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David E
Melbourne, Australia

God's Own Backyard !!!

5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed Dec 28, 2013
This was my 4th visit to Coron and Busuanga Island Paradise in the space of 13 months.
My first visit being in October last year.

I absolutely love Coron, and Busuanga Island Paradise, hence my reason for going back as often as I do.

Prior to this, my most recent visit was in July of this year, and it was shortly after arriving home from the July trip that I booked to go back for my 4th trip. (Nov/Dec)

I used to go to Thailand quite a bit, but got sick of the touristy aspect, and indeed, wanted somewhere just as beautiful, but far less touristy to go.
A work colleague suggested The Philippines, and in particular, Coron.

After 4 trips to The Philippines in fairly quick succession, I’d say it’s pretty obvious that I am EXTREMELY glad I took up the suggestion of my work colleague.

As an Asian alternative to Thailand, The Philippines is a winner hands down !!

One of the great things about The Philippines, is that with so many islands (over 7000, of which, 2000 are inhabited), there is an island to suit every need/want/taste.

Every one of us is different in terms of what we want out of a holiday.

Some want partying, some want peace and quiet, some want a combination, and some just want a place to go to be themselves for a while.

Personally, at age 49, I’m well over the party scene, and in terms of a holiday destination, i now prefer peace, quiet, beautiful surroundings, and to feel special for a while.

Coron ticks all those boxes for me, and after having experienced the island 4 times now, I honestly can’t see myself ever going back to Thailand. !!!

This review of course, is more about Busuanga Island Paradise than it is about Coron as a whole, so here it is in a nutshell....

If you want a place to stay where....

You’ll feel truly welcome
You’ll be treated like a King (or Queen) by the staff
You’ll have peace, quiet, and serenity
You’ll have the most beautiful islands to visit on day trips
You’ll be far enough away from any hustle and bustle, but close enough to get there if you need to

Then Busuanga Island Paradise is the only place for you to consider !!

Typhoon Haiyan certainly left it’s mark on the island, but testament to the character of the people, (and with a little help from visitors like myself) is the fact that the rebuilding phase started as soon as the typhoon blew out to sea.

The people of the island (and Filipino’s in general) are not only the most genuinely lovely people, they are the most resilient of any that I know.

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going”

Typically, and in comparison to us Westerners, the people are poor, but one of the endearing things about them is that they are still happy, and will do anything for you as a tourist.
This is one of the reasons why I highly respect them !!

The staff and management at Busuanga Island Paradise did so much to help their fellow islanders in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, and they worked tirelessly from early morning to late at night on relief operations.

I came back (To Australia) from Busuanga Island Paradise in total awe of the staff (and management) for the work they put in, and I feel privileged to have been able to work alongside my “Brothers and sisters” (the staff) during their time of need.

These staff members are the ones who’ll be looking after you during your stay at Busuanga Island Paradise, so you can rest assured that you will receive the highest levels of attention and service from them.

They are a credit not only to Busuanga Island Paradise, but to their race, and humanity in general.

AWESOME !!!!
Date of stay: November 2013
Trip type: Traveled solo
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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Reviewed December 28, 2013

We stayed there recently for 6 nights as a way to de-stress after a long flight. The real attraction of Busuanga Island is the diving and snorkeling which are world class. There are some nice hot springs as well located about 20 mins from town by tricycle. The resort itself is located about 12 km from town so you are well away from the hustle and bustle. The driver from the resort was waiting and we were on our way within 15 mins of landing. The airport is in the middle of a valley and we could not see any other buildings nearby. We crossed a cattle guard within a few km so it became apparent that this was cow grazing land. We could not see any of the typical fruit or coconut trees. Instead it looked to be patches of scrub and tropical hardwoods or bamboo most of it pretty intact. The long winding road to the resort was good. Prior to arriving at the resort we could see more downed trees and some damaged to the huts. The entrance to the resort seemed more like a campground judging from all the logs that were piled up. The reception area was a traditional wood building with large open verandah with chairs and table set up. We were the only ones to arrive although a group of 50 from the dept. of natural resources were already staying at the resort. After checking in we were taken across a covered bridge over a flowing a stream and saw the first of the casitas which are designed for 2 people and are spaced a few yards apart. The centrally situated pool and Jacuzzi area looked inviting and indeed were welcoming after a long hot trip. Across another covered bridge we entered the area of larger bungalow. These were nicely furnished although the air conditioning and TV was older. The bathroom was quite large and had nice tile work.

The large group staying there had requested exclusive use of the restaurant at night so were asked if we would take our dinner around the pool area which we found to be enjoyable. The staff was very attentive.

Early the next morning I took a hike up the trail to the viewpoint above the resort about a 20 min walk. At first it was a little difficult to find as it looked like the trail was going to someone's backyard which later turned about to be the manager's office / residence. The brightly coloured crest of bird on the branches of an acacia tree came in to view. It flew off before I could point my camera at it. There were a lot of trees still down and the trail was blocked in parts. I removed some of these myself and wondered why after 3 weeks the trail was in such poor condition still. Since I only knew about the trail from other trip advisor reviewers I was left to conclude that the management did not want to promote it although I am left wondering why as the view is spectacular and one of the resort's assets. Later on my hike down passing a small shallow pond the tail of a lizard caught my eye. No sooner than I had turned on my camera when it became apparent that it was over two feet long and it scurried out of the water before I had a chance to press the shutter.

After a filling breakfast we were taken into town one of the resort's driver and had a chance to see some of the destruction unleased by typhoon Haiyan aka Yolanda locally. Much of the island although not all seemed to have escaped the worst of it. Some of the worst struck buildings were the ones with metal roofs a opposed to the traditional thatched nipa huts which were probably repaired much more quickly if at all. Our resort was still running on generators however but aside form the drone of the diesel you wouldn't have noticed any difference.
If you are looking for a nice respite from it all then this might suit the bill. Aside from the pool and aforementioned trail there isn't much to do here. WORD OF WARNING: don't expect to be able to pay your bill with a foreign credit card. We tried using 4 different ones and could only pay with a local one.

Room tip: Visita rooms were large and could easily fit 2 couples and a single or 3 singles
Date of stay: December 2013
  • Trip type: Traveled with friends
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3  Thank Accela1
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed December 12, 2013 via mobile

I had my vacation there for about 3days, a gift from my friends. Well I was there all by myself to unwind. And I found the place cozy and a real paradise. This is a new haven for my unwinding moment and im very happy that ive spend it there. From the moment I was fetched going to the hotel, the staff, the service, the food and of course the rooms it was outstanding! They have treated me like a VVVIP and I partially love that treatment. Partially 'cause I want to be treated like one at the same time I don't. But anyways I love my whole experience there and it did helped me breath, not literally and think of things in a more organized mind of mine. I will definitely come back and who knows someday it would be with my friends or family or better yet with my new Prince. Thanks for the great unwinding moments!

Date of stay: December 2013
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2  Thank betty_johnny23
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed November 3, 2013

We availed if the 3d2n package which included a half day city tour and a whole day coron island tour. Price was very reasonable as it included airport transfers, 3 full meals a day and complete tour packages. The resort was a wonderful place to relax. You can really tell that they did not cut any corners in the construction, and they made sure that no expense was spared in ensuring they made your stay as comfy as possible.

The bathrooms were big and very clean, with hot water 24/7. The meals were also delicious while proportions were american style. (If you don't get the package, meals are around 300 an order, which are good for 1-2 depending on you appetite.) There is also a wifi router in every room as well as in the dining area. There are also other amenities such as tv's and dvd players if thats your thing, and a pool which the resort says, uses spring water.

The resort property also includes a hill which you can climb (200 or so steps) to the top and get a gorgeous panoramic view of the beautiful of the coron province.

The staff was very friendly and accomodating, though a downside is that we went in November, so it was mostly skeleton staff as we were only 6-10 guests in the entire resort.

Location is also not a problem as there is a van service that will take you to and from the town and the port.

There is nothing really bad i can say about the resort other than it may be a bit pricy if youre on a budget. But if you want a worry free and hassle free vacation then this will be perfect for you.

Date of stay: November 2013
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1  Thank RafaM1496
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed October 2, 2013

Stayed in a Casita (cottage) for 3 days in this hotel. Quite an old hotel but generally clean. My allergic rhinitis/conjunctivitis exacerbated here. Staff is friendly and helpful and service is good. No wifi coverage in the rooms but accessible in the resto and the pool area. Tap water from the faucet was rusty at one point. Had to walk up to the road outside of the hotel to get a handphone signal. Surrounded by nature with sound of flowing river and singing birds. Hotel is about 30 minutes ride to town but they provide free shuttle once per day from 8am til 8pm. Food not exceptional. Iced tea made from commercial powder and overpriced. Good things about this place are service and great surroundings. Not a very pleasant stay.

Date of stay: September 2013
Trip type: Traveled solo
1  Thank wanderlust_smile
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed August 14, 2013

Based on a friend's recommendation, we tried BIP for our Coron trip. It's not near the port where you go for island hopping (that's what you're really there for, not the hotel, right?!) but they provide a shuttle so it's not a big deal, just allocate more time in the day. They also picked us up from the airport.

The hotel/resort is essentially in a jungle and with mountains/hills nearby so you are literally in the boondocks! The accomodations were simple but adequate and clean. The service staff and waiters were so friendly and accomodating. We felt comfortable letting our kids roam around. We also enjoyed the pool and the drinks.

The best surprise was dining: we tables reserved to our name and they always served great food and more than enough for the whole family. The adobo was the best I ever had (sorry, Mom). The cook was even nice enough to share the recipe (which I wish I had written down).

All in all - a great experience and surely worth coming back to BIP. Highly recommended!

Date of stay: September 2012
  • Trip type: Traveled with family
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2  Thank joricm
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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