El Nido or Coron? - Tale of two islands
Updated: Apr 15
It is an age-old question El Nido or Coron. A question so profound that it even stumped us on our trip to the Philippines, which is why we decided to visit both. Luckily for you, that means we are now in a unique position to offer our take on which one is perfect for you. In both destinations, we decided to forgo the large group boat tours and instead take out a private boat for just the two of us (a luxury we would highly recommend!). What those two experiences had in common was a peaceful day without being surrounded or cramped by strangers. The rest of the experience, however, was quite different.
Table of contents
Coron
We’ll start with Coron. The full-day boat rental price was $162.00 (9000 PHP), which did not include lunch or any entrance fees. However, the crew was happy to cook for us, provided we were willing to buy the food. What that meant was that we could show up to the waterside 15 minutes early and head into the market next door for the shopping trip of a lifetime. We grabbed fish, giant shrimps, chicken butchered before our eyes, rice, vegetables, and fruits. We were running from stall to stall, excitedly exchanging our pesos for delicacies, along with all the other travelers heading out on the water that day. We spent around $18.00 (1000 PHP) on a proper feast and then headed out to our boat.
In Coron, when you are on a private boat you have the option of leaving early at 7:30 am to beat the tour group crowds that depart at 9. This part paid off in the earlier half of the tour, as we only had to share locations with a few other individuals. Later on in the day, the crowds grew and although there was still plenty of space to enjoy the lagoons and coves on your own, they were decidedly less peaceful.
When lunch rolled around we pulled up onto a small beach, one of many along a strip, and we sat at a table under a hut where we were served the delicious lunch the chef had been grilling up on the boat all morning.
The town of Coron itself, although small, is incredibly charming. We stayed just a little way outside of the town and enjoyed taking the tricycles (the local form of tuk-tuk) back and forth. Plus we were able to enjoy a water view from our room
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After finishing our time in Coron, we took the extremely early morning ferry over to El Nido, doubtful it would be able to top the experience we had just had. But the moment we pulled into the new harbor, we were floored. There were impressive limestone cliffs surrounding the town, crystal blue water, and islands scattered wherever you looked. We took some time to wander the town before heading to our hotel and could feel the difference immediately. It was much larger with many more restaurants and shops. There were vegan milk coffee spots, upscale boutiques, and an undeniable buzz in the air.
El Nido
Now for our boat tour. In El Nido, there are four set tours you can choose from: A, B, C, or D. We hoped that by taking out a private boat, we could mix and match the tours to see more of the big highlights. While this did eventually happen for us, it involved quite a lot of back-and-forth communication to accomplish, and we got the impression it is not often done. We attempted to leave early in the morning to again beat the crowds, however, the coast guard in El Nido does not let anyone depart until around 8:30 to 9 a.m. In the end, we only managed about a 10-minute head start on the larger groups.
As we pulled into the big lagoon and spotted the many other boats around, we were discouraged and expecting the worst. Still, we hopped into our kayaks and paddled away. Immersed in the middle of this magical place, we forgot all of our concerns. A hot tip here, upon entering the big lagoon, go to the left. You will find a small cut out in the rocks and if you head on though, it will take you on a short but magical journey through a small passageway, where cliffs tower on either side. Suffice it to say that on the whole, all of the sights we saw in El Nido impressed us a little bit more than the ones in Coron.
Conclusion
While El Nido has a larger town with more restaurants and bars to choose from, Coron offers a more local and authentic feel. The town is smaller, with a quieter and more laid-back atmosphere. It's the perfect destination for travelers looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. For those who want to feel like they ventured off of the beaten path and onto an authentic one. On the other hand, if you're looking for stunning scenery and lively nightlife, El Nido may be the way to go. We enjoyed both, and we know you will too. Enjoy picking your paradise!
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