Melo Villareal
Few weeks ago, I joined the Skyjet Marketing team in visiting the island of Coron in Palawan. I was in Baler when I learned that our Coron trip is pushing through so I had to cut short my stay in Baler to catch the flight the next day. Coron is one of the best island hopping destinations in the Philippines and is included in SkyJet Airline’s Route Map.
Boat Docking Area outside Barracuda Lake
I was so happy to be back in Coron, Its been more than 10 years since the last time I visited the island and from the moment we arrived at the airport till we reached our hotel, I noticed a lot of developments in Coron.
Group Shot near Siete Picados
Apart from the new well constructed airport, there are so many new hotels and resorts in Coron but despite of these new developments, Coron maintained its charm and simplicity. It’s still the same Coron I fell in love with.
Islet in Coron Palawan
On our second day in the island, we left our hotel early and proceeded to the centralized jetty port for our island hopping activity. Unlike before, boats being used by tour operators for Coron island hopping packages are now centrally located at the jetty port near the Coron Public Market.
Barracuda Lake Wooden Ladder
Our first stop was at Siete Picados – one of the nearest stop from coron jetty port which is famous for its crystal clear waters that is perfect for swimming and snorkeling. Siete Picados is a small protected marine sanctuary located near the famous Makinit Hot Springs – another well visited tourist spot in Coron.
Limestone walls at Barracuda Lake
After our short stop at Siete Picados, we proceeded to Twin Lagoon. The first lagoon is located outside the hidden lagoon which has a small opening located under a huge rock formation. Once you enter the small crevice, you will enjoy the brackish waters of the second lagoon.
Grilled Pork and Steamed Prawns
Our third stop was at Barracuda Lake. Lake Barracuda is one of Coron’s primary island hopping attractions. Similar to Twin Lagoon, Barracuda lake also has a brackish water but the water temperature goes high as you swim deeper. Reaching the lake involves a short but tricky 25m climb over a jagged rocky wall but a well constructed wooded ladder was in place to provide convenience to tourists visiting the area. If you prefer not to swim, you can stay at the wooden bench constructed right beside the lake.
Ensaladang Talong
As we move to Kayangan Lake, we had a short stop at the famous Twin Peaks, another destination for those who loves to snorkel and witness the well-preserved marine life in the area.
Upon reaching Kayangan Lake, we proceeded to a floating hut located right beside the boat docking area to have lunch. We had grilled pork, grilled fish, prawns and eggplant salad with salted eggs. For dessert, we had watermelon and sweet Palawan Mangoes.
Kayangan Lake
After having al fresco lunch, we started the short hike to Kayangan Lake. The climb was much easier now compare before since the local community who’s managing the area already paved the trail that used to be muddy particularly during rainy season.
View from Kayangan Viewpoint
Visiting Kayangan lake will not be complete without taking a mandatory souvenir photos and “selfies” at Kayangan Viewpoint where you can see the nearby islands and the beautiful bay. The viewpoint is also the location of a cave entrance which is now off limits to tourists due to lack of tour guides.
Swimming in Kayangan Lake
From the viewpoint, we walked together down the paved trail till we reached the beautiful lake. The trail was challenging for some but the view of the lake is really rewarding. The crystal-clear turquoise waters of Kayangan Lake that is surrounded by towering granite rock formations offers an amazing postcard perfect view.
Group Shot in Kayangan Lake
Unlike in Barracuda Lake, Kayangan has wider wooden platform for tourists who wants to enjoy the view. Swimming and snorkeling are two of the most popular activities in the lake. I don’t swim so I spent most of my time at the wooden platform taking photos of the lake and its surroundings.
Island Hopping in Coron
Our Coron Island Hopping tour was actually just a half day tour since we need to get back to the hotel for Skyjet Team’s activity. It was short but we had fun:) I will definitely go back soon:)
Skyjet Airlines flies to Coron every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. For Bookings and Inquiries, call Tel. No.: (632) 823 3366 / (+63) 917 8537431.
