Palawan's dive capital pairs world-class wrecks and limestone lagoons with a compact waterfront bar strip that runs hard from sunset until the generators cut out.
Coron town sits on the northern tip of Busuanga Island in Palawan province, roughly 500km south-west of Manila. The town is small enough to walk end to end in twenty minutes, which means the social scene concentrates fast. Island hopping tours depart from the main pier from 8am, visiting the Japanese WWII wrecks, the brackish Kayangan Lake, and the Twin Lagoons before returning in the late afternoon. The group tours — usually 8 to 15 people — function as social events in their own right, and most evenings start with whoever just came off the water.
The waterfront bar strip runs along the main road parallel to the pier. Bistro Coron and Kawayanan Grill are the two most consistent spots, with cold San Miguel at around 60 PHP (roughly £1) and live acoustic sets from around 7pm. Ka-Rol's Bar attracts a younger backpacker crowd and runs bucket specials from 9pm. The strip doesn't stay open late by Southeast Asian standards — most bars wrap by 1am — but the density of travellers in a very small town means the atmosphere builds quickly on a Friday or Saturday. The best nights coincide with a full boat returning from the wrecks.
Party hostels within reach of 's main celebrations. Ranked by guest rating.
Day-by-day breakdown
Book a shared island hopping tour the evening before from any hostel or tour desk in town. Tours typically run 8am to 4:30pm and cover Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoons, Skeleton Wreck, and a coral garden snorkel stop. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a waterproof bag for your phone, and cash for lunch at a floating restaurant (around 200–300 PHP for a grilled fish meal). The tours set the social rhythm for the evening.
The main waterfront road from the pier heading north is where everything happens. Bistro Coron catches the best sunset view and fills up from 6pm. San Miguel costs 50–70 PHP; cocktails start at 120 PHP. Ka-Rol's Bar a short walk inland gets louder after 9pm. Most hostels here run communal dinners or pub crawls — check the noticeboard when you arrive. Grab takeaway food from the night market stalls near the market hall before they close at 10pm.
Getting to Coron Island Hopping and Sunset Bar Scene from Manila