Coron for Solo Travelers: You Don't Need a Group to Come Here
Thinking about travelling to Coron alone?
Do it.
Coron is actually particularly well suited to solo travel because many of its best experiences naturally put you together with other travelers.
You can arrive alone without having to explore alone.
Join an Island Tour
This is probably the easiest way to start.
Coron has numerous shared or “joiner” island-hopping tours, where you simply book one seat and spend the day with other travelers.
You don't need to charter an entire boat.
You don't need to find five people first.
And you don't need to arrive with a travel companion.
Choose your tour, show up in the morning and meet your group.
For a solo traveler, this can also be one of the easiest ways to meet people.
Stay Somewhere Social — If You Want To
If meeting other travelers is important to you, choose your accommodation accordingly.
Hostels and smaller guesthouses with common areas naturally make conversations easier.
But travelling solo doesn't mean you have to socialize constantly.
If you prefer your own room, quiet breakfasts and independent days, Coron works perfectly well that way too.
Solo travel means choosing when you want company.
Go Diving
Divers have an advantage when travelling alone.
Book with a dive center and you automatically become part of a group for the day.
Coron's famous World War II wrecks attract divers from around the world, so your dive boat may contain people from several different countries.
If you're not yet certified, Coron can also be a place to investigate introductory diving or training with a qualified dive center.
Always choose dives appropriate to your certification and experience.
Explore Coron Town on Your Own
Coron Town is manageable for independent travelers.
Walk around the center, find a café, visit the market, try different restaurants and browse local shops.
For longer distances, tricycles are the most common local transportation.
You don't need a guide for every hour of your stay.
Climb Mount Tapyas
Mount Tapyas is an easy activity to organize independently.
Head up in the late afternoon and enjoy the panoramic view over Coron and the surrounding islands.
You'll probably find plenty of other people climbing around sunset anyway.
Bring water.
More than 700 steps feel considerably longer in tropical heat.
Visit Maquinit Hot Spring
After Mount Tapyas, continue to Maquinit Hot Spring.
If you're travelling alone, arrange your transportation so you know how you're getting back to town afterward—particularly later in the evening.
This is a good general rule for solo travel:
Think about the return journey before starting the outward journey.
Rent a Motorbike — But Only If You Already Ride
A motorbike gives you enormous freedom to explore Busuanga.
But your holiday is not the place to teach yourself how to ride.
Some roads outside town can be dark, wet, rough or unfamiliar.
If you're an experienced rider, exploring Busuanga independently can be fantastic.
If you're not, hire transportation instead.
There is nothing adventurous about spending your holiday in a hospital because you wanted an Instagram road-trip photograph.
Eating Alone Is Completely Normal
Don't worry about it.
Coron receives travelers from around the world, including plenty travelling independently.
Sit down.
Order what you want.
Enjoy your meal.
If you feel social, sit somewhere with a bar, communal table or relaxed atmosphere.
If you don't, enjoy the rare pleasure of choosing exactly where you want to eat without negotiating with anybody.
Basic Solo Travel Common Sense
Coron may feel relaxed, but normal travel precautions still apply.
Keep valuables secure.
Don't leave your phone or wallet unattended.
Avoid carrying unnecessary amounts of cash.
Don't become so intoxicated that you can't make sensible decisions.
Tell someone where you're going if you're heading somewhere remote.
Be particularly cautious around the sea.
And don't assume being on holiday makes normal risks disappear.
The Sea Deserves More Respect Than the Town
For many visitors, the bigger risks in Coron aren't walking around town.
They're connected to boats, swimming, diving, weather and unfamiliar terrain.
Wear your life jacket when appropriate.
Listen to your boat crew.
Don't swim beyond your ability simply because everybody else jumped in.
Don't enter rough water to prove something to people you met three hours ago.
And never pressure a dive operator to take you somewhere beyond your certification or experience.
Meeting People Is Surprisingly Easy
Something interesting happens when you travel alone.
People talk to you.
You might meet someone at breakfast.
Then meet somebody else on your island tour.
Have dinner with people from your dive boat.
And two days later find yourself sharing a van toward northern Busuanga with people who were complete strangers when you arrived.
Or none of that might happen.
And that's fine too.
The Advantage of Being Alone
Want to spend three days wreck diving?
Do it.
Want another beach day?
Book it.
Want to wake up late and cancel everything?
Nobody needs to approve.
Want to stay two extra nights?
Change your plans.
That freedom is one of the greatest advantages of travelling alone.
Come Alone. You Probably Won't Stay Alone.
Coron is built around experiences.
Boats.
Diving.
Snorkeling.
Road trips.
Restaurants.
Hostels.
Tours.
All of them naturally bring people together.
So don't postpone Coron because nobody is available to travel with you.
Book the ticket.
Come alone.
Explore at your own pace.
You may discover that travelling solo doesn't mean travelling lonely at all.
Plan your solo Coron adventure with ilovecoron.com.
