The short answer
With one day, take the Coron Island tour, the one with Kayangan Lake and Twin Lagoon. With two days, add Island Escapade if you want beaches, or Reefs and Wrecks if you want to snorkel over a sunken warship. Keep the town tour for an afternoon.
Coron operators do not use fixed letters the way El Nido does. The same route is sold as Tour A, Ultimate or Super Ultimate depending on the agency. Compare the list of stops, not the name.
Coron Island tour: lakes and lagoons
Usual stops: Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Barracuda Lake, Siete Pecados, Skeleton Wreck and CYC Beach, with lunch on a small beach such as Atwayan.
This is the tour Coron is famous for. Kayangan Lake is a short, steep stair climb to the well-known viewpoint, then a swim in very clear water. Twin Lagoon is two lagoons joined by a gap in the rock that you swim through at low tide. Siete Pecados is a reef close to town with good snorkelling.
Price: about P1,500 to P2,500 per person on a shared boat. The longer versions with more stops cost more.
The catch: it is the busiest tour, and it involves stairs and rocks. Wear water shoes.
Island Escapade: the beach day
Usual stops: Malcapuya Island, Banana Island and Bulog Dos.
Three islands of white sand and palm trees, far south of town. There is little to do except swim, snorkel and lie in a hammock, which is the point. Malcapuya has the best beach of the three.
Price: from about P1,700 per person.
The catch: the boat ride is long, well over an hour each way, and uncomfortable when the wind is up.
Reefs and Wrecks: snorkelling over history
Usual stops: Lusong Gunboat, Lusong Coral Garden and Pass Island. Some boats add a second wreck near Sangat Island.
Coron Bay holds a fleet of Japanese ships sunk in 1944. Most are for divers, but the Lusong Gunboat lies so shallow that you can see it clearly with a mask and snorkel. The coral garden next to it is among the healthiest reefs on any Coron tour.
Price: about P1,600 to P1,900 per person.
The catch: fewer postcard views than the lakes tour. Choose it if you care more about what is under the water.
The town tour
A half day by tricycle or van: the stair climb up Mt. Tapyas for the view over the bay, then a soak at Maquinit Hot Springs. Go in the late afternoon, so you reach the top of Mt. Tapyas for sunset and the hot spring after dark, when the air has cooled.
If you dive
The wrecks are the reason divers come to Coron. Dive shops in town run day trips to them, and several wrecks are suitable for newly certified divers. This is booked separately from the island hopping tours.
Extra costs
- Coron environmental fee: P200 per adult, valid for 10 days.
- Entrance fees: each lake, lagoon and beach charges one. Many shared tours include them, and a cheaper quote often leaves them out, so ask.
- Snorkel gear: about P150 per set if it is not included.
- Private boat: P5,000 to P8,000 for the boat, which lets you set the order of stops and reach Kayangan Lake before the crowd.
Which tour for whom
- One day only: Coron Island tour
- Beach lovers and families: Island Escapade
- Snorkellers: Reefs and Wrecks
- Not a strong swimmer: Island Escapade, or the Coron Island tour with a life jacket
- Arriving at midday: the town tour that same afternoon
Practical tips
- Boats leave Coron port between 8 and 9 AM and return by late afternoon.
- Book the day before. Your guesthouse can arrange it.
- The best season is November to May. The Coast Guard cancels trips in rough weather, so keep one spare day.
- Bring cash for fees, a dry bag and reef-safe sunscreen.