Big Dream Boat Man Review: 3-Day Island Hopping Expedition

WHAT IS BIG DREAM BOAT MAN?

Big Dream Boatman is a bespoke tour operator in Palawan that’s a cut above the rest. Instead of battling the crowds, the sea of life jackets, and lines, Big Dream Boatman takes you to incredible off-the-beaten-path locations, as well as iconic spots like Kayangan Lake and Twin Lagoon outside of the normal tour times. The result? An epic trip that feels like something out of Robinson Crusoe.

It’s a locally run company. I’ve met all the staff and their families, and we’ve even done cleanups together on Mount Tapyas in Coron. They’re good, genuine people who care about their community and want to make a positive impact.

After spending one day at the hotspots, Big Dream Boatman veers away and guides you on an expedition to some of the hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path locations, which in my opinion were equally as impressive if not more so than the famous spots on Coron Island. We free dove at WWII shipwrecks, camped on secluded beaches, swam with stingrays, counted the stars from the beach at night, and ate like kings during our island hopping tour with Big Dream Boatman. Their Coron to El Nido and El Nido to Coron expeditions take this a step further, taking you on a voyage between the most beautiful islands in the Philippines.

Make an inquiry/booking: To visit the website to check the tour itineraries, costs, and availability of dates you can click here: Big Dream Boat Man Website 

In this blog post, I am going to share with you the reasons why you might want to consider a 3-night Big Dream Boat Man expedition compared to the regular day trip. I’ll detail the locations I visited with them in Coron, and also the other locations and tour itineraries they now offer instead.

I hope you love them as much as I did, and hope you enjoy your trip with Big Dream Boatman if you choose to head out on the best Coron expedition, which will surely be the highlight of your Philippines trip.

CORON ISLAND HOPPING TOUR ITINERARY WITH BIG DREAM BOAT MAN

Below is the general itinerary you can expect on the Coron Island Hopping trip (So many places to visit!) but the guides are always changing things up slightly when they find new epic spots or to avoid the crowds. These itineraries aren’t set in stone but they guys are usually flexible if there is a certain spot you REALLY want to see or stay longer they can put it to the group to see if it can work out. And just to note, while the exact trip I went on is not currently being offered, the main sights of Coron are still visited by both of the El Nido – Coron Transit Expeditions.

The reality is that you get to visit SO MANY awesome spots in just four days because you don’t waste time transiting to and from the mainland each day and there’s no need to battle the crowds. Just look at the infographic I made below and you can see that we visited 17 different spots on our 3-day, 4-night Coron Island Life with Big Dream Boatman.

BIG DREAM BOAT MAN EXPEDITION vs ISLAND HOPPING DAY TRIP

As you walk around Coron Town, you’ll see posters and promotions everywhere for the island-hopping tours, such as the Coron ‘Ultimate’ Island Hopping Trip. I won’t lie, these day tours are still incredible. I’ve done more than five day trips in Coron. However, these tours are marketed to the masses and all follow the same itinerary. It can be a bit chaotic, touristic, and in some cases a bit of a letdown as it gets so busy and crowded. If you are short on time and on a budget, just hit this link and book a day trip and you will have a GREAT day: Coron ‘Ultimate’ Island Hopping Trip

However, if you have a few days to spare and want to avoid the crowds, enjoy a group trip atmosphere, bonfires at night, activities, games, and secluded beaches and lagoons…. don’t book that day trip just yet. There’s a better alternative..

Big Dream Boat Man recognized that there were a lot of people looking to avoid the crowds at the hotspots and also see some quieter but equally epic locations. They decided to create an alternative itinerary that avoids the crowds at the hotspots by visiting early in the morning or in off-peak times and exploring other locations that aren’t even on the radar for the regular tours.

The cost of the tour is of course much more than the regular 8-hour day trip, at about $600 USD as of 2025. However, that includes everything from your 3 nights of accommodation to your snorkeling equipment and all meals. The transit expeditions also save you money on an expensive flight or a ferry ride.

The vibes are unreal and I honestly came back at the end of the trip feeling so alive and stoked about our adventure. I’ve traveled a lot and done my fair share of tours. I finished this one feeling like I’d been on one hell of an adventure and that it was worth the price.

Make an inquiry/booking: To visit the website to check the tour itineraries, costs, and availability of dates you can click here: Big Dream Boat Man Website. They do book out a few weeks in advance, so definitely reserve your post once you decide you want to go.

BIG DREAM BOAT MAN ITINERARY

I did my tour in March 2019 with the co-founder Krish and guide Anthony. The guys on board changed the itinerary slightly because I had already visited Kayangan and a few spots twice previously, but most of the other places you can expect to see on your tour, if not more. You’ll visit plenty of these spots on the El Nido to Coron or Coron to El Nido expeditions.

I will add info about Kayangan and other regular spots on the itinerary so you can know what to expect. Get ready to be blown away by just how epic Coron is. Even looking at these photos as I create this blog transports me back to this magical trip.

KAYANGAN LAKE

Kayangan Lake is by far the most popular spot on Coron Island and for good reason. You cruise into the ‘parking lot’, which in itself is an immaculate reef with crystal clear water. After parking the boat you take a short hike up the stairs to the viewpoint before clambering down the other side to reach the famous Kayangan Lake. Visiting Kayangan Lake with Big Dream Boat Man meant we were literally the only people there snorkeling as we went early in the morning!

It’s a crystal-clear freshwater lake with unbelievable underwater rock formations. It’s easily one of my favorite freediving spots in the world. Make sure you head over to the left side of the lake for the epic dive site.

View full blog post: KAYANGAN LAKE IN CORON ISLAND, PALAWAN

TWIN LAGOON

Twin Lagoon is a stunning pool of water hiding amongst the breathtaking cliffs. Through a small gap, you can swim under the cliff and into Twin Lagoon. Once inside the lagoon, you are surrounded in all directions by the towering, dagger-like cliffs as you float away from your worries in a private swimming pool.

SKELETON WWII SHIPWRECK SNORKEL

Something I was quite excited about was free diving at Skeleton Wreck. It’s one of the most popular things to do in Coron for freedivers. It’s a mostly intact WWII ship that found its resting place in Coron, Palawan. Thousands of fish surrounded the wreck and swarmed us as we swam.

To get down deep enough at the level of the wreck you will need to dive about 15ft but you can still get a great view from the surface. One of the guides managed to free-dive into the cabin of the ship and out of the window.

View full blog post: EXPLORING SKELETON WRECK IN CORON, PALAWAN

VIVIAN BEACH

For lunch, you can always expect a huge spread of kinds of seafood, meats, and salads with Big Dream Boat Man. Josh and I are vegetarian and the chef catered to us for the entire trip with lots of variation and hearty meals. Vivan Beach is probably the most scenic lunch spot of your life with jagged cliffs surrounding lunch huts on a tiny white sand beach.

LUSONG GUNBOAT SHIPWRECK SNORKEL

From the surface, it doesn’t look like much but as soon as you dip your head underwater, the Lusong Gun Boat from WWII will blow you away. Like many of the stops on our Big Dream Boat Man trip, we had this spot completely to ourselves as you can see in the drone photo.

This huge ship is angled perfectly for freedivers because the rear of the ship is only about 2 feet deep while the nose of the ship is more than 20 feet deep. This means all levels of free divers and snorkelers can get an up-close look at this sunken WWII ship. Barnacles, corals, and fish have taken over the ship as their home and if you are game you can dive through the panels of the ship!

View full blog post: LUSONG GUNBOAT SHIPWRECK & LUSONG CORAL GARDEN IN CORON

CORAL GARDEN REEF SNORKEL

Just around the corner from the Lusong Gunboat shipwreck is a phenomenal snorkeling spot. Our guide Anthony described it as one of the best snorkeling spots we would ever see and we weren’t let down. Huge corals of all different colors blanketed the ocean floor before a dark drop-off invited freedivers to explore further!

BANANA ISLAND CAMPING

Banana Island is an incredibly chill spot with coconut trees lining the white sand beach. This island is hammock central and the perfect place to unwind in the shade for a siesta. This is a great island for a kayak, snorkel, and swimming in the beautiful warm water the Philippines is so famous for.

SOUTH CAY

The South and North Cays are both prime camping spots. We camped on the north but we could see another small group with a bonfire camping on the South Cay just across the way on their own little private island. Take the kayak over from the North Cay if you are up for an exploration adventure.

NORTH CAY CAMPING

We arrived at the North Cay for the last light of the day and it was some of the best conditions I’ve ever had for aerial photography. It took me an hour and two batteries just to get off the boat and stop flying. What the others didn’t know is that I had just enjoyed the reef, water, and islands more than anyone with an hour-long aerial tour during golden hour. After I pulled myself together I headed off to check out our ‘glamping situation’, which was a tent with a mattress, sheet, and pillow.

It was one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a while, as a soft breeze came through the top of the tent. There are toilet and shower facilities on the island.

Just before sunset, we took on our guides in a 2v2 basketball match and somehow squared with them at one win apiece in a game we won’t forget soon. Great fun with great people. This is what Big Dream Boat Man is all about! Sunset was spent at the viewpoint on a small hill before we ventured back to the camping area, lit a bonfire, and shared some drinks under the stars.

Breakfast was served by the crew on a table and chairs on our private stretch of beach during the first light. It’s moments like these where you pinch yourself and wonder if it’s a dream. Our time on the North Cay was incredibly relaxing and a great time with the crew!

BLACK ISLAND

After packing up early at North Cay, we headed to Black Island. The water was so glassy it was reflecting like a mirror as we edged ever closer to the ominous-looking Black Island. When we arrived there was only one other boat there with two people chilling in a hut. We docked the boat and I went for a flight with the drone in another unforgettable aerial session.

Looking directly down from the top of the cliff was an angle that just blew my mind as I saw the scale of the cliffs compared to our boat. We snorkeled here with some epic conditions for free-diving, amazing clarity, and a wide variety of corals.

View full blog post: EXPLORING BLACK ISLAND (MALAJON ISLAND) IN CORON, PHILIPPINES

BLACK ISLAND CAVING

After our snorkel, we headed inland onto Black Island to check out the caves. The first cave was huge with at least 40 feet between floor and ceiling. Two crystal-clear pools shone as the morning light flooded into the cave.

You can swim and even cliff jump into both or simply admire the stalactites and rock formations from within the depths of the cave. We then headed down to the other end of the beach and climbed up through another cave this time emerging onto a private beach around the corner where our guides met us with the snorkel guy and the SUP. We explored this area and laid out on the beach. These were dream moments, isolated in paradise.

DIBUTONAY ISLAND

Dibutonay Island was another secluded island with a great reef for snorkeling. It had one section of reef that was separated from the island and bursting with fish, marine life and unique coral. After a long morning of snorkeling, we ended up almost passing out on the beach only to be revived with a fresh coconut from the crew legends at Big Dream Boat Man.

MALTATAYOC ISLAND

Maltatayoc Island is a beautiful sandbar but we had come for the underwater world. Here we searched for and found multiple stingrays and the crew told us small black-tip sharks (not dangerous) are often spotted in this area. The snorkeling was amazing again and by this point, I was in awe at the level of reef and snorkeling spots in the region famous for its cliffs and lagoons.

PASS ISLAND OVERNIGHT

Pass Island was another camping spot on our Big Dream Boat Man Coron Island Hopping Tour. Like with North Cay, we arrived just in time for the golden hour and I enjoyed the aerial view while chilling under a coconut tree. On the island, there are a few huts where you sleep and bathroom facilities. A basketball court and sunset viewpoint are the other highlights on this tiny private island for you and the crew to enjoy.

View full blog post: PASS ISLAND IN CORON PALAWAN (OVERNIGHT STAY)

DITAYTAYAN ISLAND

On the final morning of our Coron Island hopping tour expedition with Big Dream Boat Man, we headed off to Ditaytayan Island. While most boats stop at the beautiful sand bar, we headed around the back side to explore the beach and what we found was a lot (I mean A LOT!) of trash. Together with the crew, we collected three huge garbage bags of trash to take back to Coron Town. It was great to see the crew pushing for this and it’s something they try and do on every trip.

We also snorkeled here in another amazing reef location before exploring the sand bar and the beaches on Ditaytayan Island.

SUNSET LAGOON AND CAVE

Our final stop was to the Sunset Lagoon and Cave. Once again we magically arrived with the perfect lighting just like the entire trip. The aerial photography here blew my mind again as I pushed the distance limits on the drone.

The lagoon is a small inlet, with towering cliffs closing in around you. We went for a paddle on the SUP before snorkeling into the incredible cave that is like a private room within the cliff once you swim inside!

CONCLUSION

That was our trip and believe it or not that was all just in a few days. I am still lost for words and struggle to explain the epic nature of Coron. The island hopping tour of Coron with Big Dream Boat Man was the best expedition to see the sights in a natural way, with good people, good vibes and lessor no crowds. I can’t recommend these guys enough and really support their vision and the ethos of the company.

While as of now, they no longer offer this exact tour of Coron, they do stop by many of these locations on their El Nido to Coron and Coron to El Nido expeditions. If you do want to book a trip with Big Dream Boat Man, I suggest doing it in advance as they do book out a few weeks ahead of time. It’s usually booked out if you only decide to book the trip when you arrive at Coron as you may do with the basic daily island hopping tours.

Make an inquiry/booking: To visit the website to check the tour itineraries, costs and availability of dates you can click here: Big Dream Boat Man Website

BEST TIME OF YEAR FOR CORON ISLAND HOPPING

The optimal time for island hopping in Coron is during the dry season, from November to May. During these months, the weather is typically favorable, with sunny skies and calm waters, making it ideal for boat travel and exploring the stunning lagoons, lakes, and beaches of the islands. While the peak tourist months of December to March offer pristine conditions, they can be crowded. To strike a balance between good weather and fewer tourists, consider the shoulder months of early November or May.

For those of you who choose to book an El Nido to Coron or Coron to El Nido expedition, the best time to do the crossing would be in April. This provides a respite from the Amihan (Northeast) Monsoon which can cause rough seas in El Nido Bay and the surrounding waters. Coron, due to its geography, is generally less affected by the Amihan Monsoon.

ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH MY CORON SERIES?

• Best Island Hopping Experience: (4 Days & 3 Nights) Big Dream Boat Man Coron Tour Review.
• My Ultimate Travel Guide: Coron Travel Guide: 25 Awesome Things To Do
• A detailed activity schedule for you: Ultimate Coron Itinerary for 3-4 Days
• A comprehensive accommodation guide: 20 Best Places to Stay in Coron
• Best activity that is not in the water: Mt. Tapyas Hike for the best view in Coron.

Or you might want to jump to a few of my favorite spots in Coron:

• Read my blog post about Kayangan Lake
• Read my blog about Black Island
• Read my blog about Barracuda Lake
• Read my blog about​ Lusong Gunboat