Where to Stay in Coron, Philippines

Coron is one of the Philippines’ biggest gems. From bright blue water to stunning remote island escapes, it’s no surprise Coron is increasing in popularity. This little cluster of islands around Palawan Island in the Philippines should be at the top of your bucket list if it isn’t already. If you’re reading this, I assume you’ve been properly convinced to book a ticket from all the beautiful photos you’ve seen online. Now you’ll need to know where to stay in Coron once you get there.

Coron is filled with hotels, guest houses, and hostels. There truly are options for any budget. Stand on any corner in town, and you can pick out at least 5 guest houses within your line of sight. There are a plethora of lodging options, but trust me, not all options are made equal.

Where is Coron and how do I get there?

The Philippines is made up of over 7,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean north of Indonesia and southeast of China. Coron is a tiny cluster of islands just north of Palawan Island in the western part of the Philippines. Palawan Island is known for its endless beaches and all of the smaller islands that surround it, Coron being one of them. 

Most flights from other countries into the Philippines will filter through Manila. From Manila, there are several ways to get to Coron. The easiest way is to fly on an airline like Cebgo/Cebu Pacific. From Manila you’ll fly to Francisco B. Reyes Airport (Airport Code: USU) on Busuanga Island.

The area referred to as “Coron” is really a cluster of smaller islands, the largest being Busuanga Island where the airport is located. This island is where the proper town area of Coron is located and where you’ll likely be staying. Now, let’s find out exactly where in Coron to stay!

Best Area to Stay in Coron

Location is everything. This should seem obvious, but even the biggest experts in booking travel can mess this one up sometimes (I did this, more on that later!). If you want the most access to as much as possible in Coron, the best place to stay is within a 15-20 minute walk to town or a short, cheap tricycle ride. Walking is obviously easier, but the tricycles are so dirt cheap that it’s not a bad option either.

The map above shows the area I’d recommend staying in unless your goal is to escape. The easiest and most convenient place to stay is in the center of town, which is the part that seems more concentrated on the map and says “Coron Town Proper.” That being said, there’s a couple good hotels on what I’m going to call the “close outskirts” of the town proper.

This town proper area has most of the restaurants, tour companies, dive shops, etc. You’d be shocked at how much is in this little area, so let’s talk about what places I would recommend.

Coron Budget Hotels & Hostels

While researching where to stay in Coron, you will quickly realize there are more budget options than high end or even mid range options. Simply put, the destination was more built for a budget traveler. There are some really awesome budget options in Coron. For the majority of our stay in Coron, we did stay at a budget option that I highly recommend if that’s the route you want to take.

Coron Vista Lodge ($) – This hotel is 10 minute walk to the center of town on a more secluded street. Every day we would walk down this road to get to the center of town. We barely saw any tourists and just got a little taste of the local life which was really nice. On top of that, our room was clean, the staff was friendly and helpful, and it even included a really delicious breakfast every morning. We paid about 30 USD a night for this place which is pretty dirt cheap, but not nearly as dirt cheap as you could get in Coron.

Hostels ($) – We didn’t personally stay in any hostels, but I did see a couple that have excellent reviews that I feel confident recommending – Dayon Hostel and Hop Hostel. They’re both in a really central area which will allow you the best access to everything Coron has to offer.

Coron Mid-Range Hotels

There’s only one real luxury option in Coron in my opinion. Everything that isn’t budget I’m going to consider a more mid-range option. These mid-range options can vary in price a bit, so make sure you look at your specific dates to check pricing.

The Funny Lion ($$) – I fell in love with this hotel the second I saw it online. It falls in the $100-150 range for most nights of the year. The rooms look clean and spacious. All the rooms have their own safety deposit box which is really important to keep valuables and extra money safe.

Two Seasons Bayside Hotel ($$) – This hotel is only about a 20 minute walk into the center of town and sits right on Coron Bay. The price falls in the $140-180 range per night. They have an incredible infinity pool that looks out over the bay. The hotel is also very convenient if you want to do boat tours. They have a dock right at the hotel, so you can avoid the craziness of the downtown boat launch area when you do any boat tours.

Al Faro Cosmio Hotel ($$) – This was the second hotel we stayed at while visiting Coron. The hotel was open air which definitely isn’t for everybody (Bugs! But there’s a mosquito net!). There was no hot water or air conditioning. This may sound like a nightmare, but it’s up so high so you get a nice breeze. The hot water isn’t an issue either because it’s so hot you’ll probably prefer a cold shower. This hotel is beautiful, but very secluded. I would recommend it for those on a honeymoon or those wanting to spend a lot of time scuba diving.

Luxury Options

As I’ve teased throughout this blog post, there’s only one real luxury option in Coron. The main thing to consider before staying at this resort is its location because it’s nowhere near Coron Town Proper. This resort is near the islands I mentioned in my Island Hopping blog post. Don’t fret though, the resort has its own private speedboat to transfer you making it the 1.5-2 hour boat ride a pretty seamless experience.

Two Seasons Coron Island Resort & Spa ($$$$) – This resort is right next to Bulog Dos Island. This resort runs around $400-600/night depending on the type of bungalow you stay in, the package you choose, and the time of year you visit. There are only 42 bungalows on the entire resort, making for a more private stay. If your #1 goal in Coron is to go island hopping, seriously consider this resort for at least 1-2 nights.

Coron Accommodation: Budget vs. Mid-Range vs. Luxury?

Coron is not your typical destination where you can get a budget, mid-range, or luxury hotel all within the same general area. In Coron, you choose luxury at a price. And I don’t just mean a literal price. This resort is gorgeous, but very far from virtually everything else. If you’re the type of person who enjoys nightlife, trying new restaurants, or getting a local look at a destination, you’ll almost entirely miss out by staying at this remote resort.

Coron Town is a budget traveler’s dream. It’s rare to find cheap hotels in the most ideal spot in town, but that’s how Coron is set up. Being within walking or tricycle distance of Coron Town is a must to me, at least for part of your stay. If you’re not a budget traveler, you should absolutely consider The Funny Lion or Two Seasons Bayside Hotel. Both of these hotels are close enough to town if the budget options aren’t your thing.

If I could do it over again, I would split my stay up between two hotels: The Funny Lion and Two Seasons Island Resort. Even if you’re the type of person who prefers luxury accommodations, I think you severely miss out by skipping the experience of Coron Town Proper by staying at Two Seasons Island Resort the entire time. Likewise, I think by staying closer to those islands by Two Seasons Island Resort, you get to see them in a way the people who do island hopping day trips don’t get to see, which is special in its own right.

Important Things to Remember when Choosing your Coron Hotel

I mentioned earlier in this post that Coron is definitely a great budget/backpackers destination. Many budget travelers and backpackers tend to book their accommodations later in the game. Be careful when waiting to book your hotel or hostel around more popular times. The good places to stay in Coron will fill up. I had trouble finding highly rated accommodation (despite the level – budget/mid-range/luxury) when looking a couple months out. Unless you’re traveling in low season, try to plan your stay a few months ahead.

As you can see, there are a wide variety of lodging options in Coron from budget to mid-range to luxury. Everybody has a different travel style and Coron can fit any travel need. I created a map for all the hotels, hostels, and resorts mentioned in this guide to help visualize where everything is. All in all, I hope I’ve helped you figured out where to stay in Coron. If you still have questions, feel free to leave a comment below with any questions or comments or reach out to me on Instagram!

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