Sunset via Mount Tapyas

We have a very relaxing morning via the Riverhouse as our plan was to move from Decalachao over to Coron town at the afternoon. Judith have arrange the private van for us and we depart shortly after completed the billing and check out process. The distance is around 30 KM and it took us around 45 minutes to reach our destination, the NVH vacation home that we booked through Airbnb. While in the van I revise on our expenses and realize that Judith had wrongly calculate our bill, which end up we paying less than the actual value. Immediately I use the Airbnb application to drop her a message about this. There wasn't any intention to ignore this as we know it was hard earn money for them, and they did a really good job and services in hosting our stay there.

By following the location plot that I did up front, we able to find NVH vacation home easily and met with Jen, our host for the next 2 nights stay here. The house was very spacious with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living hall, a dining table, and a fully equipped kitchen. Our two more travel mate yet to arrive here, hence after we drop our luggage here, we proceed to take tricycle to Coron town as we are very hungry already.

On the way to Coron town.

Based on the preferred list that I prepare earlier, we make a decision to have our lunch at Sinugba sa Balay restaurant, which offer variety cuisine including local Filipino and seafood dishes. It was a famous restaurant here in Coron, hence the tricycle know exactly the location when we told them the name. For your reference, tricycle cost is around 10-20 peso per person for ride within the town, and will cost differently if you are going to cross to different area. Word of advice, always clarify the cost before boarding the transport to prevent any issue with the price tag.

Our tricycle, with the Ironman concept.

Here we are at Sinugba sa Balay restaurant.

There are few tables of customers were having their meal when we reach the restaurant, and the food looks attractive. We get an empty table and sit down waiting for the menu but no one actually bring them for us, only to realize that all the available menu are already written on a black board in front of the counter. While waiting for the food to be serve after we done our order, we having some conversation with a Canadian families that travel together with a very cute baby girl. We have some good conversation by sharing each other travel plan around Coron, and having fun playing with the baby girl. After a while, all our food serve at once, that make us feel that Filipino have a habit to serve the dishes only when all the order is ready.

We are glad that the foods not only looks great, but the taste also are very outstanding. I especially love the local Filipino dishes here called Bicol express, which consist of garlic rice with spicy pork. On the other hand, their vegetable curry and Sinigang soup was excellent as well.

This restaurant live up to its expectation and we strongly recommend it!

Roof view from our table.

All menu are written on these black boards.

Sinugba sa Balay signboard.

Exterior of the restaurant.

Briseis at the entrance of the restaurant. Photo credited to Magic5.

Me at the entrance of the restaurant. Photo credited to Magic5.

A very cute Canadian baby girl.

She is looking at my lens.

Curry vegetable.

Garlic fried rice.

Bicol express with pork.

The Sinigang soup with seafood.

Grill fish.

Coron is a small town, hence after the dinner we have a walk around the town by foot. We taste the local bread, local ice cream, mango smoothies, visited a local church, and also have a cup of coffee at one very unique tattoo coffee shop. Since there are still some time left before the sunset, we decided to have a hike over to nearby Mount Tapyas to catch the sunset view. The distance to the starting point of the stair case hike was just 5 minutes walk away from the unique tattoo coffee shop.

Variety of colorful local bread to choose from.

Walking around street of Coron town.

Short break via La Moreno.

Top of Mount Tapyas.

Wefie via La Moreno cafe.

Iglesia ni Cristo church.

Coffee break~

Lion and Briseis love the artistic feeling here.

Sigbin Bar and Tattoo, an unique tattoo bar.

The peak look not too high or far, but Lion and Briseis seem worried a bit with that, hence without much choice we just start our stepping one by one in order to catch the timing of the sunset at the top. We can see numbers of tourists around and even the local must be loving the place very much to, some bringing the family to walk around, and some with full sport equipment training to their max here. By far, the most crowded and lively spot here in Coron.

At about half way to the top, I saw a Chinese lady wearing a hat walking down toward us with very fast pace, and immediately i able to recognize it was Ann, although I never saw her in person before. We have a short chat and it seem we miss Carol at the starting point as well as she is waiting for Ann there. We then calibrated to meet back in the home stay later on, as they still have plan to have a visit to Maquinit hot spring.

We continue our journey to the top of Mount Tapyas, and luckily we still able to make it on time to witness a very scenery sunset here, although there was some blockage by cloudy weather. The atmosphere at the top was again very lively, with lots of people staying up late even though the sky was getting dark. There was a huge cross symbol at the top, which the lighting is up when the night is approaching, it was beautiful!

The giant cross at the top of Mount Tapyas from the starting point.

The view toward Coron island, which famous Kayangan and Barracuda lake reside.

Piercing sun light on the way to the top.

The scenery is still beautiful although with cloudy environment.

Lion and Briseis have a break while enjoying the sunset.

Breathtaking view from the top, at perfect timing.

View toward the port area of Coron town.

'Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully'

The hike is worth of it after all.

The sun light fading soon.

Giant cross at the peak of Mount Tapyas, with the lighting on.

Light is now on as well at Coron town.

We then make our way back to homestay with a tricyle, after a quick bath, I continue to make arrangement with Jen for our next day plan. After a while, at last we officially meet with both Ann and Carol as they just back from the hot spring. Beside introduction and chit chat with them, I also manage to finalize the next day plan, to take public tour for Coron Ultimate tour after consolidate everyone opinion!