We were sitting at the airport, five days later, waiting for our flight back home, and couldn’t help but talk about how our expedition with Big Dream Boatman was the best decision we made for this trip.
They say Coron is one of those places that will remind you that paradise really does exist. We were there. We saw that with our own eyes!
With BDBM, we witnessed the real beauty of Coron’s pristine white sand beaches, dived into amazing coral gardens, experienced the ultimate island life, met new friends from across the globe and made memories that we will treasure for the rest of our lives.
If we did the ordinary day tours? For sure we would miss out on all of those!
What is Big Dream Boat Man?
Born out of frustration of the “day trip” culture, Krish and Oli founded Big Dream Boat Man in late 2016. They wanted to change it up and create expeditions that show the real beauty of island life, out of stuffy hotels, away from the usual crowds and go for a true adventure while promoting social and eco-responsibility among guests.
Their core values really amazed us and booking them for our Coron trip was the only option we could ever think of!
Here’s what happened during our 4-day expedition with Big Dream Boatman – Coron…
Day 1
Meet up was at 11am at a restobar in Luis Bay Port. There we met all the others who were joining us on the expedition. We were 14 guests and what a coincidence, we were all couples!
The moment we hopped on the boat, we were served with welcome drinks. How cool is that?
The boat is complete with everything we need. It has a kitchen, comfort room, snoring area with daybeds on the upper portion of the boat and nets on the sides where you can relax while sailing. They have unlimited drinks from cold water, canned juices, energy drinks, beer, coffee, and rum. They also came prepared with life jackets, paddleboard, kayak, snorkel personalized with our names, fins, balls, books, games, and toiletries. Name it, they have it!
We were really impressed by how the crew were committed to giving us a different kind of experience. They did a short introduction of themselves and how our expedition would look like then we sailed to our first destination – the famous Kayangan Lake.
Kayangan Lake
Since it is one of the most popular attractions in Coron, Kayangan Lake is crowded the entire day. To avoid the usual crowd, we went there at 12noon when tourists leave the place to eat their lunch. True enough, when we arrived, there was less crowd and we enjoyed the lake more than just seeing a sea of life jackets.
There’s a docking area when you get there and a wooden walkway will take you to the entrance of Kayangan lake. From there, you will have to climb the stairs to get to the viewpoint area where the usual photos you see on the internet are taken. A few steps down further is Kayangan lake.
Life jackets are required when swimming so make sure you bring yours. If you know how to free dive, you will enjoy the limestone formations underwater. Otherwise, you can also spend your time swimming and snorkeling. We honestly didn’t mind basking under the 12noon heat.
After Kayangan Lake, we got back and had our first lunch with the entire group in our boat. I have to say, Chef Mon did a great job with the food. From our first meal to the last, everything was just so on point! Tastes like the food we usually get in 5-star hotels and resorts.
Skeleton WWII Japanese Shipwreck
Quickly after lunch, we headed onto our next destination, the Japanese Shipwreck. If you’re a freediver, you will definitely enjoy exploring the shipwreck since it’s not that deep as well. Otherwise, you can just float with your life jacket on and snorkel around the area.
Time to get back to our boat and to our surprise, they prepared afternoon snacks for us! How thoughtful! Honestly, it was one of the best camote chips that we’ve tasted!
Off we go to our last stop of the day, our basecamp at Pass Island.
Pass Island
We had our first sunset with the crew at Pass Island and it was absolutely amazing! The island is soooo beautiful and rescued dogs welcomed us. Big Dream Boatman is passionate about promoting social responsibility and one of their programs is rescuing abandoned dogs. They place them on the island where locals can take care of them and give them a family.
On our first dinner with the group, we had a short activity — getting to know each other. Everyone shared bits and pieces of their life and what brought them to Coron. We didn’t have a photo that night but the stars in the sky were so visible from the island. It was definitely a night to remember! We stayed in small huts or kubo for the night.
Our hut had a great view of sunrise so it was a bonus. We grabbed our morning coffee, had a short walk along the shore and watched the sunrise for the day.
Day 2
Our first destination for day 2 is Black Island. It is a bit far from Coron and the island is more accessible from Busuanga. If you do a Calauit tour, then including Black Island should be in your itinerary.
Black Island
It is called Black Island because the limestone on the island makes it look black from afar. One thing we noticed though is how clear and calm the waters were on the way to the island. It looked like a mirror breaking as we went through it. We’ve never seen calm blue waters as beautiful as that before. Another thing we would remember Black Island for is its beautiful corals underneath. It also has a cave you can explore.
Dibutunay Island
We spent our entire morning in Black Island and for lunch, we hopped to another one, the Dibutunay Island. One thing I wouldn’t forget about Dibutunay is the different shades of blue that you’ll see. From the white sand to light blue, blue-green and deep blue waters. It was definitely stunning! After lunch, we just relaxed by the beach while others went snorkeling, swimming and flying kites.
Maltatayoc Island
Later in the afternoon, we went to Maltatayoc Island which has a sandbar and beach huts. Since our boat couldn’t dock on the island itself, we had to swim our way to reach the shore. The current was pretty strong that afternoon and it was a challenge to get ashore. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful experience sharing conversations with the group on the beach huts.
North Cay Island
Our last stop for the day is North Cay Island where we spent our second night. The island has a sunset viewing deck where you can enjoy the last rays of the sun. The stone formations below were a stunning backdrop to sunset photos as well.
That night, the BDBM crew set up a bonfire and we chilled the rest of the night there, talking to everyone while stargazing. It was a different experience because we went glamping and slept in tents! Awesome, right? Our tent had a see-through roof so we lay in bed stargazing until sleep called us.
Day 3
Coral Garden Reef
First agenda of our 3rd day was snorkeling at the Coral Garden Reef. As BDBM said, it is the best underwater garden that we’ll ever see. True enough! The colors underneath are something else. The corals are so alive. We had all the coral gardens to ourselves so it was really a wonderful experience.
Culion
Another interesting part of our Coron expedition was visiting Culion. The island is known to be a leper colony in the past where lepers were isolated during the American regime. It was declared leprosy-free by the World Health Organization last 2006.
Not many people go there because of its past, so the island was able to preserve its culture and history. The island of Culion has so much story to tell.
Ditaytayan Sandbar
From Culion, we had quite a long boat ride to our next destination, the Ditaytayan Sandbar.
We arrived at the island when others were about to leave so it was a perfect time to enjoy the sandbar all to ourselves. We enjoyed paddle boarding, kayaking, swimming and sunbathing the entire afternoon.
Banana Island
Our last basecamp for the trip was Banana Island where we finally had cottages complete with beddings and comfort rooms. The island has tables where guests can eat, coconut trees with hammocks, a volleyball game setup, and a karaoke hut. The sunset was perfect that day.
For our last dinner together, the BDBM crew prepared a boodle fight shared by everyone. We also played Jenga and the crew said their thank you’s on our last night together.
Day 4
The next morning, we woke up early to the sound of the waves. The waters and the mountains fronting the island were picturesque. We couldn’t say no to photos.
We had to leave early though for our last stop so we had our breakfast on the boat going to the Twin Lagoon, another famous attraction in Coron. Moving closer to the entrance of the lagoon, we were welcomed with beautiful limestones surrounding the area. However, it can get easily crowded since it is one of the top destinations in Coron.
Heading Home
After our morning swim in Twin lagoon, we sailed back to Luis Bay Port. As they say, all good things have to come to an end. Saying goodbye to our newfound friends was bittersweet. All the memories and adventures we had with Big Dream Boatman would definitely last a lifetime.
One thing that really stood out is how friendly and accommodating the whole crew was. They knew what we needed and made sure that our experience would be extraordinary. We loved how we were able to enjoy Coron’s islands away from the crowd. There’s something about secluded islands and empty beaches that would make you want for more. We were so close to nature and the waters. It was an extremely memorable experience. It was all worth it!
We were sitting at the airport, waiting for our flight back home, still overwhelmed by how it was all worth it.
There’s no other way to explore Coron than to do it with Big Dream Boatman!
Special Mention to the BDBM Crew:
Captain: Ricky
Boat Crew: Gilbert & Lindon
Chef: Mon
Guides: Ambo, Ken/Barbie, Ian and RJ
Visit Big Dream Boatman for more details about their expeditions. They have Coron to Coron, Coron to El Nido and El Nido to Coron tours.
Arrived home surprised.
They gifted us with a PROMO CODE, too!
If interested, email us at info@lifewithkrich.com or drop us a DM on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifewithkrich/
Full Video here:
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