Blueapple13: Reef Diving at Coron, Palawan!

Coron has always been my dream Philippine destination and I have always been on the look out for airfare promos even back then when it was still via Manila. But the fares were always so expensive considering that you have to transfer airports. Until finally, CebPac has been kind enough to offer direct flights from Cebu. Boy was I happy! Now, my dream destination is within arms reach so to say. Months have passed and I have always kept an eye on promos until I was able to book 1 for myself. At first, I wanted to make sure that when I book a trip I always have someone who is sure to come with me. This time, I did not worry nor did I hesitate to take a trip all by myself. Still, I informed my friends and luckily one was brave enough to come with me--one of my closest friends since high school-- Carol. Yay!

Coron trip

[Feb.26-28, 2013]

So as our travel dates draw near, we both decided to avail of an exclusive Coron package at a reasonable rate. This was to avoid the stresses in planning and booking accommodations, activities, etc. This, after all was a vacation we wanted. So, tour package it is!No DIY for the meantime. However, the plan was not that complete because at the back of my mind, I also wanted to shoot for the stars and dreamed of being able to SCUBA dive in Coron. But as expected, diving rates were expensive especially for non-certified divers. I am lucky enough to own an advanced open water PADI license, but my friend has not had a formal training yet. But she is not actually new to diving because she has dived frequently. When I tried explaining this to dive center personnel over the phone, still they offered quite steep rates. So, my friend and I decided not to book any diving activity beforehand. We agreed that we will not book any dive center over the phone in the hope of being able to get a good deal if we do it personally. My friend is positive that we can find cheaper packages once we're there--I got to hand this to her, she, after all, is a sales executive. She got this!fo' sho'!

As soon as we landed, we were fetched by Kuya (sorry we forgot his name), and he brought us to our accommodations at Amor Pension. It would've been more convenient if they prepared a signage with our names as guests at the airport, so we didn't have to look around nervously.

Thank God the locals of Busuanga were so helpful and friendly.

After 30-minute ride on this fancy e ride, we arrived safely at Amor Pension.

We met with Amor, the owner, and she made sure we settled in comfortably. With no time to waste, we asked Amor if she can refer us to a dive center. She glady said yes and introduced us to her son, Ken, who will bring us there. Ken, who later on not only became our official tour guide but also, became our good friend. Coron indeed is full of genuine, friendly people.

Ken brought us to SeaDive Resort. Apparently, they are the best in Coron and are famous for their professional and excellent service. We have come to the right place on our first try! Lucky us!

We met with SeaDive's master divers, with each having more than 5k dives to brag. wew!

And yes, we were in good hands.

So we went straight down to business and geared up for our Reef Dive.

Wet suits. Snorkels. Masks. Weights. BCDs. Booties. Fins.

After we did our 'fitting', we immediately proceeded to the drop off point for our dive boat.

This photo does not give justice on how excited we were!! Reef Dive in Coron at last!

Dreams do come true!

Well..before I get carried away, here is a view of La Sirenetta Restaurant in Coron. I've read good reviews about this palce but unfortunately we did not get the chance to try their food. Next time!

Since it was already past 2pm, there were already concerns on the current getting strong on some dive sites.

Our lone Master Diver, Sir Toto decided that it's best we go diving at Twin Peaks,

instead of doing it in Siete Picados.

This is what he meant. The awesome view of Twin Peaks! wOw!!!

Oh but before anythings else...Dive Briefing first. SCUBA Diving is a very dangerous sport.

Yes it is. As a licensed diver, I am well aware of that and I greatly respect the sea.

That's why I always make sure all safety precautions are covered and all my gears are safely fastened and are functioning properly before every dive--more than a reminder for myself, it is a diver's responsibility.

Plus, I need to make sure I look out for my friend. I need to make sure she's okay too.

Sir Toto gave very clear instructions and closed our briefing with:

Let's gear up!

Weee! What a super exciting feeling!

Sasho, the European Master Diver, who have stayed and visited Coron frequently,

tagged along and gladly assisted us.

This is it! This is really is it is it! Haha!

After our giant strides, we have entered the open sea! Let's go!

While we were underwater...

Finally, after 59 minutes bottom time, we have re-surfaced. Woah! This was one of my longest bottom times to date. Every single minute was sooo worth it. Coron Reef is the best I've ever seen!!!!

It was sooooo pure, untouched, well-preserved! Marine life was without a doubt very rich with all sorts of sea creatures you can imagine! The corals were majestic, beautiful, colorful!

I am in awe of God's creation yet again!