Going Around the World: Philippine Islands Manila - Coron - Puerto Princesa

Getting there .. Manila to Coron

The small village of Coron is found on an island at the top of Palawan island in the Philippines. You can get there from Manila by a large passenger boat which stops at Coron on its way to Palawan further to the south or by airplane to Busuanga. The plane is a small model for about 18 or 19 people; it arrives at an airstrip in a field which has a log-cabin terminal with a wavy roof. It is in the middle of the jungle. Coming in to land on the short runway the first thing which you see is the wreck of a plane very similiar to the one you are in!

Pour mes Amis Français

Coron est une petite ville sur une île on y arrive par bâteau ou par avion. L'avion est un petit modéle, pour 18 ou 19 personnes,qui arrive dans un champ ou il y a une cabane en bois et en tôle ondulée qui sert d'aéroport. C'est au milieu de la jungle où à votre arrivée la première chose que vous voyez c'est l'épave d'un avion semblable à celui dans lequel vous êtes!!!

Coron to Peurto Princesa

After a few days in Coron, I picked up the the boat, an enormous ferry, on its way to Palawan from Manila. The voyage was one of 12 hours and I immensely enjoyed travelling like a local, not a tourist, it was extremely interesting. There were four immense decks; the top ones are for the tourists and the cabins are less crowded, but are pricey; I chose the lower deck #4, a large dormotory having roughly 300 bunk-beds in it! This was a lively place full of locals in constant movement. When I arrived there, people said to me "You've made a mistake, the tourist accomodation is on the upper deck!" but when I replied that there were plenty of westerners in my country, and that I was exactly where I wanted to be, we talked a lot and I became very special. It was a magnificent voyage!

Le bateau , Le grand FERRY part de Manille , s'arréte à Coron et continue sa route vers Puerto Princesa,ce voyage que j'ai fait et qui dure 12 heures... Le Ferry est immense , il y a 4 ponts ( deck) avec à peu pres 300 lits superposés dans chaque dortoirs.
Le premier est généralemnt pour les touristes est beaucoup plus cher et avec moins de monde dans votre chambre. j'ai pris le 4 éme au fond du bateau avec la foule de Philipinos en mouvance ... on m'a dit " vous avez du vous tromper, les touristes sont en haut" mais quand je leur ai répondu que les touristes je les voyais a l'année longue et que je voulais être avec eux, je suis devenue spéciale , j'ai eu un voyage magnifique....


Now a few words on the security - ho la la!! Before boarding at Coron,
we had to pass through the security checkpoint. All the bags, boxes and suitcases were laid out in a long line, sniffed by the dogs and searched by the guards. Then our travel papers were examined as were we ... it took a long time! On arrival at arriving at Puerto Princesa, the Philippinos passed quickly, while I, a tourist again, queued in front of a small table, such as one you would find in a kindergarden, which was manned by a single officer. Yes, only one, who stamped each of our passports, and copied into a notebook the passport number and date of entry. The line was long; it was late, our legs were tired after the long boat-ride ... but it was still a magnificent voyage!