Here I will share my story with you about diving Barracuda Lake in Coron, The Philippines.
My First Stop: Coron
My first stop in the Philippines was Coron. I flew from Seoul, South Korea, and my next stop was Cebu, Mactan Airport. I did not explore Cebu and its surroundings, like Oslob, Mala Pascua, Moalboal, and many other famous spots around Cebu. On this trip, I just focused on Palawan and Siargao.
Arrival at Coron
I arrived at Coron at around 9:00 AM, flying from Cebu Mactan International Airport to Busuanga Airport in Coron. It was just about a one-hour flight on Philippine Airlines. I strongly recommend that if you are planning a trip to the Philippines, do not book your in-flight tickets at the last minute because, trust me, they can get very expensive. It happened to me when booking my plane tickets to Siargao, and I ended up paying about 300 USD for both ways.
Where to Stay in Coron and How Many Days to Stay?
I would recommend staying in Coron for 2 to 4 days. If you are a fan of scuba diving, I would suggest staying for 4 days. If you just want to sightsee, 2 days will be enough, especially if you are traveling throughout the Philippines. I stayed at Outpost Hostel in Coron. I loved the hostel very much—it was very comfortable and clean, with nice common areas. It was within walking distance of the center, and you can also conveniently book all the tours in Coron with them.
Diving Barracuda Lake: The Experience
Now shifting back to the most important part of this post, I’ll share my experience with you about diving at Barracuda Lake. The water at Barracuda Lake on the surface is about 28°C (82°F), but as you dive deeper, to about 14 meters (46 feet), there’s a huge thermocline. The water temperature rises to 38°C (100°F)!
The lake is so beautiful, with stunning limestone formations all around. It is also famous for taking off your fins at the depths of Barracuda Lake and pretending you’re walking on the moon. The scenery at the bottom of Barracuda Lake is amazing, and I took so many astounding pictures down there.
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I did this dive with Sanho Dive, a Korean-owned dive company. The majority of the people I dived with were from South Korea, and we even had a Korean lunch on the boat. It was loads of fun. There was also a Brazilian couple on the boat, so don’t worry—you’ll most likely be diving with people from all around the world.
The dive trip not only includes a visit to Barracuda Lake but also two other dives at a Coral Garden and another beautiful reef site.
How I Felt During the Dive
HOT, VERY HOT! I felt very hot during the dive. To be honest, I didn’t even wear my wetsuit for this dive—I only wore a sun-protection shirt. Thank God I did that because, honestly, I was absolutely suffocating from the heat. I even told the master diver that I was going to ascend because, as I said before, I really don’t like the heat.
Final Thoughts
Besides me not liking the heat, this dive was absolutely wonderful. The views and the limestone cliffs are absolutely stunning. You can also do freediving here—it’s beautiful and perfectly safe.
Coron is also very famous for shipwreck diving. Diving in the Philippines is incredible—you can see flatworms, loads of Nemos and Dorys, and many other beautiful marine creatures. You can even dive with dugongs, also called sea cows.
These animals are gentle giants of the ocean. Dugongs are marine mammals closely related to manatees, known for their slow, graceful movements and herbivorous diet. They feed primarily on seagrass, and spotting one during a dive is a rare and magical experience. If you’re lucky enough to encounter a dugong while diving in the Philippines, you’ll never forget the serene beauty of these creatures gliding effortlessly through the water.
Overall, the Philippines is a paradise for marine life enthusiasts, offering a wide variety of unique experiences for divers of all levels.