Coron Island short side trip

In December 2023 I had the opportunity to add to my exploration of the Philippines. A week away tacked onto a work trip. Within this week I planned out a one side destination trip. Just one island, one day trip. So that I wasn't overwhelmed. And well acknowledging there may be other opportunities for more trips later. Yes the prior trip had physically broken me. I'm no longer 25. 

I chose Coron Island over El Nido. Not because I knew it'd be better. I had seen enough videos comparing the 2 destinations to figure out you'd be okay whichever you choose. Both are a part of the Palawan region. I chose Coron Island because I could fly out of there easier on the time frames I had. A week away meant I needed to be more direct, in, out, no dilly-dally. There was no time for rain delays, nor contingencies if I had to ferry elsewhere.

Accommodation I had read up about had indicated that you need to be in the Town Centre if you want to walk about. And it often was overpriced and under delivered from the reviews I read. Sure you can find luxury resorts. But I am a solo traveler with just a need for a morning coffee. I don't plonk down on a day bed next to a pool,  reading a book, and cocooning myself from the locals. So with that in mind I found a perfect little micro hotel owned and run by a local family. DKs Inn. The owners were wonderful and had been building their hotel. Unfortunately Covid hit just after starting and well they didn't get the opportunity until 2023 to start earning some of their investment back. They had only 4 rooms available at the time I visited and were finishing the next 4 rooms on the level above. Rooms ere tidy and clean, and well they were keen to ensure their hotel was catering to the western market as well as locals. No pool or spa. But that's not where you're there for. Coron is a Island Tour Town. A tour or 2 and perhaps a day in the town is their major market. Long weekenders from Manila,and the internationals bouncing from Coron to El Nido or vice versa.

The island hoping tour I chose was the "Ultimate" tour. This was one of the larger tours you could do taking in as much as possible in one day. I figured splitting into 2 days of island hopping might just have left me nursing a sunburn on the last day. 

So instead of a second boat tour I used the last full day to complete a walk up to the top of the hill. Only I left to hike perhaps an hour before I should have according to my hosts instructions. It was hot, humid, and well 700 stairs were a lot more than I thought. But I made it before nearly eveyone that afternoon. Physical fitness was completed, and I wasn't left as an awkward loitering solo traveler hanging out on a hilltop waiting on a sunset.

AFL Grand Final 2023 Brisbane Lions were so close

So I've been in football season. Where I've not been traveling overseas. Just following my team. We've been in the window. And well this year we were 1 goal from winning it all. I was there watching it all. So I made a video.

Intramuros Manila without becoming impecunious

Manila is a big city. And well a big city with developing country reputational issues. It's reputation is that of bad traffic, pollution, and petty crime. So my plans included only 2 nights of Manila. 2 nights too many for many who have been there before. Unfortunately reputations like cliches exist for a reason. And in the case of Manila although they formed a backdrop to my level of awareness I didn't let them totally overshadow the visit. The traffic just spoke to me of the opportunity there is for improvement through a metro and bus system. Improvement that would lift the quality of life. It's a young country with aspirations. They'll get there.

In Manila my focus was to merely to make sure I was in Manila in time for my departure home. I purposefully made sure I was not connecting flights into Manila the same day to then fly out that night. I then also wanted to show the city some respect. Heck it's the capital for a reason. So 2 nights was like a compromise. I would have enough time to explore a bit of history, and then also could attempt a shopping spree in the multitude of shopping malls the city was known for.

The highlight was easily the Intramuros. I had no idea this area was so huge. I did though fall for the pedicab tour thinking I'd be done within an hour. And well I won't call it a tourist trap, but didn't read the fine print. It was 350php per half hour, not per tour loop that takes an hour. I admittedly took nearly 3 hours and well was quite a bit poorer than I had expected when my rider told me his total. And well in retrospect he had waited outside each time for my to exit each exhibit he had sent me into. No wonder he wasn't pushing me along. He was minting easy money. And well once I'm in there learning history I'm not looking at my watch. I was enthralled with the absolute quality of the precinct. It was a great afternoon. If I was organised knowing how to complete the tour area beforehand I would have just stayed in the cab, gotten the 2 minute explanation at each stop, and kept on going until I had completed the loop. And then I'd of just returned on foot following the path we took. The Intramros is big, but it's a history trail of site you can complete by foot at your own pace. Heck if I'm lucky work might send me back to Philippines and then I can revisit. There were some restaurants and cafes that would have great to just sit and take in the view.

 

Intramuros ended up a much more successful experience than the shopping centres. After all my walking through I brought nothing having realised most of the quality clothing the country makes must be for export, or was too small for my "westerner sizing". I did though enjoy the centres. They provided food courts, coffee, air-conditioning, and a safe environment. Which was good as so many warned me that I needed to be extra cautious.

Oh and if someone from Philippine Tourism is reading. Please, please, please lift your game with the international airport terminal 2. It was the most sad international departure area I have ever encountered at 10pm at night. I was there a captive with 2 hours before my flight. To think I could just sit down and take in a nice meal before boarding was presumptuous. All I wanted was better than the upcoming disappointment of an airline meal. Oh how wrong I was. "Chef Mic" prepared or well repaired my chicken and rice order in nuclear fashion to my dismay. I sat there in the poor mans 7eleven thinking this was my last experience of Philippine cuisine. And this was the best of a bad bunch of choices. A decent international cafe or restaurant would not go astray. Even a Jolibee could have saved this disgrace.    

Staring into the eyes of Tarsiers on Bohol

Bohol was the winner of the competition between the islands of the Philippines on which island was to get my tourist dollar's attention on a first trip to the Philippines. It had been a close battle in the planning stages between the excitement of Palawan versus the traditional highlight reel, Boracay. But from the YouTube videos came a dark horse, or should I say a tiny monkey. And all of a sudden the eyes had it. And my what big eyes they were. This island had come from nowhere to snatch the victory. Bohol, for the win! Here I could still get the reefs and beaches as the other destinations promoted. But more importantly I could also get the nature in the form of animals and inland rivers. This was just another dimension the others couldn't match. 

My transit to Bohol was just a two hour ferry from Cebu City to Tagbilaran and then 20 minute taxi from the terminal to the main tourist accommodation area of Alona Beach on Panglao Island. This was a small island off the bigger island of Bohol. Importantly though this was also now where the fairly new airport for the region. An important factor as from here I was off to Manila as my trip would effectively be coming to the end.

Alona Beach was the most Western tourist destination outside of Manila I stayed at on the trip. Here I definitely found the more mainstream tourist. Heck there was a McDonalds at the top of the main tourist loop street away from the beach. Nothing wrong with that if you are after more of the easy to book tours, and to have the comforts of home. And with the mainstream does come some level of certainty. I had managed to book my accommodation well in advance and so had a smaller resort along the main beach for a price palatable to my credit card. This meant I could walk out the from of the resort to be met by postcard views. Only those postcard views were not temperature identifying. Here in middle of March it was already 30 something degrees with a death ray feel from 10am. There was no enjoying the water until late afternoon. And well I also noticed there were spiny sea creatures, starfish and jellyfish of unknown danger levels near the shore for those not paying attention. This was why you could nearly always find the beaches mostly empty during the day, and the resort pool as the most important feature to be evaluated through photos on a hotel website. At least at night I could sit out in the restaurants along the front watching over the beach as if I was a big spender.

 Fortunately I had already completed an island hopping tour. Hence I had no urgent need to get out and burn to a crisp. This allowed me to focus on the Countryside Tour as my number one activity from Alona. Word of warning for those looking at tours here. You get what you pay for, and well most of the time its the same thing included or not included. The other learning was book whatever away from the beach touts. Not rocket science to figure out that. But this price difference was stark and well often the difference was merely my budget tour didn't include the entrance fee. 

Fortunately my mostly backpacker tour group were fairly savvy spenders. So we managed to leapfrog one stop when we all skipped the quad bike tour. But perhaps this was somewhat spurred by our falling for the cheap butterfly exhibit and terrible "animal prison/zoo" which had been first up. Anyway following the bad start the three main highlights of the tour were achieved. These being the Tarsier Conservation Sanctuary, the Chocolate Hills, and a Lomboc River Cruise. 

I must admit I didn't do the sanctioned lunch buffet river cruise incorporating the captive local community dances as designated for the tourists. Instead I joined others in finding a local tour boat that did the same route without the overpriced buffet and karaoke. Such a better result to just see the beauty of the river.

 

 

My final full day on Panglao I gave into the bike hire touts. I hired a scooter. I spent time riding to Tagbilaran and around the island to a few destinations around Panglao. It was an easy island with safe roads I couldn't get lost on. Glad though I didn't try doing the countryside tour myself via this on one day. It was a decent ride around just on Panglao chugging along at upto 40km/hr to get to Tagbilaran. I could see why the YouTubers had made a full trip up to the other areas over days with the scooters. Bohol is deceptively small when you look at a map. Perhaps a case could be made for a later trip to the other adventure parks, zipline, and northern beaches. 

Moalboal Day Tour with Kawasan Falls. I am not 25 anymore

I am sure most have been in the situation I found myself, staring up at a ceiling, unable to move a limb, wondering how the light will turn off, writing out lines in my head like Bart Simpson in the credits of a Simpsons episode.

 

I am not 25 anymore.

I am not 25 anymore.

I am not 25 anymore.

I am not 25 anymore.

 

Not sure I'll learn from this experience. However I survived!

 

Where did my planning process go wrong. I do remember looking at the day tour before departing Australia. Oh look, snorkeling, zipline, and canyoning in the one day. Sounds fun. Sign me up. What could go wrong.

In my defense when I was in the planning stages of my trip to Philippines Moalboal had come up as a must see. Initially I watched the YouTube videos, and started to investigate my options around the concept of staying in Moalboal for a few days, completing the snorkeling one day, and the canyoning the next. Then reality of distances and organising trips from afar started to muddy the waters. A bus ride to Moalboal was impossible to book online, and then it just seemed a lot of risk getting there and back. Hence Moalboal the idea, became Moalboal the day tour instead. This is where it all went pear shaped. If someone else reads this, and thinks how could they do this differently I offer to you what I ruled out, the overnight 2 day tour. As the second day was the day tour of Oslob I had made the ethical choice of not supporting the "swimming with whalesharks" as it became clear in 10 years time I'd be reflecting upon having supported a "whale petting zoo", the Philippine version of the Thai Tiger Temple. Heck I'm already on the hook for another Thailand equivalent 10 years back by riding the elephants. So once bitten, twice shy. But if you can justify the extra night well I say go for the split of activities.

The downside of my new Cebu based plan was as I knew it'd be a long day, with departure from 4am, and due to finish at 7pm. But well that schedule wasn't even close. By the time we returned I was falling out of the tour van at 10pm. Long, long, long day. Recovery was brutal. I was broken for days. Glad I allowed for a Cebu touring day after before setting out onto the next destination.

So what was in the tour that broke me. The tour was amazing. From the pickup it was about 3 hours until we made it to our first waterfall. The Mantayupan Waterfall stood up to the expectations for the waterfalls of Cebu. This was indeed the island of the Blue Powerade waterfalls. The Acqua blue in my photos is no trick photography. This is why Instagramers and YouTubers were stopping by with their flashy drones. For some tourists this was their main stop as they were going all out based on their getting in for the swim upto the falls on a bamboo raft, with the special instagram worthy photos and all. For us this was just the first stop. Barely rated a mention in the itinerary.

From here it was only a short drive onto our main morning activity, the boat trip to Pescador Island. The boat trip was about a half hour out to a protected reef area around the island where you jump off and swim over the coral. To their credit the tourism operators they do give a full lecture before the trip about not stepping on the coral, and no touching etc. Well done on them for being active about protecting their livelihood from ignorant tourists. Of course being the Philippines you weren't alone on the reef. There were perhaps 20 other boats doing the same boat tour concept. From stop one we moved onto a position next to the township of Moaboal itself. Here was the "swimming with the sardines". It was fantastic. We managed to just drop in and instantly you could see down to the layer of sardines below. I did realise at this point I probably could have went the "hire the flippers" option to make it easier to get down to sardine layer. But well I had enough on my plate. Swimming, snorkeling, and photos at the same time. And well now I've swum with Sardines. Goal was ticked off the bucket list. My memories of it are good enough. 

 

The boat trip didn't stop there. There was a 3rd stop just 5 minutes down the coast still just off Moalboal. This third stop was the point at which we were to swim with the sea turtles. Initially I was a bit disappointed. Where were they, and how would we get in for a shot if we even found one. I headed in and didn't see the groups from other boats were already in full harassment mode. I was sure even if they actually had a turtle there it'd be outta there quicksmart. Our boat guide though directed me to just follow the group for a second. eventually the dust settled and well into the frame a giant size sea turtle appeared. It was casually munching down on some sea grass and no pesky tourists were going to take its eye off the meal. Goal was again achieved. Immediately after I exited having swum enough. Snorkeling hadn't been all just floating around. There were currents and boats around which to navigate. And well I knew I'd be us for a heck of a lot more by the days end.

 

Upon returning to shore we were onto a lunch stop and launch point for the afternoon of Canyoning in Badian. The tour lunch was just a simple chicken and rice. Here you're kitted out with life vests, helmets, and sandals ready for the afternoon. The only decision you need to make is are you walking down to the canyoning, which takes about 40 minutes, or do you want to pay extra to complete the giant Zipline. Now I knew I was paying extra. But some of the locals in the tour realised late that they hate walking more before getting to the same decision. I wanted to do a Zipline and what better opportunity would I have. Once you commit what they don't mentally prepare you for is the 5 minute motorcycle ride upto the zipline. Think awkward motorcycle ride with 3 people on a small moto, hurling at 30km/h up and down along a dubious double cement tyre track path which looked slippery. There would be no stopping, one bounce, and we would have been cactus. I just had to trust the rider. It did though set the scene for the zipline being adventure tourism. And well heck you've already signed several waivers. Anyway we got upto the launching pad, strapped in, and then off you go. Looking down 100m to the canopy below is amazing. And these are 800m or so long zip lines. I was Gopro in hand thinking I'd get an awesome video. Alas my issue was I hadn't understood the instructions for the zipline properly. Against the instruction I had in my head, I should have let go of the double hand tie of the ropes to go one in each hand. I ended up twisted backwards the whole way. This left me without a good expectation of when to lean back for impact into the destination. Yes I was "coming in hot". Great fun though.

 

This left us with the final and most significant tour component of the day. Canyoning at Kawasan Falls. Expectations for me had been it'd take about 2 hours, and it'd be all fun and games of psychological doubt of jumping from varying heights into water from cliffs. And well I didn't leave the censors down. 5 metres is a long drop from a rocky cliff face. And well it's not all floating in the life vest down to the next jump point catching your breathe. I thought you just lean back taking in the canyon views while floating. Nope it's a physically demanding scramble over rocks between the multiple levels. My ankles hated it. There is nothing fun and relaxing about playing twister on slippery rocks. The brain wanted rest, not combos of "left arm hold, right foot big rock, followed by left foot small sharp rock, and right arm push off side walk of rock". And well it just kept going and going. All up it was 4 hours by the time we escaped the canyon. Alas for me we were only about three quarters the way down when the body decided it was too shattered. There I was wanting to stand and walk to the end of the pool we were in when all of a sudden ping!, "what the... ! cramp, cramp, cramp". All I could think was, no not now. Luckily I had made it to a makeshift drinks point where a little old lady sold water. I just handed over whatever last coins i had in the pocket, and guzzled that bottle of water I was able to get. 

 

From there onwards I pretty much had my own guide for safety escorting me out down the remaining chain of pools. Luckily for me my main issue was just sheer exhaustion and not a fall etc. I had nothing to prove, and had a good few years on everyone in the tour group. Mentally I was in survival mode, and had a good excuse to just pass on the final 10m rope swings into the deep pools. Just working on scrambling down was enough. My body language wasn't hidden. I looked shattered. I felt shattered. And every muscle from the ankle up was warning me it was a twitch from triggering another cramp. Yes the brain was still in denial. The scenery was visually amazing. But body was having nothing of it.

 

So by the time we had made the 3 hour drive back to Cebu City I was not thinking more than go to bed. There was no thinking I'd be able to stay awake eating even a basic meal. I wasn't going nowhere. Not even to sit in a chair in the hotel bar with a celebratory drink. All I wanted was a shower, followed by staring at a ceiling laying as still as possible. My holidays are always so relaxing. My brain and eyes loves them. The rest of my body has a differing opinion.

So on reflection if you're 25 go do it. One day, and then go out after in Cebu City. But if you're not, then perhaps you might want to break up the day into the 3 activities this actually was.

Cebu City the centrepoint to the trip

In terms of a traveling reference when you say the word Cebu for to a trip in the Philippines you need to be careful. Island or City? What's your prospective? Cebu City is the second city of the Philippines. However when you say Cebu most think you mean the whole region. There is so much to Cebu. A lot to take in from the city, to the north, to the south, and there were even destinations on the Matcan Island to the east I missed all because of time. Hence you can understand why it makes for such a good launchpad for seeing the Philippines.

For me there were stays in the city making it a central anchor to my tour. I had arrived by plane, but then nearly immediately departed by bus for Bantayan in the north. Then I returned by bus only the then go on a day tour south to Moalboal. And then after my stay I left by ferry onto Bohol. It's large, it's developed. The city is no iconic must see for nature the city itself but it is an important jump point from which everything is found. It is though unfair to say this is just a big transit lounge. Cebu City has it's own historical and cultural importance. 

For most this cultural importance is the main festival of Cebu, Sinulog. Its held in late January and centres around the church, music and celebrations. This was just prior to my arrival. By missing this I effectively missed the excessive overcrowding, premium pricing of hotels, and just overall street chaos which I found was already present at just natural Philippine levels. And well that sort of experience was not for me so I wasn't disappointed to miss. That left me to just explore the streets of Cebu City, and visit the main historical point from my prospective. And well from my prospective I was there for one thing, "Magellan was 'ere". Seemed that Magellan, that world discovering Spaniard, the one we all learnt about in high school, visited Cebu and made claims to the place in the 1500s. The Spanish didn't get totally perceived as despised colonalists subsequently written out of the historical books. So Magellan is still cool here.   

Magellan's Cross was the most significant point in terms of history for Philippines from my prospective on this trip. It's not to say this was the most important monument for the Philippines as a whole, or for its culture. But hey Australia can't lay claim to having any colonial history available which is also revered as well as this by the original locals. The Spanish made peace with the locals.

 

 

In my rambling around the main church near the Magellan's Cross I was able to confirm that indeed the Pope himself seemed to give his blessing to the recycling bins. Nice work Pope, but can you also help on also getting the rubbish outside of the church area under control too. Alas Philippines is still a developing country and there are pockets of improvement still to be made. A bit of a "Keep Philippines Beautiful" bin pride could go a long way.

 

 

 

Bantayan Island and the Mini Tours of tricycle tour guides

Upon leaving Subic Bay I transported down to Bantayan Island. Not that transiting is a true depiction of travel days in the Philippines. The truth was getting anywhere in the Philippines is a journey. The exit flight from Angeles Clark Airport to Cebu City was re-scheduled to become 5 hours later into the evening than planned. Fortunately my assigned drop off from the office was able to adapt. And then the next morning from Cebu I then spent 5 hours sitting on a bus and ferry ride to my tropical destination, Bantayan Island. Included was an hour waiting on the 8am bus to depart for the Hagnaya port apparently only 2.5 hours away. 

Alas I didn't know it at the time but these were my my first experiences of "Philippine time". I received a bit of an explanation from an experienced Australian expat traveler I found on the bus. The buses always wait to fill right up, and everything is at least a half hour after the schedule. Only once had he nearly missed the 8am bus. He had arrived to find it driving out at 8:30am. But not for me. That was not my experience. We left at 9:05am after our food salespersons had done several laps of the bus. And well as a result we missed the 11am ferry and then connected onto the midday ferry at 1pm.

As a result of the late arrival I made it to my accommodation late. So day one of my tour was re-scheduled to the next day. I was though met by my tour guide's bagman there at the accommodation waiting for the final payment for the 2 night tour I was now a part of. Yes it had seemed quite concerning. After all I had told my work colleagues I had booked a 2 night tour on Facebook paying by Paypal. 

I had broken all internet safety rules for scammers in booking this tour. Before arriving I had joked I was being kidnapped in the Philippines and I had just paid the deposit. But well this was Bantayan Island and the reality was I was booked on the most simple of tours arranged by a motorcycle rider Jonathan. He was just a simple guy with a motorcycle and a mobile phone. He had designed his own tour for tourists so as to make a better life beyond being a motorcycle taxi for tourists. My first nights were beachside in a simple cabin at the very quiet and somewhat removed Placid Beach Resort. Not that getting to and from the Santa Fe town centre was expensive. 30 pesos each way I was told was the going rate. Staying close to the Santa Fe town centre is a good tip. Here you'll find plenty of local and western palate friendly restaurants. Personally I became a huge fan of the Bantayan Burrito Company. Not extremely local, but they had the best quality meals I could find which included salad ingredients. I had been craving salad and not rice to switch up away from the Philippine motto of "rice is life".

 

Jonathan my tour guide from Bantayan Is 1 and 2 day tours