“I lost my left pinky due to an accident when I was a kid and was bullied throughout my childhood because of it. I grew up to be a shy and quiet person. One day, my friend Bob (the boat captain) introduced me to Big Dream Boat Man, and I was hired as a crew. Everyone on the boat treated each other like family and welcomed me like one. Since then, I watched Bob speaking with the crew and customers in fluent English every day, and decided that I’d one day become a boat captain and show people around the world my beautiful country, too. Today, I am able to chat with you guys, I am a confident person and I think someday I will make boat captain.”
Showing us his 9 fingers, Lin, one of many boat crew, shared his story as a part of our dinner ritual. It was the primary evening of our 3D3N Coron island hopping tour with Big Dream Boat Man, an eco-friendly expedition firm based by an English man and a Coron native in 2016. We had spent the entire day exploring hidden islands and snorkeling with colourful fishes and turtles, devouring contemporary and scrumptious seafood and sharing laughter with everybody onboard, and had been now having drinks after dinner on a secluded island with no one else round, buying and selling our tales with one another.
After spending two weeks becoming a member of a number of island hopping group excursions with 20+ different folks every time, this off-the-beaten-path journey was a lot, a lot appreciated. Below is my sincere evaluate on the Big Dream Boat Man Coron Island Life expedition and why, in case you are solely doing one tour on Coron, this needs to be it:
Fuss-free reserving expertise
On Big Dream Boat Man’s web site, reserving the tour was a fuss-free expertise. Simply choose the dates that give you the results you want, make a 1/3 deposit cost, and wait in your expedition preparation doc by way of electronic mail on issues to notice and produce (I’ve a packing record for you beneath!).
You might want to buy your personal journey insurance coverage for this journey, and I like to recommend that you just do, not just for this explicit expedition however for each time you journey. Accidents occur, and also you need to have entry to healthcare and be compensated for any unlucky occasions when overseas.
You are additionally required to finish your cost upon arrival in money. If you’ve any particular requests, i.e, dietary necessities, chances are you’ll achieve this by way of electronic mail previous to your expedition. I had some questions, and the staff responded inside 24 hours.
Off-the-beaten-path itinerary
There’s no scarcity of day excursions that may take you on an island-hopping journey on Coron. I personally took two of them, the Coron Super Ultimate Day Tour and the Coron Island Escapade Day Tour (you may learn my evaluate on these day excursions right here). While they had been additionally loads of enjoyable, I needed to share them with different vacationers in life jackets. Several instances, we headed in the direction of spots that had been raining as a result of the routes of those group excursions usually are not versatile in any respect. The greatest benefit of the BDBM expedition is that, since it’s a non-public, multi-day journey, we bought to keep away from peak hours at common websites and enterprise out to islands that aren’t on the radar.
Note: BDBM doesn’t supply a hard and fast itinerary. Depending on climate circumstances, the boat could take you to different spots or change the sequence of stops. I personally appreciated that!
Day 1: Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Banana Island
We met up at Luis Bay Restaurant at 11am, and took a brief stroll to the pier to board. Refreshing chilly drinks had been served as we left the port, and the crew launched themselves. Shortly after, we arrived at our first cease, the famed Kayangan Lake, because the group excursions had been leaving. We didn’t should queue to get to the midway viewpoint and had the lake all to ourselves for an excellent half an hour earlier than two different folks arrived on a personal boat journey. After an hour of swimming and enjoyable within the crystal clear freshwater, we made our means again to the boat, the place lunch awaits. Talk about lunch with a view!
Next cease was Twin Lagoon, one other common spot we loved with out many different folks. Once you swam previous a tiny hole, towering cliffs welcome you into a mixture of salty and contemporary water swimming space. Some spots had been a bit too chilly for consolation, however swimming in was such a magical expertise. We spent about 45 minutes right here, and freshly fried banana fritters welcomed us again on the boat.
As we made our option to Banana Island, our base camp for the evening, I can’t assist however smile at how nice the primary day had been. Our first evening was spent at an previous concrete guesthouse. One can’t ask for extra with a standing fan, an enormous mattress, and a personal lavatory. For the bathe, water drawn from the properly on the island was supplied in an enormous container, and also you do it by pouring water over your self with a water scoop.
Day 2: Ditaytayan Island, Culion Island, Lusong Gunboat, Lusong Coral Garden
We kickstarted the day with breakfast on Banana Island earlier than venturing out to Ditaytayan Island, identified for its lovely white sandbar. We had been the primary boat to reach and had the sandbar all to ourselves for an excellent 20 minutes! The comfortable sand was dreamy to put on as we bought our tan in. It was such a phenomenal begin to the day.
Next, we took a break from water actions and explored Culion Island. Our boat captain and one other crew took us to the Culion Church, which is product of coral. We additionally walked as much as a viewpoint and loved the glistening water from above. The remainder of the crew took the time to restock on groceries on the island and put together our lunch. I actually loved this cease because it was additionally a chance to expertise a extra native island.
After lunch, we made our option to Lusong Gunboat and Lusong Coral Garden, the place we free dived round a shipwreck from WWII. It was a lot enjoyable trying out the gunboat as our boat crew showcase their free diving abilities by getting by way of the ship panels. When we had been completed exploring the shipwreck, we continued the journey by snorkeling round a few of Coron’s most ample coral gardens. We had been even fortunate sufficient to identify three turtles!
As our boat made our option to the second base camp on Pass Island, we had snacks, performed board video games, and took energy naps on the multihull nets. We didn’t count on how lovely the golden hour could be on Pass Island. It was my favourite base camp out of the expedition! More on the sleep situation beneath.
Day 3: More snorkeling + shipwreck adventures, South Cay, Black Island, Unknown Campsite
The third day began with extra snorkeling and shipwreck adventures. The shipwreck was energetic with colourful corals and fish, and was a ton of enjoyable to discover. We then made our option to my favourite cease of the whole journey, the South Cay. It was merely magical – there was completely nobody else in sight, the water was unbelievably blue and calm, and the cay itself was lovely white sand with a mini jungle on prime. I had the most effective SUP expertise right here. Yes, there was a kayak and a stand-up paddle board onboard, and we absolutely utilized them.
After an enormous lunch, we made our option to Black Island. On this secluded island, few day excursions go to as a result of its location, and we noticed monitor lizards, a legendary cock (I’ll depart the story out so the crew can inform you), and two mystical caves which are used for non secular rituals. The caves had been completely beautiful, and the water in two swimming pools was deep sufficient for cliff leaping. We then spent an hour chilling on the seashore earlier than making our option to the bottom camp of the day – I can’t bear in mind the title of the island, however I suppose it doesn’t matter!
The crew arrange a bonfire on the seashore, and I used to be already lacking this epic journey. We slept in a straw hut, and the subsequent morning, after watching the dawn on the island, we made our means again to Coron’s predominant island and stated goodbye to everybody.
Unique in a single day expertise
Expect bare-bone lodging on this expedition, however I believe it makes the expertise much more distinctive and memorable. They are related to a number of base camps, a few of which include fundamental seashore huts with separate bathe and bathroom services, whereas others could also be campsites or guesthouses. You wouldn’t know for positive the place you’re sleeping that evening till noon, and I believe that provides only a bit extra pleasure to issues.
I’ve to confess that I used to be a bit of bit delay by the water scent on the first base camp, however it made me understand how a lot I take entry to wash water as a right. It was additionally a chance to place myself exterior of my consolation zone, and I undoubtedly respect that. That stated, I adored our second base camp with the lovable seashore huts and unbelievable location that was good for sundown. We didn’t do tent tenting, however it may be the case for some. Towels and fundamental toiletries are supplied although it’d be rather more eco-friendly should you introduced your personal. Electricity was accessible through the evening and was adequate to cost our batteries. Some base camps even had reception if you could be on-line. I personally was on airplane mode, and it was a much-needed digital detox.
If you’re used to tenting, the sleeping and toilet scenario is not going to be an issue for you in any respect. If you sometimes keep in lodges in your journey, take it as a chance to expertise one thing completely different!
Impeccable service
The firm boasts its crew service, they usually have each proper to take action. From the second we had been onboard, we had been handled like household. Whilst most boat excursions throw in a quick introduction to the crew, and there’s at all times a transparent separation between them and the friends, the BDBM crew genuinely wished to attach, and the curiosity about one another’s tradition led to many significant conversations. I felt like I actually bought to know them – their childhood recollections, private targets, and favourite elements of their job. They even handmade bracelets and anklets for us as souvenirs! It is obvious that they love what they do and are pleased with it. Their spirit and enthusiasm made the journey.
Delicious meals daily!
Most of us agreed that the meals we had on this expedition was a number of the finest meals we had in Coron. Our chef labored at high-end eating places, and we had been completely impressed, particularly given the restrictions of a cellular kitchen. There was at all times one thing completely different served at every meal, at all times extra meals than we will end, and at all times scrumptious.
For breakfast, it’s a mix of typical Filipino + western objects, together with rice, sausages, eggs, pancakes, and toast. For lunch and dinner, our chef spoiled us every day with scrumptious seafood (we had all of it on this journey – fish, prawns, squid, and even crab), wholesome greens, well-cooked meat, and contemporary fruits, and we had not less than six dishes to work on every meal! Drinks are served at any time when we wished – have I discussed that alcohol is free?! Nothing like a refreshing beer after an hour of snorkeling in salty seawater. In between meals, we bought to attempt native snacks, together with banana fritters and ginataan. I imply it after I stated it was difficult to get hungry on this expedition.
If you’ve any particular dietary restrictions or allergic reactions, talk this with the staff beforehand, and they’ll modify accordingly.
It’s an expedition for everybody.
On our boat, there have been 8 of us: a pair of their 20s, two superior Aussie women of their 60s (and completely rocking it), a solo feminine traveler, a solo male traveler, and a pair of siblings. So, actually, it’s an expedition suited to all sorts of vacationers, although there’s a minimal age restrict of 14 years previous. Sorry, youngsters!
You will meet like-minded people who find themselves in for a singular journey and have an ideal appreciation for genuine native tradition – you recognize, similar to your self. The 8 of us bought alongside rather well, although anytime somebody wanted a while alone, there was loads of house on the boat to take a fast nap or learn a guide on. We had been so well-fed all through our journey that there was no alternative to be hungry! You should be bodily wholesome although there weren’t any significantly demanding actions. I discovered that the circulate of the every day itinerary was well-designed, and we had adequate time to relaxation between stops. The sleep and bathe scenario was fairly fundamental, however nobody had any main complaints.
Fine, I went for a 2-hour full physique therapeutic massage the day we returned. With that stated, I’d suggest this expedition to everybody with an open thoughts and an adventurous spirit.
Is it definitely worth the cash?
Given that an island hopping day tour in Coron sometimes prices about $30 is the Big Dream Boat Man tour definitely worth the seemingly steep $450 price ticket?
Yes.
For the entire causes I’ve included above, but in addition the inclusion of the tour itself: 3 days of island hopping, all meals and drinks (together with alcohol), towels, masks & snorkel, and lodging. All of this for a median of $150 a day is definitely value it. I’d even suggest this as the one factor you do in Coron.
What to pack in your BDBM island-hopping expedition
Now that you’re satisfied to hitch the expedition, let’s speak about what to carry on board. You are allowed to carry your entire baggage on board, however the greater baggage will probably be saved underneath the boat and are solely accessible at evening (if you really want one thing from them). Your day baggage are saved within the captain’s room with straightforward accessibility. I like to recommend having a day bag and a dry bag with every part you want and leaving every part else in your huge baggage underneath the boat.
Here’s a packing record with the entire requirements you will want all through the three days:
In your dry bag:
In your day bag:
During the day, I used to be principally in my bikini and water sneakers. I additionally had my very own snorkeling gear, however you’ll be able to borrow these at no cost onboard.
I’ve been on many multi-day expeditions round Southeast Asia, and that is simply one in every of my prime favorites. Expectations had been excessive because of the raving critiques, however it’s protected to say that BDBM knocked it out of the park with an epic itinerary, superior service, and a real understanding of adventurous spirit. If you’re planning a visit to Coron quickly, I hope you’ll deal with your self to this epic journey.
*This put up was delivered to you in partnership with Big Dream Boat Man. All opinions on the superb expedition and superior crew are my very own, as at all times.