While I may not be Olivia Poping off the coast of Zanzibar, the voyage I had on my second day with Two Seasons Island Resort & Spa in Palawan was pretty much close to jetting it off to an unknown beach with dreams of starting a new life.
Getting as far away from civilization as possible definitely has its perks. I’ve never felt so near to this truth until I was whisked off in a speedboat by the tour guides at the Two Seasons Resort’s Pawikan Aqua Center for an adventure of a lifetime.
With the wind blowing through my hair and sand on my feet, I don’t think I’ve ever been this close to nature in my entire life. Finally free of inhibitions, here I am feeling like the luckiest girl in the world. I tell you, the magic of the Isle of Coron has this charming ability to make one totally feel enchanted. Perhaps it is the element of surprise upon knowing that the entire island is still fully owned by one of the oldest tribes in the Philippines, the Calamian Tagbanwa Tribe. The Tagbanwa is also renowned to be descendants of the “Tabon Man” who were believed to be the earliest human remains known in the Philippines. The “Tabon Man” was named after the Tabon Cave, the place where they were found on the west coast of Palawan. Out of the 10,000 remaining Tagbanwa left in the Philippines, approximately 1,800 of them are known to be in the Calamian Islands in Palawan and part of the Calamian Tagbanwa Tribe in Coron.
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Coron, to this day, is known for having the cleanest inland body of water in the Philippines called Kayangan Lake, hidden behind massive limestone rock formations. Nicknamed as the most iconic scenery in the island of Coron, it is also famous for being the cleanest lake in Asia. Snorkeling in these legendary waters is an experience to be had. I was fortunate enough to be able to take part in Two Seasons Island Resort and Spa’s Coron Ultimate Tour where we explored:
A. Siete Pecados | A colorful coral garden featuring the most exuberant of coral beds, the name means “Seven Sins”. Legend has it that seven sisters went swimming opposing their mothers will. As a consequence, each and everyone of them drowned and thereupon, seven islands came into view.
B. Kayangan Lake | Reachable by a high 10-minute ascend, the luminous waters of Lake Kayangan are snuggled into the mountain walls where the underwater sceneries of canyons, caves and rocks, allying to the landscape at the Puerto Princesa Underground River, prove to be surreal.
C. Twin Lagoon | Also a must-do for nature lovers, it’s composed of two lagoons encircled by rigorous limestone cliffs. The waters here are placid and profound, excellent for kayaking and snorkeling. From the outer lagoon, we swam underneath the rocks where it transported us to the hidden second lagoon. Warm fresh waters from the mountains is mixed into the cold waters from the Sulu Sea creating an unconventional merger of two temperatures.
D. Barracuda Lake | Named after its resident barracuda. An illustrious dive site for its Thermocline, the pleasant waters here innovates exclusive layers of fresh, salt and saline water eventuating breathtaking temperature shifts. From excitement seeing its mystifying and commanding skyline, my lens cap accidentally fell off on-the-spot. What was memorable for me was how the competent staff at Two Seasons Island Resort and Spa recovered it by free diving through its famous waters. Rest assured, I was endlessly grateful.
E. Skeleton Wreck | An unassuming, fleeting, submerged Japanese ship from World War II that can either be accomplished as a dive or snorkelled on. It was quite an impressive yet melodramatic scene. Coron Island has a total of eleven shipwreck dive sites that remain as sunken ruins from the colossal battles of the past decade.
F. Banol Beach | A captivating, secluded beach picnic catered by Two Seasons Island Resort and Spa. Presenting the island tour’s menu the day before to its clients, the staff allows their guests to indulge in a personalized lunch to be delivered and ministered the next day by the remarkable people at Two Seasons Island Resort and Spa. Playing by the crystal blue waters and laying by the sand to sun bathe while our beach luncheon was being prepared was pure luxury.
Believe me when I say that Coron undeniably gave me the best snorkeling experience of my life! I’ve always been intimidated by the underwater life but Coron totally changed that for me. The only regret that I have is that I didn’t bring an underwater camera for the aquatic spectacle I saw was simply indescribable. The most luscious of thousand year old coral gardens, a diversity of rare marine species, mesmerizing underwater caves, a World War II shipwreck surrounded by coral reefs and genuine archeological findings still fully integral and part of its nature are some writings to describe the magnificence that I saw in Coron. The Tagbanwa tribe protects the entire island, thus, it is prohibited for holidaymakers to take anything outside. I’ve also learned that deep inside the isle is the tribe’s Mother Lake which is known to not only be impressive, but extremely spiritual. Unless one is part of the Tagbanwa Tribe, it will be physically impossible for one to enter as there are certain rituals that one needs to perform in order to receive permission from the tribe’s elders.
Out of respect for the Tagbanwas, I didn’t post photos of the archeological findings I witnessed throughout the trip. However, the feeling of uncovering something special in the island is a treasure that will remain in my memory forever. As a surprise, the tour guides allowed us to meet a couple from the Tagbanwa Tribe. They were caretakers of the secluded beach where we were graciously welcomed. This, for me, was a highlight of the tour, as I love getting to know more about the authentic Philippine tribes. It was as if the stories in my textbooks growing up all suddenly came to life.
My special thanks go out to our tour guide, Kuya (translation: older brother) Vincent and the rest of the crew at Two Seasons Island Resort & Spa who not only assisted us and kept us safe during the entire tour, but also organized our lunch spread for our private beach picnic in the scenic Island of Coron. His knowledgeable behavior and easy disposition in life is certainly admirable. I remember him leading us inside the incredible Twin Lagoon right before dusk where he showed us that the best view is sometimes seen by looking up in the sky. That way, the handsome limestone rock formations could frame the heavens forming your own masterpiece and making the experience more intimate. Etched in my memory, I sometimes look back to this kind of simple life from time to time. He certainly made an impression.
Two Seasons Resort’s Coron Island Ultimate Tour will always be remembered as the day that I somehow went back to my roots and got to know the Philippines in a more alluring way. Surrounded by raw, unadulterated beauty, Coron is beautiful in its unpretentiousness. The Tagbanwa Tribe, a civilization that dwells in this island often called the last frontier, remains its caretaker. Hence, the island thrives and asserts of a culture that is ingenuous as it is rich.
Surrounded by lush trees and rock formations, Coron is untainted and untouched. Choose joy and book that ticket now. Two Seasons will surely hook you up in this most amazing adventure, one that you will surely not regret.
Check out Part 1 of my review on Two Seasons Island Resort & Spa here. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the wonderful staff and tour guides at Two Seasons Island Resort and Spa for their warm hearted hospitality!
Reserve Now: Two Seasons Coron Island Resort & Spa | Malaroyroy, Bulalacao Island, Coron, Palawan 5316 | +63(917) 566-5820 | +63(998) 982-9286