The Calamianes Islands are located at the northern tip of Palawan, in the very West of the Philippines. There are hundreds of smaller islands in this somewhat isolated area, most of them absolutely stunning with white beaches, turquoise waters, coral reefs, wild monkeys and limestone cliffs—you get the picture.
There is some confusion going on when it comes to the proper naming of places. The three main bigger islands there are Busuanga, Culion and Coron, but the whole area is also known collectively as “Coron”.
To clear up the confusion, Coron Town—the tourism hub of the region—is located on Busuanga Island and is facing Coron Island.
The most common option is a flight from Manila. The transfer from the airport Coron-Busuanga (USU) to Coron Town takes about 30 minutes. Go with the “shuttle” vans available just outside the airport, these are 150 PHP per person.
There is also a ferry coming from Manila and Puerto Princesa twice a week.
If you are coming from Palawan, there are ferries from El Nido to Coron. These take about 8 hours and are sometimes cancelled when the Amihan is strong; take a pill before hopping on if you get seasick.
For detailled Information and other options please check our FAQ page.
Kiteboarding in the area takes some effort, as it is difficult to get to a spot. However, once you make it you will be rewarded with beautiful scenery and have it all for yourself.
We – 250k Kiteboarding run a kite camp on our own private island – a special setup for a special experience.
Expect open water chop to flat water, with amazingly beautiful mirror-flat Kitesurfing spots around. There are lots of places to kite with different beach angles and setups.
The wind can vary, depending on location. Having someone who knows the area or has quite a bit of experience with Kitesurfing Coron is a great advantage when choosing a spot for the day.
The weather is pretty much always sunny during Amihan season. Clouds are an exception, and there is almost no rain at all—unless there is a typhoon, which is uncommon this time of the year.
Best to come between November and March. The region still gets good wind towards the end of the season when the Amihan is more Easterly – check the article about wind in the Philippines.
Diving has been big in the area for years and is really what kick-started started tourism here. World-Class wreck diving with 10 wrecks of Japanese warships from World War 2 is one of the things one can do here on a day without wind. Do some kayaking, snorkeling or just island-hopping and enjoying the beautiful tropical scenery as an alternative.
There is some local-style nightlife and a couple of bars catering to tourists and expats in Coron Town. The islands around are more about having a beer on a beautiful beach at sunset and enjoying the peace and quiet.
Some people prefer to stay in Coron Town and do day tours from there. The place looks like a fast growing tourism hub with a lack of planning (not unusual for this country). So if you make it here, it’s much nicer to stay in one of the resorts on the surrounding islands.
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