Why you need to visit Paolyn Houseboats!

Ever since I first came across Paolyn houseboats on Instagram – it was on my bucket list to visit with my family.  The idea of being surrounded by coral reefs on a stunning houseboat for days on end was something of my dreams.

And a dream it really is. Words can’t even describe our 3 days on our houseboat, but I will give it a shot!

Paolyn Houseboats are the only accommodation on Coron Island. It is owned by the Tagbauna People, a local tribe from the Coron area.

There are 8 Houseboats situated in in different lagoons, and plenty of different options for all budgets. We stayed in a Two Bedroom Mega Glass Suite which was perfect for our family of four – but this can sleep up to 8 people comfortably!

On arrival in Coron, a member of the Paolyn team will pick you up from the airport or your hotel and transfer you to the houseboats. We actually opted to do a morning tour of Coron with Paolyn Houseboats, before being taken to the restaurant to have lunch while we waited to check in. After check in we headed back out for the afternoon tour to some snorkelling spots, which was absolutely incredible! The morning tour takes you to the famous Barracuda Lake, Kayagan Lake and some of the most beautiful beaches in Coron.

Once your houseboat is ready, the team will deliver you and your luggage via their boat and explain about the facilities, room service etc. You are given a phone where you can message the restaurant or front office at any time to order food, drinks, book tours or anything else you may need. We pre ordered our breakfast the day before and often pre ordered lunch and dinner in the morning aswell so we were sorted for the day. The food is very affordable, delicious and has plenty of different options. You can get cocktails, beer, wine, coffee or freshly made fruit juices – pretty much anything you can think of!

You can also message them for a transfer over to the main restaurant and bar area if you prefer to mingle with other guests rather than have it delivered to your houseboat. There is plenty of tables, deck chairs to enjoy the sun and kayaks to paddle around the restaurant.

What is there to do?

Each houseboat has kayaks or stand up paddle boards that are yours to use for the duration of your stay. This means you have access by kayak to all the most popular tourist spots around Coron, and before the tour boats start which means you often get them to yourself early in the morning! I highly recommend paddling to Twin lagoons early in the morning – we went at 7am and were the only ones there. You will also be given a map that you can take with you kayaking so you know where you can and can’t visit.

You can also book tours through Paolyn if you want to head out to some different spots and do some snorkelling . or visit the Famous spots as mentioned above.

Other than that we spent our days jumping off and snorkelling around our houseboat, kayaking around the lagoons, and just takig in the incredible views.

What to bring

Mosqutio spray – not that we saw too many but defnitley bring that along. Good shampoo and conditioner if you are spending a few days, because you will find your hair will get very knotty snorkelling and swimming all day.

Vinegar – just incase of any jellyfish stings. I will be totally transparent – we did see a box jellyfish on one of the little private beaches near the houseboat, and it did make us a little more cautious for the rest of the trip. Coron can be a hotspot for Box jellyfish so its best to be vigilant and just check the water before entering. I think it was just our bad luck, but they are around so just be careful. This would not put me off returning to the Philippines whatsoever aswell as all through South East Asia can be a risk.

Wifi – the houseboats have starlink which worked fantastic at all times so no need to worry about that!

Aircon does cost extra, but we found with all the fans around we really didn’t need it. You can also open the glass doors completely up making it totally open which is lovely for the fresh air.

Our 2 nights at Paolyn Houseboat was one of the best experiences we have had anywhere in the world. The views, the vibrant reef, the beautiful staff and incredible food.. it really is worth every cent!