You don’t always have to spend a lot of dough to go on a vacation. I recently went on an island hopping trip to Coron. The following are the things I did in the span of two (2) days. I understand that some of these things would vary but I’m writing this based on what I’ve experienced. (Note: These doesn’t include the plane tickets)
Day One:
•Busuanga to Coron Transfer. (Fare: 150php)
•Check in at Coron Reef. Coron Reef is just a stone’s throw away from the town center. After we settled in we got ready for breakfast, for just 100php each you would be served hotdogs, eggs,
danggit and rice plus coffee for a sumptuous breakfast. (Room: 600php, Breakfast: 100php)
•Visit the Market. After a brief rest we then went to the market to look for things to buy which we plan to have it cook for our lunch. We settled with a kilo of Soran which is just 60php a kilo and crabs which is 180php a kilo. The type of fish that can be found at the market depends on the season that you go there. We then proceeded back to Coron Reef to have it cooked for a price of 150php. (Cooking Fee: 150php, Food depends on your budget)
•Maquinit Hot Springs. I know you’ll feel tired after the travel from Manila to Coron. So it’s one way to relax and take a dip at Coron’s hot spring. The ideal time to go is at 4pm after and they close at 10pm. You could either take a van or a tricycle to go there. We opt for the tricycle which for the going price of 300php the driver would wait for you until you finish. It is imperative that he should wait coz transportation there is difficult. When you get there you would pay an entrance of 100php, believe me it’s worth the entrance fee. (Fare: 300php, Entrance Fee: 100php)
•Climb Mt. Tapyas. If you still have the energy and up for the challenge climbing Mt. Tapyas’ almost 724 steps should be on your list. I admit I had a difficult time it took us almost an hour to get to the top. The ideal time to go is before sunset. The view from above is exhilarating. You could see my pics from the top if you don’t believe me. (Free)
•Eat Dinner. There are a lot of restos in Coron but I shall only recommend the places where I like to eat and hang out. First is Coron Bistro, quality and quantity. It is a bit pricey but worth is and don’t forget to try their steak. La Sirenetta, idyllic place to hang out and have a quiet dinner. It’s owned by Maika, a Survivor contestant they say. The good thing there is it’s just at the back of Coron Reef and the billiards is free. Kawayanan Grill, I can only say that the food is pricey and the quantity is so little. It’s ideal to be a watering hole not for dinner. Lolo Nonoy’s, it’s more of a “turo-turo”, this is a place for the budget conscious. (Depends on your choice)
Day Two:
We spend the whole day hopping from one island to another. Coron Reef has their boats so you don’t have to go anywhere to arrange one. All you have to do is inform them. Bring a lot of bread if you like feeding the fishes. I’ll just write down every place we’ve been to and to leave some mystery I won’t describe it.
1. Siete Pecados Marine Park 100php/each
2. Twin Lagoon 100php/each
3. CYC Free
4. Banol Beach 100php/each
5. Skeleton Wreck 100php/each
6. Barracuda Lake 100php/each
7. Kayangan Lake 200php/each
8. Maquinit Hot Springs 100php/each
Note: the Boatride: 1500php good for 6 and 2500php for 6 or more, Snorkel Rental: 100php
(Boatride: 1500php, Fees: 800php, Snorkel Rent: 100php)
After landfall at around 7pm we were tired and spent but it was worth it. We just knock some cold ones at Kawayanan and had a quiet dinner at Coron Bistro then we call it a night.
TOTAL COST OF VACATION: 3900PHP
For Reservations at Coron Reef Contact Ate Lani @ 09294649791
For Other Boat Rentals Contact Ace Reyes @ 09192811131
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Coron Island Hopping Part One
I am writing this blog a day after we went island hopping in Coron. Last January 15, 2010 my girlfriend visited me here in Busuanga. I also took a brief rest from work so that we could spend quality time together. Our first stop the moment she got out of the terminal is to go to the nearby YKR waterfall which is just 10 minutes from the tower. The water was really gold but it is nice to take a dip in the falls since it’s a hot summer day. After about an hour of swimming and picture taking we decided to go back to the tower to wash up.
We then proceeded to Coron town to spend the night there. We spend the whole duration of our stay at Coron Reef ( for inquiries contact Ate Lani at 09294649791) the nightly rates start from 600 to 1000 for a good for five room. It would also be easier to arrange for the boat ride since Coron Reef has a number of boats for island hopping. We just took a quick stroll in town and decided to climb Mt. Tapyas along with Jojo, one of our APT at the airport. There are almost 724 steps up to the peak where the cross is located. It was a struggle to climb since I smoke and is out of shape. But I have to admit that the view from the top is breathtaking. You could see the whole Coron and the islands around it.
When dinner came, we decided to eat at La Sirenetta it is located at the back of Coron Reef and another fact why Anabelle want to eat there is to have her picture taken with the Survivor candidate Mika. The food is good but it is quite expensive but you could play all the billiards that you want for free and the place is good for relaxing.
The next day we just had breakfast at Coron Reef while waiting for Phoebe to arrive. If you are in Coron Reef you should try their breakfast which of hotdogs, eggs and danggit plus fried rice in a platter. It is only 100 per person and breakfast wouldn’t get more sumptuous than that. After Phoebe has settled down we went to the market to buy fish and crabs which the two are craving. We brought them back to the hotel to ask Ate Lani to cook them for just a fee of 150 pesos for the cooking. After lunch, we went to Mabentangin Dam and Maquinit Hot Springs. I wouldn’t recommend Mabentangin but I would surely recommend the hot springs. If you want to go to Maquinit Hot Springs, you could either take a tricycle or rent a van. The ideal time to go is at 5pm. If you decide to take d tricycle, the rate is just 300 pesos more than that and the tricycle is trying to milk you. The tricycle would wait for you till you finish or your agreed time.
We spend like 3 hours taking a dip at the hot springs. We just traded stories and Phoebe kept taking pictures of us. It was an ideal way to end the day. When we got back to Coron we met up with my officemates and we had dinner at Lolo Nonoy’s for some home-cooked meal then we proceeded to La Sirenetta for rounds and rounds of billiards and beers.
To be continued…
We then proceeded to Coron town to spend the night there. We spend the whole duration of our stay at Coron Reef ( for inquiries contact Ate Lani at 09294649791) the nightly rates start from 600 to 1000 for a good for five room. It would also be easier to arrange for the boat ride since Coron Reef has a number of boats for island hopping. We just took a quick stroll in town and decided to climb Mt. Tapyas along with Jojo, one of our APT at the airport. There are almost 724 steps up to the peak where the cross is located. It was a struggle to climb since I smoke and is out of shape. But I have to admit that the view from the top is breathtaking. You could see the whole Coron and the islands around it.
When dinner came, we decided to eat at La Sirenetta it is located at the back of Coron Reef and another fact why Anabelle want to eat there is to have her picture taken with the Survivor candidate Mika. The food is good but it is quite expensive but you could play all the billiards that you want for free and the place is good for relaxing.
The next day we just had breakfast at Coron Reef while waiting for Phoebe to arrive. If you are in Coron Reef you should try their breakfast which of hotdogs, eggs and danggit plus fried rice in a platter. It is only 100 per person and breakfast wouldn’t get more sumptuous than that. After Phoebe has settled down we went to the market to buy fish and crabs which the two are craving. We brought them back to the hotel to ask Ate Lani to cook them for just a fee of 150 pesos for the cooking. After lunch, we went to Mabentangin Dam and Maquinit Hot Springs. I wouldn’t recommend Mabentangin but I would surely recommend the hot springs. If you want to go to Maquinit Hot Springs, you could either take a tricycle or rent a van. The ideal time to go is at 5pm. If you decide to take d tricycle, the rate is just 300 pesos more than that and the tricycle is trying to milk you. The tricycle would wait for you till you finish or your agreed time.
We spend like 3 hours taking a dip at the hot springs. We just traded stories and Phoebe kept taking pictures of us. It was an ideal way to end the day. When we got back to Coron we met up with my officemates and we had dinner at Lolo Nonoy’s for some home-cooked meal then we proceeded to La Sirenetta for rounds and rounds of billiards and beers.
To be continued…
Friday, January 8, 2010
Another Christmas and New Year Away from Home
I have been here in Busuanga for more than a month. So far it has been all good but one can't help to be lonely sometimes especially at night when there's no electricity. right now as i am writing this blog we only have power during nighttime and during the day we utilize generator power. I'm able to write my blog again since Emman bought a unltd smartbro. It means that i'm able to log in anytime.
I spend the last christmas and new year here in the island paradise of Busuanga. i think its been five years that i spend either christmas or new year away from iloilo. we spend the christmas in Coron. We just had a modest dinner and went to the plaza for a stroll after dinner. The town plaza was full of lights and there is a huge christmas tree in the center. We then proceeded to Kawayanan grill and wait for the clock to strike 12am there. We had beer and peanuts as our noche buena. I spend xmas with Sir Pat, mario, emman and rex along with our guest Tonet and Daniel Pugeda, they're a couple who missed their flight due to a series of unfortunate events.
We were preparing to go to Coron already and the last flight has already took off for Manila when Tonet and Danny showed up at the tower asking if there is another flight coming out of Busuanga. There they told us about their experience that they got stranded in Waling Waling resort when there boat broke down, When they got to Coron they hired a motorcycle to bring them to the airport but they weren't able to get far when the motorcycle bust a tire. Then they hired a van to take them but they have to wait again for 15 min when the van also broke down. So, instead of them staying at the tower and since we were going to Coron. We took them with us and helped them find a place to stay where we always stay also when we are stranded in Coron. The place is called Coron Reef and you could contact their caretaker Ate Lani (09294649791) for reservations. They also accept reservations for island hopping tours. We went ahead for dinner but they also joined us in Kawayanan to wait for the christmas.
It was not a grand noche buena but what is important is the spirit is there. it is nice to spend christmas and new year at home but i guess i'm one of the few that spends xmas away and i think i spend my xmas in a different place everytime.
I spend my new year the same way i spent my xmas. The only difference is that we stayed here at the airport and didnt went down to Coron. We didnt have anything to cook so we just raided Maricel, Ate Nening's and Ate Eden's houses for the New Year. Emman, Marlon, Jojo and I are the ones left here. the only thing we used to welcome the new year is the siren on top of the tower. It was more than enough to drive away bad spirits if there is one here.
As year 2009 ends and 2010 begins, so is our life here in Busuanga. There would be more time to lounge around than work but when it comes to work we only have one thing in mind. your safety.. have a happy new year from the ATCs of Busuanga
I spend the last christmas and new year here in the island paradise of Busuanga. i think its been five years that i spend either christmas or new year away from iloilo. we spend the christmas in Coron. We just had a modest dinner and went to the plaza for a stroll after dinner. The town plaza was full of lights and there is a huge christmas tree in the center. We then proceeded to Kawayanan grill and wait for the clock to strike 12am there. We had beer and peanuts as our noche buena. I spend xmas with Sir Pat, mario, emman and rex along with our guest Tonet and Daniel Pugeda, they're a couple who missed their flight due to a series of unfortunate events.
We were preparing to go to Coron already and the last flight has already took off for Manila when Tonet and Danny showed up at the tower asking if there is another flight coming out of Busuanga. There they told us about their experience that they got stranded in Waling Waling resort when there boat broke down, When they got to Coron they hired a motorcycle to bring them to the airport but they weren't able to get far when the motorcycle bust a tire. Then they hired a van to take them but they have to wait again for 15 min when the van also broke down. So, instead of them staying at the tower and since we were going to Coron. We took them with us and helped them find a place to stay where we always stay also when we are stranded in Coron. The place is called Coron Reef and you could contact their caretaker Ate Lani (09294649791) for reservations. They also accept reservations for island hopping tours. We went ahead for dinner but they also joined us in Kawayanan to wait for the christmas.
It was not a grand noche buena but what is important is the spirit is there. it is nice to spend christmas and new year at home but i guess i'm one of the few that spends xmas away and i think i spend my xmas in a different place everytime.
I spend my new year the same way i spent my xmas. The only difference is that we stayed here at the airport and didnt went down to Coron. We didnt have anything to cook so we just raided Maricel, Ate Nening's and Ate Eden's houses for the New Year. Emman, Marlon, Jojo and I are the ones left here. the only thing we used to welcome the new year is the siren on top of the tower. It was more than enough to drive away bad spirits if there is one here.
As year 2009 ends and 2010 begins, so is our life here in Busuanga. There would be more time to lounge around than work but when it comes to work we only have one thing in mind. your safety.. have a happy new year from the ATCs of Busuanga
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