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Battle of the Islands: Coron Vs. El Nido

Black Island, Coron

After seeing Coron and El Nido, it is inevitable to be asked to compare these two stunningly beautiful islands situated in Palawan. They are both incredible in their own ways.

 While both of their beaches, islands, lagoons and rock formations may look all too similar and it would be challenging to put up a score card on each one of them to tally the points, I will be comparing them based on the categories below.
(L) Matinloc Island, El Nido (R) Coron Island Cove, Coron

 Purely based on my own trip experiences, here is my verdict:

1. Islands and the Beaches

You can't really miss to do island hopping when visiting either Coron or El Nido. Both of them have surprisingly tons of islands to see and a 4-day-vacation would just never be enough to explore all of them.

Counting off how many I have seen, El Nido has more of these and larger rock formations compared to Coron. Both have impressive long stretches of white, pure sand surrounded by vast amount of coconut trees to add to these already postcard-like-scenery. Both have blue green waters and unique picturesque landscapes which even gets more beautiful as you get from one island to the next.
Pinagbuyutan Island, El Nido
[Photo Credit: April Anne B. Loayon]

Snake Island, El Nido
[Photo Credit: April Anne B. Loayon]

 I would have to base my vote to the place where I was captivated at first sight. It may have been I have too much expectations of El Nido but it took me three days to be totally impressed with it while I was already in love with Coron on the first day of our island hopping.


Twin Lagoon, Coron
Banol Beach, Coron

The isolated Black Island, Coron

 The timing of the trips may have added as my deciding factor as well. El Nido during May is just too crowded. I think I've seen more boats than the actual view of the lagoons and islands so it was a bit frustrating to get a good glimpse of just the island alone to appreciate its beauty. Coron in February was a good timing as we always had the islands to ourselves to marvel at.
The shore filled with boats at Seven Commando Island, El Nido


My Vote: Coron


2. Marine Life

El Nido surprised me with its immense marine biodiversity. I have only done snorkeling on both places so it may differ had it been a diving trip. 

On the other hand, apart from corals and fishes, Coron has several Japanese ship wrecks which was indeed a fascinating thing to see and something El Nido doesn't have.


One of the many Japanese War Shipwrecks in Coron

But I have to choose El Nido for the fact that I have thoroughly much enjoyed the snorkeling experience here. I've seen a great array of marine life in El Nido compared to Coron.


My Vote: El Nido


3. Variety of Things to Do/See

El Nido is mostly catered for people who enjoy beach bumming, island hopping, diving and snorkeling. Its marine life is absolutely impressive.
Big Lagoon, El Nido

View from the top of Matinloc Island
Entalula Island, El Nido
[Photo Credit: April Anne B. Loayon]

 It has a lot of hidden lagoons and beaches where you have to make an effort to get into it (like crouching into small openings).

 Coron on the other hand has other things to offer. Apart from its beaches and islands, it has the thrill of hiking at Mt. Tapyas and Kayangan Lake, relaxing bath at the Maquinit Hot Springs and the close encounter with the animals in the wild at their own island safari of Calauit Island.

Mt. Tapyas

Coron Island Cove

Feeding Gerard the Giraffe was the highlight of my trip at Calauit Island


My Vote: Coron


4. Accomodation

While the common misconception about El Nido is that it is expensive, if you are a practical traveler, then you won't have to splurge on fancy accomodations if you will be out exploring most of the day anyway. There are many exclusive and high rated hotels in El Nido but there are even more cheaper and decent accomodations to choose from.

We stayed at Hadefe Cottages. I would highly recommend this place. They have large rooms which are well maintained and very clean. They have a nice spot to have breakfast too before heading off to do your island hopping. 
Our Daily view at Hadefe Cottages

My experience with finding accomodation in Coron was a bit unfortunate. I may needed to have done more research on this. We opted to stay at Coron Backpackers Guesthouse. Don't get me wrong, the place is nice and very cheap too but we had difficulty with sleeping and being comfortable (personal preferences) so we chose to leave instead. Our tour guide was kind enough to recommend a place (more of a home with a spare room) to stay at so we weren't entirely left in the streets during our first night.



My Vote: El Nido


5. Accessibilty

Coron has direct flights from Manila (via Busuanga) and about a 30-45 minute drive to get to the town proper. El Nido has a direct flight from Manila too but it would be expensive (about Php 14,000 per person). The cheapest way to get there would be to fly from Manila to Puerto Princesa and then take a bus or van which is about 5-6 hours of excruciating ride to reach El Nido. While there are several stops along the way, the bumpy, zigzagging roads and being cramped into a van would be a very uncomfortable ride.

My Vote: Coron


6. Food

I am not really a foodie when travelling so I am not particularly choosy when it comes to what to eat. But the choices of what and where to eat would play a great deal on which I vote for in this category.
Sumptuous Seafood Lunch by the Beach, El Nido
[Photo Credit: April Anne B. Loayon]

Both places have an abundant supply of seafood and this is what we mostly ate during the trip. 

 El Nido has a similar set up with Boracay, with bars and restaurants near the seashore, although it is quieter and more relaxing which I like. However the food prices are more expensive and what we found mostly are western cuisines.

 I find Coron has more cheaper and food options to choose from compared to El Nido. What I like mostly is the open-air local food dining area that they have that we were literally having dinner under the star-filled night sky. Truly an authentic local experience to enjoy a local food.

Local Dish "Goto" in Coron


My Vote: Coron


7. Value for Money

While I have been asked several times if a trip to Coron and El Nido is expensive, both are really affordable only if you don't mind going for cheaper options. While everyone has their own preferences and budget to consider, I would say that both are doable and the money was well spent with the services I got. In my own point of view and experience, Coron is cheaper overall but again it all depends on one's preferences of where to stay and activities to do. 

 Recalling the cost I paid for flights (excluding Singapore-Manila), Accomodation and Tour for 3 People:

 5D4N Coron:  Php   8,880
4D3N El Nido: Php 10,500

 The tour package we got for El Nido is relatively cheaper than what I have expected. But we had to share the boat with 9 other people for the tour while in Coron we had the whole boat to ourselves. Though Coron is cheaper, I would give El Nido a point for this category too.

My Vote: It's a Tie.


The Score Card:

1. Islands and the Beaches : Coron
2. Marine Life: El Nido
3. Variety of Things to Do/See: Coron
4. Accomodation: El Nido
5. Accessibilty: Coron
6. Food: Coron
7. Value for Money/Affordability: Both

Coron:  5/7
El Nido: 3/7


Coron is still by far my favourite place that I wouldn't mind going back to. To conclude this comparison, if you are into beaches, diving, snorkeling - El Nido would be the perfect place. But if you are like me who prefers variety and adventure, Coron is the place to be.


Banol Beach, Coron


More about Coron:

Calauit Island

Qarla

I am a Tourist in My Own Country


April 2015 - Boracay Island, Philippines

With 7,107 islands the Philippines has, how many have you really explored of it? 

"Have you been to Davao, Batanes, Sulu, Surigao, Siquijor?", asked a French solo traveler whom I've met on a shuttle in Coron. He has traveled to almost every island in the Philippines and he just can't help but to go back.  "No? Ah you are missing a lot! You have a lot of really nice places here!", he added, making me feel more embarrassed. It was his second trip to Coron while I was still on my first at that time.

I met a lot of other fellow travelers from all over the world and whenever they find out I am from the Philippines, the never ending praise goes on about how truly beautiful my country is. And to hear their own stories makes me realise how little I have seen of the Philippines.

I haven't really made that much effort to explore my own country and I have spent my travels mostly on visiting other foreign lands, taking on 8 to 14-hours of flight, while my own country is just a 3-hour flight from Singapore. There's just always the notion that I can always visit it any time. The Philippines has always been my last option to go to whenever I can't find any cheap flights to other countries.

Flight to Kalibo, Aklan

 Boracay Island is one of the most famous beaches in Asia and in the world. I visited it for the first time last 2012 but it was only for one night and during a rainy season so I do not exactly know what the fuss is all about this island. I only got to truly experience it for the first time last Easter holiday.

White Beach, Boracay Island

 The Beach is my favorite place to go to when I feel tired from the hustle and bustle of a city I am at. My ideal beach would be a quiet and relaxing one where I can lay by the sand and read a book or take a nap. So I was a bit overwhelmed of what I've seen in Boracay.

Arriving straight from Singapore on a 3-hour flight to Kalibo, I still had to take a shuttle for almost 2 hours and hop to a boat to get to the island. After all that tiring travel I was just really looking forward to chill by the beach. I didn't anticipate what was waiting for me in Boracay.



There was just a lot of things going on all at the same time on this island! Too crowded and loud as it was a long weekend holiday as well. There's just enough space for the seashore as it was packed with stages, dining areas, chairs and tables, etc. Even the sea itself was filled with sail boats, jetskis, paddle boats, the sky filled with parasails. I think I even get more tired arriving in Boracay.

It was almost close to sunset when I got there so I had to hurry and put down my bag and get dressed to catch the "famous sunset" as what my friend told me.
These local kids offered to build a sandcastle for me.

Waiting for the sunset

Nevertheless, it didn't fail to disappoint me. The sky was painted with orange and yellow streaks as the sun bid goodbye to another day and welcomed another night. And as soon as the sun sets, that was when the other part of Boracay emerged - Night Life.

Sunset in Boracay


Bright, colourful lights lit up the island as loud music began to fill the air. The crowd gathered around the local fire dancers as they start to perform, embarking on another fun-filled night. It seemed so synchronised and expected to be seen but not for me. It was like the beach has transformed into this huge, open-air party place. All types of music can be heard - pop, rock, live bands, acoustic - name it, they play it! I can't keep up where to watch and what to listen to as all of them were just literally right next to each other. We were listening to this solo acoustic singer playing Ed Sheeran while the bar next to him was playing Rihanna. Even if you are not into partying and dancing, I bet you would have still enjoyed it. The mood of the island and the people was just contagious.

                    


I felt like just any other first time tourist, all smiles and looking wide-eyed on all the flashy, festive things around me. I just can't believe how much fun I was missing on visiting a place like this in my own country.

You can do and find almost everything in here - shops, good food, good entertainment, good music, talented local performers, white sand, clear skies, pristine waters, lots of activities to do - how can anyone want to leave? I was very much impressed how the locals have worked hard to promote this island into a very popular tourist destination. I don't even remember having a dull moment in here. Anywhere you set your eyes upon on, there will always be something interesting to catch your attention.

Dinner by the beach just right after the sunset.

Thankfully I was still able to find an area of solitude, away from the sea of people and had some time to relax the next day.

Station 1, White Beach, Boracay



A glimpse on a beach wedding setting in Station 1, White Beach, Boracay

I kept on putting off going here before because of my impression that it is just too commercialised and it's really not my type of beach. I may not have thoroughly been able to relax during my short trip here but it did leave me a good impression for me to go back again, perhaps on a longer trip next time. Now I know why a lot of foreigners and even Filipinos are drawn to this island. I doubt that it's just the white sand and clear waters that they keep coming back to. It's the vibe that Boracay emanates that you can't resist.

There is truly no other place like home and we should all really do need to put more effort in exploring our own country. This trip has been a wake up call for me to see more of my own country so that the next time I meet another traveler who has seen the Philippines I would no longer be ignorant of my own country.

Qarla

Coron on a Budget



Banol Beach

Planning a trip to Paradise? Whoever said a trip to Coron is expensive may or may not be correct. However, if you know where to stay and where to eat, you'd probably save a lot more money and make this vacation possible. Here are a few tips from our trip to Coron.


FLIGHTS


To get to Coron, there is a direct flight from Manila via Philippine Airlines, PALExpress, Cebu Pacific, AirPhil. The peak season is during summer time in the Philippines which is from March-May, although there are quite a number of promotions these airlines have every now and then so better keep an eye on those! The flight is approximately one hour. When you land at Coron (Busuanga Airport), you still need to travel by land for about 45 minutes to get to Coron Town. It is advisable to arrange a pick up before you arrive.



GETTING AROUND


Since Coron is more popular for island hopping, we needed to have a guide to sort out the rental of boats. We met Elmer through one of my good friends. He is absolutely really cool and one of the most humble people I have ever met. Here is the *breakdown of our tour. Some say it is more expensive, but having searched through other tour operators in the internet, this is way cheaper in my opinion.
Elmer doesn't do internet advertising. He gets his clients from recommendation of friends of friends. You may contact him by sms at *+639194417721. To get around town, you can walk since Coron town is so small. There are a lot of tricycles that you can ride too. The price varies on how far you will go but it's really cheap.

WHERE to STAY?
Coron offers a lot of options in terms of lodging - from beautiful hotels, to backpackers guest houses, B&Bs, inns, name it - they all have it! But if you are on a tight budget and want to save more money, you can check out Coron Backpacker Guesthouse. It is owned and being managed by a Filipino-British guy. It gives you all the basics - bed to sleep on and drinking water, a big kitchen where you can cook as well. It is a nipa hut type of house and so you will feel homely. They also have a lounge area with free Wifi where you can hang out and meet other guests. The only problem in Coron is electricity. It goes off once in a while especially in the afternoons so it could get hot and they don't have a generator. But if you're always out anyway and don't mind not having electricity then this should work. You can get a room with a fan for as low as *Php 500 (USD 13) per night. 

Some cons of staying here are: 1) Mosquitoes - be sure to have some insect repellent lotion with you. 2) Noise - we could hear all sorts of noise from different animals from the neighbours - pigs, rooster, dogs and the noises of children playing and adults chitchatting. The walls are so thin, you can actually here everything from the outside. I didn't mind at first but since we needed to sleep and rest coming from a red eye flight from Singapore, it was inconvenient. If you want a quieter place to stay at, this may not be suitable.


 We stayed here for a day and decided to move onto another guest house. If you can ask around, the locals actually do rent out some rooms of their houses for a cheaper price. We found one house with a room good for 2-3 people and it has an aircon. It was a bit pricey compared to Coronbackpacker guest house (Php 800/night) but we didn't mind. The area is quieter and more accessible to shops and food places. They are not being advertised so you have to ask the locals of these kinds of houses.

WHAT TO EAT?

 There are a lot of food options Coron has to offer. There are various Western restaurants available in the town. If you want to have a taste of the local Filipino dishes, there are a lot to choose from. But for me, who has been living abroad, I always take this opportunity to eat Filipino dishes that I have missed so much and couldn't cook or buy from abroad. Majority of our stay in Coron, we have dined out, literally under the stars.





This got to be my favourite food place on the streets of Coron town! Street Food at its finest! And it's really cheap! For about *Php 30, you'll already have a full meal! Its amazing to see a lot of foreigners trying out the local dishes too.
Local Dish "Goto"

My favourite "Isaw" (Chicken Intestine) 

Chicken Head

For our third day, which is actually our rest day, we explored the town and ventured on some food trip. We tried out a Western restaurant (forgot the name!) and had pizza and pasta for lunch. It was over all OK but it was pricey! We spent around *Php 700 for this meal.

         




 And we got a little crazy for dessert! We had "sorbetes" (ice cream) for *Php 10 , 3 scoops and one sweet cone.  And "halo-halo" (which means 'mix' of ice, milk, sweet beans and fruits) for *Php 15 for one whole bowl.

Sorbetes
Halo-Halo
"Taho" (Sweetened soya milk) good for breakfast at *Php 10
One of the most popular food in Coron is a type of dried fish (Danggit). It is marinated in vinegar and salt. What I like about this is it's not too salty for my taste unlike the other dried fish in the Philippines. This is best served with fried rice and egg. This costs around *Php 35.
FRESH FROM THE MARKET

 Coron has a lot of local markets, so if you want to be adventurous with food and cook your own, you can! For our two-day island hopping activities, we bought our own food and lots of fruits. If you can use your bargaining skills, you can get them cheaper. The market is pretty much complete - they have different variety of fresh fish, pork, beef, vegetables, fruits, even condiments and canned goods are available as well. 
Dried Fish ("Danggit")

Freshly caught fish during our boat ride and grilled pork belly

Grilled Bangus (Milk fish)

Indian Mangoes and "Bagoong"

Recalling the total cost I spent for this 5D4N Trip was roughly around 
*Php 8,880 which included flights (Manila-Busuanga;Busuanga-Manila), Accomodation and Tour for 3 People. Overall, we had a fantastic time in Coron without really compromising our budget. 

All prices/figures (*) were from last February 2013.              

Qarla

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