Day 5 in Coron

On our fifth day in Coron we were planning to see as much of the natural habitat of the sea creatures we were beginning to enjoy so much. We had a great breakfast again to prepare for a long day of swimming and snorkelling. We packed our gear once again and walked towards the pier to meet Neneng and the boatmen. We had to stop by the Tagbanua tourist center to pay for our environment usage tax to go to Barracuda lake which sits on ancestral land.

By half past eight we were loading up to head out to open ocean and make a stop at Beach 91. Again as we were a bit early, we were the only visitors on the stretch of white sand. We relished the fact that we had Beach 91 all to ourelves. Other visitors would come by a little later on but that's fine by us. We can't be alone there forever. I started snapping photos again and snorkelling in its shallow coral reefs to say hello to the fish.

And then lunch came.

After lunch we rested awhile and then we went off to Barracuda Lake. We docked on a bamboo pier and walk-way and Tom and myself walked a few yards off the boat and then climb a few makeshift wooden stairs to the inland lake. I was grateful for the stairs or it would have been my feet ripping those sharp limestone boulders.

Here's a tip! If you plan to visit any of these lakes after reading my blog, you would've been aware that I bring my camera protected by a waterproof waterglove pack, my own mask and snorkel, and my own life vest. Yes, as a precautionary measure all boats for hire in Coron are equipped with life vests. But it is such a comfort knowing you're not floating around in blocks of styropore enclosed in nylon cloth and tied around in herringbone tape ribbons to keep it in place. GET your own professional grade safety-inspected and approved life vest. It's an investment!

Barracuda lake is easily more accessible than Twin Lagoons and Cayangan lake. It's no "walk in the park, though. Off the stair landing that serves as dive-off point is a sheer cliff where shrimp and shell fish cling to and swim around you. Then you realise it's thirty meters deep below that's why the water is so invitingly deep blue. There are rock outcrops which when you get to thinking are really submerged peaks from the limestone rocks. It's a deep pool, some Korean divers had their scuba gear and cameras encased in watertight acrylic cases.

I really should get me a point and shoot that can handle water. My DLSR though protected from sea spray and salt water is far too precious to take photos with. Had I dropped it accidentally, I supposed it would float but I wouldn't risk swimming in 30 meters of water without help from a diver. Eerily beautiful and at the same time marvelously wonderful to behold. I clung to the rough limestone cliff surrounding the lake as I tried to experience the aquatic life in the lake.

Again we stopped by Twin Peaks and visited another dive point. More photos were taken of the fish and the beautiful corral reefs. We stayed for an hour and really enjoyed staying  near the boat in our snorkels. Another mental note, BUY swim fins to get you to spots faster. I was surprised the fish were swimming in a swarm before I realized Neneng had thrown lumps of cooked rice overboard. I don't really recommend feeding the fish as they get used to it and would alter their survival instincts. Eventually, they would learn and they would stop learning how to hunt for their own food. 

From there we went to Siete Pecados. It was a coral shoal with  7 rock outcrops which were surrounded by coral. This was so much fun and very enjoyable if time consuming. The island were surrounded by bouys that were strung together with nylon ropes. One simply needed a snorkel and hold on to the ropes and be able to circle the island. So much God-given beauty surrounded me. I loved every moment of it and was extremely grateful to have experienced it all.

In ten minutes we were at the backdoor entrance of ... ta-daaah... Maquinit! We spent about an hour soothing our soaked bodies in the warm sulfuric pools. It was such a distinct pleasure soothing our sunburned skin. The effect was sleep inducing. Then it was time to head back to the house.

After dinner, we went around looking at the stars enroute to the other hotels in the area. Some  nice accommodations you readers might want to check out are Sofia's Garden, Asia Hotel. For after dinner drinks we went to this almost Medieval looking hotel whose name I could never recall... too bad!

We had to sleep early for an early breakfast and finally for our flight back to Manila on Saturday morning. That was one trip which I nearly didn't make but I'm glad I found the time for. It was simply... PRICELESS!

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!

Day 3 in Coron

Surprisingly, I was up and about 30 minutes ahead of the church bells that rang at 5:30 a.m. This was a signal to the townsfolk that Mass was about to start at 6:00 in the morning. You see, it was Ash Wednesday on our third day in Coron and before we embarked to have more fun, religious obligation comes first.

The San Agustin church of Coron was a two minute walk away from the Jovellanos residence. Sweet! there was no effort involved. Luckily, I had the foresight to have a cup of coffee before even going to Mass in my grey Happy Coat (a Japanese wrap around with wide sleeves and loose knee-length shorts that's usually worn in summer by- Japs, who else?

After Mass, we milled around a while and met the parish priest of Coron and exchanged pleasantries and then went back to the headquarters to have a hearty breakfast. these meals are really a great headstart for the day. Yummy and HEAVY!!!

The day was planned for the group to head for an island called Malcapuya. It would take about an hour to get there by banca (outrigger). At the pier, we were met by Neneng who was the operator of the boat and her boatmen who would take us to our destination. The ride that morning was smooth and pleasant and it offered us views of the other islands that were scattered on different points of the ocean.

The skies were clear and the water ranged from shades of aquamarine to deep indigo depending on the waters' depth and the distance from the islands. Sand bars were visible from time to time and coral shoals could be seen from the boat deck. And after an hour of sailing... Malcapuya beckons.

The boats were docked at the rear of the island where it could not distract from the beauty of the scenery and not obstruct guests from frolicking on the beach. A short walk uphill and down to the shore and we were set up on one of the tents. Oh well, I didn't need to bring my  beach hut after all...

Datu is the main man on the island. His name is a sort of endearment for those who know him as he was the talent for a Datu Puti (vinegar) TV ad. He arranges the accommodations for the guests and he also is the go-to-guy for freshly picked coconuts and buko juice on the island.

Malcapuya has two beach fronts separated by a promontory with a tent on top. I took some photos from the rock in the afternoon and I felt strong winds gushing into shore. I should have known it would be some sort of foreboding on the ride back to Coron island. But that's another story.

halabos na hipon

grilled lapu-lapu

I thoroughly enjoyed my day taking photos of the scenic spots on the island. I enjoyed swimming in the cool turquoise waters and watching fish swim by while snorkelling. The sand was so pristinely white, I would squint from time to time to be able to watch the fish with their deceptive white camouflage swiftly dart by.

grilled squid

Crabs, crabs, crabs

Then it was time for lunch. Boy, did I eat! Crabs galore steamed and served in an aluminum tray, sliced green mangoes with bagoong, lato salad, squid, grilled fish, shrimp and hot steaming rice with coconut juice served in a shell. It was more snorkeling after lunch. And then, for merienda, it was banana cue.

view from the top

By half past three, it was time to head back. At first, the ride was pleasant. The waves were smooth. and then as we hit the open sea the waves were beginning to grow more menacing. The boatmen were skilled enough to steer us clear of the high waves. The ride wasn't as pleasant as in the morning and it took us longer as we had to skirt the white horses coming at us. The winds had picked up and the waves rose with it.

the other side of Malcapuya

It was twilight by the time we got back to shore. The salt water splashing on my clothes and the cold air gave me a sore throat which I would nurse for the rest of our stay. . Dinner was superb as well and we all wolfed it down as we were tired from all that swimming. Coffee and conversation and then I was feeling sick so I went up to bed. It was still worth all that bouncing around the ocean in a banca.

Day 2 in Coron

Aerial view of the islands

Walking to the farm

Our second day was more or less a land-locked adventure. Not that it detracted from all the beautiful scenery of Palawan. Most of us are familiar with the geography of Palawan looking like a long strip of land obliquely lying on the west side opposite Batangas and Mindoro. But apparently, the northern tip of the land has some amazing terrain as we found out when we went to the farm of our friend.

Look who's having fun...

Ripe for the picking

Lebquen is situated on a hilly area that lies midway between the town of Coron and Busuanga airport. It's a stretch off the main road and once we left the main highway, the road network was a patchwork of paved and dirt roads. After passing through privately owned haciendas we eventually got to an area where there was a river running through. One gate after another was opened by the ranch hand and finally... Lebquen!

Grandma's home

I forgot to ask who named the place and what the history behind it was. That story might come a little later. Suffice it to say that the land went on and on for miles around framed by brown hills parched by too much sun and huge stately trees of Philippine hardwood, mangoes, cashew and acacia. And then some...

Mangoes galore

Lia and Sarita were checking out the construction of a cow chute for their livestock. It is, after all, a working farm! So as we tagged along we went walking around the property up to the water source on a hillside that was lush with all sorts of flora. No fauna at this point except for a squirrel and some of the roosters they owned, a few dogs and some wild crows. 

Cow chute

Rooster

It's a wonder how Sarita's grandmother lived in an area that was so remote i.e., to this day, no mobile signal. She lived off the land on her own until she passed away. It is just so isolated from the outside world that very few human contacts would have transpired while she was living there. The next door neighbors would be the farm owned by the Yulo family miles down the dirt road.

We spent the entire morning on the farm having the ranch hands gather star apples, cashew and mangoes right from the trees. Then to my surprise, there was a lady peddling suman (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves and steamed). I didn't have much of it after a hearty breakfast of danggit lamayo, red tomatoes and fried rice... and steaming hot coffee... We bought the entire basket of suman and I'm sure the lady was relieved that her wares were all sold that morning.

Ripe Cashew fruit and the nuts

It was back to the house for lunch and what greeted us was a delicate pasta marinara with huge prawns and fresh seafood. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it! we were more or less free for the afternoon. Still amid peals of laughter, we spent the afternoon chatting and napping and chatting some more. We walked to town as the afternoon cooled down and had some drinks near the pier. The sunset was just glorious! I took a picture just as the sun was going down and a sliver of the new moon was rising. Twilight and dusk captured in one shot!

Pasta anyone?

Cheese sticks

Can't get it to rotate. twilight and sunset

Dinner was at Bistro Coron along the main highway. We were there a little early as the place gets really busy at night and the orders are a little slow as they prepare the food per order. But the wait is all worth it. We had Salad Nicoise and Pizza. and when the orders arrived, i was aghast that the pizza was an entire tray! So much for watching what I eat! We dove into the meal and relished every morsel. 

Salad Nicoise

Pizza!