Exploring the epic cliffs above and below the surface of Coron, Philippines

Coron is the gem of the Philippines in my eyes. There are few spots in the Philippines and no doubt the world that combine crystal clear water with dramatic limestone cliffs. As you cruise through the lagoons and around the islands of Coron it feels like your longtail boat is steering you through a fantasy land, a setting that isn’t on par with the rest of the world.

I’ve been island hopping twice in Coron now. The exact same tours in fact. I’m not one for repeat excursions, there’s too much to see in this world to spend time revisiting locations. However, island hopping in Coron is so epic I’d do it a third time.

The island hopping began at the world-famous Kayangan Lake. Things have changed since a year ago when I visited. Now tourists must wear lifejackets and the lake was full of 200 fluoro orange bobbing humans. I still managed to have a blast. I spent my time cliff-jumping and free-diving. What I found below the surface blew my mind. The sharp limestone cliffs continued deep below the surface and it was some of the best snorkeling without goggles I’ve ever done.

I filmed the whole day of underwater exploration on the Sony Action Cam. I found the camera had awesome inbuilt stabilization compared to others I had used in the past. The colors also came out extremely vibrant, especially underwater where I often used to lose a lot of vibrancy. This made it perfect for island hopping in Coron where I was running around and jumping above the surface or free-diving underwater.

After Kayangan Lake we headed to a World War II shipwreck called Skeleton Wreck. Thousands of fish swarm the wreck as tourists practice free-diving down towards the sunken wreck. It rests only 10m below the surface making it accessible to amateur snorkelers and free-divers, which is why it’s a popular spot on the island-hopping itinerary of Coron.

I hope you enjoy this fun video edit of the crazy underwater limestone cliffs and also a quick glimpse of the Skeleton Wreck and its friendly fish.