PASS ISLAND IN CORON PALAWAN (OVERNIGHT STAY)

Pass Island is one of the hidden gems of Coron with pure white sand, coconut trees and a couple of bungalows. It is absolute paradise and an amazing place for an overnight stay in simple but comfortable accommodation.

When we arrived it was perfectly in the golden hour, no-one else was on the island and it was truly a tropical paradise. Our boat pulled in and we sat beneath the coconut trees and watched the pastel sky before relocating to the hill to watch the final moments of sunset. The isolation of this island paired with its white sand, coconut trees, and incredibly calm atmosphere make this one of the most beautiful spots to visit near Coron Island.

WHERE IS PASS ISLAND

Pass Island is a small island off of Busuanga in Palawan, Philippines located near the Calamianes Islands. It is about 1.5-2 hours by outrigger boat from Coron Town. I have pinned it on the map below so you can understand where it is in relation to Coron Town (Busuanga).

HOW TO GET TO PASS ISLAND

There are a few ways to get to Pass Island and I’ll share them all but I personally visited on a tour with Big Dream Boat Man on a 3-day expedition of Coron.

From Busuanga (Coron Town): From Coron Town there are private and group tours daily to Pass Island although they are not as common as the regular island-hopping tours of Coron Island. (2-hour boat ride)
From Concepcion: From Coron Town catch a bus/taxi to Concepcion and then book a boat (1 hr) to Pass Island. You could stay overnight in Concepcion as there are hotels and restaurants there. About 1000 PHP per person for the day, which is about $20 USD and may include visiting Black Island also.
Big Dream Boat Man (How I visited): Big Dream Boat Man is a 3-night Coron island hopping tour expedition that is different from the rest. Instead of battling the crowds, the sea of life-jackets and the lines, Big Dream Boat Man takes you to the hotspots such as Kayangan Lake and Twin Lagoon before the crowds come. After spending one day at the hotspots, Big Dream Boat Man veers away and guides you on an expedition to some of the hidden gems such as Pass Island and off-the-beaten-path locations in Coron, which in my opinion were equally as impressive if not more so than the famous spots on Coron Island. We free-dived 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 Boat Man. 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
If you want to read the big blog post about my Big Dream Boat Man 4-day journey you can head over to read that by clicking here.

Visiting Pass Island is one thing but camping there and enjoying the sunset, the stars and sunrise are another! To check the itinerary of trips and make a booking with Big Dream Boat Man you can Click Here.

ACCOMMODATION ON PASS ISLAND

On Pass Island, you can camp or rent one of the bungalows for about 1000 PHP per night, which is about $20 USD. Inside the bungalow is a fan, a mattress, pillow, sheets, light and an electrical outlet. To be honest that is all the essentials right there and might we could have a great night sleep, charge our gear and be ready for another day of exploration.

I had a really great nights sleep here on Pass Island and woke up for sunrise feeling relaxed and ready to go. Note: There are also bathrooms including showers and toilets for your use while on the island.

WHEN TO VISIT PASS ISLAND

It’s best to visit in the dry season not only for the weather but for the calmer seas. In the wet season, the ocean can be unpredictable and big waves can be tough to handle in the outrigger. During the day the island can get busy. With our Big Dream Boat Man trip, we didn’t see any other tourists because we arrived just before the end of the day and left after sunrise to enjoy the best moments on the island with no crowds.

WHAT TO DO ON PASS ISLAND

Basketball and volleyball court: We had a great basketball match with our guides on the court here at Pass Island
Sunset Viewpoint: At the back of the island is a little hill that looks out over the ocean towards the sun and is the perfect spot to grab a beer and watch the sunset.
Snorkeling: Like all spots in Coron, there is some great snorkeling to be done near Pass Island with corals and fish plentiful.
Hanging out on the beach: With beautiful white sand and coconut trees, Pass Island is the perfect place to relax, read a book and work on your tan.
Flying: If you are fortunate enough to have a drone, Pass Island is spectacular from the air and you will get a unique perspective of just how amazing the reef and water clarity is.

WHERE TO STAY IN CORON TOWN BEFORE YOUR CORON ISLAND HOPPING TOUR

Read my full blog post: Best hotels, hostels, and resorts in Coron

Save money in Coron by staying at an Airbnb! Get a FREE $40 Airbnb Coupon by using my code when you book! I use Airbnb on about half of my travels and find you always get more value than a hotel.

Coron Town is the base for all of your adventures in Coron. In Coron Town you have the bars, restaurants, transport, places to book tours and you are close to Mt. Tapyas and Maquinit Hot Spring. It is also just a $3 shuttle to the airport. Below are my three picks plus one all-inclusive resort (I’ve stayed multiple times) that includes private island hopping.

Budget Pick: Fat Monkey Hostel – The Fat Monkey Hostel has great vibes and you can get a really cheap dorm room or a basic double room at pretty much the lowest price in Coron. It is in the city center so you are close to all the bars and restaurants.

Value Pick: Kokosnuss Garden Resort – A huge swimming pool in front of a hotel that looks like a castle. A highly-rated breakfast is included with your private room. For just $40 a night this represents about the best value you will find in Coron.

Luxury Pick: Coron Soleil Garden Resort – I stayed at this resort in 2018 and it was incredibly nice. A huge pool stretches down the length of the resort and it’s a relaxing place to chill out after island hopping. The rooms are very luxurious but this resort is actually only just over $100 per night for a double room.

All-inclusive (Includes private island hopping): Casa Fidelis Resort – I had the most amazing stay at Casa Fidelis. The villa had a large patio area that looked out over the garden. Stepping stones led you from the room to the dining area, where we had decadent spreads of gourmet food for every meal.

I highly recommend this resort if you are looking for an entire Coron experience. You won’t have to worry about what to do in Coron. It is a perfect resort if you want to see the best of this beautiful region and you can also enjoy the luxury of having every detail taken care of.

ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH MY CORON SERIES?

If you want to experience best island-hopping tour in Coron (4 Days & 3 Nights), which includes camping on private islands, all meals, drinks and parties then you can check out my Big Dream Boat Man Coron Tour Review.

I’ve been to Coron three times and have written a huge guide about all the amazing things you can do in Coron. The list is now up to 22 different spots which you can catch in my Coron Travel Guide: 22 Awesome Things To Do

Only have a few days in Coron and want to know how best to spend your valuable time? I’ve written a detailed Coron Itinerary for 3-4 days that will help you plan out your days and activities.

If you are wondering about where I suggest for accommodation and where I have stayed, I wrote a blog post about the Best Places to Stay in Coron. It’s a pretty detailed list with budget, luxury and value picks.

Aside from the island hopping there are two must-do activities. The first is the Maquinit Hot springs and the second is climbing up Mt. Tapyas for the best view in Coron.

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

Blog post about Kayangan Lake

Blog post about Black Island

Blog post about Barracuda Lake

Blog post about Lusong Gunboat