In my previous article I had already told you about my motorcycle route through the Philippine island of Palawan. Now, I would like to share with you about other activities that you have the opportunity to do in this heavenly place and that are of great interest. And also not far from Palawan, there is another large island: Busuanga and the city of Coron, that you should not miss if you come to visit this part of the world. Honestly, these are dreamy places. Let’s go there!
PALAWAN: THE ISLAND OF ADVENTURES
To travel to the island of Palawan there is the possibility of arriving through a flight from Manila to El Nido with the AirSwift Company. However, you should keep in mind that tickets are sold out soon, since space is limited, and it is better to book in advance, especially during the holiday season. Likewise, it is possible to make a flight between Manila and Puerto Princesa, a city located in the center of the island, the only drawback is the need to take a van and make the journey of almost 9 hours to reach the tourist area of the island, which for some people can be a bit uncomfortable. Although in my opinion it is also a good opportunity to get to know the island better and enjoy the landscapes. Finally, the last option to get to Palawan is to take a ferry from the city of Coron to El Nido. However, you may get dizzy and it is better to be prepared: take some medicines with you, since things can be get very ugly. In this way I arrived in Palawan, what a relief to be on the mainland!
One of the most fun and adventurous way to get to know the surroundings of Palawan is to do an organized island hoping tour with an agency or with a private boat that you can rent at any beach in El Nido. The advantages of an organized tour consist above all in meeting new people with whom you can share unique moments, but renting a private boat is a more intimate experience, especially if you travel as a couple. Also, in this way you can create your own tour of the islands. In both cases, in addition to taking you to the places of fine white sand, crystal clear waters and green islands, they will also offer you a very rich meal, grilled seafood delicacies and other typical Philippine dishes. The tours are organized by letters A, B, C, D. The truth is, if you have enough time, do them all, although you should not worry if you cannot travel all the routes, absolutely nothing happens, surely you will enjoy if or if the islands that you have time to see. Tours A and C tend to be more popular, therefore they can be more crowded, yet both tours are spectacular. Tours B and D are somewhat quieter, in which you will relax a lot. These are the places included in the routes:
- Tour A: explore Three Lagoons on Miniloc Island, rest on Shimizu Island and snorkel with the turtles at Seven Commando Beach.
- Tour B: enjoy the Snake and Pinagbuyutan islands, and get to know Cudugnon Cave.
- Tour C: swim and have fun at Helicopter Island, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine and Talisay Beach.
- Tour D: keep having fun on Cadlao Island, Pasandingan Beach, Small Lagoon and Natnat Beach.
On the other hand, if you are interested in diving into the depths of the crystal clear waters of Palawan, I recommend you two fantastic and well-known areas due to the abundance of fauna and the ease with which you can dive there. The first one is the area between the islands of Miniloc and Smizu, known as South Miniloc. In where you will find such incredible fish, such as: tuna, barracuda, spadefish, frogfish, ornate ghost pipefish and also the animal that inspires the most emotions: the turtle. Another very popular area among visitors is located just 6km from El Nido between the islands of Helicopter and Cadlao. It is a shallow place, which has become the ideal to receive diving classes, although I do not doubt that for a professional diver contemplating the wonderful coral gardens, very abundant in this part, is also an exciting experience. Among the coral areas are: Massive Corals, Staghorn Corals, Table Corals, and Plate Corals.
CORON: THE LITTLE UNKNOWN PHILIPPINE PEARL
Another idyllic place to spend your holidays and have a fantastic time is the city of Coron on the island of Busuanga. Despite having dreamy landscapes dominated by crystal clear waters, fine white sand beaches, lagoons, caves, natural pools, etc., it is an island much less visited by tourists than Palawan. Perhaps the wilder aspect is still the reason why visitors fall in love with this island and lose the desire to return home. To the island of Busuanga you have the possibility to fly directly from Manila, the Philippine capital, or to sail on a ferry from El Nido in Palawan. Although as I told you above, during the trip on the ferry it is very possible that you will become ill, so take some medicines with you.
As in many other Philippine islands in the city of Coron there are numerous travel agencies that offer you varied tours to get to know the surroundings, which I assure you are places of impressive beauty. Also compared to El Nido the prices are somewhat cheaper. On the other hand, in Coron there is also the possibility of renting a boat on the beach and agreeing with the owner on a private and personalized tour. These are some of the places you should not miss:
- Tour A: swim in Kayangan Lake, visit the Blue Lagoon hidden between the majestic limestone cliffs, snorkel in the coral garden and relax on CYC Beach.
- Tour B: Swim in Barracuda Lake, enjoy a picnic at Banol Beach, snorkel at Skeleton Wreck and explore the incredible Twin Lagoon.
- Tour C: includes the cruise to the islands of Malacapuya and Ditaytayan, a little further from the city of Coron.
- Tour D: takes you snorkeling on top of sunken Japanese ships dating from World War II and resting on the white sands of Pass Island.
Busuanga Island also offers an extraordinary opportunity to dive inside the Japanese fleet entirely sunk during World War II in 1944. It is a fantastic experience, however, being difficult to access only Advanced Divers count with permission to dive. Wow! It is truly admirable to swim among these old ships and contemplate the machinery of that terrifying time. Normally, your dive school will organize a tour of three dives, two among some the Japanese vessels, and one in Barracuda Lake. Likewise, as in the other types of excursions, the delicious Filipino food is included in the price. You will not regret it.
TIPS:
- If you have a bigger budget, I recommend you renting a private boat, as the experience will be much more intimate.
- Try the coconuts on the beach, if they have some rum even better.
- In the city of Coron relax in the salt water pools, Maquinit Hot Springs and climb Mt. Tapyas to watch the sunset.
- If you want to add more respect to the word thank you in Filipino (“salamat”), just say “po” afterwards. SALAMAT PO for reading my article! 🙂
all about eve`s journeys 
magandang paglalakbay !
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