Coron Island is surrounded by Islands with large rock formations
Large granite rock formations make up most of the Islands around Coron
CORON ISLAND
Coron Island is the third largest island in the Calamian Group of Islands in northern Palawan in the Philippines. The island is part of the larger municipality of the same name. It is about 170 nautical miles (310 km) southwest of Manila, is known for several Japanese shipwrecks World War II vintage. The island is part of the ancestral domain of the indigenous Tagbanwa people.
The area around the wrecks have pleasant rock formations which provide for excellent snorkeling opportunities, with underwater visibility extending up to 80 feet (24 m). The water is usually calm, with almost no current. Coron is one of the most visited destinations for wreck diving in the Philippines. Wreck dive sites are found in a depth as shallow as 10-30 feet and as deep as 120-140 feet. Most are in the range of about 60-80 feet, perfect for sports divers.
Divesites around Coron include also many different reef divesites and the famous "Günter´s Cave". Also known as Cathedral Cave as, during the right time of the day, the sun throws a beam of light through a hole in the cave-ceiling, illuminating the inside. It is possible to surface in the cave, as the hole in the cave-ceiling allows fresh air to enter. The cave is named after Günther Bernert. He was part of the first dive-group exploring the cave after hearing from local fishermen about the existence of the cave.
Wreck Diving Sites in Coron Bay include the Irako Wreck, Okikawa Maru Wreck, Akitsushima Wreck, Kogyo Maru Wreck, Olympia Maru Wreck, Kyokuzan Maru Wreck, East Tangat Gunboat Wreck (real name of the ship, Teru-Kaze Maru, was recently discovered by a group of Dutch divers, who spent a couple of days digging into bottom sand around the stern), Nanshin Maru Wreck, Lusong Gunboat Wreck and Skeleton Wreck.
The aquatic views from the sunken Japanese warships off Coron Island are listed in Forbes Traveler Magazine’s top 10 best scuba diving sites in the world.
GETTING THERE
BY AIR:
Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Airlines and Zestair have daily flights from Manila – Coron – Manila. These depart Manila and land at the Busuanga Airport, flights take approximately an hour. It is recommend to book at least 10 days before departure, as the planes have a limited seating capacity.
BY SEA:
WG&A Superferry sails from Pier 15 of the Manila South Harbor (behind Manila Hotel) to Coron, Busuanga on Friday nights and returns on Monday mornings, the trip is approximately 12 hours each way.
No comments:
Post a Comment