Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CORON TOWN TOUR OPERATORS
Most hotels can arrange various tours of the islands and attractions near Coron Town,
but it's worth shopping around as itineraries and prices do vary. The following are
recommended:
Calamian Tourist Boat Association
At the town
pier behind the market.
This outfit has its own fixed
prices for island-hopping.
Calamianes Expeditions
11 San Augustin St
T
0919
305 4363,
W
corongaleri.com.ph.
An excellent budget
choice. They need a minimum of five people to run tours,
but will pair you with other groups to make up the
numbers. Coron Island tours, for example, start at just
P650/person including all admission charges and lunch.
Sea Dive Resort
See below.
In addition to their
recommended dive trips (see box, p.395) this is a good
place to check out when it comes to tours.
ACCOMMODATION
There are plenty of budget
places to stay
in Coron Town, as well as a growing number of mid-range options. While
convenient, note that hotels around the market and harbour can be noisy. Some of the most luxurious and serene resorts
in the Calamian chain lie off the
north coast of Busuanga
, a bus and boat ride from the airport and a 1hr drive from
Coron Town. In spite of damage from Yolanda and ongoing repairs, all of the options below were at least partially open at
the time of writing.
7
Ralph's Pension House
172 National Hwy
T
0921 631
5449,
W
ralphspensionhouse.webs.com; map opposite.
Cosy little guesthouse with ten bright, modern a/c rooms
with bathroom, flatscreen TVs and verandas; you also get
wi-fi, roof-deck b
ar, free
coffee and mineral water, but
service is sketchy.
P1300
★
CORON TOWN
Coron Gateway Hotel
Near the Coron Market
T
02
887 7107,
W
corongateway.com; map opposite.
This
plush hotel is right on the reclaimed waterfront next to the
market, which could be seen as a plus or a minus. The huge
rooms are stylishly decorated, with bathrooms with giant
tubs, Japanese-style raised bed areas, cable TV and shared
balconies, but the restaurant is mediocre, the wi-fi is not
dependable and
the sta
ff are a bit disorganized (book
tours elsewhere).
P3000
Coron Village Lodge
134 National Hwy
T
0998 167
1968 or
T
0928 202 0819,
W
coronvillagelodge.com;
map opposite.
Ex-family home, now a friendly hotel with
25 rooms, a five-room apartment (with kitchen) and a lush
garden. Rooms are bare-bones but spotless, with a/c,
bathroo
m and
TV. It also has some of the best tour packages
in town.
P950
Darayonan Lodge
132 National Hwy
T
0917 894
4593,
W
darayonan-coron.weebly.com; map opposite.
Rambling bamboo hotel with decent deluxe rooms in the
newer wing (P2300); the older rooms are a bit shabby.
The pool is a nice extra, and the free wi-fi (in common
areas) is pretty reliable. The alfresco
restaur
ant,
Raphaella's
,
serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
P1400
KokosNuss Resort
1km north of town
T
0919 776
9544 or
T
0919 448 7879,
W
kokosnuss.info; map
opposite.
The first accommodation as you approach Coron
Town from the airport, set around a lovely garden area with
hammocks and a small pool. Rooms range from basic with
shared bath to private with a/c, hot showers, mosquito nets
and flatscreen TVs. Free wi-fi. Renovations were underway
at the time of writing and plans are for
a concr
ete dorm
room (P600) in place of the old nipa huts.
P1680
Sea Dive Resort
3 Don Pedro St
T
0918 400 0448,
W
seadiveresort.com; map opposite.
Popular divers'
resort offering simple, comfortable options including
en-suite fan and a/c rooms (P1400) and budget rooms with
shared bathrooms (P450). There's a decent restaurant, bar
and internet access, and the dive facilities are first rate.
Visa and MasterCard accepted (5 percent surcharge). It is
also a well-equipped dive operation (see
box,
p.395),
popular with beginners and advanced divers.
P900
THE NORTH COAST
Club Paradise
Dimakya Island
T
02 719 6971,
W
clubparadisepalawan.com; map p.391.
Slick, German-
owned place with cosy, modern a/c cottages a stone's throw
from the beach and a fabulous house reef - turtles and
dugongs have been sighted h
ere. Ra
tes include airport
pick-up and full board. Per person
P5500
El Rio y Mar
Port Caltom, San José
T
02 838 4964 or
T
02 668 3929,
W
elrioymar.com or
W
dugongdive
center.com; map p.391.
Set on a 500m-stretch of beach
facing a lagoon (it's on a promontory, not an island), with
an infinity pool. The 24 spotless, beautifully maintained
native or cedar
cabañas
all have hot water, TV and video,
and there's basic wi-fi at the restaurant. The many
activities, diving and tours on offer cost extra; kayaks are
P750/day, a north coast island tour is
P2500
/person and a
Coron Island trip is P3900. Per person
P8000
