke up early to prepare and to have breakfast. We kept looking

Coron Day 1: Mt Tapyas + Maquinit Hot Spring

manonglakwatsero — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 15:52:54 +0000
-= View from Mt Tapyas =- It was July 2012 when I was still in UK that I’ve decided to book fo

Coron, Palawan 2011

wanderingivatan — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:06:28 +0000

One of the best vacation destinations in the Phlippines. And if you do, seach for Majika Tours. Nice resort, nice people, real real nice place to stay. I am promoting because they treated us very well, nothing more. I should go back soon

I wish I could hang out like this everyday. Haha Hey, I thought I’d post the other lying-down-like-a-model-look. That was us playin around. Haha. Forgive me.

Me, myself, and my phone camera

Efrain Tionko — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:05:20 +0000

“Using a camera appeases the anxiety which the work-driven feel about not working when they are on vacation and supposed to be having fun. They have something to do that is like a friendly imitation of work: they can take pictures.”
– Susan Sontag

My last three posts were really by-products of the need to archive away photos from my camera, to make sure I have enough space for new photos from new adventures. A six-week holiday is, after all, a lot of time to run riot with a camera.

The first major activity planned for my six-week break was a 3-day visit to Coron.

Coron is 310 kilometers southwest of Manila and was pretty much an unplanned afterthought suggested by a friend, as I wanted to go somewhere in Palawan from Manila on my first week of holiday, and before I go back to my family home in Iloilo.

The thing about unplanned afterthoughts is there are also some things you tend to forget or neglect along the way. In this case, I booked my accommodation too late, so I pretty much had to settle for what’s available and hope it’s good enough; had done zero research on Coron, so I really had no idea what to do there; and worst of all, left my camera in Manila.

I did not need to worry about my first two concerns. I booked one of the newest resorts on the island (opened just last December) so the place was still in very good condition and the staff overly attentive to their guests. The resort manager suggested all of the activities that I should do over the three days that I was there and, since I was a solo traveler, even hooked me up with other guests so I could get the cheaper rates on the tours.

My first day was a tricycle tour of Coron town. Tricycles seemed to be the primary mode of transport in the town, although there are some tour operators plying with minivans. The tour was only for a few hours, where we aimed to get up to Mount Tapyas by sundown to get some nice photos of the islands, immerse ourselves in Maquinit hot springs, then finally have dinner in some local restaurant.

It’s the climb. Rewarding panoramic view of the islands after a 720-step climb.

Sunset view from Mount Tapyas

It was only when we were already climbing up Mount Tapyas that I realised that I left my camera in Manila. Mount Tapyas is the second highest point in Coron and you get magnificent views of the islands from its peak. To get there, you have to navigate through some 720 steps, so the climb can’t be for the unhealthy (I was wheezing and sweating when we reached the top).

We went to the Maquinit hot springs after Mount Tapyas. Some people prefer to go during the day, some advise that it’s best to go after snorkeling. Regardless, hot spring immersion is always good to relax the mind and body, so as long as you have at least an hour, anytime is a good time. Maquinit is a salt water hot spring. There are some areas with moss so may feel a bit slimy, but it was perfectly fine for me and should pose no problem.

My second day was spent island hopping. Me and two other guests from the hotel had a boat for an entire day to ourselves so we were able to hop from one place to the next at our leisure (we just needed to be conscious of time, as we had to be back at Coron town by 5 p.m.).

The hotel offered three package tours, and we picked the first one, which would take us to many snorkeling sites. As soon as we departed, our guide said that the second package would have been better (more picturesque sites, she said). Why she did not say that at the time of booking, I don’t know.

Island hopping in Coron. If you squint hard enough, you’ll see the CORON sign a-la Hollywood on the left of the picture.

Twin Peaks. The formations below the waters are a lot more remarkable than those above.

Anyway, our tour package was going to take us to Siete Pecados, Kayangan Lake, Twin Peaks, Coral Garden, and CYC Beach. Siete Pecados, Twin Peaks, and Coral Garden are all snorkeling areas, and I really missed my camera here, supposedly waterproof up to three meters, as I could have taken some photos whilst snorkeling.

Keeping it natural

Coron Island Cove. Probably the most popularly photographed area of Coron.

The area around the Coron Island Cove on the way to Kayangan Lake is perhaps the best for photo taking, and even my no-optical-zoom phone camera captured some gems. Kayangan Lake, touted as the cleanest lake in Asia, is the most popular destination in Coron. There’s a small hike to get there, so it’s probably not advisable for the elderly with mobility and balance problems.

Coral Garden

Rock formations surrounding the Twin Lagoons

We still had some time after Coral Garden, so our guide kindly volunteered to take us to the Twin Lagoons. She begged us not to tell resort management though, as the Twin Lagoons was part of the second tour package; we were very happy to oblige. The Twin Lagoons are separated by two cliffs with an underwater hole that you can swim through when the tide is high. The hole can be seen and not completely submerged during low tide (when we came), so getting to the other side was not so scary.

Finally, my third day was spent diving. Coron is apparently renowned as one of the best dive sites in the world, and the resort manager distinctly said that it would be a shame if I had been to Coron and did not even try diving. I said that I had absolutely no prior experience, but she said that it was perfectly fine. Fine!

So I got myself booked to do the Corto Divers discover scuba diving course. We went to CYC Beach for the basic training (equalising, breathing underwater, how to go up and down, how to and why you should not abruptly shoot up or down, ok sign, not okay sign, etc.), which took probably two hours to complete.

We then went on our first dive, in some nearby reefs. The first dive was to test how I handled myself underwater, and I apparently handled myself well, as we went down as deep as ten metres when the first dive normally goes down to only six (I was told this after we completed the dive).

We took a lunch break after the first dive, then went to Twin Peaks for the second. The second dive was to last an hour and go as deep as ten metres. There was the added complexity of jumping straight into deep water from the boat, and being the diligent student that I am, I paid no attention to how you should properly hold your mask and regulator to your face when you jump off.

I, Diver

Aside from the jumping off the boat hiccup, my dives went exceptionally well (according to my instructor, who then encouraged me to do the 3-day open water course). I finished my second dive with a lot of air left in my tank, a very good result for a first time diver (again, so said my instructor).

I found many Nemos, small barracudas, and so many other schools of fish I did not recognise. I saw many different and amazing underwater rock formations, and I managed to only slightly scrape through some of them. I did not really see any other exotic animals worthy of bragging, but it was an overall great experience. And though I did not tell my dive instructor, I’m actually quietly contemplating doing the open water course sometime in the future.

And so goes my 3-day Coron adventure. I think it’s still a relatively undiscovered and underdeveloped tourist spot, so it can only improve. There was a power outage virtually every day that I was there, and many areas do not have mobile signal. This was not a problem for me, but some others might find these small inconveniences deal breakers.

Oh, and should you decide to go, don’t forget to bring a proper camera.

Bad case of a Broken Heart

Riz — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:16:01 +0000

If I can’t live without you, why am I not dead yet?
- Mayday Parade

Panglao Island, Bohol

The lyrics don’t lie. I am still alive after separating from the person I was wallowing a couple of years back. At that time, I thought love is overrated only hyped to make a heart shattered. Love twisted me from seven minutes of heaven and turned me into seconds from Hell. Just like that. I locked in my room, turned my mixed punk and rock playlist on, cried like a baby and songs on the radio only makes me devastated hearing Matchbook Romance’s Ex Marks the spot “Love is just another word for pain, it’s a broken record repeating the same thing”. Acceptance was the hardest part to sort out. I found my feet playing on the finest white sands of Boracay. I wasn’t alone. I was with friends. I’d rather go out with friends in an island than being tormented by my ghastly emotions. Misery fill the void that I can’t solely swallow. I swear I loathe self-pitying but at that moment I was crowned as the drama queen.

The “Quit Your Job. Buy A Ticket. Get A Tan. Fall In Love. Never Return” Boracay T-shirt did not work out but I bought the shirt as a souvenir anyway.

Boracay Islands Aklan

The cold and lonely nights over a glass of beer, puffed the last cigar ’till my lungs burn and walked on empty streets with a heart wrecked figuring out why the world is so unkind only made it worst. The metro didn’t sound right for me; I packed my bags after a week from Boracay and headed to Coron with new set of friends. Where the hell is Coron? I silently asked myself. Flying is the best feeling ever but with Asians Spirit butt joke brand “fly as an Asian and Land as a Spirit”, I thought I’d be dead. I realized I can’t waste my life on one miserable moment. I discontinued to pine over those great memories with the douche replacing it with kayaking, island hopping, beach basking, food drooling and God knows what.

Sangat Island, Coron Palawan

Coron threw my pain into a dumpster but it appears it was just provisional. The sob turned into burst tears. The dreams turned into nightmares. It was like I found myself then lost it all again. I thought I turned into a new path but I guess I did not make a quick turn and still slammed on dead ends. Life is just really out of control. I remembered we booked airfare to Bohol prior our break up. I still jaunted to Panglao Island with friends. I rather get belligerently drunk, border-lining to the point of near alcoholic poisoning than being with a jerk on that Island. The number of margarita on ice felt like gulping a couple of mineral water. Glad I was with friends. Some way, somehow I got screwed but what I least expected was just right in front of me. I never thought that it was the moment that my perspectives about love change forever.

Love makes us bliss and melancholic at the same time. Relationships may not work. Life can be mean and unfair. Call it treachery. Call it Cruelty. Somehow you have to face it. Travelling touches our heart and soul. An eye opening that will give you a life-changing experience. It doesn’t matter which places you go. It’s not easy to end up in a relationship disaster but surviving it makes you even stronger. Sometimes you just need to go somewhere, find not what you want but what you deserve and remind yourself of who you are. It may not be your last but just keep on loving ’cause sometimes we hardly notice that in the end we just need the people that love us so we can finally be ourselves.

This is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival for
February 2013, with the theme: “Where do Broken Hearts go?.” Hosted
by Rain Amantiad-Campanilla of Rakistang Nars.

Coron Kwento #2

jilliivanilli — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:26:25 +0000

Twin Lagoon

This was my favourite part during our short stay in Coron. We planned to go to the twin lagoon on our last day. Our lovable tricycle driver, Kuya Jude, who drove us around Coron for all 3 days and 2 nights, suggested that we get a private boat instead of sharing with another group. We took his advice and we’re glad we did.

Anyway, we had the whole Bangka to ourselves so it was okay to go crazy whenever we were blown away by the scenery. The water was strangely calm that day. This made it easier for us to stand on the boat and take pictures.

As we approached the lagoon, my friends and I couldn’t help but shut up. The beauty of the lagoon was a lot to take in. Silence was our way of respecting its serenity.

It looked like the body of water where Narcissus fell in love with himself. Or the pond where Mulan was singing reflection. Or the body of water where Simba sees his reflection. Hahaha (too much Disney growing up)

Flip the photo and you won’t know which the reflection is. Imagine seeing that up close. It’s really too beautiful for words. So here is another photo instead:

The lagoon itself was on the other side of a mountain, which we can go to by passing through a small tunnel. Our tour guide said that this tunnel is usually filled with water so visitors really have to swim through it. Since the water wasn’t so high when we were there, my friends had a raft to hang on to while passing through.

The lagoon was wonderful. The temperature of the water would change with every stroke. This, I think, made the lagoon characteristically far from boring. The lagoon was surrounded by mountains, which made it feel like our own natural pool. And to top it all off, we were the only ones in it!

I really enjoyed it there. Next time I visit Coron, I wouldn’t mind going back to this particular spot. No, no, more than not minding—I would make sure that I get to go back to this lagoon.

Coron Kwento #1

jilliivanilli — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:36:24 +0000

I’ll be posting twice about my Coron trip. One is simply not enough. I had three days with three awesome people in an unbelievably gorgeous place that reminded me once again of how lucky I am to live in the Philippines!

Despite our short stay in the island, we were able to visit 5 destinations: Maquinit Hot Springs, Kayangan Lake, Vivian Beach, Coral Garden, and my favourite, Twin Lagoon.

I’ll be blogging about Kayangan Lake and Twin Lagoon

Kayangan Lake

To get to Kayangan Lake, we took a 20-30 minute boat ride from the main town of Coron. As always, the boatride served as a good appetizer for our senses for what was to come. Views of the neighboring islands, the different shades of blue of the sea, and the perfect sky on that lovely morning made my stomach tumble with excitement.

When we got to our destination, we had to go up 300 steps (uneven, sometimes-too-high, slippery steps) and down another 150 steps to get to the lake itself.

If you’re like me, who has practically zero physical activity in my daily life, then this trek up and down the steps might leave you sweaty and breathless—but hold on to your last breath because the view that welcomes you on your way down to the lake is just… breathtaking!

The lake itself is amazing as well. I specifically love the floating bamboo raft that anyone can relax, sunbathe or play on.

My favorite part of this trip to the lake was when our tour guide brought us into a tiny cave. The cave’s walls were made of stone. He said that the stone was alive—which means it continues to grow. I’m guessing this is because of the minerals in the water that dry up and create something similar to that of stalagmites and stalactites in other caves. We couldn’t stay there long since we could not bring in our life vests because of the tight space we had to squeeze ourselves into.

This was the first stop on our itinerary that day so we had to leave after an hour or so. If I had the chance though, I could stay there for a whole afternoon. Maybe I’d even take a nap on the raft!

Red and Ripples

thisseatistaken — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:28:37 +0000

“What you see is what you get.”

Kayangan Lake

Coron, Palawan

08 February 2013

First trip in 2013. Coron didn’t fail me; my eyes didn’t deceive me. Nature in this part of the country is just sublime. I was in awe.

(Photo credit to my travel buddy Gene)

Trip to Coron, Palawan

fabulouslawyer — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:21:31 +0000

Last year, February 10 to 12, 2012, my friends and I went to Coron, Palawan. I celebrated my birthday there. We were like 21. (to be continued)

Palawan: Where simplicity breeds happiness

ccesguerra — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 14:39:04 +0000

So, I took a little break from writing. I guess there was just a lot for me to take in and simply enjoy. But today, I saw that a friend from Finland posted a link to my blog saying, “Ystäväni blogi, joka muistuttaa siitä, mitä on ELÄMÄ! Ihanaa.” Which, according to Facebook’s translation, means, “My friend’s blog, which will remind you of what life is! Wonderful.” So I felt compelled to write because it’s true – life really is wonderful. And you may be thinking, “Easy for you to say, b—-, you’ve been on a 3 1/2 month vacation.” And yes, I kind of have been, but it’s more than that. It’s learning, gaining perspective, appreciating everything and actively seeking a life that brings happiness. And the more places I experience, the more evidence I gather that simplicity really is my happiness.

A friend and I, for 2012, adopted the the super cliché ‘Go hard or go home’ motto as our own. And for some, those are words to live by. They live for the hustle and love it. But, I see that there’s another way to make things work: ‘Take it easy and stay.’ I don’t want to get all preachy-like, so I’m not going to explain how anyone should apply that to life or anything. All I’ll say is that for me, whatever I am doing, if my mind can be easy and steady, I’ll know I am in the right place. And if I stick with the simple idea of holding steadfast to what makes me happy and nothing more or less, everything I need will come – and so far it seems to be starting to line up.

Enough of this rambling mumbo jumbo. Here’s how I spent my last ten days. Seeing the beautiful Palawan, Philippines – where people live happy lives by keeping it simple.

Bahay Kalipay in Puerto Princesa: the amazing raw food retreat of Daniw and Pi. Filipino raw foodists that live their truth and live so happy because of it.

raw pesto with cucumber pasta

singing, smiling, ball-busting tricycle drivers of Puerto Princesa

the Maia Earth Village: a whole community of people dedicated to simplicity though self-sustainability.

a mud house in Maia

the super chill beach town of el nido

our Tao Expedition banka where we spent five days enjoying great company, eating clean food, and swimming with millions of fish

fishing for sea urchin

super fresh uni

we either fish for food…

or stop at remote fishing villages to buy some.

want a coconut? climb for it.

sleepy? go to sleep.

Tiger

one of Tao’s beach basecamps

breakfast out of coconuts

basecamp basketball

entertainment [photo by: Anders]
[photo by: Anders]

put some back into it

breakfast at Sunrise Pension House owned by one of my new favorite people, Tita Gloria. so helpful, so warm, so happy to be living her life in Coron.

a friend’s home and farm in Barangay Borac in Coron

hanging with Oli

cliff diving at Seven Falls waterfall

motorbikes, dirt roads, and pretty views

I love the Philippines and I wish me and my camera phone could capture every part of it.

CALAMANIAN TAGBANUA TRIBE,CORON,PALAWAN,PHILIPPINES

Bruce Liron — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 10:27:20 +0000

Towering Limestone cliffs of Coron Island

Part of the Calamanian Islands – Coron,Northern Palawan is a travel destination probably best known for the stunning limestone cliff scenery and as a top rated dive destination amongst Scuba divers around the world.

I first visited Coron in November 2012, more of a sight seeing trip really and was truly taken aback by the beauty of this region of the Philippines. The visit was partly aimed at making a connection with the the Tagbanua tribe of Coron Island. It can be somewhat confusing as most activity is based in Coron town which is actually on the main Island of Busuanga.Coron Island is to the South and the Ancestral domain of the Tagbanua tribe.I was very fortunate to meet with tribal Chieftan and Chairman of the Tagbanua – Rodolfo Aguilar. We discussed a potential visit to the interior of the Island to document the everyday life and happenings of the community. Just to outline that Chairman Aguilar was instrumental in negotiations with the Philippine Government during the 1980′s in declaring Coron Island as an Ancestral domain for the Tagbanua which essentially meant they had control over the decision making of their homeland which not only included the land mass but also the surrounding waters. As with other visits to Indigenous communities it is nice to give something back so we discussed some of the requirements the community might have. Medication being one, in the form of generic medicines such as Paracetamol,Loperamide & Dicycloverine hydrochloride – the basic medicines that might be useful to treat a variety of ailments. Surprisingly Chairman Aguilar mentioned Betel nuts ! now to those who may not be familiar with betel nuts this is a hard nut chewed with a particular type of leaf with the addition of lime. These three components when chewed together are known as ‘Momma’ – particularly prevalent in the Luzon area of Ifugao. By chewing these three ingredients together, quantitates of red stained saliva are produced and the ouput being significant amounts of ‘spittle’ – something I came to realise when I visited Ifugao, noticing the signs ‘no spitting Momma’ – the red spittle clearly seen in the streets – which of course can be somewhat distracting. It is said that chewing ‘Momma’ gives a sudden ‘rush’ feeling although I have yet to follow up on this information. One of the other suggested requirements from the Chairman was tobacco leaves.

So the wheels were set in motion with my travel partner,friend & well known Cebuano photographer Dexter Bongo – incidentally the betel nuts mentioned by Chairman Aguilar were never far from our thoughts and it just so happened that on our previous adventure to Cauyan,Isabela we were able to source several kilo’s of the required nuts.From that point on Dexter became fondly known as the ‘Betel nut keeper’ !

Further contact was made with Chairman Aguilar & the way smoothed for our visit to the Island in Jan/Feb of 2013. Dexter being a ‘birder’ (bird photographer),was most looking forward to this particular visit due to the potential of photographing resident bird life – it turned out he was not to be disappointed.

On the 2nd Feb 2013 Dexter & I travelled to Busuanga where we met up with Chairman Aguilar. A banca ride took us to the eastern side if Coron Island bound for Barangay Cabugao. The ride itself was something to behold – the jagged formations of the limestone cliffs rising from the crystal blue water, just spectacular. On reaching the calm mangrove lined shallows of Cabugao we were greeted by the site of two large Kingfishers in flight followed by a wonderful sighting of a brightly coloured orange medium sized bird breaking cover of the dense mangroves – later identified by Dexter as a woodpecker.

Established in 1957 Barangay Cabugao is home to approximately 160 families, the other barangay on the Island and first settlement being the more Northern Banuang-Daan.

Coron Island in general is famous for its pristine lakes such as the spectacular Kyangan lake, open for tourists to visit.Others however within the Island are considered sacred places and completely off limits to tourists.Legislation passed in 1997 known as the REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8371 ‘The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act’(IPRA) provide a legal framework for the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Philippines and provides for penalties including imprisonment for unauthorised entry to ancestral lands or domains.The sacred inner lakes have ‘watchkeepers’ to ensure there is no unauthorised access.In fact anyone intending to visit the Island interior will require special permission.Set excursions are available to tourists however from the port area of Busuanga. To visit any particular place a fee is collected from each tourist collected by Tagbanua representatives at each of the locations designated as a tourist site. Normally an excursion would include a snorkelling venue, lake or lakes and perhaps a beach for lunch.

A typical Tagbanua home

The earliest settlers on Coron Island were known to be cave dwellers and there remains to this day cave buriel sites set within the limestone cliffs,unfortunately the sites were desecrated over the years by treasure hunters seeking the valuables buried with the dead.

At 67 years of age, Chairman of the Tagbanua tribe Rodolfo Aguilar has been a prominent force for his community in preserving their traditional way of life,protecting land areas from Developers and those who would seek to change Coron Island to their detriment. Chairman Aguilar explained to us some of the problems brought by Immigrants settling on nearby Islands from other parts of the Philippines, bringing with them the use of destructive fishing techniques such as dynamiting and using cyanide. The results being severe damage to corals and over fishing. According to the Chairman at one point it was not unusual to hear at least 100 explosions per day from the dynamite fishing.Astonishingly he told us that limestone tops of the cliffs at Calis Point on the Island had been removed by these immigrant fisherman to provide weights for fishing use.

Community spirit is clearly evident in the everyday life of the Tagbanua,with no television due to lack of a power source within the Island or any supply from an outside source life remains one of social gatherings and physical interaction, men and women gathering in small groups to discuss current happenings or events of the day.It was interesting to hear from the Chairman that any important decisions needing to be made effecting the Island community are first put to a council of elders comprised of 40 persons. To be eligible as an elder one has to be 60 yrs of age and above.

The Baptist faith and Roman Catholicism are the two main religions practised on the Island.

Proficient spear fisherman 17 yr old Robert Aguilar searches for prey along a shallow reef.

Robert paddles out to a favoured fishing spot

21 yr old Jack Abille waits for an opportune moment

Harvested seaweed left to dry in the hot sun

One of their main sources of food are locally caught fish and when the season permits – Octopus. They are excellent spear fisherman and become proficient at an early age using improvised spears. Due to the dry climate rice cannot be cultivated and a substitute root crop known as KOROT is grown.The correct preparation of KOROT is essential as if not cooked properly remains poisonous. Cashew nuts grow in natural abundance, harvested by the Tagbanua they are sold wholesale to the traders in Coron town,Busuanga.Various kinds of seaweed are cultivated and harvested in the local waters.

Preparation of root vegetable Korot

Island Children attend Elementary school level.For secondary schooling they will need to travel to nearby Busuanga.

Schooling is based at Elementary level catering for the ages of 7 to eleven years of age,with no secondary schools children have to travel to Busuanga to continue their education.As in mainland provinces within the Philippines families tend to be large and not uncommon to find parents with 8 children – 11 in some cases.

Since the time of their Ancestors the collection of bird nests made by a small swift like bird known as the ‘Balinsasayaw’ have been collected by the Tagbanua and sold to Chinese traders. The nests command exceedingly high prices but are located deep within cave systems high up up on the sheer and jagged limestone rock faces.To reach the nests the Tagbanua have to be experts at climbing the rock faces bare footed – particularly dangerous as to reach some of the nests there is little or no light. For a light source a method used from time immemorial is the use of lit torches carried on a piece of string,fuelled by Amber collected from the Saleng tree.December to April is the non egg season, the harvest of nests allowed at this time. May being the time of egg laying,nests are still taken but not those where chicks are present. There are three grades of Balinsaysayaw nest the most expensive being class A at 6,000 pesos per ouza = 6 weights.

To reach the Balinsasayaw nests Tagbanua men have to scale the sharp vertical cliff face & thereafter the more difficult dark caves.

Temes Bacollos demonstrates how the Tagbanua would scale the caves where the Balinsaysayaw nest – carrying with them a lit torch.

As used by their Ancestors, torches filled with Amber from the Saleng tree.

Bird photography is an area ive never really given much time too probably due to the enormous amount of patience required ! but I have to say that Dexter has shown me it to be an extremely rewarding experience. We were able to find the perfect hide in the form of a dilapidated building and from that point watch a wonderful variety of bird life visit and feed from a nearby tree in full fruit.

A village elder weaves a ‘Banig’

Tagbanua children

Coffee beans roasted then brown sugar added to the mix

The last stage of the coffee making process.

Arranged marriages still exist within the community.Should the parents of one party feel a good match could be made between their children an approach would be made with a view to a potential marriage. This would involve the giving of a set dowry which has to be paid before the bride is presented to wedding guests. Before the marriage boys known as BARKO will perform a tribal dance.Girls are known as SIUUDAD.

A net system with floats & weights used to attach the valuable seaweed crop.

Cashew trees grow in abundance, at the point of maturity the fruit turns yellow and will drop from the tree.

A monitor lizard seeks the early morning heat of the rising sun

On the conclusion of our visit and amidst a small gathering of the community we handed over the medication – which was warmly accepted.There seems no doubt that being granted control over their homeland the Tagbanua have managed to thwart commercial development that most certainly would have occurred if this had not been the case. A peaceful,simple people in touch with their environment & traditions that hopefully will be maintained by the generations that follow. I know it certainly will not be too long before we return to this magical part of the Philippines.

Sole Sisters: Battle of the Islands: El Nido vs Coron

gracewithfire — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 05:23:20 +0000

Comparing, comparing… El Nido or Coron for our summer vacation?

Sole Sisters: Battle of the Islands: El Nido vs Coron.

What Happens in Coron, Stays in My Blog

hartlove — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 04:23:46 +0000
This slideshow requires JavaScript. Hello, people! So what’s up? It has been about a week sinc

Coron Island: Paradise Found

Maria Dee — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:14:42 +0000

I was steered through a patch of gray clouds, a blow of cold wind, a portion of shifting waters, and a pour of steady rain. And with no hint of its advent, the overcast veil suddenly lifted and I found myself in the precipice to paradise. The skies became a clear blanket of blue. The waters turned pristinely aquamarine. And the colossal limestone rocks loomed from the waters. I was beholden to be in awe of the natural wonder revealed before me – Coron Island, the paradise I found one misty day in September.

The boat continued to traverse further and around, uncovering more magnificent formations and details of the limestone rocks and deeper turquoise waters in the inner recesses. The boat halted in one of the alcoves, the access to Kayangan Lake, famed to be the cleanest lake in Asia. But, to get there, one has to climb and then descend the innumerable steps of slippery rocks amidst a natural flora. Ensuring the preservation of ecology, there are no paved pathways, only a crude wooden railing directs the trail to the isolated lake. Midway through the climb and descent, like a reward so sweet, a breathtaking view is revealed. A picture perfect point.

Upon teetering on the last steps, I looked up to find a crystal clear expanse of water gorgeously nestled amid lush rock formations. I run out of adjectives early on in this trip and I just dipped into the untainted waters. There may be a school of swordfish teeming the edge of the waters or a water lizard whizzing through. A narrow entry point in one of the rock formations leads to a cave where a hole at the top of the rock formation reveals the sky and allows a ray of light. The lake is a visual feast, a calm refuge, and an indulgence for a relaxing swim.

Journeying on around the island, I was led to the Twin Lagoons where, I learned, courage is put to a test. Since the two lagoons are separated by two rock formations, courage is summoned when one has to take a short swim underwater, cautioning not to be injured by the sharp rocks, in order to reach the other lagoon. I have to say that regret will be the recompense for the one who will be merely gratified in swimming around the first lagoon. As I emerged from underwater, I found myself in Shangri-la! The vision was beyond amazing, I breathed, “Am I still on earth?” A majestic succession of rock formations encircles the lagoon, setting it in blissful seclusion. I felt I found a different world. And then reality struck – I failed to bring a waterproof camera! While I could not document the moment, I immersed myself fully in the extraordinary beauty and bliss of paradise on Earth.

The island holds more wonderful vistas, both above water and underwater. The Siete Pecados, an area located near seven rock formations, is a treasure trove for marine life. With the vibrant colors and massive diversity of the underwater world at such shallow depths here, it remains my best snorkeling experience so far. While snorkeling at Skeleton Wreck, the site of the World War II ship wrecks, was a distinctive experience. There are more sites for other shipwrecks, which can be appreciated only through diving due to its depths. Smith’s Point, an isolated area of fine sand and clear water, was an excellent and less crowded stop for lunch and frolic in the sea. And at the end of the day, an unexpected rainbow accented the seascape, a perfect conclusion in the place of bliss.

This island deserves more than my breathless praise. It is worthy to be visited again and again. And as fate would have it, my flight home was cancelled. I had no wails or whines. For I was stranded in paradise.

SIDE NOTES

Getting to the island:

Coron Island is part of the municipality of Coron, Palawan, Philippines. The entry point is a nearby municipality, Busuanga Island. You have to fly to Busuanga, take a van to the town, and hire a motorized boat in order to get to and around Coron Island.

Travel time:

From the cities of Manila and Cebu, the travel time is around one hour via airplane.

Places to stay:

Regulations prohibit any form of dwelling in Coron Island. You will have to settle in either Busuanga or Coron. Both are still provincial and there are no grand or swanky hotels in the area. However, it is littered with decent small hotels and pension houses. Mount Tapyas Hotel provides a wonderful view of the Coron islands.

Best time to visit:

The summer months of April and May will provide a glorious setting in this island. The sights are still awesome during the rainy season. However, fog can easily descend in the airport, so there is a chance for flight delays or cancellations.

Other places to visit:

1. Mt. Tapyas is located in the town of Coron. Accessible through 720 concrete steps, it provides a wide and scenic view of the islands. It is the perfect location to catch the setting of the sun.

2. Maquinit Hot Springs is likewise located in the town of Coron. After the climb to Mt. Tapyas, the heat of the pools are soothing and palliative.

For those traveling with kids:

1. The slippery steps leading to Kayangan Lake is challenging even for adults. It is best for those bringing along babies or toddlers to strap them to a baby body sling. This will be for the safety of both the child and the adult who might need the hands free to hold the railings. We brought children ranging from 8-12 years old and they managed the climb and descent on their own.

2. In Twin Lagoons, the boat will provide life vests for passengers to use in traversing the two lagoons. The swim from one side of the lagoon to the other and around it will not be a short one. The boatmen can pull the kids (and tired adults) in and around the lagoons. A tip to the boatmen will be welcome.

3. In Siete Pecados, the areas for snorkeling have been lined with ropes where the kids and adults can hold on to, without fear of being drifted away from the boat.

4. For the climb to Mt. Tapyas, children aged 8 and above, especially those physically active, will not find it difficult. During our trip, the kids reached the top first.

5. In Maquinit Hot Springs, let the kids take a dip with their feet first in order to test if they can withstand the heat of the pools.

Suggested itinerary:

Day 1 -

Mt. Tapyas in time for sunset

Maquinit Hot Springs for a soothing bath after the trek

Day 2 -

Kayangan Lake early in the morning to avoid the crowds

Twin Lagoons

Smith’s Point for lunch and swimming

Skeleton Wreck

Siete Pecados

Day 3 -

Diving around other shipwreck sites

Shopping for souvenirs and cashew nut-based goodies

*Photos by Cesar Gariando

Malcapuya Island

manonglakwatsero — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:23:01 +0000
Malcapuya Island View On Top Of The Hill One of the Island you should not miss when you’re in

Banana Island

manonglakwatsero — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:16:52 +0000
Banana Island Resort From afar I had a hard time trying to figure out why the Island known as such.

Kayangan Lake

manonglakwatsero — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:08:54 +0000
Taken Near The Cave Few minutes from Coron via Boat you’ll get to see this Amazing Lake hidden