Malcapuya Island: Coron, Palawan

During our second day of island hopping in Coron, we went to Malcapuya Island about an hour and a half away from the port located near Coron market. We arrived there at about 10:00 AM enough to spend most of the day walking around the island which also has a viewing deck at the almost 50 feet hill wherein you’ll see the surrounding view from the island.

We briefly rested, while looking further towards the sea, it was the kind of place where one does not need the right set of eyes to easily see the beauty of our country. While the view from Malcapuya island only represent a part of the Philippines

I know that this kind of place exists all over our archipelago, which in turn lights up my desire to do further travelling in the near future. But right there, I was thinking, while at Malcapuya, I’ve nothing else to worry but enjoy our stay there.

The place was inhabited by caretakers as I understand that it is a private island owned by some lucky bastard. If I win myself a huge lottery jackpot, I be, buying myself my own island as well.



How I wish we could set up camp and spend overnight in the place. I just made do with practicing my underwater swimming, using the snorkling gear I was able to see every shells, sand dunes below the crystal clear waters, I then wore my lifevest and I was able to see more corals further down the sea.



I can’t say anything bad about the place really, except maybe it has no wi-fi internet haha. Everything are just perfect.




Who said something about coming back to this place? I guess that would be me. As I write this back in the real world, the big city, traffic, going to work 5 days a week, the normal problems that I encounter every day, I am glad that knowing that in the near future I’d reward myself with something like an experience in this kind of place, nothing inspires me more.

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Kayangan Lake: Coron, Palawan

Kayangan Lake, which can be found in Coron Island north of Palawan is said to be among the cleanest lake in Asia. Surrounded by rocky mountains covered by green trees and plants it certainly evokes an image of a lagoon one was used to seeing only in postcards and movies. If one is expecting paradise, they can’t be any more head on, as the way towards Kayangan lake itself serves as a prelude of sights to see, all indication points towards a conclusion that indeed, it is paradise on Earth.



The first stop on our Day 1 of Island hopping around Coron and the Calamian group of islands is Kayangan lake, about 30 minutes of boat ride we reached an entrance separated by two islands and up ahead one will see the island where the lake can be found. Other boats are neatly docked over a mix of green and blue waters and some cool nipa huts stands quietly giving more apt setting for an island life.



Going to the lake, you’ll have to climb about 50 steps upward wherein you will be greeted by an opening to a small cave and opposite of the cave one will see this magnificent view of Coron
cove.



Then after walking down about 30 steps, you’ll now see the lake, which then leave you in awe and thinking “what the hell i’ve been doing before, and I’m just seeing this right now”, but glad that you’re there seeing it with your own eyes. Such paradise like setting staring back at you as if saying “welcome to paradise”.




The water is deep, unless you’re Michael Phelps you need a life vest, a snorkel gear to be able to enjoy your swim as the crystal clear lake waters offers a 10 meter visibility, the lake water is a mixture of salt and fresh water.




I wanted to stay there for a day, couple of days or more. Our guide told us that further ahead of the lake lies a Japanese WWII submarine wreckage but one needs scuba equipment to be able to see it. Another reason to come back perhaps, but with or without submarine wreckage, the place itself is a huge reason for me to start planning on coming back.



Till next time Kayangan Lake. I will be back.

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Coron, Palawan: Chasing Beaches

We spent 2 days island hopping in Coron, Palawan around the Calamian group of islands, which included a trip to paradise like Kayangan Lake and went snorkeling in coral laden areas like Siete Picados, an area surrounded by 7 small rocky islands and in between are one of the best snorkeling sites in the region where visitors can feed fishes with bread and see them race each other for the plum. The corals are richly visible as the water are crystal clear among the best one will ever swim into.

Twin peaks, is just like Siete Picados, a snorkeling area between two small island which goes from shallow to deep waters, coral reefs are also in abundance, you can easily see different kinds of fish and other sea creatures. The activities went on the whole morning, afterward we had lunch at Atwayan beach, located on another island in the region.



It seems like everywhere you go around Coron lies a picturesque sight. This one ain’t that different with its ultra clear blue waters surrounded by green trees, coconut trees, nipa hut by the shores, makes you want to jump right in on the water. We feasted on grilled fish, pork adobo with tomatoes and rice.



Next on our list is another island known as CYC beach or the Coron Youth Club, white sands, clear waters, amazing view, what’s new on this part of the Philippines? I wonder aloud, reminding myself to expect being awed at whatever I will see next.



We went for a short swim, took silly pictures including a jumping by the beach pose, which I thought to be a silly thing to do before, still thinks its silly now but who cares, anyway.

my castaway pose

Then after CYC beach, we headed to the twin lagoon, too bad we don’t have an underwater camera. It is called Twin lagoon because it consists of two lakes divided by a passageway wherein one would go under a bridge composed of rocks to go to the other lagoon. It is also one of the popular destination in Coron.

on the way to the Twin Lagoon

There were many visitors aside from us at Twin Lagoon, it was an awesome sight looking at scores of people wearing orange life jackets swimming in a magnificent setting and looking underwater you can see sets of feet kicking against clear deep blue waters.



Over-all it was a totally unreal and wonderful memory that will carry quite a beautiful memory as time goes on. Reasons to come back in the future.

The next day, we went to Malcapuya Island.

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Underwater in Coron, Palawan

One should not forget an underwater digital camera when one would go snorkling in Coron, Palawan. There are many snorkling areas all around the Calamian group of islands. Feeding fishes in Siete Picados with bread, you can easily attract lots of them, the coral reef at Twin peaks, a snorkling area between two small islands and at the back of CYC beach also boasted some of the finest corals.

We didn’t have an underwater digital camera, we rented an underwater film camera with only 27 shots, we should have brought extra films for it.

Here’s some of the shots we took.





For others who may want to explore World War II shipwrecks in the area, an extra 2K will give you an opportunity to dive in to these spots. I’ll probably try that next time, this time we just enjoyed a day of snorkling around Coron.





Sunburned and all after two days of island hopping and snorkling, all doesn’t matter as Coron, Palawan will be among the place I’d definitely come back to in the future.

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