Coron, Palawan 2014 [Las Islas Eco Tour]

If you loved the beaches of Coron, you will surely love this another tour that you may also try if you visit Coron, Palawan - the Las Islas Eco Tour. This tour package includes the Siete Pecados Marine Park, Barracuda Lake, Dimanglet Beach, Coral Garden and Lajala Cultural Village.

Let's proceed. 

First stop: Siete Pecados Marine Park

Siete Pecados literally means "seven peaks." It was named after the seven islets surrounding a magnificent marine park.

Our tour guide that day allowed us to see this marine park that Coron is boasting about. It did not surprise me upon seeing how wonderful the under water world is. There were lots of variety of fishes swimming in groups. Some will play around you and some were too shy that they just stay somewhere private. It just made me feel sad upon seeing some dead corals.

We were told that those dead corals were caused by the typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) but it made me feel better when he informed us that they are doing ways to keep it back to life.

Second Stop: Barracuda Lake

According to some, it was named Barracuda Lake because of the barracuda fishes that were once living in this lake. True or not, I was so excited to see this lake since I always hear its name whenever Coron tour is being talked about. To see the lake, one must do a little trecking of around 30 to 40 steps.

The other side of the cliff is where the famous lake is located. Our bangkero/tour guide told us that it is perfect for divers because of its depth.

I was amazed with the clear water of this lake. If you look down, you might think that it is just 3 or 4 feet deep but it's actually more than 10 feet deep. Here, we just enjoyed the not-so-cold water while looking at the high cliffs surrounding it.

Third Stop: Dimanglet Beach

As part of the package, free lunch were always served by our bangkeros. We then proceeded to Dimanglet Beach to have our lunch.

It is a secluded white sand beach that I actually heard for the first time. Right after having our lunch in this calm beach, we rested for a while and then proceeded to our last destination for the day.

Fourth Stop: Lajala Cultural Village

Lajala Cultural Village is a small village that was devastated by typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year. As of the moment, the government is helping the people start a new life by constructing houses for them.

These houses were all being built by the people of Lajala with the guidance of the government. Instead of simple hallow blocks, they're using soil mixed with cement to create a brick-like material.

These bricks will then serve as the house's wall. Each house costs P150,000. P100,000 for materials and P50,000 for the labor. Another thumbs up for this Coron! As I've said, something is better than nothing. At least, people will not feel that they were left out after what happened. 

Each day is a new day to learn and on that day, walking around the place and seeing the people of Lajala smiling and cracking some jokes reminded me again of how grateful I must be with my life. And hey, whatever happens, we must not forget to smile!

For dinner, we ate again at Kawayanan Grill hoping to find lobsters which were really craving about for the past months. Sadly, there was none :( Instead, we ordered crabs and squid which are also good since all are fresh.

This tour made me appreciate this place more. From the beautiful lake, secluded beach, to the people who touched my heart, it's indeed another day well-spent in Coron! :)

xoxo