Coron Palawan trips are typically mostly island hopping tours simply because Coron is home to some of the world’s most gorgeous beaches and corals. Half the beauty of Coron is beneath the water’s surface. Coron Palawan is a treat to travelers who are into snorkeling, diving, and nature tripping. We joined an organized island hopping tour to explore the different islands of Coron on our first day on the island.

Most famous of the island hopping tour operators is Calamianes Expeditions & EcoTours, not only because it is well-advertized, but because it offers reasonably priced tours. Their office is located in Coron town and is very near the market and pier. We found their office after our much needed visit to a BPI ATM machine. They offered tours for a minimum of 5 people, and since there were only three of us on this trip, we joined other people on one of the tours.

The island hopping tour package included lunch as well as entrance fees to the beaches and coral islands. The tour covered Siete Pecados, Banol Beach, Sunset Lagoon and Calachuchi Reefs. Snorkeling gears were available for tourists to rent.

First stop was the famous Siete Pecados, a group of seven peaks and home to a host of corals and coral fishes. Boats dock at the center of the seven rock peaks, allowing guests to snorkel and explore the fishes and corals underneath.

One good thing to remember when traveling to Coron Palawan is to bring an underwater camera, so as to capture beautiful and breath-taking underwater scenes, the corals and the colorful fish swimming around the coral reefs. Siete Pecados is one of the tourist spots in Coron that is truly teeming with marine life, it’s impossible not to enjoy this place.

We headed to Banol Beach after enjoying Siete Pecados. It was nearly 12 noon, so our guide decided that we go to Banol Beach for our lunch, which consisted of seaweed salad, grilled fish and squid, prepared by our boatmen and guide. We spent the time allotted for Banol Beach to get some rest and enjoy the white sand beach.

Next stop was Sunset Lagoon, which was really best to visit during sunset for its spectacular view at that time of day. We still had a number of islands to visit that day, so we didn’t stay too long at Sunset Lagoon.

We went to Skeleton Wreck next, and here, some of dived to explore a sunken ship surrounded by corals. Since this was not part of our packaged tour, those who snorkeled at this site were charged 100 pesos each.

Barracuda Lake was also on the list of our itinerary. Waters within Barracuda Lake is a mixture of saltwater and freshwater, surrounded by tall walls of rock formations. Barracuda Lake is very scenic, but is best enjoyed by diving into its deep water. We came across some divers equipped with scuba gears to dive into Barracuda Lake.

Final destination was Calachuchi Reefs, which at first glance seemed to have little to offer, but this small island was a stunning beauty underneath. Going around the islet, one could see beautiful corals sloping down from the islet. This was one of my favorites because of the rich marine life I found below the surface.

Back at Coron pier, we felt our first island hopping tour of Coron islands was beyond expectations, although I have to add that it was also extremely tiring. Should you decide to go on this kind of trip, remember to rest well in the afternoon after lunch so you’ll have more energy for the rest of the trip.

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