Coron is a beautiful place with lots of water, tree covered hills, and very friendly people. Scuba diving is the main reason for tourists to go there as there’s not much of a beach scene to be had, at least not in the downtown proper; you could take a boat ride out to some secluded beaches if so desired.
The town is rustic quaint. Don’t expect much in the way of luxury but do expect friendly and fantastic hospitality. The food, whether it was western dishes or local Filipino fare was beyond comparison and tasted extremely fresh.
Getting around Coron is easy: Just flag down a “tricycle” (a motorcycle with a seating contraption built on to it to carry passengers) and pay 15 Pisos (just under $0.30 USD) to go anywhere. (Technically you pay when you get off so do verify when you get on the cost for the trip.) The one bad thing about the tricycle is that they do let out a lot of fumes, so during rush hour the cramped streets are not so lung-friendly to be on.
Coron became a diving destination for a number of reasons. Chiefly the warm water and sunken ships from the WWII era makes for a great combination. My friends and I booked a boat, dive instructors (for those in our group like me who never went diving before), and dive guides through Fun & Sun Dive & Travel. What a fantastic outfit that place is! Bea was our first time dive instructor and taught three n00bs how to do everything safely and in a manner which I’m unlikely to forget. If you’ve never been diving before and want to try, book some time with her!
I was able to get two dives under my belt the first day and sadly none for the second. But I did enjoy a lot of time swimming and relaxing in the sunshine, breathing clean air. CLEAN AIR! Such a treat from what I’m now used to in China.
We stayed at the Two Seasons Resort, affectionately referred to by the staff as the younger brother of the Four Seasons, was a very nice place. It featured an infinity swimming pool overlooking the water, a nice restaurant where breakfast was provided free everyday, well appointed guest rooms, and extremely friendly staff who spoke both official languages of the Philippines: Tagalog and English. The hotel also provides transportation to and from the airport (at a small cost), which is a nice touch. Best yet, as my flight leaving USU at 8:15am and the restaurant would not be open for breakfast before I had to depart for the airport, they provided a “packed breakfast” of my choosing! Omlettes, pancakes, waffles, some Filipino food, or a fruit platter were all options along with coffee, tea, and fruit juices. Very nice touch!
In short I would definitely come back to Coron for another diving trip, but likely not until I’m dive certified as it will mean I can go deeper in the water, for longer periods of time, and get to see more of the interesting sunken ships, coral reefs, and sea creatures. However, if I head back to the Philippines for another small holiday, I think it’ll be to Cebu as apparently one can go swimming with the gentle giants of the sea — the whale sharks!