Palawan represents our archipelagic riches: My Coron Travelogue* (Part I)
After my Palawan vacation together with my parents, cousin and
friends, I decided that it is indeed the ultimate destination that
represents our archipelagic riches, with her string of islands, fine
white sand stretches of beaches, giant karsts, cool caves, different
corals, colorful fishes, lush mangroves, and infinite series of blue
waters. Added to that riches is our signature Filipino smile which
can easily be found everywhere in Palawan, from the tour guides, the
boatmen and often, the Visayan-speaking pedestrians.
Our day started with a meeting at the airport. My cousin Cooky with
her two friends Sharon and Marissa emerged in the airport fresh from
their respective hectic nursing duty at St. Luke's Medical Center,
and two more friends of hers, Jo and Jess, a mother and daughter
tandem, came from Iloilo City while I and my parents and family
friend Nida, came in the airport in travel lite mode. And the fun
began!
TWO DAYS IN CORON TOWN AND CORON ISLAND
We were so enamored with Coron Town in Busuanga. The little town
perches the Maquinit Hot Spring, the 700-steps Tapyas Mountain, the
wet market filled with fresh catches, cashew nuts and some dried
fishes as well as the wharf for boats plying different destinations,
including the Coron Island loop.
On our first day tour, our first stop was Siete Pecados, a site
teeming with fishes and corals. It was such a lucky day for us as
when we stopped by, there are no other tourist boats so that we were
spared of hurried snorkeling and swimming. We also enjoyed feeding
the fishes.
After Siete Pecados, we went to the most picturesque part of the
Coron Island Loop, Kayangan Island. We went up the rocky and hilly
Kayangan Island then stopped midway to visit a cave and to take
breathtaking shots of the most popular Karst of Coron Island. From
there, we descended the rocky cliff and trailed the steps along the
Kayangan Lake. We sampled the bracky waters of the lack and swam
towards the small cave. There are majority of non-swimmers but the
invitation to to swim (with the assurance of the life vest and our
guides) is irresistible. We swam along the stick fishes which abounds
the lake.
We had lunch at Banol Beach then went to Skeleton Wreck to snorkel
and observe the most visible wreck in Coron Island (there are a lot
of them!) and feed some hungry and not-so hungry fishes and capped
the day with a swim to the Twin Lagoon where one has to pass by a
crevice that serves as entry to the other lagoon.
After some rest, the group headed to Mt. Tapyas after almost
climbing the 700 steps. The cross on top of the mountain can be seen
from the shore and all around the town. When one is already on top,
one can see the bird's eye view of the town, the islands and the waters
plus the breathtaking sunset!
*Published in June 4, 2013 issue of Sunstar - Bacolod and at the Sunstar website: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/lifestyle/2013/06/03/my-coron-el-nido-and-puerto-princesa-travelogue-285566
Comments
Post a Comment