The Coron Jewel

This last week has been a whirlwind. That transition from something being “eventually” to “right now” is not an easy one, but my “eventual” trip to the Philippines for work has now become a reality. While what brought me here was the same as my time in India last year, I can already tell you this has been a night and day difference.

One of the best and biggest differences is that I’m not by myself now. I’ve been lucky enough to be here in the Philippines with several people I already know, and that’s made such a profound impact. I feel a lot safer here, and I feel like I can go out and explore my surroundings. Part 1 of this newfound freedom was going to Coron, Palawan this weekend.

It was pretty insane, and I will be honest in that it wasn’t exactly what I had pictured. It’s probably for the best—I definitely got out of my comfort zone, but had I known before hand how different it was going to be, I might not have gone. The best way I can describe my weekend was this weird place in between camping and glamping.

Our flight from Manila to Coron was short (maybe 35-40 minutes), but the transportation from the airport to the place where we were staying was almost as far away. We had to take a cramped van (it seems like Filipinos see the maximum occupancy of a car and think, “challenge accepted”) through the island from the airport to the docks, and then a boat ride to the houseboat. The trip out to the final destination wasn’t exactly fun—the entire time for the boat ride, two of us had to stand up and lean forward…on a boat…going probably well over the acceptable speed limit…over very choppy water. Needless to say, it was a leg workout.

However, once we pulled into the lagoon of where we were staying, all complaints disappeared. I honestly don’t think I’ve seen any more beautiful water than what I saw this weekend. It was almost painful, how beautiful and idyllic everything was. The water was warm. The waves were gentle. The fish were friendly but kept their distance. Even the rain was peaceful and something just…unreal.

We stayed in what was called the Glass House. Instead of four walls on our houseboat, we had glass walls that could open all the way to let in the outdoors. We laid out on the deck chairs, being rocked to sleep by the gentle movements of the waves. The breeze would blow by, just enough to keep us cool. I would jump into the water literally from the front porch just because I felt like it.

I will say that the food could have been better. The first meal we had there was amazing, but looking back on it, I wonder if that was just the hunger speaking. While the seafood was really fresh, it was also made/prepared in a way that I wasn’t used to. I’m not a fan of my food staring back up at me.

On our first full day, we went snorkeling over a shipwreck (!!) and coral reefs. It was absolutely amazing! I will admit, I got a little panicky, especially over the shipwreck. The water was obviously pretty deep and when I really stopped and looked around, it would become a little overwhelming. However, it was a really cool site and I’m so glad I got to experience it. The coral reefs were amazing! They were vibrant and alive. I swam with all kinds of fish, including barracuda. It was a little surreal seeing the coral and how alive it was, but also being hyperaware of how fragile it is. We couldn’t wear certain kinds of sunscreen and we had to make sure we did not touch any of the coral (the waters were pretty shallow in this area, so it was a bit of a challenge).

When we made our way back, we had lunch and then spent the rest of the day doing whatever we pleased. A few of us decided to go kayaking around to the other lagoons, which was definitely worth it. It was a workout though! It was nice to paddle out and then just find a spot and float. I loved being able to just stop and listen—there were no traffic noises, just birds. No honking, loud music, running generators…just birds, waves lapping against the rocks, and the occasional rain drops.

Even though we only had one full day, it was the perfect amount of time. There was no service where we were and the accommodations were minimal, so it felt very much like “glamping” to me. If you know me, you know that camping isn’t exactly a favorite pastime, however, it was the perfect balance between “roughing it” and luxury.

Thus, concludes my first full week in the Philippines. For the most part, my weeks will be pretty uneventful, as I am here to work. These first two weeks are the beginning of training, so I’m not needed much, but starting Week 3, I’ll be busy. I’m planning at least 2-3 trips with one of those hopefully being international.