Coron Island Palawan Philippines

Coron is a quiet town located southeast of the island of Busuanga and opposite the island of Coron (northern tip of Palawan). It serves as a gateway to the Calamianes Group of Islands where you'll find unspoiled islands and islets with white sand beaches, crystal clear blue waters, exotic marine life, and limestone cliffs teeming with swallows and palawan red hornbills.

Coron Island, Palawan Coron Island is actually a gigantic limestone reef. It is a land mass separate and should not be confused with the town of Coron. A law was passed in 1997 declaring the whole island as ancestral domain territory of the Tagbanuas, the native people of Palawan.

Kayangan Lake is just one of several magnificent hidden lakes you'll find within the island of Coron. A 10 to 15 minute hike via a carved path on a tropical rainforest will bring you to one of the most enchanting and cleanest lake in the Philippines. The water is very clear and calm, a perfect combination of warm seawater and cold mountain springs which reduces its salinity. Kayangan Lake

Kayangan Lake Kayangan Lake

Baracuda Kayangan Lake

Diving is the main tourism activity in Coron where twelve World War II Japanese shipwrecks can be found. Most of the wrecks are auxiliary ships sunk by American fighter planes on September 24, 1944. Irako Maru, a refrigeration ship located at the mouth of Coron Bay is probably the best wreck dive in the Philippines. It is quite intact and with good visibility one can enjoy viewing the big groupers, yellow fin and schools of tuna, and sea turtles living around this wreck.

Getting There

Airlines that serves the Manila to Busuanga route are PAL Express, Cebu Pacific, Sea Air, and Zest Air. Average travel time is 40 minutes.

From Busuanga airport, you may travel on a scheduled van trip (P150/person) or rent an exclusive van or minibus (P1,200.00 to P1,500.00) to Coron Town which takes about 35 to 40 minutes. However, this will drop significantly after the road cement project is finished by the end of 2009.

Tourist Attractions in Vigan Islands Philippines

"Vigan Houses: Vigan City Islands PhilippinesThe Vigan Houses
The Vigan ancestral houses were built by Chinese taipans who made fortunes out of indigo dye, abel fabrics, gold, tobacco and other export items. The massive brick and plaster houses with red tiled roofs and imposing doorways, grand staircases, broad narra floorboards and piedra china, sliding capiz windows and ventanillas and cool azotea reflect the artistic and technological craftsmanship of the 18th and 19th century native artisans who developed an architectural style adapted to the earthquake-prone tropics.

Calle Crisologo: Vigan City Islands PhilippinesCalle Crisologo
Further south of the Cathedral, one finds the stretch of Calle Mena Crisologo lined with ancestral. These houses, built by the Biguenos of Chinese ancestry engaged in trade, barter and manufacture o findigo dye, abel (woven) fabric, gold, tobacco and other goods. Being the only surviving colonial city in the country, Vigan has more than 180 ancestral houses and historical landmarks tightly strung along the narrow streets of the old Mestizo District, popularly known then as Kasanglayan (Chinese quarters).

St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral
The cathedral was build by the Augustinians 1790-1800 in distinctive "Earthquake Baroque" architecture. It has three naives , twelve altars and a choir loft. Chinese influence is evident in its baptistry altar, China-forged brass communion handrails, a pair of Fu Dogs and moldings on the facade. Most of the original church interior features and artifacts are still in place. The octagonal church belfry is located 15 meters south of the cathedral.

St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral: Vigan City Islands Philippines

Just recently, its museum Museo San Pablo was opened to public which showcases ecclesiastical artifacts and other religious crafts of the past."

Encenada Beach Resort

"Encenada Beach Resort offers its guests the full benefits of Puerto Galera's stunning natural beauty. Its, dazzling, white sand beach is located in a sheltered cove among lush tropical gardens & rainforest. One of the Philippines oldest marine sanctuaries, Puerto Galera is breathtakingly beautiful both above & below its calm, clear waters. Below, it is a kaleidoscope of colorful corals & marine life, & above, a spectacular vista against cloud-shrouded mountains, a haven for divers, yachtsmen, fisherman & nature lovers alike.

One of the Philippines oldest marine sanctuaries, Puerto Galera is breathtakingly beautiful both above and below its calm, clear waters, Below, its Kaleidoscope of colourful corals and marine life, and above, a spectacular vista set against cloud-shrouded mountains, a haven for divers, yachtsmen, fisherman and nature lovers alike.

Puerto is a Resort Town located in the north-eastern shoreline of Oriental Mindoro. lt is the eastern half of the island of Mindoro, an island which is the third largest in the Philippine archipelago. The island is south-west of Metro Manila. Puerto Galera itself is about seventy (70) statute miles away from Metro Manila, and can either be reached by seacraft straight from Manila, or by land transportation from Manila to Batangas City (100 kms), and by ferryboat onwards to Puerto Galera. The land travel takes between one and a half to two hours ride depending on the traffic situation, while the connecting boat ride takes either forty minutes or one and a half hours depending on the ferryboat taken."

Honda Bay Palawan

"Honda Bay in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan is a group of islands that is popular for swimming, snorkeling, and diving destinations. Island-hopping in the Bay has also become a common thing for tourists.

The jump-off point is located in Barangay Sta. Lourdes Tagbanua about 12 kilometers east of the town proper where pump boats could be hired to reach the different islands. Some islands require entrance fees; some are privately owned and require permission before you can visit. “It’s quite a long boat ride to reach there but it is also an adventure of a lifetime and an unforgettable one”, Sheryl muses.

Such event was what happened to Sheryl So and her friends when they went to the Honda Bay in Palawan. Sheryl is currently an officer for the Planning Department employed at Philippine Airlines. Being an employee of an airline gives her the benefit of flying for free in domestic or international destinations. Sheryl is 29 years old, single, and finished industrial engineering at one of the prestigious universities in the Philippines.

She found Palawan to be a typical province. Very organized and spotlessly clean. There are a lot of natural tourist spots to go to, and less commercial establishments.

“I went to Puerto Princesa with friends and I love their beaches. We went to Honda Bay for snorkeling and it’s so amazing how much fishes, corals, among others you can see even if you are nearby the shore. I wonder what more you can see if you go further to the deeper parts of the sea.”

Sheryl enjoyed the blissful scenery of Puerto Princesa along with her friends and office mates. As soon as they arrived, they went island hopping immediately. First stop is the Pandan Island. They stayed in a cottage like many visitors used. Several huts and cottages were located there. And just like any other tropical paradise we’ve seen in the movies, they take turns quenching their thirsts with a coconut juice in their hand and proceeded to go on snorkeling around the island.

The breath taking view of the place above water is equally stunning and amazing as it was under the water, and every visitor should experience seeing the scenery both ways. “Palawan is such a clean place, it’s a refreshing sight especially if you came from a crowded busy place like Makati in Manila”

After a few hours, Sheryl and her friends moved to the Snake Island, which was a two-kilometer sandbar shaped like a snake. It was enjoyable for them to walk around up to the end of the sandbar. Food feasting on Snake Island was very sumptuous for the visitors. After diving, it is always best to splurge into a hearty meal and walking barefoot along the powdery sand.

The last stop they went to was the Starfish Island. This island is known for its fine white sand and clear water that teems with starfish.

The island had a sandbar surrounding the lagoon. They very much enjoyed the warm and peaceful water without the strong waves. Other islands there in Honda include Cannon (Cowrie) Island, Bat Island, Lu-Li Island, Meara Marina, and Senorita Island. The Senorita Island is the breeding site of the lapu-lapu fish.

Since she likes the beach more than anyone else, she considers going back to Puerto Princesa, and would like to visit other places as well like Coron, El Nido, Calauit, among others. “The most unforgettable part of my Palawan experience would be snorkeling and swimming in the Palawan waters — fine sand, clear waters and well preserved coral reefs.”

Compared with another tourist spot here in the Philippines where she went spelunking with her friends in Sagada, she liked very much the caves in the underground river in Palawan. The cave had interesting rock formations, stalactites, bats, and aside from that, the cave has access to a river which leads to the famous falls in Puerto Princesa. You may explore the underground river by boat, while in the caves of Sagada, you need to do lots of walking and climbing.

Sheryl believes that Puerto Princesa is above average place compared to other tourist destinations in the Philippines. "It is a site for relaxation and adventure where you can be one with nature. The place really grows on you, it really stayed in your senses for quite a long time until you come back again to renew the bonding you have with mother nature."

Camiguin Island Philippines

The Island of Camiguin is a perfect package and a real ecological tourism destination that it has been identified by the Department of Tourism as one of the top 25 tourist destinations in the Philippines. It is an island which has so many tourist attractions ranging from natural, historic and scientific to religious which are only minutes from each other. In the island you will find hot and cold springs, waterfalls, white sandy beaches, lagoons, white islets, breathtaking rain forests, a walkway to the top of an old volcano, ruins of an ancient church, coral reefs and many other interesting sights and landmarks.

Many say that the main attraction of Camiguin is the sheer concentration of its natural wonders and its residents who are simple, genuinely friendly and hospitable. It is a dream island where travelers can simply revel in the marvels of nature without too many artificial distractions. One cannot really help fall in love with the island that when visitors leave, they usually would feel that the hardest thing that one has to endure in coming to Camiguin is when the day comes to leave. The following are some of the many beautiful landmarks and tourist attractions the Island of Camiguin has to offer:

White Island - also known as Medan Island, it is one of the most popular sites to visit in Camiguin. This small inhabited white sand bar, with picturesque Mt. Hibok-Hibok and Mt. Vulcan as its backdrop, is located two kilometers across from the beaches of Agohay and Yumbing. The island, with a shape that differs depending on the tide, is ideal for swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, and shell collecting.



There are motorized bancas at the CAVES Resort or at the PARAS Resort which may be hired to ferry visitors to the island. When there are just a few visitors and you don't intend to stay too long at White Island, you can arrange for the bancas to wait for you before ferrying you back. Most of these bancas can accommodate as much as six to eight passengers. The best time to see White Island is early in the morning when the sun is just rising above the horizon. Since there are no trees, vegetation, and structures on the island, there is no available cover against the heat of the sun. It is advisable to bring along whatever you have to provide shelter from the hot sun such as an umbrella, headgear, sunglasses, sun-tan lotion, as well as food and water since there are no vendors around.