Diving in Coron, Palawan, Philippines

Coron is a small island off the northernmost tip of the main island province of Palawan, Philippines. The first leg of the trip is a 45-minute plane ride from Manila to Busuanga. The small airport was only commercially opened in 2008 and can only land 40-seater airplanes at the most. From Busuanga to the town of Coron is another 30-minute van ride. To get to your destination island resort could take another hour or two by motor boat.

Coron is famous for its beautiful coral reefs and underwater world. There are no long stretches of pristine white beaches in Coron where you can laze and loll. The routine is for you to hop on a boat with your snorkelling and /or diving gear. A tour guide and a boatman will happily take you right in the middle of the bluest and clearest sea, anchor the boat and then give you the “go” signal to plunge into the deeps of Coron. Be ready for large and colourful fishes to swim with you. You might even get lucky and spot a manatee. Fantastic!

Diving is becoming a popular water sports in Coron. There are PADI, SDI and TDI accredited training schools in the area that promise a newbie of a good “dive” in just a matter of hours. Diving aficionados from different parts of the world are keen to see World War II wrecks that lie depths of Coron Bay. There are more than 20 reef sites in the Apo Reef Natural Park alone that are great diving sites too.

If you want to experience nature at its best and simplest, a trip to Coron, Palawan is highly recommended.