Kayangan Lake

 About an hour from Manila and 45 minute land travel from Busuanga Airport, you can reach the town of Coron. Outside the airport, a shuttle will bring you to Coron town proper. Just tell your driver to drop you off at your preferred destination or your hotel.

The most popular destination in Coron is the Kayangan Lake. The most photographed spot in the island and probably the most awe-inspiring. There are other lakes in Coron, but are too sacred for the Tagbanuas to be opened to the public. 

Kayangan lake is dubbed as the cleanest in the Philippines, and is enclosed in a great surrounding. To get to the lake, you have to take the 367 steps uphill and down. The turquoise water is so inviting, it's calm and clear, it soothes the body and relaxes the mind.

 

It's a no life jacket, no swimming policy to this paradise. If you have extra budget, go for the private tour, to avoid the influx of tourist. Visit to Kayangan Lake and other nearby tourist spots can be done through a packaged tour available almost anywhere, but make sure you transact to the legitimate operators. I got my Kayangan Lake tour at 900 pesos, with lunch served at the Sunset beach.

Calauit Island

"The best things in life are free - family, friends, smiles, hugs, kisses, nature, oxygen, live, sleep and good memories."

Calauit Game Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary is a haven for the giraffes, zebras and the endangered Calamian deers. A piece of Africa in the PI, where one can have a close encounter with animals in the wild.

History has it that in the 1970's, the then President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared Calauit Island a Wildlife Sanctuary in response to the call of the then Kenyan President, to help save the African wildlife.

To reach Calauit Island, one must travel by land from Coron proper for over an hour and ride an outrigger boat for about 10 minutes. The tour starts at 6 in the morning.

I went there to see the giraffes, and it didn't disappoint. It was a fun filled experience.


Northern Palawan is receiving its share of the more than 30 degree C heat, so bring your water, towel, cap or umbrella since you will explore the portion of the island by foot. The Marcos era jeepney that used to transport tourist was no longer serviceable.

What they need there is a resident Vet, so the animals can be treated with utmost care. Afterall visitors went there to see the animals in their natural habitat, roaming freely. Moreover, visiting Calauit Safari is worth your time and money.