A Guide to Palawan Seafood: What to Eat in Coron

When you're surrounded by islands, seafood naturally becomes part of the experience.

In Coron and around Busuanga, you'll find fish, squid, shrimp, crab and shellfish prepared in everything from simple local eateries to restaurants catering to international visitors.

But the best approach isn't necessarily to search for one particular species.

Ask what's fresh today.

Grilled Fish: Start Simple

One of the best ways to eat fish in Coron is also one of the simplest.

Grilled whole fish.

Add rice, calamansi and a Filipino dipping sauce—often some combination of soy sauce, vinegar, chili and onion—and you have everything you need.

Different fish may be available depending on season and supply.

Instead of automatically ordering something familiar, ask the restaurant:

“What's the best fresh fish today?”

Kinilaw

One Filipino seafood dish every adventurous visitor should know is kinilaw.

Often compared with ceviche, kinilaw uses vinegar and/or citrus with fresh fish, typically combined with ingredients such as ginger, onion and chili.

But kinilaw isn't simply the Filipino version of ceviche.

It belongs to a much older Filipino tradition of preparing raw seafood using acidic ingredients.

It's fresh, sharp and particularly suited to tropical weather.

Choose a reputable establishment because freshness and proper handling are essential.

Squid

Squid is common on menus around Coron.

You'll find it grilled, fried, stuffed or cooked adobo-style with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and seasonings.

Grilled squid can be particularly good when prepared simply.

The important part is not overcooking it.

Good squid should make you want another bite—not require a negotiation with your teeth.

Shrimp and Prawns

Shrimp appears in numerous Filipino preparations.

It can be grilled, cooked in garlic and butter, added to soups or prepared with vegetables.

One dish worth looking for is sinigang na hipon—shrimp cooked in the characteristically sour broth of Filipino sinigang.

It's completely different from grilled seafood and worth trying if you want to understand Filipino flavors beyond barbecue.

Crab

When available, crab can turn dinner into an event.

You'll encounter different preparations depending on the restaurant—garlic, chili, butter, coconut-based sauces or simply steamed.

If crab or other seafood is priced by weight, ask the price before ordering.

Confirm the approximate weight and total cost.

That's especially important when ordering larger live or whole seafood.

Seafood at the Market

For travelers interested in local food culture, visit Coron's public market.

Go earlier in the day if you want to see more of the activity.

Markets help explain what's actually being eaten locally rather than only what appears on tourist restaurant menus.

You'll see fish and other seafood alongside meat, vegetables, fruit and everyday ingredients used in Coron kitchens.

Ask About the Price

Seafood pricing can occasionally confuse travelers.

Something listed as “market price” may be priced by weight rather than by portion.

Before ordering, ask:

How much per kilogram?

Approximately how heavy is this fish or crab?

Is preparation included?

What will the approximate total price be?

There is nothing impolite about asking.

It's considerably better than arguing after dinner.

Responsible Seafood Matters

Being beside the sea doesn't mean seafood resources are unlimited.

Coron's marine environment supports local livelihoods as well as tourism, and protecting reefs and fisheries is important to the future of the destination.

Avoid purchasing or consuming protected marine wildlife.

Be cautious about unusual wildlife being marketed as an exotic experience.

And don't assume that because something is offered for sale, it is automatically sustainable.

Responsible tourism also happens at the dinner table.

Don't Expect the Same Seafood Every Day

An island destination doesn't operate like a supermarket.

Weather affects fishing.

Seasons affect availability.

Supply changes.

The fish you enjoyed on Monday may not be available on Thursday.

That's not necessarily a problem.

It's an opportunity.

Instead of arriving determined to eat one particular species, ask what's good.

Try Filipino Preparations

It's easy to order garlic-butter seafood every evening.

But try some Filipino preparations too.

Look for:

Kinilaw — raw fish prepared with vinegar or citrus.

Sinigang — seafood in a sour broth.

Inihaw — grilled seafood.

Adobo-style squid — squid cooked with vinegar, soy sauce and garlic.

And depending on the restaurant, you'll encounter many other regional and family interpretations.

Seafood Doesn't Need to Be Expensive

A memorable seafood meal doesn't necessarily require a premium restaurant.

Sometimes a simply grilled fish served with rice in a modest local establishment is exactly what you want after spending the entire day swimming.

At other times, you may want a beautiful restaurant, a whole crab and a long dinner.

Both belong in Coron.

Let Availability Decide

Perhaps the best way to eat seafood in Coron is to stop thinking like you're ordering from a permanent international menu.

Ask what arrived.

Ask what the restaurant recommends.

Ask how they normally prepare it.

Then try something.

You may discover a fish whose name you've never heard before.

And that can be considerably more interesting than ordering exactly what you already eat at home.

In Coron, exploring doesn't have to stop when you get off the boat.

Sometimes the next discovery is on your plate.

Discover restaurants and local food experiences around Coron and Busuanga on ilovecoron.com.