Prepare for your next adventure in the Philippines as you go over the list of top Coron Palawan tourist spots below. Learn about the best things to do in Coron and its nearby islands that you might get yourself into non-stop adventures.
Coron in Palawan is one of the top tourist spots in the Philippines, featuring magnificent limestone mountain landscapes, hidden lagoons, azure waters, reef to wreck underwater adventures, and paradise-like islands and beaches.
Over the past decade, Coron and its nearby towns in the Calamian Islands have significantly increased tourism activities, thanks to the steady and growing media exposure and today’s social media.
Coron occupies a portion of Busuanga Island in the northern section of Palawan Province. Its nearby towns are Busuanga and Culion.
Before the Covid pandemic, tourism has been the top key player in the economy of the region.
If you are thinking of your next travel destination for whatsoever reason (long overdue vacation, post-pandemic treat, a reward for being the best employee? lol) comes to your senses, we have outlined some of the best Coron Palawan tourist spots.
Discover the best of Coron Palawan tourist spots for your next vacation.
Table of Contents
1. Kayangan Lake
There are only a few known lakes in the Philippines and some of which are human-made. Here in Coron, Kayangan Lake remains one of the top Coron Palawan tourist spots, and here is why.
Kayangan Lake is known to have one of the cleanest waters in the Philippines. Its inviting water is a combination of freshwater and saltwater, making the lake ideal for recreational swimming.
In addition, the surrounding towering limestones compliment the picture-perfect view of Kayangan Lake. Notice also the lush sprouting trees growing on the rocks, creating a contrast to the grayish karst.
Reaching Kayangan Lake starts with a 10-minute trek uphill, and you would get to the viewing deck. The viewing space uphill overlooks the magnificent karst and bluish bodies of water that you would see right before docking to the island.
Take your perfect shot for the ‘gram or souvenir photographs in Coron. Afterward, you’ll descend into the entrance walking platform of Kayangan Lake. The turquoise water looks clean and crystal that you could have a sighting of its bottom part.
You can enjoy your stay in Kayangan Lake with fun water activities like swimming and kayaking. Worry not if you’re not a good swimmer because you can still enjoy the water with the help of some floatation device.
Schedule your visit to Katangan Lake as early as possible to avoid the crowd and enjoy the time taking photos.
2. Barracuda Lake
Another popular destination to add to your Coron Palawan tourist spots list is Barracuda Lake, adjacent to Kayangan Lake.
Its name may sound fearsome, but it just originates from the sighting of barracuda fish skeletons at the lake’s bottom. Nonetheless, the lake is calm and enchanting in every view.
Barracuda Lake, like Kayangan Lake, shares a common feature with its brackish waters. Tourist visiting Barracuda Lake enjoys their time of stay here by diving to its depths.
The combination of saltwater and freshwater here allows tourists to enjoy swimming activities. Interestingly, Barracuda Lake is known to be of the thermocline. Meaning, there are changes in water temperature as you go deeper. This unique characteristic of Barracuda Lake adds to the mystic charm of Coron island.
For the experienced divers, you can bring your gear or rent from the town before proceeding to your island hopping tours. Aside from feeling amazed with the surrounding rock cliffs, you get to feel the same as you dive and go deeper as well.
Access to the lake is by boat rides from the town as well.
It is important to note and know that the local tribe of Tagbanua has long been occupying these picture-perfect tourist destinations in Coron Palawan for thousand of years.
They are one of the oldest tribes in the Philippines and are believed to be related to the Tabon Man, which was recently unearthed in Palawan.
3. Twin Lagoon
There’s more to visit for your island hopping tours in Coron Island, and the Twin Lagoon is a great one too.
Also known as Hidden Lagoon, this tourist spot in Coron Palawan offers two majestic lagoons for you to explore and appreciate.
Like the lakes above, the formation of Twin Lagoon comes from the dissolution of the limestones. But since its location is beside the shoreline, the ocean water filling its basin results in a lagoon.
The first lagoon serves mainly as a docking area for the boats of tourists, and it quickly gets crowded during the peak season. The second lagoon, however, is the place to enjoy the calm waters and fantastic sceneries.
Thick karst separates both lagoons, and access to the second is by two means. First, you can swim through a slight passage arch during low tide, and the other way is through a ladder over the rock.
The means of access to the second lagoon earns its name as the Hidden Lagoon.
Tourists visiting the Twin Lagoon will enjoy the more shallow waters of the second lagoon, especially during low tide season. The swimming haven is also ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving that is great for underwater life appreciation.
As charming as its beautiful limestone formations, the Twin Lagoon also has mystical charm like the first two Coron Palawan tourist spots above, with changing water temperatures.
4. Shipwreck Diving
Aside from the beautiful lakes, shipwrecks also became famous Coron Palawan tourist spots, favoring those avid sunken ship divers.
There are a dozen Japanese shipwrecks in Coron Bay, and some of the remnants are within the recreational diving areas. Thanks to its clear waters, some of the diving sites have shallow depths ranging from 10 to 30 feet.
In contrast, skilled divers can go as deep as 140 feet to some depths. Some of the shipwrecks to explore are as follows:
Akitsushim
Akitsushima is the only warship that sunk on Coron Bay. The former combat ship is also a seaplane carrier and is 118 meters long, lying on her port side at a depth of 36 meters.
Among the exciting sightings to look forward to on this dive site is its massive crane, used to lift and position the seaplane. There is an intact anti-aircraft machine gun with artillery shells near the seafloor as well.
There are penetration points when wanting to explore the inside section of the ship.
Possible sightings of different fishes include batfish, parrotfish, grouper, and snapper.
Given the depth and possible strong current, diving here should only be done by certified divers.
Lusong Gunboat
Lusong Gunboat is also among the twelve submerged ships and has the most shallow depths from 5 to 10 meters.
Unlike other famous Coron Palawan tourist spots, freediving to shipwrecks has less crowd.
Lusong Gunboat dive site is ideal for beginners as anyone can also snorkel and still see the ship’s length. On the other hand, freedivers can easily navigate the depth and explore the shipwreck.
Today, the gunboat is still in its original form and caked with barnacles, corals, and other marine animals.
Because of its proximity to the nearby Lusong Island and the rich biodiversity of Coron Bay, the site is also ideal for underwater macro photography.
The nearby Lusong Coral garden is not far from the shipwreck and is a wise continuation of underwater adventure in Coron.
Colorful corals and schools of fish like parrotfish, damselfish, stonefish, and lionfish are visible within the site.
5. Banul Beach
It is important to note that most of the lovely beaches are hours away from Coron town. Some of the small beach islands are in Busuanga and Calamian Archipelago.
However, when exploring the lakes and lagoons in Coron Island, tourists can spend some time in a nearby small paradise called Banul Beach.
Banul beach is one of the favorite stops during Coron excursions for lunch breaks. A pretty small shoreline with huts along its span, perfect for keeping you cool during sunny days.
Remember that Banul beach is small and could get quickly get crowded as noontime approaches. If you want to secure a spot and make the most of your time here, you must be here as early as 10 in the morning.
Banul beach boasts white powder sands and crystal waters to the shallows and turns bluish across the depths. It is a perfect place to sunbathe and get some tan over the sands for your social platforms.
6. Malcapuya Island
With the growing popularity of lakes in Coron, beach hopping tours to nearby Coron Palawan tourist spots is your next game plan when wanting to escape the crowds in Coron’s main attractions.
Malcapuya Island has one of the white sands your feet would love to wander when it comes to beaches. The small island lies south of Coron town and is within the vicinity of Culion town.
Reaching Malcapuya Island takes about one and a half hours, and expect some rough boat rides as you cross Coron Bay.
While the island is privately owned with tiny inhabitants, the surprising beauty of Malcapuya Island is still in its raw and natural state.
Like the famous White Beach of Boracay, Malcapuya also has comparable white and soft sands. Its broad and long shores of white sands run through the southern and western parts of the island.
Make the most of your time in Malcapuya with plenty of enjoyable things to do on the island. With its calm and shallow shores, swimming and snorkeling are ideal for kickstarting your adrenaline.
After your swimming activities, a nice lunch picnic by the beach is a great option you can arrange with your tour as well.
The Malcapuya Island tour package often includes two more small islands, the Bulog Dos and Banana Islands.
7. Bulog Dos Island
Another Island to pass by when beach hopping in Coron is Bulog Dos Island, which looks like two tiny islands connected with sandbeds in the center.
During low tide, sandbars resurface and connect two more islands to both ends, the Malacory Island to its north and the peninsula of Bulalacao Island to its south. Both of these islands house private resorts and may require entrance fees, though.
This island tourist spot in Culion Palawan is so tiny you can circle and find yourself taking photos from every angle.
With the shallow waters, your swimming escapades in Coron never stop. Besides swimming and snorkeling, strolling along the sandbars during low tide is still an enjoyable diversion on your island-hopping excursion.
Take many photos as you want along the white-creamy shoreline or shoot short and energetic clips along the sandbars. Drone shoots, however, reveal the changing hues of waters from crystal to turquoise blue.
8. Banana Island
The third island destination to fill your Coron Palawan tourist spots itinerary is Banana Island. This island is a few minutes from Malcapuya and a shorter distance away from Bulog Dos.
Note that most island excursion packages already include entrance fees to the three island destinations.
Also known as Dibalabuan Island, this island paradise is a perfect fit to end your island excursion tour for some sunset views.
Like Bulog Dos and Malcapuya, Banana Island also shares a common denominator of powdery-white sand, a standard aspect every beach lover has in mind.
Continue playing along the shores, re-create your favorite photo poses for the ‘gram, or enjoy the vibrant sceneries for a relaxing afternoon.
When the sun’s heat drops, swimming into the shallows is as good as morning activities.
There are plenty of shades with a greater concentration of fringed trees near the shoreline. Meanwhile, cottages for rent are also available for a more comfortable space to rest for a while. For some refreshments, you can also find some stalls nearby too.
9. Maquinit Hotspring
You can discover more interesting Coron Palawan tourist spots besides the lovely lakes and beach destinations. When touring around the town, Maquinit Hotsprings is a hotspot for both locals and tourists.
Maquinit Hotsprings is 30 minutes ride from the town center, and the road at some sections could get rough and wet during the rainy season.
Take a break from your busy touring itinerary in Coron and relax your tired muscles under the steaming waters of the hot springs.
The public bath area faces an incredible sea view while towering lush trees teams up on the surrounding. You can also observe the thick mangrove forest that signifies a healthy environment in the area.
A hot bath is known to calm the muscles and nerves, resulting in good blood circulation. You need to stay calm and slowly dip your body into the waters for a few minutes to achieve that. Just give some time for your body to adjust to the temperature and enjoy the warm bath.
The best time to visit is in the afternoon when the sun is a few hours before setting.
10. Siete Pecados
If you want snorkeling and diving without hours of boat travel from Coron town, the nearest place you can do that is in Siete Pecados.
Siete Pecados is a seven small island destination in Coron that showcases an expansive and lively underwater ecosystem.
Though the name translates to the seven deadly sins, it came from a local legend about seven sisters who lost their lives in the sea for disobeying their mother. Later on, the emergence of the seven islets was thought to represent each of them.
On the bright side, Siete Pecados became one of the most visited Coron Palawan tourist spots for snorkeling and underwater life appreciation.
Gear up early in the morning to avoid the crowd and swim with plenty of fish around the reefs. With the abundance of marine life in the area, you can spot most of the colors you know in the color wheel.
Sightings of pufferfish, butterflyfish, and peacock wrasse are likely visible, including possible appearances of sea turtles with a bit of luck.
What is most exciting is to have a sighting of a shoal of barracudas to the area known as “barracuda point.”
During your snorkeling in Siete Pecados, keep an eye on the ropes that set boundaries away from strong currents.
11. Mount Tapyas
The white cross signage on top of a hill might catch your attention when exploring tourist spots in Cron Palawan. You can discover that by climbing Mount Tapyas, a hill accessible near the town proper.
You can hire a quick tricycle ride from the town and take you to the mountain base. From there, you’ll ascend through the 700 plus concrete steps.
Seems easy with the properly laid steps, but you may encounter exhaustion as well. That is why concrete benches and platforms are positioned strategically for the stops in between hikes.
A guard railing is also placed on the side for support during both ascend and descend.
As you progress and make stops, you can observe the panoramic view of Coron town and the majestic seascape. Cold air starts to linger on your skin as you reach the top, adding more excitement to the already scenic views.
The vast Christian cross and the letters of “Coron” are also the highlight at the summit for mandatory selfies and portraits.
Afternoon and early morning are the ideal time for hiking Mount Tapyas to avoid the extreme heat.
12. Calauit Island Safari
Adding some exciting thrill to your bucket list of Coron Palawan tourist spots is the Calauit Island Safari. This wildlife sanctuary lies on one of the remote territories of Busuanga Island in the town of Busuanga.
The sanctuary came into reality during the time of the late President Marcos through a translocation effort to conserve their species when poaching incidents threatened the animals in Kenya. In 1976, the sanctuary was declared a game preserve and wildlife sanctuary.
Some of the animals translocated back then were impalas, zebras, bushbucks, elands, gazelles, topis, waterbucks, and giraffes.
In 2008 under the former President Arroyo, the sanctuary’s management was transferred to the local government of Palawan and changed its name to Calauit Island Safari.
Today, the only species left among them and that continues to grow in numbers are the zebras and giraffes.
Aside from the two Safari-originated animals, there are also endemic species of animals in Calauit Island Safari.
Among the local animals are the Philippine’ crocodile, porcupine, and mouse-deer. There are also Calamian deers that have successfully increased their population in the sanctuary.
Adding to the safari are the bearcats and the Palawan bearded pig, which is known to be one of the four endemic pigs in the wild.
13. Black Island
There are also island destinations in Busuanga town that you can include in your Coron Palawan tourist spots itinerary. Black Island is among them, and it is often included in Calauit Safari tours by boat.
The Black Island, or Malajon Island for the locals, is an island in the westernmost part of the town.
Black Island looks strange and intimidating as you approach the island. The contributing factors could be its towering black karst that defines the island’s physique despite the charming strip of white sands.
The white sand beach in Black Island is wide enough to play and wander around. Tourists can perform freediving and snorkeling along the shallows as well.
What distinguishes Black Island from the other Coron tourist spots in the cave system beneath the towering rocks.
Explore the cave and witness the hidden pool inside with crystal clear waters. You can also swim there or admire the rock formations from the high cave ceilings down to the below surfaces.
Find out what it looks like inside the cave at Jackson’s blog here.
14. Pass Island
There are many island destinations every tourist can visit in Coron and Busuanga towns. Some are ideal for day tours only, like in Malcapuya Island and Banana Island. Here in Pass Island, tourists can turn into guests when you decide to stay on the island for the next couple of hours.
Pass Island is one of the tiny islands between Busuanga and Culion towns and a part of the former. One of the small islands but packs a paradise-like surrounding.
The island has bungalow accommodations for rent and offers the basics for a comfortable stay within the island.
Pass Island is among the right ones when dreaming of spending a night on a secluded island during your quest for Coron Palawan tourist spots.
Its beach is wide enough to have fun for a beach volleyball or frisbee game. The island also has a basketball court, ideal for group visitors that are feeling extra pumped.
Snorkeling is also as excellent as the other island destinations in Coron.
Visiting beach islands is an exciting activity during vacations, but it also gets more fun and exciting when you experience the sunset, starry night, and sunrise on a lone island.
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Plan your next Coron Palawan tourist spots travel plan now!
Coron is an incredible place to get in awe of its great tourist spots. In so many ways, Coron has captured the hearts of local and international travelers who seek its pristine waters and scenic landscapes.
Whatever size your group is when exploring Coron Palawan tourist spots, it is essential to note that most destinations are boat rides away. You can find the most suitable tours for you through local travel providers, or you may join group tours as well. When you want to be in control, private tours are welcome too.
There are many more tourist destinations to discover in Coron and its nearby islands. Make the most of your vacation in Coron that will make you feel like coming back again for another set of fun adventures.
Safe Travels!
Remember that we are still in the middle of a pandemic. For your guidance about the changes in health protocols and travel requirements, you may visit the official page of the Department of Tourism.