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Tucked away on Busuanga island in the beautiful Palawan region is the small town, Coron. Famous for it's shipwrecks, it is no surprise that island hopping is the main activity to do here.
However, you may be feeling slightly waterlogged and in need of a break from island hopping so this blog post outlines 3 other activities that you can do when spending time in Coron!
3 things to do in Coron:
How does Coron town compare to El nido town?
We had 4 days in Coron but really you don’t need any more than that. Compared to El nido town, Coron town is a lot smaller, shabbier and a bit of a dump but it still has it's own kind of charm.
Filled with family-run bakeshops, vegan cafes and a cute street market, you can walk to pretty much anywhere in the town.
1. Climb Mt Tapyas
How tall is it?
At 210 meters, Mt Tapyas is the second tallest mountain to climb on Busuanga island. Mt Tapyas is not really a mountain, it’s more of a viewpoint with a flight of 700 steps leading up to it.
It only takes 10-15 minutes to walk up and offers some pretty cool views, along with it’s own Hollywood sign!
How to get there?
The flight of steps is super easy to get to by foot. It's also very easy to get to as there are crowds of tourists all buying souvenirs at the little tables set up at the bottom of the stairs.
If you're staying near Mt Tapyas, all you have to do is head to Daven's palace - no more than a 10 minute walk from town - and walk up that street to the parking lot and base of the staircase.
How much does it cost?
It is free to climb Mt Tapyas and the views are totally worth a few steps so you've got no excuse!
What is at the top?
At the top, you get to a platform offering panoramic views of Coron town and you can see how small it really is (compared to El nido!).
Best time to go?
Mt Tapyas provides a perfect viewing spot for watching the sun set over Coron town and that is the best time to go to avoid the heat of the day!
2. Maquinit hot springs
Maquinit hot springs are the only saltwater hot springs in the Philippines. The steaming hot water seeps from the earth to create the perfect bath to soak your weary traveller's body!
A wooden boardwalk and bench surrounds the hot spring so you can safely leave your belongings in sight next to where you bathe in the warm pool. The main hot spring is 30 degrees Celsius and a raised pool coming out of the main larger one is even hotter. A mini waterfall streams from the smaller one down into the main one.
The hot springs back onto a bay lined with mangroves and mud flats, providing the perfect view as you relax in the steamy bubbles.
How to get there?
Maquinit hot springs is located about a 20 minute tricycle ride from the main town. It’ll cost 500 pesos return for a tricycle and the drivers won’t accept anything less as they will wait there for as you long as you need to take you back to town afterwards. Just remember what your tricycle looks like so you can find them afterwards! Most of them have a number so you can keep a note of that.
How much does it cost?
The entrance fee to Maquinit hot springs is 200 pesos pp ($6.50 aud) and there are plenty of tables and showers.
When should you visit?
The best time to visit Maquinit hot springs is at sunset as the pink and orange sky behind the sparkling lamps is a perfect sight to end the day. It's the perfect way to relax after an adventure-filled day of exploring. Plus, you don’t need any more heat in the middle of the day! Apparently, they sell cold beers for 50 pesos - sounds like the cherry on top for the ultimate way to relax.
Opening times?
Maquinit hot springs are open between 8am-8pm every day
3. Eating in Coron
The great thing about Coron is that it caters for all tastes from vegan cafes, artisan frozen yoghurt bars and western coffee and waffles to Spanish tapas bars, traditional Filipino restaurants and pubs serving burgers and fries. IN a town with only around 20 or so restaurants in the main strip, you're spoiled for choice.
Breakfast
By the end of your trip, you’re probably craving some western breakfast options such as waffles, muffins, smoothies, omelettes, cappuccinos…and Coffee Kong is your place! It's a super popular café among westerners right in the centre of town.
'Follow your taste':
Coron’s first and only natural soft serve yoghurt and ice cream café is a perfect place to stop for a snack or dessert. It offers breakfast options too such as omelettes and baguettes.
'Tea and Shake':
The name says it all! Head here to satisfy that dairy and gluten craving.
'Fresh bites':
A vegan café selling all sorts of bliss balls, herbal teas, vegan tacos, anti-oxidant and probiotic shakes and homemade treats.
'Julie’s bakeshop':
Bake shops are super popular in Coron and offer a very cheap and tasty breakfast (or snack to take on the ferry or island hopping boat). Each baked good is between 6 and 10 pesos each (20-30 aussie cents!).
There are even cheaper local bakeries in Coron that don’t exist on google maps, you just have to find them but their baked goods are only 5 pesos each (15 aussie cents)!
Dinner
As there are limited dining options compared to places like El nido, you will find Coron to be more expensive so bring some extra cash (there are ATMs there).
There are pubs, modern Mexican restaurants, ramen bars, resto-bars and even a tapas restaurant with prices averaging 500-600 for a meal ($16-19 aud).
One of the more reasonably priced restaurants, offering local Filipino food and popular among tourists on a budget is 'Big Mama’s' (they make a mean mango shake!). Big Mama's is right in the centre of town, you won't miss it!
Another reasonably priced restaurant offering Filipino food and the option to enjoy a romantic dinner a cabana is Carl’s BBQ.
So there you have it, 3 activities to do in Coron other than island hopping...do make sure you go on at least 1 island hopping tour though! For info on island hopping in Coron (or El nido), check out my other blog posts ('DESTINATIONS' tab > THE PHILIPPINES).
HAPPY TRAVELS! :)
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