Day 4 in Coron

On the fourth day of our Coron sojourn I woke up to a nasty dry cough and a really dry and sore throat. I was so glad for Tom Firme's ginger brew which he mixed with some malunggay (moringa oleifera) and some honey. It helped though it was not the answer to my condition.

That didn't stop me from enjoying the rest of my trip though... That day was marked for a stop to Banol beach, Twin Lagoons and Twin Peaks. We had our gear in tow and we walked towards the pier once more as it was a pleasant morning and we were full from another hearty breakfast. 

It only took about fifteen to twenty minutes by boat to get to Banol Beach which was a secluded cove quite near the pier of Coron. When we got there, it was a haven all to ourselves. This was rather a short stretch of  dazzling white sand and some coral made for interesting snorkeling a few meters off the shore. We went viewing all sorts of sea creatures the entire morning. We even had a look at dozens of sea urchins and clown fish. Hello, Nemo!

red snapper

lechon kawali

As usual lunch was ready by noon and an interesting item on the menu was a fish locally known as "suran". It apparently is well known as devil fish from the horny protrusion on its forehead. The meat was tender and flaky and it had a sweetish taste and creamy. There were more crabs, and some more salad to go with the steaming hot rice cooked off the boat. There was also some sort of conical shell that was cooked in coconut milk and some greens. 

Suran or devil fish

shellfish with coconut milk and kangkong

We had all purchased rings fashioned out of a type of shell and made it our band of a sisterhood and took photos of our hands in the sand. After lunch it wqas time to head to Twin Lagoons which was a thermacline. Fresh water from the lagoon and sea water sort of meet and the result is a warmer temperature. There's a series of bamboo walkways that also serve as mooring docks for visiting boats.

I had to swim through an cave opening and ended up in the lagoon that was as vast as it was deep.  Tom had to tow me back to the boat as my camera was slung on a water glove on my neck and it was difficult to maneuver around in the water. I also swan around near the boat to feel the warm water and view the fish. Then the visitors came in droves. That was our signal to leave.

cave entrance to Twin Lagoons

Inner sanctum of twin lagoons

Close by was twin peaks. It was an rock outcrop in the open sea and a coral atoll was surrounding it. There was just too many fish in that part it was difficult to keep track of the variety of all of them. I stopped attempting to take photos by then. Mental note - get and underwater point and shoot! 

Twin Peaks

The sun was going down and it was time to head back to port. The fried sweet potato served as our snack and we had coffee to enjoy with it. This time the waves were so much milder and more enjoyable. By the time we got back to Sarita's home there was still plenty of time to go up Mt. Tapyas. The mountain top had a huge cross that was lit up at night and from that vantage point high up in the peak all of Coron could be seen. I snuck in a few photos of the glorious sunset and took photos of the other points of interest such as; the sleeping giant and the port below.

Mt Tapyas summit with the cross (how do i rotate this?)

Bring plenty of water with you if you plan to go up Mt. Tapyas. Although there are rest stops, all 771 steps to the summit can leave you panting for air. That accomplished i headed back and got ready for dinner which was all Spanish food. Paella, meat prepared by Lia that had been marinated in cumin and spanish paprika and all sorts of savory spices amnd two kinds of salad: one made with the cashew harvested from Lebquen farm and another made with florets of  cauliflower Postre was flan with a home-made Greek yoghurt. There was coffee to end the evening meal. What a perfect day!