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During our six-week summer stint in Asia, my family and I joined up with 25 of our extended family members for a jam-packed four-day/three-night tour of Busuanga, Coron, and the islands of the Calamian archipelago in the western Philippines.
Part of Palawan Province, Coron and the Calamianes Islands are about as picturesque as tropical islands go with their translucent blue waters; soft, sandy beaches; colorful sea life; natural hot springs; epic rock formations; and lush greenery.
We spent our days island-hopping, swimming, snorkeling, diving, and, of course, feasting, with guides from Calamian Islands Travel & Tours. Our visit was most definitely a highlight of my six-year-old’s entire trip, and mine, too! Read on about our experience below.
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Coron Highlights
We loved visiting Coron for its:
- Amazing sea life
- Natural wonders (rock formations, lagoons, caves, reefs)
- Picturesque and clear-blue beaches
DESTINATION: Coron/Calamianes Islands
WHEN WE VISITED: August
LENGTH OF OUR STAY: 4 days
AGE OF OUR KID: 6 years
| 4-day/3-night Escapade Package | Php 8,550/$150 USD/adult; 50% off for kids |
| Dinner | ~$10-$20 USD/person/meal |
| Souvenirs | ~$20 USD |
| Tricycle rides into town | $1 USD/ride |
| Water shoe rental | Php 150/person/day |
| Fins rental | Php 150/person/day |
| Snorkel and mask rental | Php 150/person/day |
| Clear-bottom kayak rental (seats 2-3) | Php 1,500/day |
Tour Package Cost includes:
- 3 nights of accommodations
- 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 snacks
- Tours, guides, and transportation by van and boat
- Round-trip transfers to/from Busuanga Airport
4-day/3-night Family Friendly Coron Itinerary - Summary
- Day 1: Arrival & town tour
- Day 2: Lakes, lagoons, & coral gardens
- Day 3: Beaches & reefs
- Day 4: Shopping & departure
Where We Stayed
Ruhe Suites
Included in tour package; otherwise ~$30-$60 USD/night
Calamian Islands Travel & Tours seems to run a few hotels, including Ruhe Suites, where our family stayed during our visit. Ruhe is a Santorini-inspired hotel about a five-minute ride outside of Coron town proper. We loved the open layout, pool, and restaurant that served up huge mango shakes. We noticed that the rooms on the first deck (their Deluxe Rooms) were slightly roomier per-person than the ones on deck two and three.
Two cons: the rooms are outfitted with queen beds only, so be prepared if you’re bunking with someone else. Secondly, I and a couple other family members came down with a bad case of food poisoning on our last morning in Coron, and unfortunately we suspect the chop suey from the hotel restaurant. Bummer, because it was quite tasty the first night we ordered it.
Would I stay again? Yes, but I’d steer clear of the food.
4-day/3-night Family Friendly Coron Itinerary
There are a number of tour companies that use similar itineraries, but we enjoyed booking our multi-day tour package with Calamian Islands Travel and Tour company. The English- and Bisaya-speaking guides were kind, knowledgeable, and amazing swimmers and “human-drones” (more on that later!).
Due to our limited time in the area, we chose the four-day, three-night Escapade Package in order to maximize our sightseeing with guides. Check out our full itinerary below:
DAY 1: Town Tour
~6 hours
This was a great way to ease into our vacation and get a sense of our surroundings.
On the afternoon of our arrival and after settling in for a few hours at our hotel, Ruhe Suites, we were loaded into two large vans and brought to Coron town to visit a souvenir shop and a cashew shop with delicious samples.
We then made the 700-step climb up Mt. Tapyas for sweeping views of Coron town and the surrounding islands. I was amazed that my six-year-old made it to the top with hardly a complaint. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the descent.
We spent the evening relaxing in the pools of Maquinit Hotspring, a privately owned natural hot spring.
For dinner (not included in the tour price), we ate at Lobster King, where our family enjoyed delicious seafood for about $20 USD per person. Our meal was accompanied by live music, and a few of our family even went up to sing and play along, which, after a day full of travel, was a lovely way to cap our evening.
DAY 2: Super Ultimate Tour
Lakes, lagoons, & coral gardens
$30 USD if not purchased with package; ~10 hours
Following the buffet breakfast provided at Ruhe Suites, our guides picked us up around 8 a.m for our Super Ultimate Tour. We made our way to the harbor to await our pump boat that would take us around the Calamian Islands.
Once our group boarded the boat, we were given an orientation by our guides, and were also asked whether we wanted to rent any equipment like snorkeling gear, water shoes, kayaks, and more. Then we sat and wait while the guide stepped off the boat to grab the items for us. This process took longer than expected and I wish we could’ve “ordered” our rentals ahead of time so that they’d be ready for us by the time we boarded our boat.
Finally, once our gear was set, we were off!
Our second tour day was an active one with lots of stops:
- Kayangan Lake, which included a quick and somewhat steep hike and descent before our swim;
- Baracuda Lake, where my snorkel gear sank to the bottom, thankfully close enough where a guide could get it!;
- buffet lunch prepared by our crew, and a pool break at Balinsasayaw Resort;
- Snorkeling in two coral gardens (Smith and Twin Peaks); and
- Kayaking and swimming at Twin Lagoons.
This was my six-year-old’s second time snorkeling (the first being just a few days earlier in Moalboal, Cebu), and she was such a trooper! She had a blast looking at all the fish and swimming her heart out.
My favorite memory on this day was of my family in Twin Lagoons forming a human chain where each person wearing a life vest laid back to float in the water, while holding the feet of another person under their arms. It was so silly, yet quite a relaxing way to enjoy the scenery!
The waters were especially blue and clear at the start of the day, and I was awestruck by that and the limestone islands that towered above us. By the late afternoon the waves were choppier and the waters felt more muddled.
Our tour didn’t include stops at CYC Beach or Beach 91; the latter was where we were supposed to have lunch but it was apparently too crowded. Even though they look lovely to visit, I don’t feel like we missed out on anything special in these places.
After another day in the books and when we were dropped back off at the hotel, we put in a huge order of McDonald’s for us all to feast on by the pool.
DAY 3: Island Escapade Tour
Beaches & reefs
$30 USD/person if not purchased with package; ~9 hours
Day 3, the Island Escapade Tour, started off similar to Day 2, but our itinerary was much more aligned with life in a tropical paradise: SLOW. As opposed to the day before, we only made three stops, which made sense as they were significantly further away. But it also meant we were able to savor each destination.
Our first stop was to Malcapuya Island, which was not quite a two-hour boat ride from Coron town. Many of us caught a couple extra zZzs on the ride over.
Malcapuya Island was probably my favorite stop on our entire tour—the bright, sandy beach is expansive, clean, and there are loads of colorful clams and fish not too far from the shore. We had so much fun swimming, snacking, snorkeling, and taking portraits 😛
Our guides were very skilled in the art of the “human drone,” where they take your camera and swish it around, resulting in videos that mimic drone footage. It’s like they’re practicing dance choreography and you get amazing videos as a result!
Before we could leave for our next stop, the tide had gone out so our family had to help the boat crew maneuver our vessel off of Malcapuya. This took the form of folks (mostly the men) getting off the boat, helping push it out of the sand, and moving from one side of the boat to the other to redistribute the weight. We got some cool band photos as a result.
Our next stop was Banana Island for lunch and more snorkeling and swimming. The crew cooked up another excellent meal of seafood and veggies, and prepared this sweet fruit plate for the newlyweds! After lunch we had almost two hours to relax, drink a coconut, and explore the reef.
The tide was quite low at that point, so while the reef was really close to the shore, we had to be very careful in our maneuverings and make sure our life vests and feet weren’t hitting the coral. We saw more clown fish, coral, and even a tiger shark! Plus there was a fish that kept giving me the stare-down.
Our final stop of the day was the Bulog Dos sand bar, which is adjacent to the fancy Two Seasons private island resort. The water was murkier and more choppy at this point of the day, so it was difficult to see. The coolest thing we saw here was a starfish fossil that one of the guides pointed out!
After a short stint at Bulog Dos, we loaded back into the boat to make the long ride back to the harbor, and arrived back at the hotel by 6 p.m., which for my kid meant another couple hours at the pool before bedtime!
DAY 4: Shopping & departure
After two full days of adventuring through the area, I was excited to sleep in and rest before our flight back to Cebu. I’m extra glad I did because I ended up with full-blown (no pun intended) food poisoning immediately before we left for the airport. UGH.
Some of my family members, on the other hand, went back into town for one last bit of shopping, specifically for cashews and treats from Melb’s Cashew Factory, as well as souvenirs like t-shirts and coin purses.
We got picked up by Calamian Islands Travel & Tours one last time and made our way back to tiny Busuanga Airport for our departure.
Wishlist for Our Next Visit
Perhaps when my kid is older we can learn how to scuba dive and check out some of the famous shipwrecks in Coron.
And I’d love the chance to stay on a private island resort 😎
What an adventure!
I would highly recommend making the trek to Coron and Palawan with your family if you’re looking for a beach vacation with tons of swimming and sea life. I haven’t visited El Nido or Puerto Princesa, but my family members who have said they preferred Coron for its accessibility (you don’t need to drive 5 hours from the airport to get there!) and its natural beauty. We saw a lot of Pilipino families and groups on our travels, as well as a smattering of tourists from different places.
Looking back at our experiences and photos, I feel so privileged that we had the chance to visit this beautiful slice of nature, and with so much of my family in tow. For me, the can’t-miss highlights on our tour were definitely Malcapuya and Banana Islands, and the Twin Lagoons. I would certainly be excited for our next visit!
Have you been to Coron or the Calamianes Islands? What would you recommend to other families of color?
Angelica (she/her) is of Cebuano(Pilipinx)-descent and was born and raised in Huchiun Ohlone territory (the East Bay Area--pay your Shuumi Land Tax!), where she also now resides with her partner and their toddler. She loves to spend her time sipping on boba and dirty chai lattes (sometimes together), and eating pescetarian goodies at BIPOC-owned cafes and restaurants.
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where did you book the tour? may I know the name of the travel agency?
Hi Dianne! Thanks for your interest–the name of the tour company is Calamian Islands Travel and Tours, linked in the post. Hope you have an amazing trip!