Coron was high on my priorities when it came to visiting Palawan in The Philippines. I rarely book places far in advance and this was no different. While I was on one of my regular search and scroll through the Booking.com app I came across this hidden gem.
In this blog post, I will tell you all about my stay and overall impressions here. In addition, I will fill you in on the boat trip I did during my time here. If you are looking for a hidden getaway, keep reading!
The Resort
The Alfaro Cosmio Resort is actually located at D’Pearl Bay in Busuanga. It is about an hour from the centre of Coron. If you are coming directly from the airport, it’s about 45 minutes away by van. This tends to be the standard price according to tourism regulations in the locality.
First of all, don’t be like me. Make sure your phone is charged as you’ll need to call reception. They will send someone over to collect you by boat (just like you’re in The White Lotus Season 2). Upon arrival, you will walk up the short but steep hill you’ll be rewarded with a hospitable welcome and a drink from the staff. On top of that, the idyllic view is all yours to take in.
If you are looking for peace and solitude, this is the place for you. My experience here was very different from when I went scuba diving in Moalboal where everything was along a busy street. They have an on-site restaurant where there is a wide selection of food options to choose from on their menu (Filipino and Western options).
Also, massages are available here. Just make a booking at reception to get one. Everything in the hotel finishes up at around 9pm at the latest but you can tell them what time you want to eat, etc.
Furthermore, here is a fun fact you may not know! If you are a fan of the Dutch TV show ‘Million Dollar Island’, it was shot in the area and there are photos of the cast and crew up in the seating area.
The Room
Each room is like a bungalow along the hills so you’re practically guaranteed an amazing view. My room had a double bed, shower, sink and plenty of space. There was also an outside seating area protected with a roof if you want to sit outside.
Also, I would recommend bug spray as there are plenty that’ll hover around you. The room had fans so I was kept very cool and a mosquito net to protect me at night as well. Apologies for the poor quality picture, I made a very quick video and this is a screenshot!
The Boat Trip
If you come to Coron, there are a few standard boat trips which you can do. If you want to do the main ones, you’re better off staying in the Centre of Coron to save time in the morning and coming back in the evening. I opted for the half day boat trip.
I was on a boat for 10am and back for about 3pm. The boat stopped at Lusong Gun Boat, Coral Garden and Pass Island. I was able to get a packed lunch based off of the menu at the hotel.
If you choose this option, you’ll get time to snorkel around the Lusong Gun Boat area at first. You just need to get your head into the water and you’re going to see a really cool shipwreck. One thing I really loved about this trip was that the water was pretty warm. I was happy to spend all my time in the water as were the other guests.
For our next stop, the boat took us for about five minutes and we got back in. The driver told us to get in and he drove on. It looked like he moved about 800 metres away. The water was shallow as you get in so be careful not to touch any coral. The coral garden itself was beautiful and you will happily spend all your time swimming along admiring the beauty below the surface.
Once that was done, we went onwards to Pass Island. Here is where all the boats in the area came together and there are picnic tables to eat your packed lunch. The sand is nice and soft and all the boat drivers play sport together on their break. You can hike up a small hill if you like as well.
About an hour later, we were back in the boat. The great thing about this trip is that it wasn’t so far from the hotel. I have mentioned this before but I will mention it again. Wear sunscreen! I got absolutely scalded and it took days of covering myself aloe vera to get back to normal.
Final Thoughts
Finally, I look back on this experience with fond memories. There were a few guests and it was nice to get to know one of the families staying there during mealtimes and the boat trip. If you want to go off the grid, this is perfect for you!
However, if you want more things around you, then you might prefer the centre of Coron. Also, check with the hotel which mobile phone provider has a good signal. I ended up having to go back 1km and ask a local family to call the reception to pick me up one night!
Thanks for reading and I would love to hear how you got on there if you visit.
If you liked this post…
You may also like these other posts where I wrote about my time in The Philippines:
Scuba Diving in Moalboal, The Philippines.
Sardine Run and Turtles at Panagsama Beach, Moalboal, The Philippines.
Canyoneering in Alegria, The Philippines | What to Expect
Whale Shark Watching in Oslob, The Philippines | What to Expect
