Malcapuya Beach
Saturday, October 10, 2009,11:56 AM
For the second part of our island hopping adventure, we headed off to the island of Malcapuya, a secluded white sand beach about an hour and a half away from Coron pier. But before departure, Kuya Allan dropped us off at the market to eat breakfast and buy all the needed rekados for our lunch. With a budget of 400php, we were able to purchase half a kilo of liempo, a large tuna, a kilo of banana, softdrinks, ice, charcoal, and eating utensils.
There were no other people except us and the caretakers when we arrived in Malcapuya Beach at 9:30am. From the long stretch of white sand beach to the crystal blue water with shells and corals in abundance in the shallows, it’s a slice of paradise.
We spent our time there sunbathing, swimming and walking around the scenic island, before going to the nearby Banana Island.
>>>
by antibiotyx >>>
Maquinit Hot Spring
Wednesday, October 7, 2009,11:15 AM
After a tiring island hopping adventure, we headed straight to Maquinit Hot Spring to relax our aching muscles. Entrance fee costs P100.
Situated on the mangrove forests of Coron about 20 minutes away from the town proper, it is the only known saltwater hot spring in the country with temperature ranging from 38-40 degrees Celsius, so just imagine how hot that is!
The first dip into the pool was unbearable, but after a while, I felt the soothing effects of the hot salty water and the slippery algae underneath. It felt really good!
Next stops: Malcapuya Beach and Banana Island
>>>
by antibiotyx >>>
Coron Island Hopping Adventure (Part 1)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009,10:32 AM
No vacation to Coron, Palawan is ever complete without taking in all the awe-inspiring sights it has to offer. There are picturesque island beaches with crystal clear water, beautiful coral reefs and fascinating rock formation.
We had a fun-filled vacation last October 2-5, 2009 exploring the popular destinations in Coron Island such as Skeleton Wreck, Twin Lagoon, Atuwayan Beach, Kayangan Lake, Siete Pecados, Maquinit Hot Spring, Malcapuya Beach, Banana Island and many others.
Day 1:We left Manila at 1:30pm and reached Busuanga airport after an hour. Upon arrival, we met Kuya Richard, a friendly van driver who provides transportation (P150/pax) to Coron town. We didn’t make any hotel reservation, so we just relied on the list of hotels I printed out from Wikitravel and asked him to drop us off at Coron Village Lodge. The standard twin rooms on the second floor are pretty cheap. Each room only costs P750 per night, with aircon, cable TV, even wifi! It’s probably the cheapest aircon room you can ever find in town. The lodge even provides free distilled water, coffee and tea. Jackpot!
It’s still drizzling that day so we didn’t do much except rest and walk around town. We had our dinner at the famous Kawayanan Grill, a local restaurant known for their grilled chicken, liempo, ensalada, and squid Bicol Express.
After that, we decided to look for the shop of Al Linsangan, which, according to Kuya Richard, offers cheap island tour packages for tourists, but we’re unable to find it. On our way back to the hotel, we met by chance a local couple, Kuya Allan and Ate Vangie, and asked us if we already have hired a boat for island hopping. They said they could arrange a tour for us at a low cost. After some negotiations, we opted for their services (5,000php for two days of island hopping) and exchanged numbers.
Day 2:The next day, we woke up early and had our breakfast in Coron Village restaurant. Accompanied by Kuya Allan, our trike driver-slash-tour guide, we set off to the market to buy our packed lunch (
binalot), some snacks and
pandesal for feeding the fish, before going to the Market Pier.
Our first stop was the Skeleton Wreck. Too bad, the beachfront wasn’t too visible at that time due to high tide, but we did enjoy snorkeling and watching a school of colorful fish while we feed them with pandesal. Because the wreck has been underwater for many years, it’s now covered with coral reefs and houses a wide variety of marine life. Lots of sea urchins too.
Next, we headed off to Atuwayan Beach to unwind and take some photos. We initially planned to have our lunch in this island, but it’s still early. Kuya Allan said it’s one of the beaches where Dyesebel was shot. Among the neighboring Coron island beaches, Atuwayan has the longest beachfront. The water is also calm and very ideal for snorkeling and kayaking.
It’s almost 12 noon when we reached the dock area of Kayangan Lake. We took our lunch there before taking a 10-minute trek to the lake. There’s a small cave at the hilltop which gives a good panoramic view of the entire Bay.
The 200php entrance fee is a bit steep, but it’s definitely worth it. We were not disappointed! Kayangan Lake really lives up to its reputation as the cleanest lake in the country, thanks to the Tagbanuas who protect this natural wonder. The clear turquoise lake is surrounded by towering lime stones and lush greenery. Swimming in the lake is also invigorating.
After that, we went to the Twin Lagoon. Like the Kayangan Lake, it’s also surrounded by towering rocks. The place is picture perfect.
Our last stop was Siete Pecados. The area was named such because it’s surrounded by seven islands.
To be continued...
Next stop: Maquinit Hot Spring
>>>
by antibiotyx >>>
There were no other people except us and the caretakers when we arrived in Malcapuya Beach at 9:30am. From the long stretch of white sand beach to the crystal blue water with shells and corals in abundance in the shallows, it’s a slice of paradise.
We spent our time there sunbathing, swimming and walking around the scenic island, before going to the nearby Banana Island.
Situated on the mangrove forests of Coron about 20 minutes away from the town proper, it is the only known saltwater hot spring in the country with temperature ranging from 38-40 degrees Celsius, so just imagine how hot that is!
The first dip into the pool was unbearable, but after a while, I felt the soothing effects of the hot salty water and the slippery algae underneath. It felt really good!
Next stops: Malcapuya Beach and Banana Island
Day 1:
It’s still drizzling that day so we didn’t do much except rest and walk around town. We had our dinner at the famous Kawayanan Grill, a local restaurant known for their grilled chicken, liempo, ensalada, and squid Bicol Express.
After that, we decided to look for the shop of Al Linsangan, which, according to Kuya Richard, offers cheap island tour packages for tourists, but we’re unable to find it. On our way back to the hotel, we met by chance a local couple, Kuya Allan and Ate Vangie, and asked us if we already have hired a boat for island hopping. They said they could arrange a tour for us at a low cost. After some negotiations, we opted for their services (5,000php for two days of island hopping) and exchanged numbers.
Our first stop was the Skeleton Wreck. Too bad, the beachfront wasn’t too visible at that time due to high tide, but we did enjoy snorkeling and watching a school of colorful fish while we feed them with pandesal. Because the wreck has been underwater for many years, it’s now covered with coral reefs and houses a wide variety of marine life. Lots of sea urchins too.
Next, we headed off to Atuwayan Beach to unwind and take some photos. We initially planned to have our lunch in this island, but it’s still early. Kuya Allan said it’s one of the beaches where Dyesebel was shot. Among the neighboring Coron island beaches, Atuwayan has the longest beachfront. The water is also calm and very ideal for snorkeling and kayaking.
It’s almost 12 noon when we reached the dock area of Kayangan Lake. We took our lunch there before taking a 10-minute trek to the lake. There’s a small cave at the hilltop which gives a good panoramic view of the entire Bay.
The 200php entrance fee is a bit steep, but it’s definitely worth it. We were not disappointed! Kayangan Lake really lives up to its reputation as the cleanest lake in the country, thanks to the Tagbanuas who protect this natural wonder. The clear turquoise lake is surrounded by towering lime stones and lush greenery. Swimming in the lake is also invigorating.
After that, we went to the Twin Lagoon. Like the Kayangan Lake, it’s also surrounded by towering rocks. The place is picture perfect.
Our last stop was Siete Pecados. The area was named such because it’s surrounded by seven islands.