Coron: Where It All Started (Part 2 of 2)

And I was not mistaken. After leaving our bags at the Village Inn, we immediately changed to ready-to-get-wet attire and went back to the port where a 20-seater banca (small boat) was waiting for us to ride. We had a ‘manong’ steer man, his assistant, our tour guide, and a handful of new travel buddies who are on the same tour which was organized over the internet. You might call it an eye-ball. Actually, we already met aboard the ship. But this time it’s different, we are far away from home, and are left only with each other in the western most part of the Philippine archipelago. “Vroom-vroom”, said the boat, as we head into the endless horizon where the ocean met the sky.

“Where are we heading?” inquired one curious traveler. “First stop is Debatoc Island.” Sounds like another one of those white islands. Upon arriving, and seeing its fine white sand, we immediately invaded the shoreline like crazy children unguarded by their parents. Not minding the ‘manongs’ and our lady tour guide who brought down the ‘kayak’ and prepared our lunch.

We snorkeled even without corals in sight. We playfully chased small fishes. We ran around the shore making sure our footprints are everywhere. We swam, we kayak-ed. We jumped, we laughed and we shouted, in and out of the glistening clear waters.

Everyone was having a great time as the sun shone its brightest by mid day. But kids also do get tired, and hungry. Lunch hour rung its bell and it was time to take a break. But it was only a break for the swimming legs and kayak-rowing arms as it is the belly’s turn to work as he would have to digest two big containers of cooked rice, two gigantic serving s of mother lapu-lapu, huge shrimps, oinking pork meat with no sound, and a variety of local vegetable chops; fresh seaweeds included (what?!).

Now with full stomachs and lightly burnt skin, the group proceeded to the Floating Aquarium, Twin Lagoon, Barracuda Lake, and more.

The sun set and rose three more times as the group hopped around the different islands, lakes, springs, and sites of Coron.

The experience was followed by more trips around the Philippines including La Union, Cagayan De Oro and Camiguin, among others. We also met a couple more strangers with the same passion for traveling and eventually became their travel buddies. Leia, together with some friends such as Tikoy, eventually set up their own hip travel agency called Travel Factor which until today has gone from the tip of northern Pagudpod way down south to Mindanao.

— The End —

[ Read again Part 1 of this post ]