Day 2: Coron Island

Day two. We woke up to a nice sunny day and got ready to spend our day cruising around on a boat. 

The view from the guesthouse (left) and mode of transportation for the day (right)

What's up for today? Snorkeling at Siete Pecados Marine Park, and stopping at three different areas of Coron Island: Kayangan Lake, 91 Beach, and Twin Lagoon.

 Map from wikimapia

Siete Pecados Marine Park

Entrance fee: Php 100

Activity: Snorkeling

What's the story behind the marine park's name? Story goes that seven sisters swam from the mainland and drowned in the area. The seven islets sprouted and are said to be the seven sisters.

Were there really seven islets? Can't say. I didn't bother counting. I was too busy putting on my snorkel and mask, too excited to jump in the water.
 

PS. Try this while you're at Siete Pecados: Float. Stare at the fish. Don't move a muscle. Tell me if you get jolted by a bite on your leg.

Kayangan Lake

Entrance fee: Php 200

Activities: Hiking and swimming

Boat stops here. Must pay the fee then hike to the lake.

The lake is higher up the mountain and this is where the hiking activity comes in. Not to worry, it's just a short hike. The hike will be worth it.

Hup, two, three, four!

The most photographed view in Coron

 

The path to the lake

Kayangan Lake is said to be the cleanest lake in the Philippines. It is part of the ancestral domain of the Tagbanua tribe of Coron. The Tagbanua consider their lakes sacred. Of the many (some say seven, some say nine, some say thirteen) lakes that are part of their ancestral domain, only Kayangan and Barracuda Lakes are open to the public.

Satisfied with swimming in the lake, we go back to our boat and find that our boatmen have started grilling our lunch—on the boat. The boat has its own grill!

While we sail to our next stop: grilling on the go

Random photo on the way to our next stop

91 Beach
Entrance fee: none
Activities: Lunch, swimming, spotting monitor lizards

At 91 Beach, we had lunch, took photos, slept, lazed around. What else was there to do at the beach? Oh, we stared at monitor lizards, too.

Our own little beach

Lunch is ready

Twin Lagoon

Entrance fee: Php 100

Activity: Swimming

The Twin Lagoon was our last stop. To get to the other half of the twin, we had to swim through a hole in the limestone (it was low tide; the hole was visible). When the tide is high, you can get to the other side by climbing the wooden stairs.

The lagoon on the other side is called Linunggangan (according to the small sign I saw on the far end of the lagoon). If you have your mask or goggles on while swimming through the hole, you'd think it all got fogged up or your eyes were failing—wrong! It's just the brackish water playing tricks on you.

Careful now, the fish here bite. While a fish bit my leg, my camera bit the dust. (Or should I say, bit the salty water?) Our last stop was also my camera's last stop. Rest in rusty piece, camera.

Spot the entrance (hole and wooden stairs)

In the twin lagoon: my camera's last breath

The Calamian Group of Islands is composed of the islands of Busuanga, Coron, Calauit, Culion, and several small islands. The time we spent there—a day and a half (day one was basically just half a day)—was definitely too short. I want to see the smaller islands and its beaches. Next time I visit, I will spend more days. More days, more islands, more expenses—almost all of the spots in the islands of Calamian have an entrance fee. For now, I will start saving and wait for the next promo fare.

Coron Town and Coron Island:
Day 1: Coron Town
Day 2: Coron Island (you're here!)

Day 1: Coron Town

Once upon a time—oh, it's not that bad; just six months ago really—Mustachio was invited to go on a trip to an island called Busuanga. He would complete the ten-person troop for this 3D/2N trip. Mustachio isn't really into traveling in packs, but being an easy boy (only when he has the resources called money), he agreed to join the pack.

 

October 2012. The pack flew over the hills of Busuanga and arrived at the tiny airport of the island. We were still 28km from the town of Coron. (Twenty-eight kilometers is a long way, so arrange your airport pickup through your hotel ahead of time or take the van, for Php 150 per person, from the airport to Coron town.)

The town of Coron is in Busuanga Island, not in Coron Island.

Photo from Google maps.

  

This was an easy breezy trip, everything had been arranged by the leader of the pack. We were to stay at Patrik & Tezz Guesthouse in the town of Coron and the tours would be arranged by the guesthouse. For Php2000 per person, it would include airport transfers, two nights accommodation with breakfast, and tours (including entrance fees and lunch during the boat tour). Good deal, I say.

Patrik & Tezz Guesthouse sits over the water. The guesthouse has four fan rooms: two rooms that can sleep four (each room has a double bed and a bunk bed), and two rooms that can sleep two. All four rooms share two bathrooms. The guesthouse has a generator in case of brownouts.

The guesthouse has two resident pets: Muche (the dog) and Daddy Cat (the very fluffy, duh, cat). Both are friendly to each other and to the guests.

The town is just a short walk from the guesthouse. There you will find restaurants (a bit pricey for a small town) and carenderias (also pricey for a carenderia). On our first day, we had lunch at Trining Bacsa's carenderia (it says "Restaurant" on the signboard) and spent more than a hundred each for lunch. Too expensive for a carenderia, don't you think?

Coron Town

Trining Bacsa Carenderia/Restaurant

We thought so. Thinking ahead (read: dinner), we decided to just buy from the market and have it cooked at the guesthouse.

With the dinner menu settled, we rested a bit and waited for the sun to turn down its heat. Climbing all 700+ steps to the top of Mt Tapyas at two in the afternoon will turn our armpits into faucets. And taking a dip in the hot spring while the sun is high up? Do you want to boil? No, we don't.

At 430PM, the van came by the guesthouse to take us to Mt Tapyas. At the bottom of the steps that would lead to the top of the mountain, we were greeted by kids selling cold drinks. We said, "No thank you. Not thirsty yet." One persistent guy—let's call him Sanbuko because of his gelled up SonGoku-ish hairstyle—followed us all the way to the top of the mountain. Wise kid, he knew we'd all be thirsty by then, and by then his drinks would cost 10 pesos more. He made money from half the group. Good job, Sanbuko!

600 steps more (left) and Sanbuko (right)

Taking a breather

Almost there

So what's the point of going up Mt Tapyas? To get some exercise, to see the town from 500 feet above sea level, and to give Maquinit Hot Spring something to work on afterwards: tired muscles.

180-degree view

We walked the same 700+ steps down, then we piled into the van and went to Maquinit Hot Spring, some five kilometers from town. Because the entrance fees for all the places we would be visiting were already included in the package, we breezed right through the gate (after our driver/guide paid for the group, of course). The entrance fee is Php150.

At Maquinit, there are cottages for a picnic or to deposit your things in while you dip in the hot spring's salty water. The place also has toilets and changing rooms.

Cottages at Maquinit

Loosen your muscles by dipping in the hot spring

The word maquinit means hot. Does Maquinit Hot Spring mean it's a very hot spring? The water's temperature is from 38 to 40°C. There are three pools and one of the pools is said to be the hottest. Confirmed. I tested it. Because it was night, we couldn't really see what's under the water, but we could feel rocks, pebbles, and moss under our feet. Was it worth the dip? Yes. Or maybe I just like hot springs.

Coron Town and Coron Island:
Day 1: Coron Town (you're here!)
Day 2: Coron Island

An Ultimate Brownie Experience

Today I want some dark fudge on my mustache. Or maybe red velvet. Hmmm...what will it be? I think I'll have red velvet (I have tried dark fudge months ago and it was lip-smacking sweet!). The dark fudge and red velvet brownie cups are made to order from U.B.E (short for Ultimate Brownie Experience), made by food blogger Babe for Food.

U.B.E’s brownie cups don’t come with ice cream. It can be eaten plain (after popping it in the microwave oven for about a minute and letting it cool a minute more) or with toppings. You can add ice cream, syrup, sprinkles, socks, rocks, leaves, whatever. It’s really up to you.

A brownie cup, whether dark fudge or red velvet, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is my preferred ultimate brownie experience. Sinfully delicious!

U.B.E’s brownie cups go for Php45 each, but a minimum of six cups is required. Go wild, have three of each! Or be like me, and tempt your friends so you can reach the minimum. Now stop drooling and give U.B.E/Babe for Food a call (and tell her I sent you).

U.B.E

0922 882 2655

ube032@gmail.com


Update:
U.B.E has been renamed to Team Brownie and can be reached through 0922 882 2655 and teambrowniecebu@gmail.com