Coron (and more?)... advise/info please...

[jeremyl]

I am planning a trip to Coron. First trip to this area. Coming from US through Manila. Plan is to dive Coron for ~6 days starting May 1. Advise on where to stay and who to dive with would be much appreciated. Going with a friend who was recommended Dugong Dive Center, but would welcome dive op recommendations.

Dive wise I guess the idea is wrecks (honestly I am a macro & colorful coral fan myself and not too into wrecks, but diving is all great and this is said to be tops for wrecks, so thats what we will do). Accommodation-wise looking for somewhat budget. I guess you can do $20/nt easily it seems. We could budget more than that, but no $100+/nt/pp deluxe places. Just nice, clean, well run, and good location. Seems the cozy cabana on the beach is not the way here - but if an extra $15US/nt gets you something special we would spring for that.

I am pretty confused by all the different areas. Seems you can have long distance between sites no matter where you base yourself. Is there a best-place to be based to be close enough to dive sites for a week? Or will you usually be on 45min - 1hr+ rides from "resort" to dive site?

My dive buddy will be returning to the US on May 7 but I could manage another week in the area (taking the summer off work)... so I am wondering what more to do. To keep flights simple I would want easy transfers from Manila (or Coron). Is there someplace easy for me to transfer to and get a different sense of the area? I would be a single diver, so someplace accommodating that. If there are some places with macro/color/coral/etc I would like to check that out.

Also, what is the weather like this time of year? What type wetsuit to bring?

 

[DevonDiver]

If you've got a stop-over in Manila.. let us know if you want to meet-up.

 

[rab1412000]

For lodging, google coron village lodge or seadive. Of the two coron village lodge offers better, cleaner, quieter, cheaper rooms.
For diving you could checkout seadive or coron divers.
Although coron is known for wrecks you shouldnt miss out on gunthers cathedral nor barracuda lake and siete pecados. For the wrecks be sure to do tai maru and akitsushima maru.
Check out this vid i made:
YouTube - back in coron!!!!

for transpo getting there, you have to take a plane ride from manila to busuanga and take the 20 minute van ride from the airport to coron town itself. Its easy to get these vans as there are many waiting in the airport.
Good luck

 

[Centrals]

Accommodation in Coron is reatively cheap but the wrecks are miles away. So do prepare for a long day out. There are couple of places which are very close to the wrecks BUT....expensive!!!
From Manila you have three choices, all within 3-4hrs by car/boat:
1. Anilao is good for macro but you are stuck in your own resort.
2. Puerto Galera which is another hr away by boat from Anilao but has a lot more to offer in the evening and also on selection of restaurants.
3. Subic Bay if you want more wrecks after Coron.

 

[chewie]

you should try out Discovery Diver's as well, relatively affordable. The owner, Gunther is the one responsible of the discovery of most of the wrecks there as well

 

[jeremyl]

Thanks! RE: Anilao & PG - Recommendations on place to stay & Dive Op? Since I will probably stay another week are there other places to check out? I want only one other location (beyond Coron) but want to make the most of my trip over so I dont mind a little travel to get to the resort. Ceba? Malapascua? Verde Island? I've been reading up and found too many dive locales to pic.

I would be hoping for more lush coral and marine life - macro over mega but love it all. But I will be done with wrecks I am sure.

I dont mind being resort-bound too much as long as diving is abundant. I'll be a (married but) single diver so someplace not too sleepy would be nice I guess but I get by just fine socializing with whoever is around.

 

[jeremyl]

If I were to spring for a close-to-wrecks resort for Coron, what are some names to look for? (Club Paradise I do think is beyond our budget). We will probably be somewhat budget for this trip but I am not sure - so its worth looking into. I would say $100pp/nt for diving and lodging is acceptable. A little more or less would work. A lot less would be cool if resort/diving are great.

Also getting over to Apo sounds like a worthy effort (although they limit divers so not sure how practical). And it seems far from most places.

 

[Centrals]

If I were to spring for a close-to-wrecks resort for Coron, what are some names to look for? (Club Paradise I do think is beyond our budget). We will probably be somewhat budget for this trip but I am not sure - so its worth looking into. I would say $100pp/nt for diving and lodging is acceptable. A little more or less would work. A lot less would be cool if resort/diving are great.

Also getting over to Apo sounds like a worthy effort (although they limit divers so not sure how practical). And it seems far from most places.

Puerto del sol Resort and Sangat Island Resort. Both places charge around US$100.00 for accommodation ONLY. Diving and food are extra.

Apo? Island or Reef? Two different places in different locations.

 

[Rogersea]

I am also going to recommend Coron Divers, and if you contact them they can help you find the cheap accomodations you are looking for. When I was there(2 years ago) I think I paid 5 or 6 hundred pesos a night... Nothing fancy but very close to the shop......... I was pleased with everything......

Home - www.corondivers.com.ph

the tops of some of the wrecks are teeming with good Macro..

Cheers,
Roger

 

[jeremyl]

Ill check out Coron Divers. Centrals - Apo Reef is what I read about. Also - Are there any liveaboards in the Philippines worth checking into. Esp for my second week it might be nice to be on a boat - more social since I will be alone... and usually can be more economical since most resorts I see charge a decent up-charge for single occupancy. I guess we could consider a LOB for Coron as well, since the wrecks are pretty spread out.