20 March Coron, Busuanga Island (Province of Palawan)
The ferry to Coron
had a convenient 12:30 p.m. scheduled departure, so I had a leisurely morning
with a cheese-veggie omelet breakfast, then finished packing up. The pier was
close enough to easily walk, then I had just a short line to pay a port fee of
20 php (Filipinos love to add extra charges). Next people had to stand in a
horrendously long line in the hot midday sun outside the terminal gate. I took
refuge in shade across the street, but that meant I wasn’t in the line. The
guard at the gate would allow only small groups to enter, who then had to place
their luggage on the ground for a drug sniffing dog to slowly search it. I got
impatient and asked the gate guard if the port authorities really expected a
71-year-old person to endure standing in the hot sun for such a long time, and
he let me in. Now at least I had shade while the sniffing dog did its thing.
After the all clear, another long line formed to get through the terminal
building. I kept pointing to the priority lane sign for
elderly/pregnant/disabled and eventually a guard took me around security (no
search) and I was free to walk to the Atienza Ferry.
The line moved more
quickly this time, and I took a right-side window seat, the best for watching
the island landscapes pass by. The window could have been cleaner, but it gave
me a view of the far north of Palawan Island and the many islands beyond. The
excessively cold air-conditioning came as a shock after the heat outside, but
otherwise the ferry was comfortable. The boat cast off about 1 p.m. and the trip
lasted about five hours, traveling 28-30 km/hour across the very gentle sea. I
took advantage of the peaceful voyage (No TV or music, thankfully) and listened
to music most of the way, starting with a bit of jazz, then classical concertos
of violin, clarinet, and cello pieces. The rounded green hills of northernmost
Palawan and most other islands looked tame compared to the towering limestone
hills of El Nido and Bacuit Bay that we had left behind. Late in the journey the
lofty and other worldly limestone cliffs of Coron Island came into view; it’s a
place I hope to visit. We arrived at the port on the east side of Coron, then
formed a long line to pay for an Environmental, Tourism, and Development Fee of
200 php, but surprisingly staff gave me a senior discount and I paid 160 php.
Another line formed to get out of the terminal area and catch transport into
town. Here people handed out small flyers of area tours, and I got a handful.
Finally I gained freedom from the lines and was directed to a tricycle for a
ride to my accommodations on the other side of town for a pricy 200 php. The
bumpy ride through the ugly center made for a poor introduction to Coron, but
the town is best thought of as just a gateway to places of great natural beauty.
An illuminated cross and giant sign spelling out ‘CORON’ glowed atop Mount
Tapyas above.
Ryan at Rain Haven Lodging House was very welcoming and
showed me to my upstairs room, which was simple but clean and had the luxuries
of air-conditioning and a hot-water shower. I had seen a couple promising
restaurants in the center that offer vegetarian food, but tonight I hoped for a
place nearby and found it next door at Zenvea Hotel, where I got a filling
Margherita pizza at the open-sided restaurant upstairs. Back at my guesthouse
the power was out and didn’t come back on for a couple hours, then promptly went
off again until around midnight. Luckily there’s a little table on the balcony
where I could sit down with the computer and catch up on the journal while
enjoying the evening breeze.
21 March Coron, Busuanga Island (Province
of Palawan)
The power went out again early morning, but at least my
electronics were charged, and I spent most of the very sunny day relaxing and
reading. In the afternoon I headed into the center of Coron, which confirmed my
initial awful impression of this tourist town. Traffic clogged the main road and
unfortunate pedestrians had no place to walk because of lack of sidewalks.
Perhaps I should have gone to the local government offices and demanded a refund
for the Environmental, Tourism, and Development Fee I had paid yesterday! I
stopped at a couple dive shops and liked the staff and offerings at Umali Dive
Center, so signed up for a trip tomorrow. Similar to the shop I dived with at El
Nido, the boat would go out for three dives and I had the option of doing just
two at a lower price. Coron is famous among divers for the World War II Japanese
wrecks sunk in a long-distance raid by American bombers. Some of the wrecks can
easily be dived. Tomorrow’s plan will be to visit two wreck sites, then go to a
coral reef for the third dive.
Among the island tour fliers I picked
yesterday, the “Super Ultimate Tour” to Coron Island seemed especially
attractive, and Asriel Roan Travel & Tour offered this at a discount of 1,499
php. I happened to find the office and signed up to join this tour the day after
tomorrow.
Next I headed to the restaurant Le Voyage, which offers many
veggie and vegan foods. I went with a vegetable curry plus an “immune booster
juice” (orange, lemon, and ginger), then a “mango float” (layered custard,
graham crumbs, and mango) for dessert. After an ATM visit, I easily caught a
tricycle back to my lodging. Tricycles seem the best way to get around, and
they’re easy to find and inexpensive.
22 March Coron, Busuanga Island
(Province of Palawan)
On another sunny day I caught a tricycle into the
center to meet up with the Umali Dive Center crew at 8:30 a.m. Staff had already
loaded our diving gear onto the boat, so us customers only needed to pile into a
tricycle for the short drive to the boarding area. There’s no pier here and not
enough room for all the dive and island tour boats, so we had to clamber up and
over two boats to reach our modest little craft. Nearly all the boats here are
bancas with outriggers on each side, which greatly reduces rolling though with a
speed penalty from the extra weight and drag, though the banca’s narrow hull
helps compensate for the drag. Our boat turned west, weaving past Baquit, Uson,
Mayanpayan, Apo, and Sangat islands to a spot out in Bintuan Bay.
As a
teenager I devoured diving magazines about shipwrecks of World War II in far-off
locales such as Truk Lagoon in Micronesia, but I never made it there because of
the expense. Now I had the opportunity to see two Japanese ships out of more
than two dozen sunk in the area by American bombers on 24 September 1944. The
Japanese supply fleet thought they were safe hiding among the islands of Coron
Bay when a squadron of 24 Helldiver bombers escorted by 96 Hellcat fighters—some
also carrying bombs—burst out of the sky above and proceeded to blow the fleet
apart. Air crews had just 15 minutes to sink as many ships as possible before
their fuel would get too low for them to complete the 340-mile return journey to
their aircraft carrier. The attack was ruthlessly successful. Local people hold
an annual memorial service to the lives lost on that day.
After making
giant-stride entries into the water, we could see the prolific corals 14 meters
below atop the Morazan Maru, a 95-meter-long freighter now lying on its
starboard side at a depth of about 25 meters. The ship is believed to have been
built in England in 1908 and captured by the Japanese in Shanghai in 1941. We
slowly swam from the bow area to the stern while admiring the large cabbage
corals and other colorful life on the top. We found a hawksbill sea turtle
moseying among the corals along with a small titan triggerfish, a large and well
camouflaged stonefish, and two lionfish. Fan corals and seaweed grow from the
now vertical deck with its four cargo openings. At the stern we swam through a
series of large chambers, then slowly made our way back to the bow and rope line
to our boat. We had good visibility—about 18 meters—though green murk in the
lowest part of the wreck discouraged us from going there. The dive lasted 35
minutes and went as deep as 22.6 meters.
Next we retraced our journey
east to Sangat Island and the Teru Kaze Maru, a 30-meter-long Japanese
anti-submarine ship that lies nearly upright in shallows very close to shore. We
first swam above the wreck—densely covered in marine life—then went through a
bit of the interior. Most of the dive took place on the adjacent reef with its
many types of corals, sponges, and small fish, including a very slender silvery
trumpetfish. Another little fish came up and nipped my hand, but not hard enough
to break the skin; perhaps the nervous little critter was nesting nearby. Lastly
we returned to the ship’s colorfully encrusted bow before surfacing. This
shallow dive averaged 9.0 meters, getting only as deep as 15.3 meters, and
lasted 40 minutes.
Back on board our little banca, we enjoyed lunch,
then motored to a dive site off the southeast corner of Sangat Island named
after the nearby little island, Malpandon. While the group went diving, I
enjoyed snorkeling on the reef thick with staghorn and other corals, which
dropped from depths of just one meter into the depths. The very clear water made
for spectacular underwater scenery.
We had a longish boat ride back
through the islands to the shore near Coron, where I walked to a road and caught
a tricycle back to my guesthouse. After cleaning up I got a tricycle into the
center and signed up with Umali Dive Center for another set of dives in two days
time. Then I walked to Le Voyage for a dinner of vegan lasagna and a mango
shake. The lasagna was OK, but vegan cheese will never replace the real thing!
23 March Coron, Busuanga Island (Province of Palawan)
Yesterday I found
out that Umali Dive Center also offers island tours, but I had already signed up
with Asriel Roan Travel & Tour for their “Super Ultimate Tour” to Coron Island.
An advantage of these islands tours is a free pick-up from my guesthouse, but
when the scheduled 8-8:30 a.m. slipped to 9 a.m., I phoned the agency and was
told the driver didn’t know the guesthouse location, perhaps because it’s a new
place. Soon I got picked up for the short ride to the boat and we were off.
Thick clouds hovering over Coron Island gave it a brooding appearance, but
sunshine always broke through and by afternoon only a tiny wisp of cloud
remained. The “Super Ultimate Tour” is unique in that it visits both of the big
lakes—Kayangan and Barracuda—just inland from the northwest coast. The Tagbanua
people, who mostly live on the gentler east coast of Coron Island, own the
island and charge admission fees for each sight, so that’s why this tour costs
more. Even so, I thought this the best tour option, paying 1,499 php plus
another 300 php for a mask-fins-snorkel rental and a couple hundred more for
tips.
A look at a map of 20-kilometer-long by 9 kilometers-wide Coron
Island shows 11 lakes nestled in the rugged terrain, of which three have
underground connections to the sea. We headed first to Kayangan Lake—said to be
the Philippine’s cleanest—and pulled into the lagoon, packed with other tourist
bancas, then clambered across a couple other boats to the boardwalk. We had a
stiff climb on concrete steps to a pass, then an equally steep drop to the
lakeshore. Here I snorkeled around a roped-off inlet while admiring the fanciful
little underwater spires of eroded limestone that drop down to a sandy bottom. I
thought the underwater spires more picturesque than the fluted limestone cliffs
that tower above. I poked my head in a few of the cave-like indentations in the
limestone, and one was big enough to swim inside and admire a skylight in the
ceiling. Caves also connect the lake with the sea as the lake is said to be 30%
saltwater and 70% fresh with the lighter freshwater predominant at the surface.
While snorkeling I saw very tiny snails clinging to the rock and very tiny fish.
Back at the pass, I made my way through a line of selfie snappers to a viewpoint
of the lagoon. Here too is a cave entrance, though I didn’t have time to
explore.
Back in our banca, we had a very short ride around the corner
to the southwest for the entrance of Barracuda Lake. A short easy climb led up
and over a little pass to the large lake, though as at Kayangan Lake, we had to
stay within a roped-off inlet. Here too I snorkeled around the inlet to admire
the limestone scenery above and below. People were also here to learn
freediving, and used floats just outside the roped-off area as a base to venture
as deep as 30 meters. Barracuda Lake is also a mix of fresh and saltwater, again
with the less-dense freshwater at the surface.
A very short banca ride
farther southwest on the coast brought us to a little beach with shaded tables
where the crew served a very good lunch including veggie options of a
pumpkin-eggplant dish and fried noodles. Afterward I had time to snorkel in the
clear waters of the nearby coral reef—packed with many kinds of corals, fish,
and other sea life—which drops precipitously in ragged ledges to a sandy bottom.
Another short ride southwest along the coast brought us to Twin Lagoon, and
we pulled into the second one. The unusual feature here is a little tunnel that
connects the lagoons, but we were told that because of high tide we might have
to clamber over steps that cross the rock fin above the tunnel. However the tide
was just low enough to snorkel through. Later, when returning to the boat there
was just enough space for kayakers to slip through if they lay down. I snorkeled
around the lagoon, finding similar but not as prolific reef life as outside.
Surprisingly I found a medium-sized jellyfish, vigorously pulsating, though
upside down and pressed against the rock.
A longer boat ride took us
around the northwest corner of Coron Island and south to a little rocky island.
Malwawey Coral Garden lay on the seaward side and Skeleton Wreck on the other
side. We jumped in and snorkeled through pretty corals in very shallow water to
the wreck, said to be a Chinese boat that sank after World War II. The bow
section is shallow enough that I could dive into it and see how the wreck got
its name—most of the hull has rotted away leaving only the ‘skeleton’ of ribs.
Now late afternoon, we motored north back to Coron town, where tricycles
provided transport back to our hotels and guesthouses. As on my first day here,
I headed next door to Zenvea Hotel for a Margherita pizza. The “Super Ultimate
Tour” had been a wonderful experience to see beauty spots of Coron Island above
and below the water.
24 March Coron, Busuanga Island (Province of
Palawan)
I joined up again with Umali Dive Center, and again we made two
exciting dives of the 95-meter-long freighter and the 30-meter-long Teru Kaze
Maru anti-submarine ship. As two days ago, we followed the line to the bow of
the Morazan Maru, but this time we entered the forward hold and swam inside the
ship all the way to the fourth cargo hold, passing a pair of huge boilers on the
way. The engine had been salvaged long ago, leaving a big hole in the side of
the ship above us. Next we swam along an exterior promenade back toward the bow.
I saw two stonefish and a lionfish on the outside of the hull and dense schools
of small fish above the coral-encrusted side. Visibility was a bit less today at
about 10 meters. The dive went down to 23.6 meters and lasted 38 minutes.
At the much smaller Teru Kaze Maru, we entered fore and aft interiors, swam
alongside the coral-covered hull, then finished with a visit to the reef in the
shallows. Besides the usual reef fish, I saw a strange-looking and well
camouflaged flathead crocodile fish. The dive went to 18.8 meters—averaging 11.1
meters—and lasted 44 minutes. As usual, the average temperature was 30° C. After
the dive we stayed at the site and had lunch on the boat, while on shore a
monitor lizard prowled the beach in search of a meal.
The rest of the
group had a third dive at Barracuda Lake on Coron Island, where I had been
yesterday. For divers, it’s the opportunity to experience dramatic temperature
changes in the water, which can range 28-38° C (82-100° F), so no need for a
wetsuit! I chose instead to snorkel on the very colorful reef outside, with the
best part the drop-off with its overhangs and little channels. Back in town, I
tried Om’s Thai restaurant, going with a Penang curry, though probably the
mildest one I’ve ever had.
25 March Coron, Busuanga Island (Province of
Palawan)
I took a rest day, starting with a leisurely breakfast buffet at
neighboring Zenvea Hotel—nothing fancy, but it was my first big Western
breakfast in a long while. I then relaxed most of the day and caught up the
news. Unfortunately power was off at my guesthouse, so I had to make do without
air-conditioning. In late afternoon, unable to find a tricycle, I walked into
the center, then turned up lanes to the start of the hike up Mount Tapyas. Here
720 steps lead to a great panorama of the town, hills, sea, and islands all
around. I watched the sunset, then descended and headed to the little
vegetarian/vegan Full Lotus Mindful Kitchen, where I enjoyed a pumpkin soup made
with coconut milk and soy milk topped with toasted pumpkin seeds. Afterward I
easily got a tricycle for the ride across town back to my guesthouse.
26
March Coron, Busuanga Island (Province of Palawan)
Umali Dive Center was
headed to a different set of dive sites today, so I signed up. Unfortunately the
first dive went down to about 32 meters, deeper than I wished to go, at the
Akitsushima wreck, a 118-meter-long Japanese seaplane tender. I waited until the
second dive at Okikawa Maru, a 168-meter-long Japanese tanker and the largest of
the Coron wrecks in length, width, and volume. A strong current could have
easily carried us away while we descended, but we carefully held on to a line
that brought us to the stern area of the upright ship at a depth of about 16
meters. The divemaster led us through a nearby hatch and into the huge
multi-level interior which had no current at all. Openings in the battered ship
let in a ghostly light, and we had flashlights for the darker passages. A
maze-like route took us through decks, the empty engine room, and the former oil
reservoirs—recognizable by the baffles with circular holes—then back to the same
hatch and line. We only saw a small part of the ship, and the divemaster later
told us that the broken forward section would have been difficult due to the
current. Sparse corals and small schools of fish live inside. On the ascent we
watched a pair of large batfish easily swimming against the strong current while
smaller fish had to struggle a bit. The dive proved exciting, though shorter
than I would have liked at 30 minutes, reaching a depth of 25.5 meters in the
oil holds.
Two hours later the final dive went down at a third World War
II Japanese wreck, the 35-meter-long Lusong gunboat. It sank just off the south
end of Lusong Island and now lies at an angle with the battered stern nearly
breaking the surface and the bow at a depth of 12 meters. Much of the decking
has disappeared, but we could swim through the interior, then admire the thick
coral growth on the interior and exterior of the hull. Lots of colorful reef
fish swim about, and I saw a flathead crocodilefish resting on the corals. We
found some very small nudibranches as well. The dive on the wreck and adjacent
reef averaged 12.7 meters in depth, getting as far down as 18.6 meters. A
moderate current required extra exertion and the dive lasted 36 minutes.
Back in town I swung by Le Voyage and went for their burger, which has a thick
patty made of potatoes and carrots, and included a huge side of French fries.
Together with a mango shake this made for a very filling meal.
27 March
Coron, Busuanga Island (Province of Palawan)
I would have liked to go diving
again today, but it’s best not to dive the day before flying. Instead I signed
up for a “Reef & Wrecks” island trip with a partner of Umali Dive Center for
1,500 php including mask and snorkel. Pickup at my guesthouse went well this
time, then it took awhile to organize things and rent a pair of fins (150 php)
before we got underway in a little banca. Only two other customers—a couple from
Europe—were on board. We had a guide, captain, and boatman along with a Filipino
fellow who joined informally. On a partly cloudy morning, becoming mostly sunny
by afternoon, we headed a long way west to Pass Island, famed for its brilliant
white beach. On the way we stopped for snorkeling at the Teru Kaze Maru
anti-submarine ship, where I had twice dived. It’s shallow enough that I could
swim down for a close look. Next I snorkeled along the coral reef, where I saw
an upside-down jellyfish seemingly resting on the corals.
Pass Island,
small and round, has a fine beach on its east side flanked by mangroves. While
the boat crew put our lunch together, I followed a concrete path up the gentle
hilltop and through a grove of cashew trees to a viewpoint on the island’s other
side, admiring the pretty turquoise-hued shallows below. Busuanga Island—largest
in the Calamian Group—rises to the east, Culion Island—second largest in the
group—spreads to the south, and many small islands lie scattered in the other
directions. The European couple prefers to avoid crowds and were delighted that
our boat and Pass Island had so few people.
After lunch we retraced the
long journey, stopping on the west side of Lusong Island to visit Lusong Coral
Garden, proclaimed by guides as Coron’s best snorkeling site. Staghorn, table,
brain, and other corals grow thickly in the shallows and on the sloping descent
to a deep sandy bottom. Lots of fish swim about including the aptly named
parrotfish and the distinctly patterned titan triggerfish.
A short ride
took us to the south end of Lusong Island for a look at Lusong gunboat, shallow
enough at 0-12 meters to see clearly while snorkeling. All three of our
snorkeling stops today had good visibility upwards of 15 meters, and
coincidentally all three sites had attracted groups of scuba divers. The long
day on the water, with lunch at Pass Island, turned out to be a good one.
Back at the dock area, we got a free ride on a tricycle into town, where I got
off and strolled to Le Voyage for a tofu cashew sisig with rice; it’s a very
flavorful dish with green and red bell peppers for spice. I squeezed three tiny
calamansi—a citrus fruit popular in the Philippines and with a flavor that can
be described as a very tart combination of lemon, lime, and orange—atop the food
and another in my tea. I caught a tricycle back to my guesthouse and arranged
with the manager to have a driver pick me up early tomorrow morning for the
drive to the airport and flight to Manila.