GET LOST: CORONizing Palawan: The Arrival/ Mt. Tapyas

What makes a good trip a truly memorable one? Is it the the people you're with? is it the food? or is it the place itself?


It was 6 months ago when the backpackers planned their trip to puerto princesa, palawan. everyhting is set and had our flight booked , hotel reserved and our activities plotted. but a week before our trip, 5 backpackers backed out and i was the only one eager for our trip.

luckily, my officemate juyjuy invited me to join her in her coron, palawan trip. her friends backed out on their trip as well....

enough of the melodramatic intro...

a day before our palawan trip, i'm still having second thoughts of joining juyjuy...i have an early shift the day of our trip and i haven't asked my boss' permission. but everything seem to fall exactly on the right place, at the right time...i managed to tell my boss about my flight and he agreed to let me go...

5:00 am...
i was bombarded with a lot of text messages from juyjuy. she kept on reminding me that our flight is @ 7:10 am

onboard airphilippines express bound to coron, palawan 

I started packing my stuff around 5.30... left our house in cainta at 6:10 am... rode a cab for a good 30 mins for Php 210 [around US$5-6]... i arrived at NAIA [Ninoy Aquino International Airport] around 6:40... i immediately texted juyjuy and started looking for her... around 6:50, we went to the check in counter of Airphil Express [PALexpress] and was shocked to realize that our flight was rescheduled... we have to wait until 9:30 am before we can board the plane...




I was anxious to know that we'll be riding a Dash 8-300 airplane with the propellers on both sides... we left manila at exactly 10:00 am and arrived at Bosuanga airport 40 minutes later. the view from the plane was absolutely breath-taking... we manage to see a couple of islands because of the clear weather...

coron's incredible landscape

one of coron's majestic island

Shuttle Ride: JOHNVIC:: 0921-2727862 

First thing we've noticed after landing at Francisco Reyes Airport [Bosuanga, Coron, Palawan Airport], was the warm smiles and very accommodating people of the province. we've waited 15 mins for the shuttle to be filled with locals and tourists. thanks to the Local Government of Palawan, the 1 hour 30 mins. travel time was now lessened and you can reach Coron town proper for 30 to 45 mins. max. It'll cost you Php 150 [$ 3.50-$4.00]/ person. the side scenery was none the less amazing and you cant help but admire mother nature's beauty...


Since we arrived almost 3 hours late, we missed the tour that we're supposed to be joining and decided to think of another plan to spend the day... we're not wasting a whole day just because of a delayed flight..

We went to one of Coron's first and original floating hotel.... Krystal Lodge. 

KRYSTAL LODGE:Krystal Langit:: 09493330429/ 09267231212 

The Shuttle Driver aka kuya johnvic dropped us in an esquinita . It was scary at first, but after a few steps, we were greeted by mangroves and a long and narrow wooden bridge. I was trying to scare juyjuy by jumping up and down to shake the bridge when suddenly--i stopped... Not because the bridge has fallen down but because i was mesmerize with what i saw. For the first time in my life, i saw houses on stilts. It was like on TV. We were greeted by ate Mylene-- "The Care taker". Finding great deals was Juyjuys forte. she managed to get a room for the 2 of us for only Php 600.00 ($14-15) a night.

wooden bridge to krystal lodge

what's in store for a 600 peso room? Everything!

• >unlimited wifi access (smartbro) 
• unlimited coffee refills 
• great view of the sea 
• clean, relaxing, comfortable and well-ventilated rooms 
• free choclate bars from nanay cely! (seasonal :D)

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KRYSTAL LODGE 

If you want to get away from the buzzing sound of the bars, i would definitely recommend this place. plus,  a great view of the sunset and the stars at night will sure come a long way. Aling Cely "the owner yeah!" just arrived few days ago from N.Y and started telling us stories on how the Krystal Lodge started. (She gave us free chocolates by the way... "bribe?" --- nahhhh!) Established in 1994 with just a simple Hut, Aling Cely "the owner" and her Husband "the other owner :p " decided to stay in coron after an engineering project. Many Tourists , both foreign and local, enjoyed visiting their house on stilts and requested the Langit's if the could spend the night over and just pay for the rent. Seeing the potential, the family secured necessary permits from the local Government and the DENR, and decided to open an Inn.

The Boulevard

After unpacking our stuff, Juyjuy and i decided to eat Lunch. We left the lodge and went to the public market to look for an Eatery. You can get one full meal for less than Php. 50.00 ($1-1.50). After Lunch, we head on to the Boulevard to check out the blue waters of Coron. 

 We decided to Brave Coron's tallest spot! Hello! Mt. Tapyas. A clear view from Krystal Lodge, it's more of a Hill than a Mountain. Ate Mai told us that the best time to climb Mt. Tapyas was around 4 pm. Just a Quick 10-minute walk, we we're greeted by Locals on the foot of the mountain. a staggering 700-step climb awaits us. For the "Not-into-mountain-climbing" peeps like me, there are waiting shed every 100 steps so you can take a breather. It took us almost 2 hours to reach the view deck and just in time for the sunset. The view from the top was absolutely breath-taking.

* TOP 3 MUST HAVES...

• WATER.... I MEAN PLENTY OF WATER! 100 GALLONS 
• TOWEL.... TO WIPE YOUR FACE SO THAT YOU WONT LOOK OILY ON ANY OF YOUR PHOTOS 
• CAMERA... FORGET THIS AND YOU WONT HAVE ANY EVIDENCE! 

* WHERE TO START?

• TRICYCLE... COST PhP 8.00 (c .25) FOR LAZY PEOPLE 
• WALK... WALK... WALK... AROUND 10 MINUTES FROM THE MAIN ROAD/ MARKET