Few people who like to relax on the clean sandy beaches, swim in the clear, transparent sea and enjoy the beauty of untouched nature have not heard of the small island of Coron in the Philippines.
This place is a paradise for lovers of diving and snorkeling, off the coast of the island there are many Japanese ships sunk during the war. Sometimes you don’t even have to dive deeply, the feed of one of them literally sticks out of the water, and you can see everything by swimming around with a mask and snorkel.
How to get there
The Corona itself in the Philippines has a very hilly terrain, almost 70% of the island is occupied by steep hills, so there is no airport on it. You need to fly from Manila to the nearest island of Busuang. It takes about 30 minutes by car from the airport to the town of Coron, located on the coast of the island. There are several hotels and guest houses where you can stay. Permanent residence on the island of Coron in the Philippines is impossible, the island itself and its coastal waters are not only a nature reserve, but also a private territory of the local Tagbanua tribe. Therefore, only a few beaches on the coast and two freshwater lakes are available for tourists to visit.
When deciding how to get to Crown in the Philippines, it is best to agree with the local boatmen, there are always a lot of them at the marina of the town. Tourists are also advised to buy a boat tour to the nearest islands, which includes a visit to the freshwater lakes of Corona and a picnic on one of the beaches. The tour group usually has more than 25 tourists. Keep in mind that the island administration charges extra fees for visiting places located on the territory of the Tagbanua tribe.
Sacred Lakes Islands
There are eleven freshwater lakes on Coron Island. Most of them are respected by the natives as the habitat of spirits, and access to them is prohibited for everyone except members of the tribe. Only two lakes are open for visiting, and one of them, more recently, was also considered sacred. Several years ago, at a tribal council, local residents decided to open Lake Kayangan for visitors. The shamans of the tribe held special ceremonies and announced that the spirits of the lake "moved" to another reservoir.
Kayangan Lake
All fresh lakes are located in the interior of the Crown of the Philippines. In order to get to Lake Kayagan from the coast, where sightseeing boats approach, you need to climb a mountain and then go down to a reservoir. Upstairs are approximately 150 steps, equipped in the rock. At the top is an observation deck, which offers stunningly beautiful views of the coast of Corona. Pictures from this place are often used in brochures.
For the convenience of tourists, there are wooden decks on the shore, on which you can leave clothes before swimming. According to reviews, there are few tourists in the morning, closer to noon, when large tour groups arrive, it becomes crowded.
Not quite comfortable is that you can swim only in a small part of the lake, fenced by buoys. In addition, while swimming, even adults are forbidden to take off their lifejackets.
But all these minor inconveniences fade before the beauty of this once sacred lake - a huge bowl of clear, absolutely calm water surrounded by ancient rocks, densely covered with tropical plants. It seems that time has stopped in this place ...
Mysterious Barracuda
Before the second available before visiting the lake, a boat ride for about 10 minutes. The water of Lake Barracuda is slightly brackish, but also crystal clear. The depth of the lake is more than 30 meters, and it seems that all these meters are visible in clear water.
This is a great place for diving, and fans of snorkelling will also not be bored. Of course, there are no bright fish here, the underwater world is completely different. In this ancient place, the rocks not only rise above the shores of the reservoir, but also descend steeply into the depths of the lake. As tourists say, when you look at these powerful vertical walls that go under the water, you get the impression that the lake has no bottom at all.
An interesting local legend about the origin of the name of this reservoir - Barracuda Lake. Locals believe that in the underwater rocks, at the very bottom, there is a sacred cave, the entrance to which is protected by a huge barracuda. In general, natives have many ancient legends associated with huge predatory fish living in sacred lakes. They say that it is because of these legends that it is forbidden for outsiders to approach the sacred waters. Even Filipino citizens living on neighboring islands are strictly prohibited from entering the Tagbanua tribe.
Double Pearl of the Coast
When deciding what to see on the Corona (Philippines), be sure to remember one of the most impressive places on this island - the Twin Lagoon. It is located very close to Lake Barracuda, about five minutes walk.
This secluded place consists of two small bays, interconnected by a small through grotto. During high tide, the grotto is filled with water, and from one bay to another you can go up the stairs to the rock. But at low tide you can swim across the mainsail. If you use an action camera, here you get some of the most beautiful photos on the Crown in the Philippines.
Both bays from all sides carefully cover powerful rocks, water in a lagoon of an unusual turquoise color. Dark cliffs are densely covered with trees and curly bushes of deep green color.
Unusual phenomenon of nature
An interesting natural phenomenon occurs in the waters of two nearby bodies of water, Lake Barracuda and the Double Lagoon, at a depth of about twenty meters. Here, heated water rising from underground thermal springs collides with lake water, which is much colder. The temperature difference can reach 8-10 ° C. For example, on the surface of the lake the water is 27 ° C, and in the depths already 35 ° C.
And these streams of water are painted in different colors. When diving with scuba gear, you can see a clear color border where they meet.
Sandy beaches of Corona
The entire east and north coast of Coron is literally dotted with small sandy bays and beaches. All the beaches here are similar: fine golden sand, gentle sea.
For lovers of secluded relaxation, it is better to rent a boat from local residents and ask them to find a small secluded beach. Large sightseeing boats often go to large bays for lunch and relaxation, with at least 25 tourists each.
Some beaches are closed to visitors, the local boatman will also be able to inform about this. To make the trip even more enjoyable, you can buy local fresh fish in the city in advance in the morning, and the boat team will gladly prepare it for lunch.
Lovers of the underwater world
For those who like to watch the life of marine life, there are several picturesque coral reefs near the coast of the island. All of them are located at a shallow depth, a maximum of 4-5 meters, so you do not need to rent a scuba gear, just a mask and a tube.
The most spectacular reef, Smith Coral Garden, is located in the northwest of the island. There is a very rich underwater world, a lot of bright fish, often large turtles swim impressively.
Mysterious Coron Island
Despite the fact that in our time there are almost no unexplored territories on the planet, part of the province of Palawan, Coron in the Philippines, still remains a white spot. Extraneous visitors almost never visit the majority of the island; it is almost impossible even for scientists to get permission from the tribal council to enter the sacred lakes. Maps and a description of the inner part of the island are practically absent, although an interesting rocky relief and an abundance of various water bodies are distinguished in images from space.
The mystery of the island of Coron in the Philippines has not yet been solved ...