DAY Two in Coron was blessed with the sunshine, blue sky, and calm sea.
It was a perfect day to go island hopping.
World War II-era wreck diving, snorkeling in the coral gardens, hopping from one amazing limestone island to another, swimming in the numerous freshwater lakes, and lazing by the beach include in the list of Coron’s top activities. This destination is a sun and sea worshipper’s paradise!
To see the attractions you can either book with one of the many travel and tour agencies in the town or hire one of the boatmen around. For the latter, it's best to touch base with a trustworthy boatman.
In our case, we opted to use one of the services of Two Seasons Resort and booked our tour with them. It was less of a hassle. All we did was select from one of the packaged tours offering various destination choices and the preferred meals. Then, the sea vessel showed up at the hotel’s pier early the next day.
From the hotel’s tour menu, Tour B was singled out — the “Coron Island Ultimate Adventure”. It seemed like the best buffet of attractions, which included the Siete Pecados, Kanyangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Barracuda Lake, Skeleton Wreck and the Atwayan Beach. The cost per person covers entrance fees, lunch and a tour guide.
Of course, my friend would not settle for anything less for his parents (and we’re so happy and lucky to tag along). The best tour from the lot will be onboard the best ride in the house — the twin engine, 10-seater speedboat. On board this vessel, it will take six to seven hours to complete the journey across the famous spots of the Tagbanua’s ancestral domain as opposed to eight hours via an outrigger.
Kanyangan Lake was the first stop. To reach this spot, one must trek a steep path of a rock formation. No wonder we were asked if everyone was physically fit to visit this area. Halfway to the lake came the first reward — a panoramic view of the water channel with the rock formations as the backdrop. It's said to be the most photographed spot in Palawan.
A dip in the warm water of Kanyangan Lake after a long trek down is the second reward. Since it's one of the most popular spot in the area, the place is enjoyed by a large crowd, though the lake was large enough not to make it look like it was.
The visit to Barracuda Lake was the same. It required a trek over a rocky formation but a shorter distance. The underwater formation was breathtaking and we got to enjoy the place by ourselves.
We can't say no to another dip at the Twin Lagoon. Here, the tide dictates how to enjoy the two bodies of water at their best. At low tide, a kayak can fit the hole in the rock between the two lakes, and during high tide, going through the crevice is possible by swimming through it.
Lunch was boodle-style in one of the nipa huts at the Atwayan Beach. This is where much of the tour groups have their midday repast. It was a short but relaxing break on land for us.
Skeleton Wreck was in the island just across Atwayan Beach. The snorkeling destination offered an old fishing boat wreck as its attraction.
Perhaps we had spent too much time in the water because the last stop, the Siete Pecados, beautiful and inviting it seemed and said to be one of the best sites to snorkel in Coron, we were not tempted to dive into its turquoise waters.
A day well spent (and spent we were) in and on the waters of Coron. It
was time for rest at the beautiful island resort of Two Seasons on the Malaroyroy Peninsula in Bulalacao Island.
For more photos of this feature, visit www.jeepneyjinggoy.com.
For lifestyle stories, visit www.ofapplesandlemons.com
Email me at jinggoysalvador@yahoo.com