Exploring Coron: Town Tour and Maquinit Hot Spring

Our accommodation for the 4-days, 3-nights stay in Coron was at Ralph's Pension House. It's a cozy house-turned-to-inn, with rooms having the basic necessities for resting and preparing for each day's activities.  Upon arriving, welcome drinks in hand, we were given a brief overview of the place we were about to explore.  Kuya (Tito-Ninong) Jun was as warm as can be, making us feel like family, being informative while cracking up a joke or two from time to time.   Once we've settled in, a delightful lunch of delicious fried fish and Sinigang was served.  Tummies full, energy level up, we were ready for a tour of the town.  Tito-Ninong Jun allotted time to personally show us around, with a number of stories to tell from living there about 20 years and knowing people all over the town. The town itself is small, with almost every known tourist spot for a town tour walking distance from Ralph's Pension house - the church, market, municipal hall, town plaza, baywalk, and harbor center. Looking around, it made me realize how great a simple life can actually be.  It would be so wonderful to wake up to a view of the sea lined with what seemed like never ending stream of green mountains.

While at the baywalk, the last stop of our town tour, Tito-Ninong Jun got a call from one of his choir friends who invited him to a birthday celebration over at the Marine Park.

With the interest of showing us the place, he invited us and we gladly accepted enticed by the chance to see the Marine Park that will soon be opened to the public.

After a 25-minute bangka ride, we arrived at the Marine Park. Initially a bit shy, feeling like we crashed the birthday party, it was wonderful that everyone on board were welcoming and was eager for us to try the buffet of lechon, pancit, puto, lapu-lapu.  All really yummy! Based on conversations with Tito-Ninong Jun and his friends, the park will soon be opened to tourists to give them an opportunity to see the different fishes they breed such as grouper, bangus, and talakitok.  It was fascinating seeing the huge size of the fishes. Other activities will include fishing and a floating restaurant will be established in the area as well. Hanging out, meeting with the locals, with a view of the open sea and a bottle of beer on hand... this was definitely a great way to kick-off the trip.  And this was all thanks to Tito-Ninong Jun! :)

A visit to Maquinit Hot Spring was how we decided to end the day and prepare our muscles for the activities in store for us.  Our group was allotted two tricycles to take us to the venue, which was quite understandable because of the steep and bumpy path we had to go through.  It was dark already and there were no other vehicles on the road then.  Sitting at the back portion of the tricycle, I was so thankful I was riding the first tricycle because looking at the view behind the second tricycle, it was pitch black.  


We were given an hour to soothe our tired muscles from the day -- and the bumpy ride.
It was quite unusual swimming around hot salty water, definitely a first for me.  Good that it was raining, because this neutralized the heat of the water somehow, making the temperature just right to hang around in.


As the rain got stronger, we decided to call it a day and get back to town since the path might get too slippery and dangerous for travel.  


Sure enough, it turned out to be quite an adventure getting back -- but this was all part of the fun.  Truthfully, it was a bit scary and bumpy... but it was enjoyable as well.  Surely worth trying out.