Palawan: Coron hotels, transportation and more stuff to help you plan your trip

Coron, Palawan, named one of the Top 10 dive sites in the world by Forbes Traveler, ranks among Philippine destinations that we can truly call paradise. It's no doubt a world-class diving destination! But Coron is not just about diving. And the past few days that I've been here, Coron has not failed to impress. Here are some tips to help you plan your Coron trip.

To get to Coron, you could travel by air or by sea. From the Coron Port, you could easily get a tricycle to the center of town. But the Busuanga Airport is another story.

There are several airlines that fly to Busuanga. The Busuanga Airport is about 30 minutes away from Coron. Unless you've pre-arranged pick-up with your hotel, you might have no choice but to hire a van to take you to Coron which is about Php1,500.

Like in most of my trips, I just walked out of the airport and asked around. It turns out, there is are shuttles which you could take for Php150/head that drops you off at your hotel in Coron. If you still don't have a hotel, you can ask help from the driver.

I went around and here is a list of some of the hotels I liked. We decided to stay at Seadive Resort since it's close to the market and the center of town. Plus, if you're low on cash, they accept credit cards for rooms, food and diving services.

It's the only PADI certified dive center in Coron and the only resort in Palawan with a certified recompression chamber. That's why it's rated Gold Palm 5 Star by PADI. They have a good restaurant, plus many of the best restaurants in Coron are just a few meters away. Rooms start at Php400 for Fan Rooms with common bathroom to Php1,400 for the Deluxe Room.

Busuanga Seadive Resort
+63 920 9458714
+63 918 4000448

Coron Ecolodge Hotel

+63 906 4556090
+63 919 2048824
inquiry@myhometelphilippines.com


A few hundred meters away, along the National Highway and close to the town plaza are other good options for accommodation. Coron Village Lodge and Darayonan Lodge are beside each other. While Princess of Coron is a few meters inside. But they have some of the better rooms and a swimming pool too.

Coron Village Lodge
+63 2 8053414
+63 928 2020819
+63 916 4200252
becfernandez@coronvillagelodge.com

Darayonan Lodge
+63 917 5866098
+63 2 4375785
+63 917 8811151
+63 908 7732964

Princess of Coron
+63 919 4095548

The best hotel in town is no doubt the Coron Gateway Hotel which is right beside the market. The spacious and luxurious rooms however aren't cheap but definitely worth the extra pesos. In fact, the bathrooms alone are bigger than some hotel rooms in Coron! Each room is a Junior Suite. Those with one queen bed cost Php3,500. Those with two queen beds cost Php5,500. While the Presidential Suite, complete with living room and kitchen are Php7,500 a night. But being a new hotel, they still don't accept credit cards. So you'll have to bring a lot of cash.

Coron Gateway Hotel
+63 2 8877107
+63 48 7231659
+63 921 7232456
+63 929 7955049

GMG Hotel
+63 2 7363187
+63 919 5961172
+63 918 9475871
+63 939 8456837
gmghotelcoron@yahoo.com.ph

For budget accommodation, you may also try the following:

Balaibinda Lodge
+63 927 9072164
+63 908 2185181
+63 922 4512441
info@balaibinda.com

Coron Reef Calamianes Pension House
+63 919 8877151
+63 9194501606

Getting around Coron and the nearby islands is very easy since there are a lot of pump boats for hire. While the Calamian Tourist Boat Association has standard rates, they may vary depending on the season, your haggling capabilities and the condition of the sea (since larger boats may be needed if the waters are not as calm as they should be).

But to give you an idea, there are three different rates depending on the size of the boat which could accommodate 1 to 5, 6 to 8, and 10 to 15 persons respectively. Here are some of the suggested rates for the small boats which could accommodate 1 to 5 people:

Coron Island and vicinity - Php1,500
Culion Island - Php2,500 (Php3,000 is still a good price)
Malcapuya/Banana/Malaroyroy - Php2500 (Although I haven't found anyone who would agree to this rate. It's usually Php3,000 to 3,500)
Calumbuyan Island - Php3,000
Calauit Island - Php7,500

Tricycles rates start at Php8 per head. But if you'll hire one for Maquinit Hot Spring, it would cost you up to Php300 round-trip since they'll wait for you there. More Coron adventures coming up.

Related entry
Things to do in Coron, Busuanga and Culion, Palawan

Malaysia: Bus trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, Malaysia

Penang, Malaysia is a cultural gem. Exploring its narrow streets, one can feel the diversity of Malaysia.

The most convenient way to reach Penang by bus from Kuala Lumpur is to catch a bus to Butterworth. While there are buses to Penang, the Penang Bus Terminal is very far from the historic center of Georgetown. So it's best to take a bus to Butterworth, walk to the ferry terminal next door, and take the ferry to Penang which docks right in the historic center of Georgetown.

Right beside the Quan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) Temple in historic George Town is a small Hindu shrine dedicated to Ganesh and stalls selling beautiful and intricate garlands to honor the gods. Beside the stalls are shops of joss stick makers. Further down the street from the temple is the Anglican St. George's Church. As I walked towards the church, a nearby mosque echoed its call to prayer from loudspeakers atop its minarets.

Such is the intricate fabric of Penang, a melting pot of Asian cultures, a city where centuries-old structures remain intact, standing as colorful testaments to the rich history of this trading city.

George Town, the historical core of Penang, is the other city inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Cities of the Straits of Malacca. Since I mentioned Melaka already, I felt it would be best to jump back two months and write about a recent trip to Penang.

I arrived in Kuala Lumpur on an evening flight from Bali. Since I didn’t want to waste time in transit, I decided to go straight to the Puduraya Bus Station to catch the first bus to Penang. By the time I arrived, the main terminal was closed and the only way to get on a bus was through agents moving around the area. Don’t worry, they’re not difficult to find since they would immediately approach you to sell bus tickets. I was worried at first since I wasn’t sure if they were for real. But when other locals got tickets, I felt a bit safer.

It was 12 midnight and the earliest bus was at 2 a.m. So I stayed in KFC while waiting. By 1:45 a.m., I decided to wait outside. At 2 a.m., no bus. To make the long story short, a bus finally passed by at 3 a.m. and we were ushered in by the agents. Bus schedules are non-existent in the wee hours of the morning since the agents simply rely on buses passing through KL (communicating with drivers by mobile) with space to take passengers in. The important thing is I arrived in Penang.

I was in Penang way back in 2003 and I remembered that the last stop of the buses was the KOMTAR Building in the center of town. Unfortunately, they moved the terminal several kilometers outside George Town. When you arrive, the only means of transportation that will greet you are taxis. But if you’re on a tight budget, you simply have to cross the street and get on a public bus that will take you to KOMTAR.

The better option, I would later learn, was to get off at Butterworth, the stop before Penang. The Butterworth Bus Station is right beside the ferry terminal. And the good thing about the ferry from Butterworth to George Town is that the terminal on the other side is right smack in the heritage area. So no need for costly taxis or long bus rides to get into town.

Part 2: Exploring the Penang heritage trail on foot

Related article
Following the heritage trail in Penang
Melaka, Malaysia is a historic city of the Straits of Malacca
More Straits Settlements history in Malacca

Pampanga: 1st Annual Clark Freeport Horse Festival Calendar of Events

Pampanga will be full of festivals and events this November and December. And the list keeps on growing! Mark your calendars for Horse Fest 2009: 1st Annual Clark Freeport Horse Festival from November 28 to 29, 2009.

It will be an event-filled weekend (it's a four day long-weekend from November 27 to 30, 2009) for serious horse enthusiasts, families and regular visitors. There will be polo matches and equestrian competitions as well as tilbury races.

Try out the Next Frontier Trail Ride, a 4 to 5-hour horse ride that goes through the Sacobia River and its outlying hills. There will also be carriage rides, magic and puppet shows, family games and contests at the Trade & Food Fair, free lessons on feeding and grooming of horses, and free lessons on basic horse riding (for kids only).

What's more, check out the Great Clark 3-Day Sale happening at various establishments within Clark Freeport and selected establishments outside, from November 28 to 30, 2009. Below is a tentative schedule of major events:

November 28 (Saturday)
9:15 a.m. - Grand Parade (from El Kabayo towards Clark Parade Grounds)
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. - Trade & Food Fair
1 to 2 p.m. - Polo Competition (Clark Parade Grounds)
3 to 5 p.m. - Equestrian Competition (Clark Picnic Grounds)
8 p.m. - Grand Fireworks Display

November 29 (Sunday)
8 to 10 a.m. - Equestrian Competition (Clark Picnic Grounds)
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. - Trade & Food Fair
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Tilbury Races (Speedway Venue)
4 to 6 p.m. - Equestrian Competition (Clark Picnic Grounds)

November 30 (Monday)
8:00 a.m. to 12 noon - Trade & Food Fair

This event is hosted by the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), Greater Clark Visitors Bureau (GCVB) and the Clark Freeport Tourism Association (CFTA).

Apl.de.ap of Black Eyed Peas takes you to the Philippines!

Did you know that apl.de.ap of Black Eyed Peas is from Pampanga, Philippines? It's very much evident if you listen closely to the lyrics of Take Me to the Philippines where he invites everyone to visit his hometown Pampanga.

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apl promotes RP via music

Typhoon Ondoy relief operations... let's do our share!

This evening, I dropped by the Ateneo College Covered Courts to check out Ateneo's Task Force Ondoy. Kudos to all the volunteers who have been helping out in the relief operations. The bayanihan spirit is very heartwarming and I hope our country benefits and learns from this experience of cooperation in tragedy.

As I mentioned while I was abroad, reading all the status messages in Facebook was really depressing! When we get up on our feet again, Filipinos must make the country's leaders accountable for everything. The rains may be an act of God, but flood control and disaster response is an act of man.

Stop cutting trees! That includes illegal logging and the DPWH/MMDA cutting trees for road-widening! Let's all plant trees once the relief operations are over. While PAGASA claims trees would not have stopped the flooding (true maybe, but who says they're credible), wouldn't you agree with me that a forest-covered Sierra Madre would have minimized the water flowing down from the denuded mountains?

Part of flood control includes the removal of illegal settlers from esteros and rivers as well. I'm sorry but they really have to go. The danger to the larger population has already been articulated by this recent tragedy. So I hope groups who would oppose their removal on the grounds of human rights consider now the rights of all those affected by the recent flood. Metro Manila is one big river basin which we do not notice anymore since even the waterways have been erased by development. It's time to clear up the natural flood drainage system of Metro Manila!

I hope people also start becoming aware of proper waste disposal. Even small candy wrappers thrown indiscriminately contribute to our flood problems. A friend of mine commented that even the relief operations will be generating so much plastic that it will again clog up our natural drainage system. But then again, let's start this debate/campaign once we've made sure everybody's safe and up on their feet again. Carry on!

I just arrived from Singapore and Malaysia today and have so many stories to tell. But in deference to the tragedy that struck our country and the relief operations that are underway, I'll continue the travel posts next week.

Update (09/29/09): Upsilon Sigma Phi and Philippine National Red Cross Rescue & Relief Mission meets at 8 a.m. at the A.S. Parking Lot. Relief goods, volunteers, and vehicles are very much welcome. UP Sagip Isko operations at the UP Church of the Risen Lord from 7 a.m. onwards

Update (10/03/09): I invite you to read Lessons from the deluge by Paulo Alcazaren which talks about the response of Singapore to flooding. I was in Singapore when the flood happened and I learned that it used to flood in Singapore too. But the difference is they learned from the floods and rationalized their drainage and flood control system to make sure that the problem was addressed. Take note that at the time they did that, the Philippines was economically ahead of Singapore!