Coron 2024 · 5 Days · Full Itinerary & Costs

Philippines · 2024

Coron,
Palawan

February 25–29, 2024 · 5 Days

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 5 Travelers (incl. 2 kids, 2 grandparents)

🐊 Lakes · Wrecks · Giraffes · Hot Springs

Coron Town · Calauit · Black Island

Manila→ Busuanga Airport→ Coron Town→ Kayangan Lake→ Calauit Safari→ Black Island→ Busuanga Airport→ Manila

The Story of the Trip

Five Days in the Calamian Islands: Karst Lakes, Japanese Wrecks, African Wildlife, and a Leap Day Goodbye

Coron is a place that resists simple description. It is an island in Palawan but its heart is freshwater — the blue volcanic lakes set inside karst limestone towers, with visibility so extraordinary you can see the full depth of them from the surface. It is a wreck dive destination but the wrecks can be snorkelled. It has hot springs that run seawater-warm above the hills and a safari park — a genuine African wildlife sanctuary — two hours north. It is all of these things at once, and we brought two young children and two grandparents and they all found something to love about it.

Day One was the town itself: seven hundred steps up Mt. Tapyas to see the whole bay laid out below, the natural saline hot springs at Maquinit, the cashew factory and the church and the evening in a town that still moves at a human pace. Day Two was Christopher Lozada’s banca and the full karst circuit: Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake, Twin Lagoon, a shipwreck, reef, a beach lunch. Day Three was the early ferry north to Calauit — giraffes, zebras, endemic Calamian deer in the forest — and then south to Black Island and its volcanic sand and turquoise lagoon. Day Four was the day the wind won: amihan from the northeast closed Malcapuya, and we went back to the hot springs and the massage parlour and the market and had one of the best accidental town days of any trip. Day Five was a Leap Day, and it ended with cashews and pearls and a small plane lifting off over everything we’d seen.

Five days, one family, and a province that repays return visits. What follows is all of it — day by day, peso by peso.

📊 Trip Summary

Ops Total (5 pax)

₱68,500

Per Person

₱13,700

Duration

5 Days

4 Nights · Leap Day finish

Group

5 Pax

2 adults, 2 kids, 2 grandparents

💰 Budget Tiers (Total for 5 Pax, excl. flights)

🎒 Budget

₱42,000

Guesthouse in Coron town (₱800–1,200/room)
Joiner tours for the karst circuit
Skip Calauit (long travel day saves ₱5,000+)
Walk to Maquinit (no van hire)
Carenderia meals + street food only

🌟 Mid-Range

₱68,500

Mountain View Garden Inn (as taken)
Private banca with Christopher (full circuit)
Calauit + Black Island day (Day 3)
JY van for airport + Calauit ferry runs
Traditional hilot massage on Day 4

💎 Luxury

₱120,000

Dive-resort accommodation (Two Seasons Coron)
Private guide for Calauit full day
PADI open-water dives at the Japanese wrecks
Private speedboat instead of outrigger banca
Malcapuya overnight (when wind allows)

📅 Day-by-Day Breakdown

Day 1 — Feb 25

Steps, Springs & the Town Below

Arrival · Mt. Tapyas · Maquinit Hot Springs · Coron Town · Cashew Factory

📖 Read Day 1’s story →

₱9,950

₱1,990/pax

Item	Category	PHP
Cebu Pacific MNL–USU + JY van transfer to Coron town	✈️ Transport	₱1,500
Mountain View Garden Inn (Night 1)	🏨 Lodging	₱3,500
Maquinit Hot Springs entrance (5 pax)	♨️ Entrance	₱1,000
Tricycle hire around town	🛺 Transport	₱450
Cashew Factory purchases + souvenirs (Day 1 scout)	🛍️ Shopping	₱1,500
Meals (lunch, dinner, snacks)	🍽️ Meals	₱2,000

Day 2 — Feb 26

The Super Ultimate Banca Tour

Christopher Lozada’s banca · Kayangan Lake · Barracuda Lake · Twin Lagoon · Lusong Gunboat · Coral Garden · Smith Beach

📖 Read Day 2’s story →

₱19,700

₱3,940/pax

Item	Category	PHP
Private banca charter (Christopher Lozada) — full circuit	🚤 Boat	₱6,500
Kayangan Lake entrance fee (5 pax)	🏞️ Entrance	₱1,500
Barracuda Lake entrance fee (5 pax)	🏞️ Entrance	₱1,000
Twin Lagoon + Lusong + Coral Garden fees	🏞️ Entrance	₱1,200
Snorkel gear rental (5 sets)	🤿 Equipment	₱1,000
Mountain View Garden Inn (Night 2)	🏨 Lodging	₱3,500
Packed lunch (Smith Beach) + dinner	🍽️ Meals	₱5,000

Day 3 — Feb 27

Giraffes in Palawan & Black Island

JY van to Calauit ferry · Calauit Safari Park · banca to Black Island (Malajon) · cave + lagoon

📖 Read Day 3’s story →

₱17,700

₱3,540/pax

Item	Category	PHP
JY van hire to Calauit ferry point (return)	🚐 Transport	₱3,000
Ferry to Calauit Island (5 pax return)	⛴️ Ferry	₱2,500
Calauit Safari Park entrance + jeep tour (5 pax)	🦒 Activity	₱2,750
Banca to Black Island (Malajon)	🚤 Boat	₱2,500
Mountain View Garden Inn (Night 3)	🏨 Lodging	₱3,500
Meals (packed + dinner)	🍽️ Meals	₱3,450

Day 4 — Feb 28

The Day the Wind Won

Malcapuya cancelled — amihan Coron market · Maquinit (again) · hilot massage · pasalubong scouting

📖 Read Day 4’s story →

₱13,150

₱2,630/pax

Item	Category	PHP
Maquinit Hot Springs (5 pax, repeat visit)	♨️ Entrance	₱1,000
Traditional hilot massage (5 pax × ₱700, 1 hr)	💆 Wellness	₱3,500
Mountain View Garden Inn (Night 4)	🏨 Lodging	₱3,500
Meals (market lunch, waterfront dinner)	🍽️ Meals	₱3,500
Tricycle + miscellaneous town transport	🛺 Transport	₱650
Pasalubong scouting (no purchases today — deferred to Day 5)	🛍️ Shopping	₱1,000

Day 5 — Feb 29 ✦ Leap Day

Cashews, Pearls & a Leap Day Goodbye

Cashew Factory final buy · pearl shops · JY van north to Busuanga Airport · Cebu Pacific USU→MNL

📖 Read Day 5’s story →

₱8,000

₱1,600/pax

Item	Category	PHP
Coron Cashew Factory (vacuum-packed, 3 varieties)	🛍️ Pasalubong	₱3,000
South Sea pearl purchases	💎 Pasalubong	₱2,000
JY van Coron → Busuanga Airport (45 min)	🚐 Transport	₱1,500
Airport breakfast + snacks	🍽️ Meals	₱1,500

What’s not included above: Manila–Busuanga return flights (Cebu Pacific MNL–USU–MNL, approx ₱3,500–7,000/pax OW; round-trip for 5 pax ₱35,000–70,000 total — we logged ₱25,000 for 5 pax on departure). Malcapuya boat charter on Day 4 was cancelled (refunded). Rate used throughout: ₱56.00 = $1 (February 2024).

✈️ Getting There

Manila → Busuanga / Coron (USU)

✓ We took thisCebu Pacific MNL–USU direct (1 hr)

Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU), Busuanga. Coron town is a 45-min drive south. Book the JY van transfer in advance — the shared vans fill fast and depart promptly after the flight.

₱2,500–7,000 OW

AltAirSWIFT MNL–USU (also Coron to El Nido)

AirSWIFT operates the boutique tourist route and is often pricier but less crowded. Good option for shoulder season when Cebu Pacific seats disappear.

₱4,500–9,000 OW

Getting Around Coron

✓ We took thisJY van for airport transfers + Calauit run

The JY vans (shared mini-buses) are the standard airport-to-town and town-to-airport transfer. Book your slot through the hotel the evening before. For Calauit, they run to the ferry point departure with private hire.

₱300–400/pax shared

✓ We took thisChristopher Lozada — private banca captain

Our banca captain for the whole water portion of the trip. Deeply knowledgeable about tide windows, reef conditions, and crowd timing. Book ahead — he fills up fast in peak season.

₱6,500–8,500/full day

Budget altJoiner banca tours from the pier

For groups of 1–3 people, joining a shared banca makes economic sense. For 5, a private charter isn’t much more expensive per head and gives full schedule flexibility.

₱800–1,200/pax

Weather & Seasonality

February: amihan season (northeast monsoon)

February is dry season in Coron — clear skies, good visibility, minimal rain. However, the amihan (northeast wind) blows strongly and can close the western islands (Malcapuya, Banana Island, CYC Beach). The sheltered eastern karst lakes and lagoons are almost always accessible. Build a contingency into any western island plans.

Best: Nov–Apr

🏨 Where We Stayed

Coron Town — All 4 Nights

✓ Where We StayedMountain View Garden Inn · Coron Town

Our base for all four nights. Central, clean, well-run, perfectly positioned for the pier, the market, and the town restaurants. Efficient staff. ₱3,500/night for 2 rooms (5 pax).

₱3,500/night (2 rooms)

Budget altTown guesthouses · Coron center

Several clean budget guesthouses within walking distance of the pier. Ideal if you’re spending all day on the water and just need a clean bed.

₱800–1,500/room

Mid altCoron Westown Hotel · Sea Sky Hotel

3-star options in the center with air conditioning and en suite bathrooms. Good value for a small group.

₱2,500–4,500/room

Luxury altTwo Seasons Coron Island Resort · Club Paradise Palawan

Two Seasons is on its own island — you take a boat to the resort. Club Paradise is in the Calamianes group. Both are full-service dive resorts. Exceptional if the budget allows.

₱8,000–25,000/room

🍽️ What to Eat

🥜

Palawan Cashews

The best argument for overweight baggage allowance. Palawan cashews are roasted fresh in three varieties — plain salted, garlic, honey-glazed — and vacuum-packed for the flight home.

Coron Cashew Factory (Days 1 & 5)

₱250–350 per 250g vacuum-pack

💎

South Sea Pearls

Palawan is a primary South Sea pearl farming region. The shops one street back from the pier have better prices and quality than the tourist strip. Buy from the lustre, not the price tag.

Pier-adjacent shops, Coron town

₱300–2,000/piece

🐙

Pusit & Dried Fish

The public market dried fish section has pusit (squid), danggit, and local varieties sealed in plastic. Goes in checked bags only — the smell is part of its character.

Coron public market

₱150–250/pack

🍖

Waterfront Seafood Lunch

The strip of restaurants along the Coron waterfront does grilled fresh fish, kinilaw, sinigang, and cold San Miguel. Lolo Nonoy’s floating restaurant off the main strip is worth seeking out.

Coron waterfront, Day 4

₱250–400/pax full meal

🐄

Carenderia Rice Meals

The town’s carinderias serve fresh fish and rice meals for ₱60–80. The best quick lunch before getting back on the water. The market food stalls are a level above the sit-down options for value.

Coron public market area

₱60–80/pax

🧘

Hilot Massage

Not food, but essential nourishment. The small hilot parlours one street from the pier charge ₱700/hr for traditional Filipino therapeutic massage — among the best-value wellness experiences in the Philippines.

Small parlours, behind Coron pier

₱700–800 per hour

💡 Trip-Wide Tips

Book Christopher Lozada’s banca in advance. He is the best captain we’ve sailed with in the Calamians — knows the tide windows, crowd timing, and which reefs are in good condition. He fills up months ahead in peak season (December to April).
Kayangan Lake requires an early start on Day 2. The lake is one of the most visited attractions in Palawan and crowds peak from 9 AM. Being in the water by 7:30 AM means the lake to yourself — the light through the karst walls at that hour is extraordinary.
Calauit requires a 6:30–7 AM departure from Coron. The ferry crossing is 1.5–2 hours and the animals are most active in the morning cool before midday heat. Bring insect repellent for the grassland sections.
Western islands (Malcapuya, CYC, Banana) face the South China Sea and close in strong amihan. February is peak amihan. Build a contingency — the eastern karst lakes are almost always accessible and are better anyway.
Do your pasalubong scouting on Day 4, buying on Day 5. The Cashew Factory and pearl shops are best revisited after you’ve already established which products and price ranges work. Efficient buying beats stressed browsing on departure day.
Weigh all bags before checking out on Day 5. Cebu Pacific baggage fees for overweight are steep. Vacuum-sealed cashews are surprisingly heavy in bulk; post a box via LBC or JRS from the town rather than paying airline fees.
Busuanga Airport is small and has minimal food. Eat a full breakfast in Coron town before the 45-minute drive north. The drive passes beautiful limestone hill scenery — sit on the right side of the van for the mountain views.