Discover Why the Lakes of Coron Island are Must-See Places in Palawan

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Coron Island, the third largest island in the Calamianes archipelago, is part of the municipality of the same name in the northern part of Palawan. It is not only known for the magnificent rock formations in its sea, but most especially for the multitude of ship wrecks found in its shallow waters. Coron Island also boasts of the two most popular and interesting lakes in the province. In fact, only two things come to mind of most tourists when Coron is mentioned: the sunken wrecks and the lakes of Coron Island.

There are countless small and huge lakes in Coron, and some are hidden, unexplored and largely uninhabited. Of all of these, there are only two open to the public. The Kayangan Lake and the Barracuda Lake are the two most-visited spots in Coron Island. These lakes are part of the ancestral domain of the Tagbanuas, the first inhabitants of Coron. The Tagbanuas were the first ever indigenous community awarded an ancestral water claim in the Philippines and as owners of the title to the land and sea surrounding the island, the Tagbanuas maintain complete control of it, in their effort to preserve their culture and the rich water and land resources of the Island.

The Kayangan Lake – This lake is said to be the cleanest lake in the whole of Philippines. It was the first lake of all lakes and beaches, allowed by the Tagbanua tribe to be developed as a site for ecotourism. The waters of the Kayangan Lake are a mix of fresh water and sea water. It is surrounded by soaring limestone rocks and is invisible from the mooring bay. To get to the lake, visitors must climb steep steps up the viewing point and down another difficult trail leading to the lake. The climb will take about 10 minutes but the view is said to be all worth it.

Visitors will not only enjoy the picturesque view of the lake: they can also swim in the turquoise blue waters so clear they can see the shallow bottom. Schools of fish as well as coral reefs can also be found in the lake.

The Barracuda Lake – This lake is named after its resident barracuda. The Barracuda Lake is a very difficult climb of about 15 to 20 minutes. You have to scale a jagged limestone mountain to get to the lake. It offers an excellent view and the temperature of the fresh water changes according to the depth. Veteran divers have nicknamed the lake as “the dive to hell” because the water gets hot as you go deeper and this limits divers’ time underwater. A thermocline ? a layer of water with temperature change – is said to be visible from below. The water is clear and because the fish do not venture out deeper into the lake where the water gets hot up to 33 degree Celsius, they’re also not hard to get a glimpse of. Lots of corals can also be found here.

Those two are the lakes of Coron Island where tourists are allowed. Encroaching on other lakes and beaches is not only illegal, but is also disrespectful of the Tagbanuas who treat some parts of Coron as sacred. And with the enviable beauty of Coron Island, it’s not so hard to understand why its inhabitants are so protective of it.