Three words best describe Barracuda Lake. It's simply breathtaking, gorgeous and screensaver…read moreworthy. The lake was part of our tour itinerary for the day. I kept hearing about it in travel blogs but didn't think much of it until we saw it in person. It's a short hike from the landing dock with the route leading you up a set of rickety stairs. The stairs had rubber tires nailed in for additional traction. Despite the haphazard construction, that didn't deter us from going. You just need to move with caution. If anything, the stair's construction does two things. #1.) The optics give the place character and #2.) It builds an element of risk for adventure seekers. The waters are a rich turquoise blue reaching 30 meters deep. This picturesque blue lake contrasts against towering, jagged limestone cliffs sprawling with lush vegetation. These cliffs emerged underwater by geological forces formed from skeletons and shells of marine life dating from the Jurassic period. It is truly a spectacle to behold. Barracuda Lake depending on perspective can be a multifaceted prism of experiences. Despite being surrounded by beauty there are dangers that lie below. One particular danger is the possibility of encountering a barracuda. I did not encounter a barracuda but given the vastness of this lake, I might have been in the company of one. The lake also has a thermocline providing a unique swimming environment for divers or free divers. Barracuda Lake is one not to miss and if you can get there early enough, I would encourage it. Tourism to such sites needs regulation in order to preserve the natural environment for generations to come.

Very unique lake that they took us to, from a tour package. It is crazy deep like over 100 ft…read more There is also geothermic activity as very warm water comes from the deeper depths. So if one is able to go deeper (like a scuba diver) then water could get to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit which is like a hot tub. Up near the surface where everybody is at because nobody is allowed to go in without a life jacket, the water is a mild 80 degrees. You have to walk single filed down some steep wooden steps, I'd say maybe a 100 yards. Once you get to the secluded lake it can get busy due to all the tours passing through. There is also not a lot of room lakeside as it is basically a lake surrounded by towering sheer cliffs. So they say not to lounge around near the lake. Either get in the water, and once out go back up the stairs. You can bring your snorkeling gear here, and if you want to get the full immersion (pun intended), you should try and view what is below you. It will BLOW you away. Once you pull away from the lime stone edge, and look down with goggles the depths just drop that you can't even see a bottom. Eerie AF but real exhilarating as well. There's no fish or plant life to view, just jagged limestone near the edges. We just floated around for about 20-30 minutes and besides getting spooked out by the abyss below, the other half of the time I just floated on my back and faced the sky and watched these cliffs go up about a hundred feet. One of the most unique experiences I've ever done. And it's not like just staring at an object or landmark. You are actually inside this thing, absorbing it from all angles and depths. What an adventure!

Tropical island in the Philippines [PALAWAN Philippines]…read more We dedicated a whole day island-hopping in Coron Palawan. It is one of the most amazing islands in the Philippines, with massive limestone peaks, multicolored lagoons, and great water activities like kayaking, snorkeling or scuba diving. We rented a private boat for a day tour. There were nine of us. Coron town is authentic, rural and cheap! Perfect town with a great balance of delicious Filipino food, shopping, and cheap transport. We used tricycle rides to get around. All the restaurants we dined in had live music entertainment. Filipinos love to sing. We stayed in Bacău Bay Resort for four nights. It was peaceful since it was away from the main town. Our room was spacious and comfortable with modern amenities. Buffet brunch was included with the room. The locals were friendly and felt safe in the island. I absolutely loved shopping here too. Review #3369

What an amazing experience to visit a place that I've only seen in travel brochures. Palawan is…read moregorgeous with clear, blue water; coral reefs teeming with sea life and ship wrecks; white sand beaches; hidden lagoons and numerous islets to explore. My niece was able to get us a cheap 3 day package deal which included airfare, transportation to and from the airport, hotel accommodations with free breakfast, and one full day of island hopping with lunch included. It was an hour flight from Clark International airport and a 30 minute car ride from the Busuanga airport. The road to Coron Town Proper was long and winding. Since we arrived earlier than our check in time, we had lunch at the hotel's restaurant. Afterwards, we bought essentials at the convenience store on the first floor, then walked across the street to get water shoes (a necessity to protect your feet from the corals and to ensure your footing on slippery surfaces), a waterproof cover for our phones, hubby's swim trunks and my niece's sunglasses. My nieces and nephew were so excited to go snorkeling that they spoke to some locals. They introduced them to a boat captain who agreed to take us on a half day tour of Barracuda Lake, Hidden Lagoon and Smith Beach. My favorite spot was Smith beach which had white sand, lots of HUGE starfish and two friendly cats. The sun was setting which gave us gorgeous lighting for our pictures to capture our first day in paradise. The next day on our island hopping tour we went to Twin Lagoons, CYC Beach, Skeleton Shipwreck, Green Lagoon, Kayangan Lake, and Siete Pecados. Hubby's favorite spot was Skeleton Shipwreck with it's many colorful corals, exotic tropical fish, and of course, a 25 meter long Japanese ship that sunk during WWII. My favorite site, however, was the Twin Lagoons. It's best to go there early in the day when the tide is low, because you can kayak through a tunnel beneath the limestone mountain. We had to bend over backwards to be able to pass through, which gave us an opportunity to examine the interesting rock formations above us (please see video). On our last day, before heading home, my cousin and I climbed the looooong staircase to the top of Mount Tapyas. It took us about an hour for us to climb up and then down the 700+ steps. We took multiple stops to rest and take pictures. It was a nice climb, most of which was shaded by trees; it was an ideal spot to take in the width and breadth of Coron. Sadly, we must say our goodbyes. What I'm most grateful about this trip is the time spent with loved ones, and the opportunity to enjoy the simple things in life: the warmth of the sun on my skin, the wind through my hair, waves lapping at my feet, the gorgeous colors of the sunset and the welcoming rays of the sunrise. Life is good! Amen

Angel, Tinadoy, Ryan, and I'm forgetting the rest of the crew who helped us on the Dennis One on…read more3/3/25. This crew was simply the BEST. Very wholesome, funny, easy-going crew that put our experience above ALL. Please ensure you reciprocate with a review as this helps them out tremendously. Also - if Calamian Islands is reading this, could you please somehow ensure the rest of the unnamed crew gets recognized? They embodied the soul of the Philippines of enjoying life together and its something that brought the entire boat together as a group. The waves were a bit rocky on one of the snorkel spots, and Angel was able to pull 3 of the others along with him. The crew and some of us were making fun of how exhausted he was but its all in good teasing. But that just shows how much care they have for us and each other. This is a very extensive physical journey so please be prepared for that. Bring swimming shoes but you can do the whole thing in slides/slippers. Also, I don't have a good control on my stomach so look to purchase Lomotil for this trip if you can. This is an excursion I will remember for the rest of my life. And its simply the top one I was excited for when visiting Busanga/Coron; and it simply lived beyond those expectations. Imagine a day full of swimming and at the end, you cap it off with a sunset and some turon (Filipino deep fried sweet banana dessert) You know what you like. Adventurous? Do it. Swipe and figure it out later.

Calamianes Expedition Tours is one of the tour sign up places here in Coron Town. Pick a package,…read moresign up, the next morning, show up bright and early at their office. Make sure you're ready for an adventure because you're definitely in for a darn good time. We signed up for their one day, 5 to 6 spots for snorkeling, swimming and a bit of hiking even. Everything that you'll be needing can be rented at their office where everybody first meets at bright and early in the morning. If you don't already have one in hand, you may rent snorkels and or water shoes. Then your they'll take you to the boats where there you meet your crew and your guide. I'd also like to mention our group that day was awesome. We all connected right in the beginning when we all met for free complimentary. Americans, Local Filipinos, Czech, Germans,, all interacting and having a darn good time. Coral Gardens, CYC beach, Twin Cove, Hidden Lagoon then Last but not the least, Kayangan Lake. All of the spots that we went to were very beautiful. The corals were all lively and had tons of colorful fishies swimming around. The CYC beach was really cool as well, swim out from the boat into the beach and enjoy the whole island by yourselves. Twin cove was really nice, our guide says that a Napoleon fish frequents that spot, and if we're lucky we get to see it swimming around. This is where we had our picnic in the boat as well. It was a really nice buffet style lunch, came with bottled water. After lunch we did some diving off the roof of the boat. That was some good fun. Then hidden lagoon to experience some Thermaclimb. Kayangan lake was definitely a fitting end to a wonderful day snorkeling and island hopping. Thank you very much Calamianes Expeditions for a wonderful experience. You really know how to put together a great Coron Snorkeling experience. You guys are definitely one of the best tour experiences here in Coron Town Proper.