Hiking To The Top Of Mt Tapyas
Coron might be a small town, but the locals are so confident in the awesome beauty of their surrounding islands that they’ve gone so far as to build a giant Hollywood style sign on the top of Mount Tapyas advertising to visitors that, unmistakably, you are in Coron.
It’s a sign of their ever booming tourism industry and the number of visitors that are attracted to the town in order to explore the epic natural scenery of the Calamianes Islands. Anyone visiting Coron can’t miss the huge sign and the equally large cross that’s built on top of Mt Tapyas in true Filipino style.
The mountain is only the second highest near to Coron Town, but its shadow is cast over the town perpetually, and when visiting it’s impossible not to wonder what the views from the top are like.
I made the hike to the top of Mt Tapyas Coron, to find out!
How Many Steps To The Top Of Mount Tapyas?
Mount Tapyas is just 210 metres in height, and like I said, only the second tallest mountain in the vicinity. If you can really even call it a mountain.
Technically, it’s just a small hill. But compared to the surrounding flat landscape of Coron Town, this is a mountain, and its distinctive cone can be seen from almost anywhere.
And of course, in Coron’s perpetual heat and humidity, climbing from sea level to even 210 metres can feel like ascending Everest. Except for the intense heat of course…
Leading to the cross at the top of Mount Tapyas are 721 concrete steps, with various rest points along the way offering shade and shelter from the sun. It’s a lot of steps, but the views are worth it.
Fuelling Up Filipino Style On Balut Beneath Mt Tapyas
At the base of Mount Tapyas where the 721 steps begin there are a few vendors selling cold drinks, refreshments and of course, the classic Filipino Balut.
Balut is a delicacy in the Philippines, an ubiquitous snack that’s consumed to give the eater energy. The perfect pre-hike eat. It’s not to everyone’s taste though, being, essentially, a boiled duck embryo.
I’d tried one the night before. I’ve tried a lot of weird and wonderful foods on my travels across the world, and I still could not stomach the Balut. To the Filipinos enthusiastically devouring Balut before they hiked to the top of Mount Tapyas, I take my hat off to you, I could not do it.
The Hike To The Top
The hike to the top wasn’t difficult. The steps make things easier and it’s really not that far or that high. The only difficulty is the humidity and the heat of Coron, which makes every step ten times harder than I was used to in my home country of England.
I kept stopping to turn around and to look out over the epic views arrayed before me. The town of Coron was directly below, with the boat docks, the market and all the houses displayed along the shore. Far off into the distance stretched the islands, hundreds of them as far as I could see. This was Coron, and these views, these islands, these were the reasons why people travel here from all over the world.
After a solid half hour of walking and photographing, I made it to the cross at the top of Mount Tapyas, sweaty but not exactly out of breath.
Drone Wars At Sunset
Those epic views and those spectacular islands mean that over the last few years Coron is getting ever more popular with tourists and the summit of Mount Tapyas was exceptionally busy.
The views were out there though and the number of people didn’t distract from the stunning setting. There were however, a lot of drones flying around the hill, taking off and landing amongst the groups of people and even having to avoid other drones in the sky when things got a bit too close.
I’d never seen anything like it anywhere. Everyone wanted the best pictures as the sun was beginning to set. I did too, so I joined the drone war by taking my own Mavic Pro into the air for a few aerial shots of Mount Tapyas and the epic landscapes around me.
The sunset was marvellous as it slowly sunk below the clouds and behind the mountains in the distance, creating a spectacular portrait of light and colours across Coron and making those 721 steps to the top worth every drop of sweat that I shed.
Mt Tapyas Coron Travel Guide
Travelling to Coron? Then Mount Tapyas is an awesome place to spend the evening. Hike to the top and watch the sunset from the pavilion and from the epic view point. The panoramic of Coron is beautiful, and it gives you a whole new perspective on the town and the surrounding islands! Read on for my travel guide for Mount Tapyas, and remember, don’t forget to fuel up on Balut before you hit the 721 steps to the top. You’ll need that Filipino energy to make it.
- Entrance Is Free!
- Tricycle To Start Of The Steps – Approx 20-50 PHP per person
- Opening Times – All Day Everyday
- Cost Of Balut – 10 PHP
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Where Is Mount Tapyas?
Mount Tapyas is located in Coron, Philippines. You can find the exact location of the summit on the map below and detailed walking instructions further down this page:
How To Hike To The Top Of Mount Tapyas
Mount Tapyas is unmissable. Although only 210 metres in height it still towers over Coron Town and the distinctive cross can be seen from anywhere. There are 721 steps leading to the top, and the base of the mountain is found behind the town, hidden along a few side streets.
If you are staying in Coron Town it’s easy enough to walk to the start and then to simply hike to the top. Just follow the walking route on the map below.
If you would rather though, it’s possible to take a tricycle to the start of the hike. From Coron Town this would only cost around 20 PHP per person, or further afield from the edge of town no more than 50 PHP per person. There are always a few tricycles waiting around at the base too to take weary hikers back to their hotels.
There are a few vendors at the bottom of the stairs and intermittently all the way to the top selling cold drinks and random stuff you probably won’t need. Make sure to keep hydrated and take plenty of water.
The walk will probably only take half an hour from the base to the top of the steps, but this of course depends on your fitness and how many times you stop to photograph the town and the islands below you.
Mount Tapyas walking route from Coron Town:
When Should I Hike To The Top Of Mount Tapyas?
Mt Tapyas is open to the public all day everyday. The best time to visit – in my humble opinion – is for sunset. Coron gets hot, so this is the coolest time of day to visit, other than sunrise too of course, and the view from the top of the sun actually setting is just beautiful in the evening.
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All Words and Photos by Richard Collett
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