Sunsets And Beers At The Maquinit Hot Spring In Coron

Coron in the Philippines isn’t necessarily the first destination you might think of when imagine you sitting back in boiling hot springs for a spot of relaxation after an arduous day’s travel, after all, it’s generally boiling hot anywhere in Coron and anywhere in the Philippines, but the Maquinit Hot Spring might change your mind.

There’s cold beer, spa like water, and epic, epic sunsets at the Maquinit Hot Spring.  And in the cooler evening after a long day of island hopping around Coron, it’s a beautiful spot to relax and watch the last of the day fade away on the horizon.

Here’s what happened when I took a dip in the Maquinit Hot Springs!

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The Maquinit Hot Spring

It was a rough road to the Maquinit Hot Spring from Coron. The tricycle was weighed down by myself, three other bloggers and the driver and after leaving the paved streets of the town, the road turned to dirt and started to gradually ascend up hill along the coast.

The tricycle was struggling, but soon the road hit a huge incline and even in first gear the driver just couldn’t get us up the hill. With wheels spinning in the sand, we all jumped out and he sped off without us.

We chased him down at the top where he was waiting and jumped back in the tricycle after a sweaty uphill run. At least we would have earned that cold beer in the hot springs when we arrived.

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Hot Water, Cold Beer

The Maquinit Hot Springs are just outside of Coron Town. Unusually hot water seeps naturally from the earth below, a leftover product of geothermal activity caused by an underground volcano. The water is actually salt water, as it’s funnelled straight from the ocean by the shore where the geothermal vents heat up the sea water. It’s hot and salty.

The Maquinit Hot Spring is a large, circular pool that generally is kept at a temperature of 39-40 degrees Celsius. That’s hot, especially when you consider that this is Coron. And Coron is hot all day, every day. We were visiting just before sunset in the early evening, when it was just starting to get cooler but before I went ahead and jumped on into the scorching hot water that was steaming before me I decided the best course of action would be to cool down with an ice cold beer from the beverage shop by the pool.

Cold beer? Hot springs? That’s the perfect combination.

With beer in hand I slowly, slowly inched my way into the water. It was hot. Really bloody hot, but I soon adjusted to the high temperature and began to enjoy the relaxing environs and of the pool.

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The Mangrove Board Walk

As the hot spring water is in fact seawater, Maquinit Hot Spring is located right on the edge of a spectacular bay that’s fringed by mangroves and mountains on the water’s edge.

A small, rickety wooden boardwalk led away from the pool and into the mangroves, leading to a small bridge offering sweeping views out over the water and the exposed mud flats that were bubbling with hot water.

This was the best spot from which to watch the sun slowly set over the mountains, casting vibrant colours across the sky and across the water and mud.

Being with other travel bloggers, this of course meant drone were flying through the air and Instragmmers were making treacherous walks across the mangrove mud to get that picture perfect shot.

The sun set in a blaze of colour over the bay and I have to say, it could well be the best sun set I saw in Coron. The cold beer helped too.

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Maquinit Hot Spring Travel Guide

Travelling to Coron? Then the hot spring is the perfect change from all that island hopping and snorkelling. There’s even a cold beer shop by the springs. Here’s my quick guide to the Maquinit Hot Spring!

  • Entrance Fee – 200 PHP per person
  • Tricycle From Coron – Approx 300-400 PHP per tricycle including waiting time
  • Opening Times – 8am – 8pm Every Day
  • Cost of a Cold Beer – 50 PHP

Travelling to Coron? Sign up for Air BnB to book your accommodation using this link HERE and you’ll get £25 free credit towards your first booking! 

Click here for an awesome 10% discount on your hotel with Booking.com! 

Where Are The Maquinit Hot Springs?

The Maquinit Hot Springs are located in Coron, Philippines. You can find the exact location on the map below:

How To Travel To The Maquinit Hot Spring

Travelling to Maquinit Hot Spring from Coron Town takes between 30 – 45 minutes depending on the traffic in the town itself. At peak times it can get a bit busy! The easiest mode of transport is the classic Coron Tricycle. You can find drivers all over town and they know exactly where the hot springs are. Your accommodation should be able to find a suitable driver too.

Tricycles will cost around 300 – 400 PHP and they can seat around 4 people. Agree the price beforehand and agree how long the driver will need to wait for you (it would be difficult finding a return ride without having it already arranged in advance). It’s possible to arrange longer tours with the driver that take in not just the hot springs but other sights around the island too.

The road to the hot spring is a bit bumpy but it takes you out along the coast and into a more rural area of Coron, and interesting area which is perhaps how Coron Town used to look a few years ago before  tourism began to blow up there.

When Should I Visit The Hot Springs?

The hot springs are open every day of the week (although double check on public holidays) from 8am – 8pm and sometimes later, although never past 10pm it would seem. Obviously, they are hot, so visiting in the middle of the day may not be the best idea. The sunsets are amazing, so I’d recommend travelling here early evening before the huge rush that seems to happen just after sunset (people seem to like to visit in the dark with the stars and moonlight!).

Travelling to Coron? Sign up for Air BnB to book your accommodation using this link HERE and you’ll get £25 free credit towards your first booking! 

Click here for an awesome 10% discount on your hotel with Booking.com! 

All Words and Photos by Richard Collett