Coron Tours: Nice in Paradise Tour Agency

Hi! So here's a list of all the tours and prices offered by our chosen tour agency on our trip to Coron. I hope this pricelist help you plan your trip to this piece of paradise. :)

TOWN TOUR

550/Person

Minimum of 5 pax

DESTINATIONS :

• RECLAMATION AREA/ LUALHATI PARK
• VISIT ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH
• CORON SOUVENIR SHOP
• MUNICIPAL OF CORON
• TREKKING @ MT. TAPYAS (724 STEPS)
• MAQUINIT HOT SPRING

TOUR INCLUSIONS:

• LAND TRANSFER (By Van)
• TOUR GUIDE
• ENTRANCE FEE
• DRINKS AND SNACKS

TOURS START AT 4:00 PM TO 7:30 PM

CALIS TOUR

950/PERSON

MINIMUM OF 5 PAX

6 DESTINATIONS :

• SIETE PECADOS
• BARRACUDA LAKE
• ATWAYAN BEACH
• SUNSET LAGOON
• CYC CORAL GARDEN &
• SKELETON WRECK

TOUR INCLUSIONS :

• BOAT TRANSFER
• LIFE VEST
• ALL ENTRANCE FEE'S
• DRINKS AND SNACKS
• TOUR GUIDE
• LUNCH (BUFFET STYLE) W/ COMPLIMENTARY FRUIT

NOTE: MASK & SNORKELS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE. TOURS START AT 8:30 AM TO 5:00 PM

TOUR A

"CORON ISLAND TOUR"

850/PERSON

MINIMUM OF 5 PAX

6 DESTINATIONS :

1. KAYANGAN LAKE
2. TWIN PEAK REEF
3. BANOL BEACH
4. TWIN LAGOON
5. CYC BEACH
6. BALINSASAYAW FLOATING HOUSE

TOUR INCLUSIONS :

• BOAT TRANSFER
• LIFE VEST
• ALL ENTRANCE FEE'S
• DRINKS AND SNACKS
• TOUR GUIDE
• LUNCH (BUFFET STYLE) W/ COMPLIMENTARY FRUIT

NOTE: MASK & SNORKELS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE.

TOURS START AT 8:30 AM TO 5:00 PM

TOUR B

"CORON NXTCAPADE"

1,200/PERSON

MINIMUM OF 5 PAX

DESTINATIONS :

1. BANANA ISLAND
2. ISLA BULOG
3. MALCAPUYA ISLAND TOUR

TOUR INCLUSIONS:

• BOAT TRANSFER
• LIFE VEST
• ALL ENTRANCE FEES
• DRINKS AND SNACKS
• TOUR GUIDE
• LUNCH (BUFFET STYLE) WITH COMPLIMENTARY FRUIT

NOTE: MASK & SNORKELS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE.

TOURS START AT 8:30 AM TO 5:00 PM

TOUR C

"REEF AND WRECK TOUR"

1,200/PERSON

MINIMUM OF 5 PAX

4 DESTINATIONS :

1. PASS ISLAND
2. SANGAT CORAL GARDEN
3. LUSONG GUNBOAT (JAPANESE SHIP WRECK) &
4. EAST TANGAT WRECK

TOUR INCLUSIONS :

• BOAT TRANSFER
• LIFE VEST
• LUNCH (BUFFET STYLE) WITH COMPLIMENTARY FRUIT
• DRINKS AND SNACKS
• ALL ENTRANCE FEES
• TOUR GUIDE

NOTE: MASK & SNORKELS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE. TOURS START AT 8:30 AM TO 5:00 PM

TOUR D

"CALAUIT TOUR BY BOAT"

2,500/PERSON

MINIMUM OF 6 PAX

5 Destinations :

1. CALAUIT ISLAND
2. BLACK ISLAND
3. SANGAT CORAL GARDEN
4. MARILY ISLAND
5. LUSONG GUN BOAT (Japanese Ship Wreck)

TOUR INCLUSIONS :

• BOAT TRANSFER
• LIFE VEST
• LUNCH (BUFFET STYLE) WITH COMPLIMENTARY FRUIT
• DRINKS AND SNACKS
• ALL ENTRANCE FEES
• TOUR GUIDE

NOTE: MASK & SNORKELS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE. TOURS START AT 8:30 AM TO 5:00 PM

TOUR D

"CALAUIT TOUR BY LAND"

2,000/PERSON

MINIMUM OF 6 PAX

3 Destinations :

1. CALAUIT ISLAND
2. OCAM OCAM BEACH
3. WATER FALLS

TOUR INCLUSIONS:

• COFFEE ON BOARD
• BOAT/LAND TRANSFER
• BREAKFAST
• LUNCH
• DRINKS & SNACKS
• ALL ENTRANCE FEES
• TOUR GUIDE
• LIFE VEST
• MASK & SNORKELS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE.

Note: Snorkel & Goggle Mask Rental - Php150.00

          Flippers Rental - Php150.00

WEBSITE:  http://www.niceinparadisetours.com/

E-MAIL: niceinparadisetours@yahoo.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nice-in-paradise-tours/498626350199636?fref=ts

Coron 2015 Series: Coron Nxtcapade Tour

Day three of our stay in Coron was dedicated for another island hopping/snorkeling day. This time, we opted to take the Coron Nxtcapade Tour. Basically there are only three destinations, the islands to be visited here are some Coron's most popular. Again, our tour was handled by Nice in Paradise Travel and Tours.

If you've already read my Coron Islands Tour post, you'd know that I was a bit disappointed with how the locals handled our time, I was also a bit annoyed during the morning of our Nxtcapade Tour since our sundo was late again. As per our hotel's confirmation, we were to be picked up at 8:30am, again, we were ready by 8:15, our sundo arrived a little before 9:00am. Upon arriving at the dock, we waited again for almost half an hour since the boatmen kept telling us that the food wasn't complete yet. If one of the tourists didn't even call the boatmen's attention that our tour group has been complete for the last half hour and that we've been waiting for so long, they wouldn't even rush to start the tour, I was like... "Do we really have to call you pa to start the tour?!". Luckily, among the tourists inside the boat was the manager of another popular hotel in Coron, she patiently explained that everyone in Coron is on island time, meaning everything is much slower as compared to the city. Okay I get that. 

Fastforward to when we actually arrived at our first destination... The islands to be visited are quite far from the town proper itself, I felt as if it took us more than an hour to reach the first destination, also the islands in the itinerary itself are quite far from each other. The destinations were:

Malcapuya Island:

A wide stretch of beach and crystal clear waters will greet you upon arrival at Banana Island, here you can enjoy swimming, basking under the sun and some snorkeling, though there aren't a lot of fishes underwater since the beach itself is very busy, with boats that come and go every so often. There's also a view deck that you can climb that offers a different perspective of the island.

Isla Bulog Dos:

The beach front isn't as wide as Malcapuya's but this island has bamboo huts where the tourists can eat lunch. If you feel quite tired already from swimming, a nice nap in the huts will refresh you with the see breeze lulling you to sleep. There's also a small hut in a nearby sandbar that you can swim to.

Banana Island:

This island is right beside Two Seasons Coron, with only a sandbar separating them. The water surrounding this island is very shallow, perfect for those who's afraid of the open sea. The sand here is extremely fine but the parts near the beach are quite littered with rocks and broken shells which tend to be, not only painful when stepped on, but slippery. You can also climb up a view deck and take pictures above.

The lunch again was a feast, there's adobong pusit, fried fish, fresh lato, rice and chicken, pineapple for dessert and water and softdrinks. We were also served Puto and water as snacks.

View from the boat.

Malcapuya Island

Isla Bulog Dos

Banana Island

You can also rent snorkels and goggles for Php150/set. Flippers are also available but I highly suggest wearing aqua shoes instead. 

Tour Price: Php1,200/head

Inclusions:

Transporation to and from your accomodation

Boat rides to destinations

Life jackets

Buffet lunch

Entrance fees

Tour guides

Coron 2015 Series: Coron Islands Tour

Our island hopping tours were arranged by the hotel staff, there are a lot of tour agencies that offer basically the same island hopping tours, however, it was Nice in Paradise Travel and Tours which handled all our tour activities. 

We actually spent three whole days hopping all over Coron's gorgeous islands. First off the list was Coron Islands Tour, the destinations were:

Kayangan Lake:

You have to hike up a mountain to reach this beautiful lake. Going to the lake itself is around three hundred steps, one-fifty going up, one-fifty going down, you just have to be really careful because some steps are too high while some are uneven, but there's a wooden railing you can hold on to so you won't fall. Half-way to the lake is the view deck wherein you can see the turquoise waters and rock formations surrounding Kayangan Lake. I would highly suggest wearing aqua shoes here because the rocks are quite sharp, if you also don't know how to swim, bring your life jacket. 

Twin Peaks:

Also known as Twin Lagoons, the waters here are so deep it literally appears black, but I asked the boatmen how deep it was and they said it was around seventy feet. You actually have to swim from where your boat 'parked' to the lagoons, so again, I suggest wearing your life jackets, especially since there aren't big rocks for you to rest on when you get tired from swimming. During lowtide, you can swim from one lagoon to the next, however, during high tide, you have to climb up a ladder on a rock formation to reach the other lagoon

Banol Beach:

Third stop is for lunch time. Oh boy this island took my breath away, the water was a beautiful turquoise shade and the sand was pure white and extremely fine, plus it was really quiet here. 

CYC Beach:

This is a large-ish island with a wide beachfront, you can enjoy your swimming and snorkeling here.

Balinsasayaw Floating House:

Last stop is Balinsasayaw, don't be fooled, you won't actually step into the floating house, the main activity here is snorkeling around the floating bamboo houses, while the marine life underwater is really amazing (lots of fishes and corals), the waves during our stop here were overwhelming, so much that everytime I lift my head from the water, I get slapped around by the big waves. 

Though the destinations were really beautiful and the snorkeling spots were full of fishes and corals, I was extremely disappointed with how the boatmen handled the whole tour, we were told the night before that pick up from our hotel would be around 8:30am. We were all ready by 8.15am and we were picked up from our hotel around 9:00am. The boat dock is only around five minutes away. When we got there, we had to wait another 40 minutes for us to leave, the boatmen kept telling us that the food for our lunch was not complete yet, and when we finally left, the boat was literally so slow that other boats kept passing us. We reached our first stop a little before 11:30am so we had to hike up the mountain under the grueling heat of the summer sun. It actually made me feel as if the boatmen were minimizing our time on the tour, AKA their time working. Being a corporate slave in the city, time is extremely valuable to me, so to be kept waiting for so long was not exactly the best start for the tour.

But enough about that, let talk food. It was a feast! We had grilled fish, crabs, ensaladang talong (eggplant, tomatoes and onion salad), grilled liempo, softdrinks and water, even the condiments like soy sauce were complete. The menu was so perfect for a lunch by the beach. Snacks were also served: we had different breads and softdrinks.

Kayangan Lake

Bulungan Beach

Twin Lagoons

The tour ended at around 4:00pm and after dropping you off at the boat dock, the tour agency would also be the one to bring you back to your hotel.

Tour Price: Php850/head

Tour Inclusions:
Transpo to and from your accommodation
Boat ride to destinations
Tour guides
All entrance fees
Buffet lunch, drinks and snacks
Life jackets

Coron2015 Series: Coron Islands Tour

Our island hopping tours were arranged by the hotel staff, there are a lot of tour agencies that offer basically the same island hopping tours, however, it was Nice in Paradise Travel and Tours which handled all our tour activities. 

We actually spent three whole days hopping all over Coron's gorgeous islands. First off the list was Coron Islands Tour, the destinations were:

Kayangan Lake:

You have to hike up a mountain to reach this beautiful lake. Going to the lake itself is around three hundred steps, one-fifty going up, one-fifty going down, you just have to be really careful because some steps are too high while some are uneven, but there's a wooden railing you can hold on to so you won't fall. Half-way to the lake is the view deck wherein you can see the turquoise waters and rock formations surrounding Kayangan Lake. I would highly suggest wearing aqua shoes here because the rocks are quite sharp, if you also don't know how to swim, bring your life jacket. 

Twin Peaks:

Also known as Twin Lagoons, the waters here are so deep it literally appears black, but I asked the boatmen how deep it was and they said it was around seventy feet. You actually have to swim from where your boat 'parked' to the lagoons, so again, I suggest wearing your life jackets, especially since there aren't big rocks for you to rest on when you get tired from swimming. During lowtide, you can swim from one lagoon to the next, however, during high tide, you have to climb up a ladder on a rock formation to reach the other lagoon

Banol Beach:

Third stop is for lunch time. Oh boy this island took my breath away, the water was a beautiful turquoise shade and the sand was pure white and extremely fine, plus it was really quiet here. 

CYC Beach:

This is a large-ish island with a wide beachfront, you can enjoy your swimming and snorkeling here.

Balinsasayaw Floating House:

Last stop is Balinsasayaw, don't be fooled, you won't actually step into the floating house, the main activity here is snorkeling around the floating bamboo houses, while the marine life underwater is really amazing (lots of fishes and corals), the waves during our stop here were overwhelming, so much that everytime I lift my head from the water, I get slapped around by the big waves. 

Though the destinations were really beautiful and the snorkeling spots were full of fishes and corals, I was extremely disappointed with how the boatmen handled the whole tour, we were told the night before that pick up from our hotel would be around 8:30am. We were all ready by 8.15am and we were picked up from our hotel around 9:00am. The boat dock is only around five minutes away. When we got there, we had to wait another 40 minutes for us to leave, the boatmen kept telling us that the food for our lunch was not complete yet, and when we finally left, the boat was literally so slow that other boats kept passing us. We reached our first stop a little before 11:30am so we had to hike up the mountain under the grueling heat of the summer sun. It actually made me feel as if the boatmen were minimizing our time on the tour, AKA their time working. Being a corporate slave in the city, time is extremely valuable to me, so to be kept waiting for so long was not exactly the best start for the tour.

But enough about that, let talk food. It was a feast! We had grilled fish, crabs, ensaladang talong (eggplant, tomatoes and onion salad), grilled liempo, softdrinks and water, even the condiments like soy sauce were complete. The menu was so perfect for a lunch by the beach. 

The tour ended at around 4pm and after dropping you off at the boat dock, the tour agency would also be the one to bring you back to your hotel.

How I went to Baguio

My latest Baguio trip happened last January 15-18, 2015. It was a four-day weekend due to the Pope's visit to Manila. The trip was planned in two weeks and I went with my Mum and brother. My Dad graciously booked our hotel room when he learned about the long weekend, I planned our itinerary after that.

We all decided that we didn't want to bring the car because:

1) Traffic will surely be hellish in Baguio

2) I'd rather be comfortably sleeping in a bus rather than driving for 7 hours

3) Commuting is so easy in Baguio anyway

Last time I went to Baguio (Oct2013), I took a regular air-conditioned Victory Liner bus from their Pasay terminal, so I suggested we do the same this time but this time, we wanted to take the "first class" bus.

I went to Victory Liner's website and found out that the one-way fare to Baguio via the first class bus is Php750. You can book and order your tickets online but it isn't as simple as it sounds. You book the tickets and pay via a third-party merchant, then you e-mail the bus company to tell them you've already paid for your tickets, after which, they will send you the bus tickets via courier. So we figured its easier if we go the the Pasay terminal and purchase the tickets instead. 

The regular bus fare to Baguio is Php455. So what made us pay the extra Php300 for the first class bus?

1) The seats are like smaller recliners. 

2) You have your own power outlet. 

3) Fare includes bottled water and a snack (brownies and pastillas)

4) THE BUS HAS ITS OWN COMFORT ROOM

5) Trip will only take about 5-5.5hrs via NLEx, SCTEx and TPLEx

6) Bus isn't crowded at all since each row only has three seats. (two seats-aisle-one seat)

7) Air-conditioning is good.

8) A "stewardess" is present in the bus who distributes the bottled water and snacks and sprays the comfort room with air freshener every now and then.

Photo not mine. Grabbed from Google search.

Our trip was scheduled at 1.15am but we left the house super early cos we were scared to be stuck in traffic. Since we booked the first class bus, we also had a first class lounge. It was air-conditioned with cable tv and comfort room, which was such a blessing since there were so many people in the terminal about to leave Manila for the long weekend. 

The bus was full and it left around 1.20am, Traffic was smooth and I told myself I'll sleep na once we're in NLEx. The Journey to Baguio was uneventful, except the minor road accident in NLEx near San Fernando Exit. I slept all the way from NLEx to the zigzag part going to Baguio. Bring your own blanket and pillow for a better nap. The extra money we spent on the first class tickets were worth it because our bus ride was so comfortable. So if you have the extra money to shell out, I totally recommend booking the first class bus. It might be expensive but you can't really put a price on comfort anyway.

I also recommend taking the 1.15am trip since you get to sleep soundly during the trip (they turn off the lights) and you'll arrive in Baguio feeling refreshed and ready to start ticking places off of your itinerary.