Coron, Palawan – one of the ideal destinations in the Philippines among local and foreign tourists. This island has so much to offer, whether for land activities, island hopping tours, or diving tours. Whenever you try to ask someone where in the Philippines they want to be, you would probably get the answer “Coron.”
From exploring the natural beauty of rock formations to diving the world-class WWII-era shipwrecks, getting dip into the brightest and clearest water lakes, and seeing the unimaginable beauty of the coral reefs. Who wouldn’t get amazed at the beauty of the island? No wonder why it’s been part of the bucket list among travelers. It has always been a dream destination for those who crave an island paradise experience! Whether you are a freediver, scuba diver, or even a typical tourist, you would surely fall in love with the beauty of Coron, Palawan.
If you are planning to visit the island soon and don’t know what to do, here’s a list of the top things to do in Coron, Palawan.
Table of Contents
18 Top Amazing Things to do in Coron, Palawan
- Dip in Maquinit Hot Springs
- Hike Mt. Tapyas
- Swim in Coron Twin Lagoon
- See the shipwrecks at Coron Bay
- Explore the underwater mountains in Barracuda Lake
- Go diving on Busuanga Island
- Swim in Kayangan Lake
- Have a relaxing day on Ditaytayan Island
- Go snorkeling on Pass Island
- Dive into the Skeleton Reef
- Go freediving at Lusong Gunboat Shipwreck
- Visit the Kingfisher Park
- Swim at the Banol Beach
- Explore the town of Coron
- Stroll at the Lualhati Park
- Snorkel at Bulog Dos Island
- See the beauty of Siete Pecados Island
- Try out some local foods
Dip in Maquinit Hot Springs
Maquinit Hot Springs is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Coron, Palawan. It is one of a few hot springs in the Philippines that offers such stunning ocean views. Surrounded by mangrove trees, this hot spring is of the best places yet one of the most affordable places to visit when in Coron. The pool temperature ranges from 37 degrees to 40 degrees Celsius. It is the best place to pamper yourself after an exhausting day exploring the town of Coron.
To give you an idea about the costs of visiting Maquinit Hot Springs, here are the following prices:
- Regular entrance fee: Php 150
- Residents of Coron: Php 75 (present a valid ID upon paying)
- Senior Citizens/Students: Php 120 (present a valid ID upon paying)
- Children aged 5-10 years old: Php 75 (present a valid ID upon paying)
- Children below five years old: free of charge
Please note the entrance fees indicated above are subject to change.
Hike Mt. Tapyas
Visiting Mt. Tapyas is part of exploring the town of Coron island. If you have availed of Coron tour packages, this will be part of the tour. Hiking Mt. Tapyas is beginner-friendly. It only takes 720 steps to reach the summit! This is one of the most adventurous and exciting things to do in Coron, Palawan! Whether you go here in the morning, afternoon, or evening, you can still get a chance to see the panoramic view of the island!
In our case, my friend and I trekked Mt. Tapyas on our first day since it is included in our Coron package tour. Then, we hiked and reached the summit again for the second time to chase the sunset on our last day in Coron, which we did by ourselves! It just feels so satisfying when you successfully reach the summit due to the stunning views that await you! Personally, it was gratifying for us since my friend, and I are not really into hiking!
Swim in Coron Twin Lagoon
Twin Lagoon is one of the major sights to visit in Coron. One of the most stunning tourist attractions to see during island hopping! The water here is pretty warm. You would probably love and enjoy it once you go swimming here. Not to mention its excellent, clear water and those stunning limestone cliffs surrounding the area.
If you are not into swimming or snorkeling, you may opt to rent a kayak and experience exploring Twin Lagoon by doing this activity. Make sure to take lots of pictures because the Twin Lagoon is an insta-worthy place!
See the shipwrecks at Coron Bay.
Coron is truly a home to freedivers and scuba divers. No wonder diving into the shipwrecks is one of their favorite things to do in Coron. That said, make sure to see the wrecks at Coron Bay during your island hopping tours! Don’t forget your fins and other diving gears that you might need for diving!
However, if you cannot go diving and still want to see the shipwrecks, I believe that you are allowed to go snorkeling to see those historical shipwrecks underwater. However, it may not be as close as you dive underwater.
Explore the underwater mountains in Barracuda Lake
Another noteworthy and must-visit spot in Coron, Palawan is Baraccuda Lake. Barracuda Lake is a popular diving spot in Coron and one of the diver’s favorite diving spots! Get a chance to explore the underwater mountains and see some barracuda in the lake!
Go diving on Busuanga Island
If you crave more diving adventures, head over to Busuanga Island and try to see the other notable Japanese shipwrecks from WWII.
Swim in Kayangan Lake
Known as the “cleanest lake in the Philippines”, Kayangan Lake is one of the most iconic tourist spots in Coron, Palawan. This is another perfect place for diving, snorkeling, and swimming! The lake offers amazingly clear water consisting of 70% freshwater and 30% saltwater.
The lake’s undeniably clearwater will mesmerize you because even if you are just on the boardwalk, you can see the remarkable sights of limestone cliffs underwater. But before you see the lake’s fantastic scenery, you must trek 300 steps to reach the inland lake. Not to mention the famous view deck midway through the climb, where you can take pictures of the best view spot of the bay! This is actually one of the most iconic spots that shouldn’t be missed in Coron!
During our visit, we were so fortunate that our group was the only group that reached Kayangan Lake. That’s why we didn’t have a hard time enjoying the view of the bay! Our tour guide told us that during the pre-pandemic, you had to fall in line for hours to get to the viewing deck and reach the inland lake. I was grateful that we got to visit the place without the crowd.
Have a relaxing day on Ditaytayan Island
If you are looking for less touristy attractions in Coron, you can spend a day on Ditaytayan Island and do every water activity you want. Or, you may want to lay down on the sand and enjoy beach bumming on a hot afternoon on the island!
Go snorkeling on Pass Island.
From its pristine white sand to its crystal clear water, make sure to go snorkeling on Pass Island. Don’t miss a chance to see the beauty of the island that it offers!
Dive into the Skeleton Reef
Another thing to do when in Coron is to see the skeleton reef. You can dive or snorkel to see this skeleton wreck, one of a few notable Japanese shipwrecks in Coron, Palawan.
Go freediving at Lusong Gunboat Shipwreck.
Another popular diving site in Coron is the Lusong Gunboat Shipwreck. If you have time to go freediving, get a chance to this another WWII Japanese shipwreck! Also, you can see it even just going snorkeling.
Visit the Kingfisher Park
If you are looking for more places to visit in Coron, you may also consider visiting Kingfisher Park.
Swim at the Banol Beach
Banol Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Coron, alongside CYC beach. I believe Banol beach is part of Coron island hopping tours, so don’t miss a chance to swim and enjoy the long stretch of white sand at Banol beach.
Explore the town of Coron
Exploring downtown might be the last thing to do in Coron, but this is one thing that shouldn’t be missed either. Coron, Palawan is not just about island hopping, beaches, and diving. There are so many more! Get to know more about the island by exploring downtown, try interacting with the locals, and trying out some of the island’s best delicacies.
Stroll at the Lualhati Park
Lualhati Park is just a small park nearby Coron Harbour. Enjoy the views from the bay, rent a bike and watch the sunset!
Snorkel at Bulog Dos Island
Bulog Dos Island is part of Coron Island Hopping Tour C. Go snorkeling and discover what the island offers.
See the beauty of Siete Pecados Island.
Siete Pecados island is another favorite snorkeling destination in Coron. If you still have some time to spare, you might consider visiting the Siete Pecados Island.
Try out some local foods.
Trying out some local foods is also a must-thing to do in Coron! Make sure to visit different local restaurants in town. Go on a food trip and try some of their local foods such as danggit, crocodile sisig, tamilok, etc.
How to get to Coron?
It is possible to reach the island of Coron by plane or ferry. If you are taking a plane, their main airport is Busuanga Airport, less than an hour away from the town. But if you are traveling by ferry, their boats are routed to their main pier, the Uson Island Public Pier.
By Air
- From Manila: From Ninoy Aquino International Airport, it takes around one hour to reach the island. You may find cheaper flights from Manila to Coron, Palawan via Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines.
- From Cebu: From Mactan International Airport, it takes around an hour and a half to reach the Busuanga International Airport. You may book a flight via Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific. They offer direct flights from Cebu to Coron, Palawan.
- From Clark: From Clark International Airport, direct flights to Coron take you one hour of average travel time to Busuanga Airport.
By Sea
Taking a ferry is probably much cheaper than taking a plane to Coron. But please note that ferry routes are only available in Manila, Puerto Princesa, and El Nido, Palawan. Also, expect longer travel hours if you opt to travel by ferry.
- From Manila: Sail with 2go Travel as it offers weekly trips. The Manila to Coron ferry (and vice versa) departs every Friday at 1:00 PM and every Sunday at 4:00 PM. Please be advised that 11-13 hours is the approximate travel time from Manila to Uson Island Public Pier.
- From Puerto Princesa: The approximate travel time from Puerto Princesa to Coron is around 16 hours via 2go Travel. The ferry usually leaves Wednesday and Saturday and arrives the next day.
- From El Nido: From El Nido, you may schedule a ride to Coron and vice versa via Montenegro Shipping Lines, which cuts the travel time to 3-4 hours. They offer daily trips from 6:00 AM, but schedules are subject to change. Regular rates are around Php 1760 and up.
Where to stay in Coron?
If you are looking for budget-friendly accommodations in Coron, here is a list of DOT-accredited accommodations.
- Acacia Garden Inn
- Angel Gabriel Homestay
- Argaosa Bayside Inn
- Bella Vista Guest House
- Blue Waters Inn
- Darayonan Lodge
- Dayon Hostel
- Filcan Hostel Coron
- Kalaw Lodging Homes
- Luis Bay Travellers Lodge
- Mackeys Hidden Inn
- Nanay Vacation Home
- R2R Bayview Inn
- Jazmine’s Place
- Joval Homestay
Heading to Coron, Palawan soon?
If you are planning to visit the island soon, here’s a sample Coron itinerary which is good for 5 days and 4 nights. Here is an ideal itinerary for you.
- Day 1: City Tour
- Day 2: Coron Island Tour B
- Day 3: Coron Island Tour A
- Day 4: Free Time (Rest Day)
- Day 5: Back to MNL
Whether you are traveling for the first time or you are coming back to the island, here is a comprehensive travel guide to Coron, Palawan.
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Hey, my name is Ara Patria—a solo female traveler who is in her quest of traveling the world. I write and learn about life through the lenses of my camera, personal experiences, and adventures. Join me as I unravel the mystery of life through exploring the wanders of the world.
