The Coron Super Ultimate Tour is a full-day island-hopping trip that visits many of the area’s top attractions, including Kayangan Lake, Barracuda Lake, and Twin Lagoons.
Mine included hotel pick-up and drop-off, lunch, snacks, drinks, and entrance fees.
Different here was the kayak set-up. We rented our own at the start, later having 3 different locations to paddle.
My tour had 7 stops including an excellent seafood buffet lunch.
The iconic landmark atop Mount Tapyas is a large, lighted crucifix.
I climbed the 721 concrete steps 4 times over 3 days. Kili conditioning. And ended up with some terrific photos.
One guide told me he had been up over 4000 times, training with his soccer team.
Here are some of my vista shots.
Best time of day is dusk / night — but that’s the most crowded.
Full moon while I was there.
Coron is the jumping off point for Coron Island Natural Biotic Area a short boat ride from the harbour.
It’s a bigger town and arguably slightly more organized than nearby El Nido at providing FUN boat tours to paradise coves. More expensive than El Nido, however.
Public transportation is non-existent. To get to excellent Maquinit Hot Springs outside of town, easiest was to sign up for a half day city tour.
Maquinit is both fresh and salt water, making you very buoyant.
And it’s HOT.
The Catholic cathedral.
It’s easy to complain about tourists, but look what happens when your town takes off as a destination.
Actually, a few different guides told me that Palawan province has had better governance than the rest of the corrupt nation.
Forbes Traveler Magazine’s included Coron on a list top 10 best scuba diving sites in the world — for the dozen sunken Japanese warships at depths between 10 and 40 meters.
A highlight of most tourists to the Philippines is one of these crazy fun boat tours.
There are a number to choose from. Exact itinerary seems to vary with the weather and time of year. BUT most include snorkelling, kayaking, swimming, beach buffet lunch, and … jumping off the boat.
This Italian guy’s Gainer was best of day from this judge.
White sand beaches in these limestone islands are a paradise.
I’d heard good things about the Haqqy Life company out of Friendz hostel — and it was fantastic.
I might have paid a bit more than some ➙ $35 USD. But that’s incredibly inexpensive for such a fun day. The lunch alone might cost you $15 in a waterfront restaurant.
People in our group shared video and photos to WhatsApp. My favourites are from one of the guys with a drone.
Kayaking in this unbelievable location made me infamous.
I somehow kicked my dry bag with phone off the kayak — dozens of people around stopped to search.
A couple of ladies turned it up. No damage. A new dry bag is quite waterproof.
NOW I was the old guy who nearly lost his phone. 😀
We stopped for a gourmet barbecue lunch at one beach. I liked best the grilled fish and tasty pork bites.
The guides are terrific. Almost everyone ends up singing and dancing. Without alcohol.
One unique aspect of our particular group was some fun Russians. I can almost always spot Russian tourists. BIG, GRUFF men with wife / mistress way out of their league. Neither ever smiling.
BUT the life of the party on our boat was a young, smiling (obese) Russian guy.
His companions were super fun, as well, proving Russians can laugh. Of course they were the group that pulled out a bottle of booze end of the afternoon — Rum, not Vodka, dispelling yet another stereotype.
Great trip. Second best of many tours that I signed on for in S.E. Asia over the past few months.
Here’s everyone from our boat.
At least half were sunburned by the end of the day.
Tsangpo Gorge in Tibet is likely the deepest canyon in the world. And at 504.6 kilometres (313.5 mi) is slightly longer than the Grand Canyon.
In 2002 a group of the best kayakers in the world led by Scott Lindgren set out to “paddle” the gorge.
That’s nearly impossible. But they did accomplish some first descents. And surprisingly none of the party died.
It was the most dangerous water they’d ever tried.
This is one intense book.
Peter Heller was assigned to cover the expedition for Outside and, despite having completely worn out the cartilage in one hip, he decided to go for it.
… Heller is unflinchingly honest about the hostility he faced from Lindgren and his companions, who openly attack the journalist for “getting rich” from their story, as well as the resentment that begins to well inside him at their condescension.
Meanwhile, the locals hired to carry the equipment realize they have the upper hand and start extorting more money for their services.
The drama on shore, however, is easily matched—sometimes surpassed—by the action on the river, which includes a few chilling brushes with death.
Heller nimbly blends the history of the region into his gripping modern trek, as the crew lives up to the legacy of the great explorers before them. …
This was my first stop after sending back my bike.
I got here by taking a the bus though increasingly open spaces heading south.
It’s all gravel past of Cerro Castillo. The best vehicles protect themselves.
Puerto Río Tranquilo is a tiny town (pop. 500) swamped by tourists in high season.
Río Tranquilo
All accommodation was booked by the time I got there so I walked out of town to lovely Pudu Campground. (Each campsite has a windbreak wall. This IS Patagonia.)
Locals are ready for serious rain.
This van is a rental from Wicked Campers. It looks to be the most popular way to drive the Carretera Austral.
It’s an incredible part of the world. Stunning views on to General Carrera Lake and beyond.
Almost everyone jumps into small boats to visit this weird and wonderful geology.
I’d been advised to go by kayak. And on the first tour in the morning. Therefore I was up before 6am getting coffee ready.
Surprisingly few sign up for kayaking. My group had 7 clients and 2 guides. It was very professional. (C$100)
I recommend it.
Following the trip I’d planned to hop a bus continuing south. But the road was closed for 4 hours due to forest fire.
We sat in the sun and watched helicopters trying to douse the flames.
Rick McCharles 