The Philippines - The Islands of Coron, The Final Chapter

The last day of my stay in Coron was fast approaching and it's been an absolutely fun, filled and fantastic trip to this part of the Philippines. We decided to end on a high, literally, climbing to the top of Mt. Tapyas and taking in the stunning views it offered. But before that, we decided to drive to the Maquinit Hot Springs located due east of the town of Coron for an afternoon dip.

After a 30 minute drive through town and on some pretty muddy roads, we finally arrived at the hot springs. We parked outside of the entrance where we paid a very modest sum of 200 Pesos (about £2.80 or $4) to get in, and could stay as long as we wanted. We walked through some seating areas and changing rooms, and eventually arrived at a series of pools that were steaming away, filled with tourists and locals alike! Before we dipped in, I had to check out the area as we were very close to the sea. Tucked away at the back-end of the pools was a rudimentary wooden bridge that edged onto where the sea began. The view from here was gorgeous, and apart from a few others taking photos, it was very peaceful as the water was so still.

After taking a few photographs at the back (and not of the hot springs as I felt uncomfortable taking photos of half naked people!), we got changed and prepared ourselves for the dip into the steaming hot springs. It was hot! The water ranges from about 30-40 degrees Celcius but for me personally it was the perfect temperature. It was a little busy but not too bad - perfect for chilling out with friends, or going alone and having a detox from the world in one of the other more private pools. It was hugely relaxing, and allowed me to reflect back on the trip so far, and what I had to come. We spent about an hour here, relaxing and resting, which was a perfect amount of time to prepare us for the climb to Mt. Tapyas, just in time for sunset! We were told the views are breathtaking so I was extremely excited!

After getting back to our Hostel to rest, we motorbiked to the base of Mt. Tapyas in preparation for our ascent up the mountain, towards the massive Coron sign we've seen from the town. The mountain is 210 metres tall, and is the second tallest mountain on the island. Furthermore, the climb up is comprised of over 700 steps - it can take an hour at a steady pace before you reach the top. However being absolutely excitable, my companion and I sprinted up the stairs in 20 minutes, taking a short 1 minute break halfway up to rest and take in the views. The big "SIARGAO" signs were getting nearer and nearer until finally we arrived at the peak of the mountain, slightly exhausted but very sweaty! A huge platform with a giant cross was immediately in front of us as we climbed the final step. However when we turned around to look at the view, what we saw stunned us like a sucker punch.

To the north, the rolling peaks and mountains piercing the sky as far as the eye could see, with the greens and yellows intertwining and changing with each mountain that it passed.

However, to the south, we were met with peaks of a different kind. This time from different islands scattered across the ocean, forming an ominous silhouette as the sun faded behind them, causing the sea to glisten and gleam.

It was perfection.

We sat here for a while, what could've been a couple of hours, watching as the sun slowly disappeared behind the giant peaks of the Coron islands, watching the town below go about its business. I sat here and reminisced about my short stay on this wonderful island, the wonders that I experienced, the friends that I made and the adventures that I had. I was sad to leave, honestly. Very sad indeed. But I was content with what I had done. Every minute of every day was full and packed, and while I was leaving this wonderful paradise, I knew that I had several more ahead of me.

And what a way to end my stay in Coron.

With that, I said farewell to my companions who no doubt I would see again, and flew back to Manila to meet my family. It was my grandmother's 90th celebration, and we had relatives and friends fly from all corners of the world to be here in the Philippines. And to celebrate, the whole family and I were headed to a relaxing resort located about 2 hours drive south of Manila.

Stay tuned for the next part of my trip, - the stunning resort of Pico De Loro!

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🌏 | Coron, The Philippines
📷 | Canon PowerShot SX730 HS/DJI Spark
🎨 | Lightroom Mobile edits used

Over the next few weeks I'll be trekking through The Philippines and I'll be sharing with you my stories, emotions, advice and tips about this wonderful place. I will be doing this while sharing my photographs with all of you too. I sincerely hope this inspires you to go out there and travel!

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