Coron (Day 3)

Day three was all about spontaneity. We had no plans and we were completely worn out from yesterday's adventures, but that didn't stop us from seeking the thrill of unfamiliar territories. We walked around town the entire morning. Going inside souvenir shops, dive shops, and checking out the local activity centers, and a few food stops, trying to figure out what we're going to have for lunch (in which bulalo was the winning choice)

Our town tour was brief and there's still so much of the day left unspent. So, we went back to a few dive shops, rented some snorkeling gear, then finally headed out to the harbor. Once we got there, it's only a matter of picking the desired destinations for the day. There are a lot of boats on stand by, ready to take travelers to the different islands littered in Coron, whether they're tourist hotspots or remote stops. 

cozy little hideout. i wish i could stay there for a while.

Just a few meters away from Beach 69 was our first stop: Skeleton Wreck. It's a popular snorkeling site in Coron, just a few minutes from the mainland. Looming under the deep blue sea is a Japanese sunken ship.

The next on our list is a lake I've been wanting to visit since day one. Barracuda Lake is a great place for both sightseeing and diving. To get to the lake, you have to climb up an easy flight of wooden stairs. The lake was drenched in a surreal kind of quiet. The entire time I was there, I had an uneasy feeling about the place. Maybe because we were the only tourists in the area with just 3 local kids keeping us company. It's probably just me. But don't get me wrong. The place was incredibly beautiful! I could float there for hours just looking up at the magnificent limestone cliffs.

friendly locals enjoying the lake as much as we did

After floating around Barracuda Lake, we sailed to a well-known snorkeling site in Coron: Siete Pecados. Of all the snorkeling sites I've been to, this one was my favorite. We were the only people in the area since the weather was taking a turn for the worst and the current was pretty strong. We had to be cautious, though. One minute I was just snorkeling around the area, the next minute as I resurface, I was already too far from the boat. I had to fight the currents to swim back. But despite that, I enjoyed the rich and bewitching marine life around me. It was one of those moments were you just really appreciate being a puny human being surrounded by the enthralling sights of nature.

Days go by too quickly when you're really lost in the moment, and this was one of those days when I wish it could've lasted a little longer. But as they all say, 'when one adventure ends, another one begins'.