Coron, Busuanga, Philippines

Coron is the third-largest island in the Calamian Islands in northern Palawan in the Philippines. The island is part of the larger municipality of the same name. It is the largest town on Busuanga island. Coron is about 170 nautical miles southwest of Manila and is known for no fewer than 10 well-preserved Japanese shipwrecks of WWII vintage. The island is a wedge-shaped, limestone island generously blessed with karst landscape of towering limestone cliffs, crystal clear water, pristine white sand beaches, majestic lagoons, fantastic reefs and diverse marine life. 

We began our day with a welcome at the port by a marching band. As we neared the port, their music could be heard in welcome. The band was accompanied by a color guard of lovely young ladies. Each balcony onboard was full of passengers listening to their music, heavy on the xylophones, looking overboard at their brightly colored uniforms and flag waving corps. 

Our excursion started with boarding long wooden boats bound for Siete Pecados, (seven islands) one of the best places to snorkel on Coron. The seven islands cluster together to create a protected reef. The seafloor here was covered with hard corals and countless fish. We would have to say that on this day, we saw less fish than was expected but the corals were amazing.

Next we headed to the Twin Lagoons. The first lagoon is where the boat docks, while the second is hidden. This lagoon is normally accessible only through a small crevice under the rock, which is exposed at low tide or during high tide, a ladder over the rock. The latter was the case upon our arrival. The way up and down through the rock was not well maintained and a rickety mess. The pathway was very narrow and could handle foot traffic only one way at a time. Getting to the second lagoon was a bit treacherous, but well worth the climb up and then down into the lagoon. One interesting phenomenon here is a reverse thermocline, with the water being warmer at depth, where it is heated by the volcanic activity that lurks beneath the islands, and cooler near the surface. It was very relaxing to wear a life jacket and just float and drift in the lagoon enjoying the temperature variation. Pure bliss. Busuanga Island’s Maquinit Hot Springs is also one of very few saltwater hot springs in the world that shares the same hot/cold phenomenon and many passengers that preferred another option for their day trip enjoyed the springs. They said it was worth the trip inland. Another example of having to choose between two great options when faced with just one day in port.

Our day was capped off with a stop at Banol Beach – a stretch of sandy white beach surrounded by a majestic backdrop of towering limestone cliffs. A small beach bar was built into the cliff and the bright green water was very inviting for swimming and relaxing beachside. This was a day to remember! 

After visiting Coron we have been two days in the South China Sea on our way to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The weather has been quite nice but steamy hot. The seas are a bit rougher out here in the open water. We are occasionally tossed off balance while walking around the ship but neither of us has experienced any sea sickness yet. They are forecasting 99 degrees for our arrival tomorrow morning. We have two days in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and are looking forward to the adventures on tap. 

Our trivia team has had some success these last two sea days but we, unfortunately, have fallen off of the leader board for now. There are 3 or 4 rounds left between now and Hong Kong where this round will conclude. What got us today, was the bonus round (scored higher) that had 11 logos of world organizations and we only managed to get 4 correct. Others bypassed us with more correct answers. I think some of us had too much fun at the St. Patrick’s Day dance party on deck late night. We had a blast sans the sweaty outcome. Irish drinks were served and the entertainment by the onboard band was excellent. Unfortunately, again…I only took video so cannot provide pictures. My mistake. 

Today’s funny: Robe guy turned up to the dance party in…you guessed it…his robe. Two loose-lipped, well-dressed women scolded him for his “inappropriate” attire and he exclaimed, “those Brits have no sense of humor!” So, he returned to his room and came back to the party in a pair of jeans and a button down shirt boasting the American flag. I think this was his way of retaliating for his perception of their uptight British attitudes. He continues to crack us up! He has joined our trivia team so there are more daily interactions, which always entertains us. He does put his clothes on for those competitions. Since the party, we have been getting push notifications on our Seabourn app reminding everyone of the appropriate attire after 6 pm. Something tells us that perhaps they are meant for him but no one is naming names. 🙂

I’m always intrigued by the entrepreneurs in these kind of areas.  They show up in these boats that might run and might not. They are kind, enabling and — doing whatever they can to grab a dollar. When they “dock” at the different sites it’s a free for all. If they have space – fine if they don’t, they are just fine practically running over swimmers, other boats or anyone else to get space. No angry words or gestures are exchanged. I’m encouraged by the attitudes of the tourists. They accept that the rules are different in these areas and go with the flow even when a boat is pushing said swimmer into the limestone wall. Somehow it is understood that it will all work out. The up-tight complainer seems to not be with us… I also was impressed by the guy who showed up using a plastic storage bin (that you might buy at the container store) as a boat and is selling chips to the tourists for a dollar. How did that guy get to this remote area?? How does he get through the day without capsizing? Why are people that are all wet from swimming buying chips? No reason to answer these questions… FIPO – Forget It and Press On. Great day.