The Ultimate Guide to Coron Island Hopping Tours

Coron, the beautiful paradise in Palawan, offers a lot of water activities. One of these is the Coron Island Hopping experience where you’ll see all the beautiful tourist spots like Kayangan Lake and Malcapuya Island. Thankfully, you can now easily find a lot of Coron tour packages online or even while you’re already in Coron. You can find these in the hotel reception, fliers, small shops, ports, airports, etc. You can even make a DIY Coron island hopping if you prefer. To help you get started, here’s what you need to know in this Ultimate Guide to Coron Island Hopping tours.

Related Read: 13 Best Tourist Spots to Visit in Coron Palawan

How much is island hopping in Coron?

Island hopping in Coron depends on the package you are going to book. But mostly, tours start at 2000 pesos ($41) per person. There are also other boat rental companies that offer cheaper rates but be sure to check on them if the entrance fees and tour guide rates are already inclusive. Group tours or joiner tours, on the other hand, are cheaper than private tours. If you book a group tour, you can find some Coron tour prices for as low as 900 pesos ($20).

Click here to book the Coron Ultimate Island Day Tour, one of the best Coron Island Hopping tours.

Coron Island Hopping ToursItineraryRateCheck Rates
Coron Ultimate Island Day TourHotel pickup, Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Skeleton Wreck, Siete Pecados, Coral Garden, Atwayan Beach, CYC Beach, Hotel drop-off$37BOOK NOW
Coron Tour AHotel pickup, CYC Beach, Coral Garden, Atwayan Beach, Secret Lagoon, Siete Pecados, Kayangan Lake, Hotel drop off$42BOOK NOW
Coron Tour BHotel pickup, Barracuda Lake, Skeleton Wreck, Banol Beach, Twin Lagoon, Reef Garden, Hotel drop off$45BOOK NOW
Coron Tour CHotel pickup, Coco Beach, Ditaytayan Island, Malcapuya Island$53BOOK NOW

How many days do you need in Coron?

With all the beautiful sceneries you can visit in Coron, one or two days might not be enough if you want to experience the majority, if not all, of these Coron island tours. Staying for 3 to 4 days will be enough to enjoy Coron but if you have more time and money to spare, 5 to 7 days will suffice to include a short tour to Coron’s neighboring paradise, El Nido. Check this guide on how to get from El Nido to Coron and vice versa.

Book here if you want to schedule an airport transfer.

What can I bring to Coron island hopping?

You’ll spend the majority of the time in your boat or basking under the sun or swimming when joining any Coron island tours. It is also important to know what to bring to these kinds of activities so here is our list of things you can bring to a Coron island hopping.

  1. Dry bag – A dry bag is very necessary for every Coron island hopping. It secures your important stuff like electronics and gadgets from getting wet, especially when visiting places like Kayangan Lake where there is no proper area to leave your valuables. Most of the time, you can only leave your things on the wooden ramp or near the shoreline.
  2. Waterproof camera – Be sure to bring a waterproof camera so you can relive all the fun adventures during the tour. You can also use it to record all the beautiful marine life in Coron which you’ll surely encounter in any of these Coron island hopping tours.
  3. Sunblock – Don’t forget to take good care of your skin while having fun in the sun. A good sunblock with high SPF and reef-friendly components is highly recommended as it not only protects you from the harmful UV rays but you are also protecting the ocean from harmful chemicals.
  4. Snorkeling mask and fins – Although there are Coron tour packages that offer mask and fin rentals, you still might find it very convenient and hygienic to bring your own snorkeling mask. You surely don’t want to miss all the underwater scenery in Coron.
  5. Drinking water – bring lots of water to prevent dehydration. You’ll be doing a lot of water activities. Water is life.
  6. Medkit – Wherever you go, always bring a first aid kit in case of an accident.

Related Read: 10 Best Coron Luxury Resort and Accommodation

What do you wear to island-hopping?

  1. Aqua shoes – you might find this very handy since you’ll be visiting various attractions from the beach to caves, and even hiking to get to the lakes and lagoons. Swapping your flip-flops to aqua shoes will make your day convenient. Plus, you reduce the chances of losing your favorite flip-flops during the tour.
  2. Swimwear/ Rashguard – wear any swimwear you are comfortable with.
  3. Life jacket – Be sure to secure a lifejacket while still in the boat. Remember that it is the boat/tour operator’s responsibility to have a lifejacket on board that is enough for all their passengers.
  4. A big smile – Don’t forget to have fun all throughout the tour. Be respectful to other tourists and most especially to Mother Nature. Remember that the best Coron Island Hopping tours also start within you.

How do you get to Coron Island?

Being one of the most popular Philippine tourist destinations, there are now multiple ways to go to Coron. You can get to Coron by flight or by ferry.

Getting to Coron by flight

You can fly to Coron from Manila via Cebu Pacific Air, one of the Philippines’ top airline companies. Flights arrive at Busuanga airport and after which you have to take a jeepney to Coron town proper. It is the fastest yet most expensive option to get to Coron. You can also find flights from El Nido, Cebu, and Clark going to Coron.

Need a ride? Book tickets to Coron now.

Getting to Coron by ferry

You can also book a ferry from El Nido to Coron. Fast ferries only take 3.5 to 4.5 hours while slower ferries take 6 to 8 hours to arrive. Want to know best ways to get from El Nido to Coron? Click here.

CompanyTypeTravel TimeCheck Prices
Montenegro ShippingFast ferry ( Departs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays)5-6 hoursBOOK HERE
Atienza ShippingFast ferry (Departs Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays)5-6 hoursBOOK HERE

What are the top destinations in Coron island hopping tours?

Kayangan Lake

Kayangan Lake is indeed the most popular destination that you’ll find in almost every Coron tour package. It features a crystal clear lake and a view deck overlooking it. The view deck has the best spot to take pictures of the lake. To get to the lake, you need to hike a steep trail that consists of approximately 300 steps. Swimming is only allowed if you have a life jacket.

Twin Lagoon

The Twin Lagoon is a pair of beautiful lagoons divided by a limestone cliff. It consists of fresh underground water and seawater which makes the appearance of the water blurry. The first of the two lagoons serve as the docking area of the boats while the second lagoon is the main tourist attraction. To travel between these two lagoons, you can either take the wooden stairs or dive under.

Skeleton Shipwreck

WWII indeed left interesting remains in Coron Bay. Open Water divers and underwater photographers enjoy going to the Skeleton Shipwreck in Coron where they can find 7 different dive spots to explore. The good thing about these diving spots is that they can also be explored by using only a snorkel mask. If you like to dive and explore life underwater, having Skeleton Shipwreck in your itinerary could be one of your best Coron island hopping tours.

Barracuda Lake

Another interesting destination in Coron island tours is Barracuda Lake. Many have said that it was named after a large barracuda residing in the lake. However, you can no longer see a lot of marine life nowadays, not even a barracuda, in the lake. If you’re lucky, you might be able to spot one or two. Another interesting thing about this destination is the drastic temperature change as you dive deeper. This is because the fresh water on the top layer meets the seawater at the bottom layer. So from cold water, you will experience warm water if you dive at least 4 meters down.

Black Island

Many said that Black Island is one of the most underrated destinations in Coron. If you’ll notice, only a few Coron Island Hopping packages include Black Island in their itinerary. If you wish to visit this beautiful island, you can arrange a customized tour from other tour operators. However, in this type of Coron Tours prices vary. Black island consists of a beautiful white sand beach with black limestone cliffs as a backdrop. You can also explore caves on the island as well as visit the shipwreck located just close to the shore.

Malcapuya Island

One of the most expensive Coron tour prices includes Malcapuya Island in their itinerary. This small island which is easily a crowd favorite is located just close to Banana Island and Bulog Dos. What makes it one of the best destinations for island hopping is its crystal clear water, powdery white sand, and little private beaches.

Check out what other activities you can do in Palawan here.

When is the best time to do an island-hopping tour in Coron?

The best time to do an island hopping tour in Coron is during the dry season. There are two dry seasons in the Philippines. One is the cold dry season which starts in December until February while the other is the hot dry season which starts in March until May.

Are Coron island-hopping tours kid-friendly?

Yes, Coron island-hopping tours are kid-friendly. Every island-hopping boat is required to have life jackets for adults and kids. Adult supervision is also highly advised when traveling with kids.

Did we miss something? Let us know if you have some more information about these trips.

GO AROUND PHILIPPINES USEFUL TIPS AND LINKS
BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS
To travel around the Philippines, there are 3 local commercial airlines. Cebu Pacific Air, AirAsia and Philippine Airlines. Smaller airlines called AirSwift (El Nido, Boracay) and Royal Air also fly to limited destinations. Book your local flights here.
For international flights, I found Kiwi and Trip.com have cheaper flight options to the Philippines.
BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION
There are many choices of hotels, hostels, apartments and guesthouses to stay in the Philippines. Book through AGODA for the cheapest options and Booking.com. I also use Hotelscombined to see all prices from different websites to choose from.
BOOK YOUR BUS/FERRY/VAN/CAR
The Philippines can be difficult to go around because many buses, ferries and even private vehicles are offline. The best websites to book them are through Bookaway.com and 12GoAsia – they have many partners in different destinations and you can purchase tickets online.
Car rentals are also available for you to choose from here.
BOOK YOUR PACKAGE TOURS
If you don’t know where to go and just want a hassle free trip to the Philippines, you can find package trips to different destinations with Klook – I recommend them for local tours and activities or Get Your Guide.
DON’T FORGET YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is very important to be safe and ready whenever accidents happen, especially in the Philippines where some places don’t have quality hospitals and clinics. I use Safety Wings for whenever I travel in the Philippines or abroad.
Have you got any questions about traveling to the Philippines? Join our Philippines Travel Planning FB Page to get your answers.
Don’t know how to start planning your Philippines trip? You can start here.

Read all our travel planning articles about Palawan here.

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