Beach finally!!!!
And this is what I mean by beach in contrast with that of Atuayan where we went the day before.
Kung me advantage si El Nido kay Coron, that's because beaches abound in El Nido. But this one is really a standout ---MALCAPUYA ISLAND.
Going to the beach on a stormy weather has never been this good. And when I said stormy, I really mean stormy. The boat ride from Coron Town which usually takes 1.5 hours on a clear day took us three (3) hours to navigate because of strong waves. Not Calaguas level, read, the "sugal buhay" boat ride to Mahabang Buhangin CALAGUAS ISLAND but almost similar. I was not very nervous though because I know our boatman was careful and experienced. Heavy downpours while we were in the middle of the sea had us all wet even before reaching the island.
Malcapuya Island is located in the Southwest end of Coron Island. I am not sure if it is still categorically part of Coron because it seems closer to the outlying islands of Culion rather than the latter.
Boat dock on a small sandy beach on the Northern part of thr island and from there we walked a few meters to the other side where the main white sand beach of more or less one kilometer in length is located.
I have to remind you again that the weather when we got here was close to bring stormy but this beach is too beautiful to be muted by whatever weather condition. As the sun momentarily peeped through the clouds, I noticed the sand glistening as if greeting us "welcome"!
For some who are keen on saving accommodation costs, they go straight to Malcapuya Island from the airport and camp here overnight. Overnight rates are a bit higher but you can save more money by doing so. In this case, it is important that you have a boat contacted prior to arrival. This option was relayed to us by our boatman Redred during the tour. If you are one who prefers a soft bed at the end of the day, there is a two-story house in the island with rooms for rent. I reckon it's really nice to stay here overnight during summer season or during the cool months of December-February.
During our 4-hour stay, we experienced a few quick but heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds. On certain occasions, the sun would quickly shine and the clouds would loom again signalling the start of a thunderstorm. The surrounding islands and the mountainous terrain of Cullion island would therefore appear and disappear. We on the other hand would constantly go running to the sea and back to our cottage to take refuge. Despite such conditions, I appreciate the beauty of the place.
If I were to get stuck to an island, I want it to be in Malcapuya. White sand, virgin island and the feeling that it is isolated but not too remote makes it an ideal island destination. It got me wondering, if a place could could be this beautiful on a stormy day, what more during summer. The remarks of Cindy, the manager of Patrick& Tezz Guesthouse, the night before we went here, that Malcapuya is better than Boracay certainly has a basis.
ALSO READ:
____________________________
OUR PERSONAL CONTACT IN CORON
who took us on a 2-day Island Hopping Tour
RedRed -- 0927.595.8446/ 0918.448.6645
And this is what I mean by beach in contrast with that of Atuayan where we went the day before.
Kung me advantage si El Nido kay Coron, that's because beaches abound in El Nido. But this one is really a standout ---MALCAPUYA ISLAND.
Going to the beach on a stormy weather has never been this good. And when I said stormy, I really mean stormy. The boat ride from Coron Town which usually takes 1.5 hours on a clear day took us three (3) hours to navigate because of strong waves. Not Calaguas level, read, the "sugal buhay" boat ride to Mahabang Buhangin CALAGUAS ISLAND but almost similar. I was not very nervous though because I know our boatman was careful and experienced. Heavy downpours while we were in the middle of the sea had us all wet even before reaching the island.
Malcapuya Island is located in the Southwest end of Coron Island. I am not sure if it is still categorically part of Coron because it seems closer to the outlying islands of Culion rather than the latter.
Boat dock on a small sandy beach on the Northern part of thr island and from there we walked a few meters to the other side where the main white sand beach of more or less one kilometer in length is located.
I have to remind you again that the weather when we got here was close to bring stormy but this beach is too beautiful to be muted by whatever weather condition. As the sun momentarily peeped through the clouds, I noticed the sand glistening as if greeting us "welcome"!
A beach this beautiful on a stormy day, what more if it is summer?
Entrance fee to Malcapuya Island is 200 pesos per pax. The beach was lined with white tarpaulin cottages. A separate pay of 150 pesos is to be paid if you are to use one which of course is a must to take refuge on a hot sunny day. Makes good cover for the rain too. Whole day use of each of the cottages costs 150 pesos.
We were one of the first people who arrived in the island. An hour later, more on more tourists arrived. The beach suddenly came into life as more people were drawn by the clear water of Malcapuya beach. I heard that there is a coral garden just a couple of yards from the coastline but the waves proved to be too strong to warrant a swim to the area.
While we were busy going around taking photos and swimming, our boatman Redred and his companion were already preparing the food we bought in the public market before we left Coron Town. Again, this was a DIY trip so we only rented the boat worth 3,000 pesos while we had to take care of the rest including entrances, rentals of goggles and 1,000 pesos worth of food for our lunch.
Rupert and Teresa were in charge of what to buy and the market and they loaded the menu with our usual favorites ---fish, pork chop and lots of crabs. Sarap ng lunch!
If I were to get stuck to an island, I want it to be in Malcapuya. White sand, virgin island and the feeling that it is isolated but not too remote makes it an ideal island destination. It got me wondering, if a place could could be this beautiful on a stormy day, what more during summer. The remarks of Cindy, the manager of Patrick& Tezz Guesthouse, the night before we went here, that Malcapuya is better than Boracay certainly has a basis.
Malcapuya Beach is certainly one of the few beaches in the Philippines that could rival Boracay.
ALSO READ:
- Do-It-Yourself CORON ISLAND HOPPING Tour + Expenses
- KAYANGAN LAKE vs. BARACCUDA LAKE: Which is Better?
- CORAL GARDEN will make you love Coron over El Nido
- CORON ISLAND HOPPING Tour Rates
- Crab Meat Curry at KOOKIE RESTAURANT Coron
- Mt.TAPYAS and MAQUINIT HOT SPRING on a rainy 1st day in Coron
- PATRICK & TEZZ GUESTHOUSE Coron: The Best $10 you"ll ever spend
- CORON ECOLODGE: for budget conscious travelers who don't want to compromise quality
- ATUAYAN BEACH Coron : the "never beach"
____________________________
OUR PERSONAL CONTACT IN CORON
who took us on a 2-day Island Hopping Tour
RedRed -- 0927.595.8446/ 0918.448.6645
Hi Anton! We are contemplating on moving house to either Coron or El Nido after our stint here in Boracay. But we're still undecided because we have no idea which of the two offers more convenience, say good supply of goods, banks, internet, telco lines, etc. If you were to choose, which of the two would it be? Thanks a lot.
ReplyDeleteHi BoracayStories, with your conditions, I wpuld say CORON is the best choice.
ReplyDeleteAs indicated in my writeup CORON vs EL NIDO:Which is better
http://www.pusangkalye.net/2013/12/el-nido-vs-coron-which-is-better.html
The TOWNS
El Nido and Coron towns are almost on the same category when it comes to economic activity and size but Coron is a little bigger. Only the basic essentials--no shopping malls, no fast food chains, hardly any atm ( Oh, Coron has one, so that makes Coron more progressive) so please don't expect luxury. Both are fishing villages experiencing early stages of development thanks to tourism.
It is the physical orientation of these towns that spills the difference. Coron Town is more of a long stretch of houses and establishments concentrated along the main road constrained by the hills on one side and the sea on the other side. No wonder why they reclaimed a certain area near the public market so as to give room for future developments.
CORON is more accessible too!
Hope this helps :)
Thank you, Anton! This helps a lot...
ReplyDelete