Black Island: One of Busuanga’s Most Underrated Day Trips
Coron Island gets most of the attention.
But travel north through Busuanga and you will find another dramatic limestone island rising almost vertically from the sea.
Despite its name, Black Island has beautiful white sand, remarkably clear water and caves hidden inside its dark limestone cliffs.
It is one of the most striking places to visit beyond the usual Coron island-hopping circuit.
Why Is It Called Black Island?
Black Island is locally known as Malajon Island.
From a distance, its enormous limestone formations can appear very dark, particularly against the bright sea and sky. This dramatic silhouette gave rise to the name most visitors know today: Black Island.
Approaching by boat is part of the experience.
A long stretch of pale sand appears beneath towering cliffs, with shades of turquoise and deep blue surrounding the island.
It feels considerably more remote than the beaches close to Coron Town.
More Than Just a Beach
The beach alone would make Black Island worth visiting.
But behind it are caves that can be explored on foot.
Inside, limestone formations surround natural pools of clear water. Moving from the intense tropical sunlight outside into the cool darkness of the caves gives Black Island a completely different character from a conventional beach stop.
Bring suitable footwear if you intend to explore beyond the sand, as parts of the cave and rocky areas can be slippery.
Swimming and Snorkeling
The clear water in front of the island makes swimming one of the main attractions.
Snorkeling may also be possible depending on sea conditions and the area visited, although Black Island should not necessarily be chosen as your primary snorkeling destination.
Its real attraction is the combination:
beach + caves + limestone scenery + remoteness.
Why Combine Black Island With Calauit?
If you are travelling all the way from Coron Town to northern Busuanga, Black Island combines particularly well with Calauit Safari Park.
Many day tours follow this general idea: visit Calauit earlier in the day and then continue toward Black Island for swimming, lunch or relaxation.
It makes geographical sense and creates a day that feels completely different from the classic Coron lagoon tours.
Instead of spending the entire day aboard a boat, you experience the countryside of Busuanga, wildlife, coastal communities and then an island destination.
Is It Worth the Long Journey?
If you have only two days in Coron, probably not.
Use those days to experience Coron Island and the area's signature lagoons and reefs.
But if you have four, five or more days, northern Busuanga deserves consideration.
Black Island is particularly suitable for travelers who want:
- A less conventional Coron experience
- Beautiful photography
- Beaches and swimming
- Cave exploration
- A stop to combine with Calauit
- An opportunity to see more of Busuanga
Don't Rush Back to Coron Town
One of the mistakes visitors make is treating everything outside Coron Town as simply a long journey to another attraction.
The journey itself is part of discovering Busuanga.
Northern Busuanga is quieter and considerably less developed for tourism. You'll pass small communities, farms, forests and stretches of coastline that show another side of the Calamianes.
If your schedule allows it, consider spending more time in the north rather than immediately returning to town.
Another Side of Coron
Kayangan Lake deserves its reputation.
Twin Lagoon deserves to be photographed.
And Coron's reefs and wrecks deserve to be explored.
But they are only part of the destination.
Sometimes discovering Coron means leaving Coron Town behind.
Go north. Explore Busuanga. Enter the caves. Swim beneath the cliffs. And discover why Black Island deserves a place on your itinerary.
Find more places beyond the usual tourist trail on ilovecoron.com.
