To Coron By Ship

There are basically only two services worthy of your consideration - Negros Navigation and Super Ferry - the remainder are included more for factual accuracy than reccommendation: they do exist but you would be a 'mug' to bother with them!

Travel to Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan, with Negros Navigation.

This service is operated by Nenaco - Negros Navigation - on the route, Manila - Coron - Puerto Princesa and the return, and adds some welcome competition to the long established service offered by Superferry: offers will probably abound so keep checking the respective links for updates. All prices quoted on this page are for standard, turn-up-on-the-day and book prices and exclude food. Since Negros started their service we have seen no increase in prices from other operators which just goes to prove the theory - competition works!

The ship, the San Paolo, departs on Thursday at 4.00pm from Manila's North Harbour at pier 2, and arrives in Coron at 4.00am Friday. With a sailing time of 12 hours it is 1 hour 15 minutes faster than the Superferry service. From Coron it sails to Puerto Princesa departing Fridays at 5.00am arriving Fridays at 5.30pm. The return itinerary departs Puerto Princesa on Saturdays at 9.00am, arriving Coron Saturdays at 9.30pm; departing Coron Saturdays at 10.30pm arriving Manila Sundays at 10.30am.

Prices per person Manila to Coron one way , which are subject to change and offers are as follows

• Economy Pesos 1,702.21
• Tourist Pesos 2,193.41
• Admiral Pesos 2,744.68
• Suite Pesos 3,325.95

Personally, I haven't tried this service yet but certainly will do in the very near future. The shipping line wins many awards for it's terminals and the ship appears, from the photographs, to be of a high standard - maybe the best!

Travel to Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan, with WG&A Superferry

For the very latest schedules and promo pricing please check the Superferry website as this long standing service on the route, Manila - Coron - Puerto Princesa and the return is constantly changing both it's timing schedule and the ship operating the route. The current ship is the "Our Lady of Good Voyage" and there is only one sailing per week. I will no longer try to maintain an up to date schedule as the changes are too many so please go check the link.

The ship always departs on a Friday from Manila's South Harbour at the new SuperFerry pier situated behind the Manila Hotel. The official address is Pier 15, Eva Macapagal Super Terminal-Harbour Centre 25th St. corner Railroad St. Port Area, Manila When getting a taxi please do not confuse this with pier 15 North Harbour. You will sleep on the ship and arrive in Coron Saturday morning. You will be in time to have breakfast, check into your room, clean up, and dive on the wrecks that day. Just be at your chosen dive shop before 8:30am so you can be fitted with your dive equipment.

Tickets for Superferry can be purchased at the pier just prior to departure or you could use any of the WG&A ticket outlets around Manila, or most Travel Agents in Manila. Alternatively you could try booking online via Superferry.

For tourists lodging in the Ermita area a WG&A ticket outlet is located on the ground floor of the high rise shopping mall and office building on the corner of United Nations (UN) Avenue and Taft Avenue next to the LRT (Light Rail Transit) station. Look for Alexis Travel's counter just inside of the ground floor door facing the LRT. They are on-line with the WG&A computer and can write your ticket for you.

We recommend buying the ticket without meals and insurance and then buying what food you prefer from the snack bar or restaurant on the ship. Personally, there are outlets for McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's and many others on United Nations Avenue which can provide packaged food to take on the ship.

We recommend passing up the rice, boiled egg and hotdog breakfast on in favour of eating at the restaurant of the accommodation of your choice immediately on arrival in Coron.

In Coron when you disembark you will take a tricycle (125cc motorcycle with sidecar) to your hotel.

The tricycle will depart the pier area and turn left. The market is about 2 km away. The fare for the tricycle is P5 if you share it with anyone who can pile in at anytime after they wave the trike to a stop, or P50 if you rent the whole trike. With any luggage and a traveling companion or two, just tell the trike driver "Sea Dive/ Kalamayan Inn / Kokosnuss, direcho" which means go directly without stopping.

Ticket prices are currently as follows but please check via the link to make sure they have not been changed without me noticing.

• Economy Php 1,717.07 per person, one-way
• Tourist Php 2,208.42 per person, one-way
• Cabin Php 2,759.68 per person, one-way Note: Cabins for 4 and for 6 persons are available.
• Stateroom Php 6,681.81 per two persons, one-way

All prices exclude meals.
NOTE: All accommodations are per head basis except for a Stateroom which is on a room rate basis for two persons.
Schedules and Fares are subject to change without prior notice.

Travel to Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan, with Sulpicio Lines.

Sulpicio Lines operates the M/V Iloilo Princess from Manila to Coron to Puerto Princesa and return. The ship departs from Manila at 9:00pm Thursday from Pier 12, North Harbour The arrival time in Coron is 12 Noon on Friday.

This is not a recommended service but, should you wish to use it, we suggest you contact the shipping line direct at Sulpicio Lines

Travel to Coron, Busuanga Island, Palawan by Slow Boat from Manila

Asuncion Lines Ship, at Coron Pier. The San Nicholas. This boat sank with all passengers lost some eighteen months ago. It was their flagship. Do you really want to use this operator?

Asuncion Lines operates smaller, slower boats, which are NOT tourist class. The best of these was the San Nicholas. Boats leave on Tuesdays at 2 PM from Manila and take about 20 hours to get to Coron. These boats operate from a pier at North Harbour called ISLA PUTING BATO, which is on the left (South side) of the gate for pier 2. Follow the road 200 meters all the way out to the end and look for white wood fishing trawler style boats about 30 meters long. Names of the other boats are Catalyn A, Asuncion 10 and Asuncion 11. They usually leave at 2:00pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday but ALWAYS call first at 63-2-245-4595 or 4596 to confirm the schedule. The schedule can change at holiday times. These boats take 20 to 24 hours to make the trip and cost about P450. You get two meals of simple Filipino food. Bring bottled water to drink. Water, soft drinks, boiled eggs, cookies, chips and crackers are available at the pier.

This service is only for the flat-broke, as in 'skint', as in no money; or for the extremely adventurous and foolhardy with no value for personal preservation. You have been warned!!!