To paradise and back in five days

MANILA, Philippines - How does one explore northern Palawan in five days?

In the eco-adventure itinerary prepared by Cesar Cruz, president of Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), for our group of 13 tour operators, writers and tourism officers, it had us scheduled to take 15 boat rides, visit eight resorts/hotels (El Rio y Mar, Club Paradise, Busuanga Bay Lodge, Huma, Two Seasons, Sangat Island Dive Resort and Asia Grand View Hotel, Coron Westown Resort) stay at four, snorkel for a few hours in various waters to test their pristine state, hike so that we could view the sea from way up — and bring home memories to last a lifetime. Dream trips are made of these (at least for me, they are).

“The Calamianes islands in northern Palawan are part of the areas that we want to highlight during the 25th Philippine Travel Mart slated to take place from Sept. 5 to 7 at the SMX Convention Center, MOA complex,” said Cruz, “but it is not the next Boracay. It is a place for people who want to reconnect with nature.”

There is so much that has been said and written about the Calamianes group of islands in northern Palawan. I had read about its magnificent seascapes, jaw-dropping scenery and world-class wreck diving sites. But when I saw just how magnificent it all really is — I couldn’t find enough words to describe it.

 On this trip, I learned that the Calamianes group of islands is composed of Busuanga, Coron, Culion and Linapacan and that Busuanga Island houses both Busuanga and Coron. On this journey, I had the chance to visit three of these four municipalities. This is truly a paradise for anyone who loves the sea and nature, too — not just divers.

The waters of Busuanga are so incredibly clear and perfect that you’re able to spot different species of fish with the naked eye — I was told by my diver friends that the best part of diving in this area is that it is not overrun by tourists.  Also, because of the pristine state of its waters, the area plays host to a number of pearl farms that have been there for many years. This is also the best place to go wreck-diving to explore a number of sunken World War II Japanese warships.

In Coron, a visit would not be complete without doing a unique lake-hopping trip. Of the several lakes on Coron Island, only the Twin Lagoons, Barracuda and Kayangan lakes are open to visitors. 

The Twin Lagoons, I was told, is a must-see for a newbie to the area. Although I did not kayak through the small hole, which is only accessible during low tide to get from the Big Lagoon to the Small Lagoon, I did get to take a dip in the Big Lagoon. The water is fantastic — the lagoons are the meeting place of freshwater from the hills of Coron Island and saltwater coming in from the bay. This makes for an interesting mix.

Next stop was the Kayangan Lake. Although the climb up the mountain can be a bit strenuous, it does afford a spectacular postcard-perfect view of Coron Bay — literally. Kayangan has been honored as one of the cleanest lakes in Asia. The lake is surrounded by more jungle clad-limestone karst formations, and its water is so clear one can see the bottom several meters from the surface.

On the main island of Busuanga in the municipality of Coron, there is Maquinit Hot Springs, which we all discovered to be a great place to relax tired muscles in above 30 C of sulphuric water. What makes this experience unique is that it is a natural hot spring that sits near a little mangrove forest with spectacular views of the sea.

I must add that the whole trip was made complete with the walking we did on land. We visited the Wildlife Game Reserve in Calauit and did a walking tour of Coron where shopping for the freshest seafood, dried seafood and island souvenirs is a must. We also got a chance to savor the local food specialties in one of the most well-known local restos.

Where to stay

“I made sure that we got a sample of all kinds of accommodations here in the Calamianes,” added Cruz. “There is so much progress in the area and so many new and interesting places to stay that tourists — whether local or foreign — can now take their pick from a number of islands that already have resort facilities for overnight stays.”

Our first stop was El Rio y Mar Resort in San Jose, Coron, Palawan, with charming accommodations and resort facilities in a beautiful bay with a great view of calm waters and rolling hills. The resort is ideal for those seeking nature’s solace. All rooms are on the beach fronting the bay and surrounded by lush mangroves. El Rio y Mar Resort also offers scuba diving, water sports, natural hiking trails and trips to neighboring islands.

 We did a look-see of Club Paradise on Dimakya Island on the north side of the Calamianes, offering an excellent beach and even more excellent facilities. But since we only had a few hours on the island we only had a quick tour of its five-star facilities. Club Paradise in Palawan is a 19-hectare island off Dimakya. In the waters surrounding the resort is abundant marine life found on the sea grass bed, like Pegasus sea moths, frogfish, fingered dragonets, nudibranch, filefish, devilfish, waspfish, multiple types of anemone symbiotic crustaceans, many species of clownfish, oversized jawfish, pipefish galore, juvenile sweet lips, octopus, lobster and even wandering emperor shrimp. Of particular interest are the giant Taclobo clams one can see at the house reef fronting the resort.

 We spent our second night at Busuanga Bay Lodge, which is nestled in the peacefully integrated resort enclave of Puerto del Sol. The bay where it is located is a safe haven for yachts and fisher folk, so the sea views from each of the 14 rooms are always very pretty, with the coastline dotted with boats and the silhouette of the hills framing them.

 We got to drop by the really high–end Huma Island Resort on Diciligan Island, Busuanga, which was purchased and developed by the Huma Corporation.

Huma Island is a multimillion-dollar investment that has led to the development of 81 villas each with individual Jacuzzis, seven dining outlets, a fitness center, library, kids room and spa center with glass bottom flooring. At this point, the resort is still in soft opening mode, offering 25 Water Villas, 12 Beach Villas, three Water Front Villas, a library, fitness center, kids’ room and spa treatment rooms.

 We also stayed a night at Two Seasons Island Resort & Spa which is set on a tropical peninsula in Malaroyroy, Coron, Palawan. Dotted with coconut trees, the island is a sanctuary for turtles and giant clams. Two Seasons is the first eco-friendly luxury island resort in Coron. A 200-meter west-side beach and another 200-meter east-side beach with mangroves, sandbar connecting to an islet, lush tropical gardens, and a vibrant house reef are the hallmarks of this beautiful unique resort.

Two Seasons is a self-sustaining island resort. Being a secluded paradise 22 kilometers south of Coron town, power and water are not available from any utility company. 

If you like a full tropical paradise experience above or underwater without breaking the bank, Busuanga, Coron and Culion are definitely for you — heaps of things to see and do in a little area. The area is a quiet getaway from the city crowd.  Paradise, indeed.

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 Skyjet flies from Manila to Coron three times weekly. For information, call 650-1059 or 823-3366. Photos taken with a Samsung Galaxy 2