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Things to do in Coron, Philippines - our top 11 tips

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What to see and do in Coron, Philippines? These islands are located in Palawan in the eastern part of the Philippines, and many people travel here to experience fantastic beaches and lagoons. The landscape is dramatic, with beautiful rock formations, and it is extremely popular to take various boat trips in the archipelago.

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Corona in the Philippines

Coron is home to fabulously beautiful places like Twin Lagoon and Lake Kayangan, and is definitely worth a visit when travelling in the Philippines. However, don't think you'll be alone with the dreamy views. Coron attracts many tourists and the excursion boats move every day in a steady stream.

Coron is part of Palawan in the eastern part of the Philippines and lies north of the long, narrow main island of Palawan.

What to do in Coron?

So, what can you see and do in Coron? Well, what basically all What tourists do here is go on one or more boat trips to experience islands, lagoons, coral reefs and snorkelling. We've listed our top tips here.

1. go on boat trips

A must-do in Coron is to join a boat trip. The most common tours are full-day tours that take you to a number of great destinations in one trip. While joining an organised boat tour is convenient, many of the sites are a bit tricky to visit on your own, as they may be on private islands and require a private tour to be booked.  

Att göra i Coron i Filippinerna -båtturer

There are lots of different boat trip organisers, and most of them have similar offers, although they may differ slightly. If you just want to go on a a single If you're going on a tour, it's a good recommendation to choose the "Ultimate" or "Super Ultimate" tour, which includes Kayangan Lake and Twin Lagoon, some of the most popular places to visit.

If you want to go on a longer trip, and stay out for several days, you can book 3-4 day excursions with the company. Big Dream Boatman.

The day trips start in the morning and include 3-7 different stops during the day for swimming, snorkelling, sightseeing and possibly kayaking. In the middle of the day, lunch is prepared and you can expect to be back in the late afternoon, sunburnt and pleasantly tired ...

Att göra i Coron i Filippinerna -båtturer

2. Swimming in Kayangan Lake

Located on one of the islands in the Coron archipelago, Kayangan Lake is a beautiful lake with brackish water. This is perhaps one of the most popular places in Coron, and the easiest way to get here is to join a boat trip. The boats dock in a beautiful lagoon some distance from the lake and from here you have to walk, first across a long pier and then up a long series of steps that take you over a rocky outcrop.

Att göra i Coron i Filippinerna -båtturer
Kayangan Lake

On the other side is the beautiful Kayangan Lake. Here you can swim and enjoy the slightly cool water and beautiful views. However, don't expect any peaceful solitude. The lake is stuffed of tourists from all corners of the world.

Att göra i Coron i Filippinerna - simma i Kayangan Lake
When swimming in Kayangan Lake, you must wear, or carry, a life jacket

On the way back to the boat you can photograph the beautiful view. We didn't bother queuing for photos at the viewpoint, but sent up our drone instead ... It's also worth knowing that another lake, Barracuda Lake, is just next door and is included in some tours.

Att göra i Coron i Filippinerna -båtturer

3. Kayaking in the Twin Lagoon

Another popular attraction, which you can visit during various boat trips, is the lagoon called Twin Lagoon. As the name suggests, there are two lagoons that are located together. The excursion boats dock just outside and from there you can get around by swimming or paddling. However, if you want to get around the entire lagoon, paddling is the best option, as it is too far to swim for most people.

Twin Lagoon offers a stunningly beautiful setting with shimmering green crystal clear waters, dramatic rock formations and charming little piers.

4. sunbathing on CYC Beach

There are many fine beaches in Coron. Some are on the main island, where the town is located, but many of the most famous beaches are on smaller islands around the archipelago. We visited CYC Beach during the boat trip we took, and this was a fantastic little beach on a beautiful little island. Other famous beaches include Atwayan Beach, Banul Beach and Cabo Beach among others.

Att göra i Coron i Filippinerna -båtturer

5. Snorkelling or diving

We've snorkelled in many places in the Philippines, and our favourite was the Malwawey Reef Garden in Coron, where the water was incredibly clear and lots of fish swam around us.

Att göra i Coron i Filippinerna - snorkla

There are also several shipwrecks to snorkel or dive around. We snorkelled at the Skeleton Wreck, which was a wreck but there wasn't much left of it.

You can snorkel in many different places in Coron, and on all boat trips you can bring your own snorkels and cyclops or hire equipment at the start of the trip.

Att göra i Coron i Filippinerna - snorkla

6. Discover the city of Coron

Although boat trips, swimming and snorkelling are the main things to do in Coron, it is also interesting to discover the town of Coron. This town revolves around a long street lined with shops, bars and restaurants. Traffic is heavy, especially with mopeds and tricycles, and the noise level is high.

Att göra i Coron i Filippinerna

We didn't find this town as charming and cosy as, say, El Nido, but it's still interesting to walk up and down the street. Don't forget to look up! Many restaurants and bars are located on rooftops, with small, narrow staircases leading up from street level.

View from one of the rooftop bars in Coron

If you want to know even more about the town, there is an excursion called "Coron Town Tour". This tour includes the Town Plaza, San Agustin Church, Mt. Tapyas, Lualhati Park and Maquinit Hotspring.

Små butiker i Filippinerna

7. Swimming in the Maqunit Hotspring

A slightly different thing to do in Coron is to swim in the Maqunit Hotspring. The springs, which can be reached by moped or tricycle from Coron Town, are one of the few hot saltwater springs in the world. The water is 37-40 degrees centigrade, and many describe it as a kind of 'natural spa'.

Although we were a bit curious to explore these springs, we actually decided against it, as it was so incredibly hot when we were here. The only kind of baths we could think of were cool ones...

8. climb Mt. Tapyas

Right next to Coron Town is the mountain or hill Mt. Tapyas, which is crowned by a cross and a large glittering sign that reads "Coron". Climbing the mountain should take around 40 minutes and offers a beautiful view. However, we thought it sounded like too strenuous an activity in the humid heat and settled for scouting the top from below.

Mt tapyas

9. Have a drink at Levine's rooftop bar

On our first evening in Coron, we found the rooftop bar and restaurant Levine's. The charming little bar was brightly lit and via a winding little spiral staircase we found our way up to the roof, where we were met by a nice little restaurant with views in all directions. That first evening we had a Gin & Tonic for about 25 kronor each. Another day we looked up for a hamburger and a beer.

10. Eat Italian food at Trattoria Altrove

If you like pasta and pizza, feel free to stop by Trattoria Altrove, which is actually a small chain. The restaurant chain is also available in El Nido and in Manila, if we remember correctly. We have eaten both pizza and pasta here, and it tastes really good!

11. Enjoy tapas at Hermanos Tapas

One of the best and most delicious meals we had during our entire trip in the Philippines was at the tapas restaurant Hermanos Tapas in Coron. It was certainly not one of the cheaper meals, but it was worth every peso! We ordered patatas bravas, croquettes, meatballs in tomato sauce, chicken stew and a vegetable dish. Very, very good!

More to see and do in Coron

There is of course more to see and do in Coron than our suggestions. Below you'll find a few more tips.

  • Bararcuda Lake is another lake, located just next to Kayangan Lake.
  • Calauit Game Preserve & Wildlife Sanctuary is a place on Calauit Island where you can see large wild African animals.
  • Malcapuya Island is an island with beautiful beaches.
  • Mangrove Forest Park offers mangroves, a floating restaurant and the chance to see fireflies.
  • Siete Pecados is a place known for good snorkelling.

Where to stay in Coron?

There are lots of different hotels in Coron, in all different price ranges. We stayed at a place called Coron Gateway Hotel & Suites, which has a good location right next to all the excursion boats. Otherwise, we don't really know if we can recommend this place.

Our room was in itself large and had a rather nice solution with an optional opening between the bathroom and the room, but it was rather worn out, WiFi worked poorly and on the last night the air conditioning stopped working completely.

We have often stayed without air conditioning, but then you need decent ventilation and a fan, which was not available here. We ended up opening the balcony door, lifting the mattress off the bed, and lying on the floor by the balcony ...

Getting to and from Coron

We travelled to Coron by ferry (Judy Ferry) from El Nido, which took five hours. From Coron we travelled by ferry (Bunso Transport) to San José on the island of Mindoro, which took six hours.

On the first ferry we got a seat each and on the second ferry we got a bed each. On both ferries you can buy noodles and snacks, and on the second ferry a simple lunch was included in the ticket price. You can also fly domestically to and from Coron via Busuanga Airport.

Färja från El Nido
We travelled to Coron by ferry from El Nido.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

While Coron is part of Palawan, there is of course more to see and do on the main island of Palawan. Here you can visit charming El Nido, where you can make many different boat excursions. You can also visit the quieter Port Barton, the underground river in Puerto Princesawhich is a UNESCO heritage site, and the city of Puerto Princesa. For even more tips on what to see and do in the Philippines, click on the image below.

Our top tips for the Philippines. Click on the image!

More tips for things to do in Coron?

Have you been to Coron? How was your experience? Do you have any other good tips on what to see and do in Coron?

Frequently asked questions about Coron

What is Coron known for?

Coron is known for its dramatic karst landscape, where you can visit beautiful islands and lagoons. Coron is also popular for its beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters, where you can snorkel or dive among coral reefs and shipwrecks.

Coron or El Nido, which is best?

Both Coron and El Nido offer fantastic scenery with beautiful islands and lagoons. El Nido has a more charming town with more cosy restaurants and bars. Coron has better snorkelling and diving.

How to get to Coron?

Coron can be reached by ferry from El Nido, or by ferry from San José on the island of Mindoro. You can also fly from Manila or Cebu.

Facts about Coron

  • Country: Philippines
  • Region: Mimaropa
  • Provins: Palawan
  • Archipelago: Calamian Islands
  • Islands: Busuanga, Coron and others
  • Municipalities: Coron
  • Location: The islands are located north of the long narrow island of Palawan, in the western Philippines.
  • Population: More than 32 000
  • Industries: Tourism

Good to know

  • Payment: You'll need cash on the island, although you can pay by card in fine restaurants and hotels. There are ATMs, but be aware that a fee is charged for withdrawals.
  • Getting around: It is always easy to take a tricycle for different routes on the island. It is also possible to rent a moped. To get to the different islands there are boat trips, or you can hire private boat trips.

Getting to Coron

  • Flight: There is an airport on the island, to which you can fly from various domestic destinations, such as Manila.
  • Ferry: You can take a ferry from El Nido on Palawan or from San José on Mindoro.

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