The Funny Lion - Coron

The Funny Lion - Coron is a 32-room boutique resort on the outskirts of Coron, with a contemporary safari-inspired design, natural colours and plenty of timber. The atmosphere is sociable rather than formal, with a pool, restaurants and a rooftop bar all within the resort. You can also rely on an English-speaking hotel team from the moment you arrive.

This suits you if diving is the main event but you still want somewhere with a proper evening to it. There is room for a swim, a massage, a good meal and a drink with a view, without turning the whole stay into a search for the next activity. The resort also works for couples and families, with room service, board games and family activities available.

You are in Coron, Palawan, on the edge of Coron Town rather than in the middle of its bustle. Mount Tapyas is about 0.8 miles away, Lualhati Park about 1.1 miles away and Coron Public Market about 1.2 miles away. Restaurants and bars sit within roughly a mile, so you can head out for a change of scene without making an expedition of it.

The resort has direct access to a white-sand beach, while several other beaches are reached by car: Bali Beach is about 4.3 miles away and Cabo Beach about 5 miles away. Kayangan Lake is roughly 4.4 miles away by road. Busuanga Airport is around a half-hour drive, making the arrival manageable even when your luggage has acquired the usual amount of damp clothing.

The choice is fairly easy to match to the people travelling. A King Room or Pride King Room is the straightforward couple’s option, with a super-king bed, while the Pride King Room adds an en suite bathroom. If three people are sharing, the Cub Twin Room is the practical call, with two single beds and space for a third guest. For a couple wanting more room to spread out, Savanna and Mara offer the larger room categories; Mara comes with a pool view.

Every room has air conditioning, a flat-screen cable TV, a safe, desk, wardrobe, electric kettle, tea and coffee-making facilities, minibar and refrigerator. That covers the useful post-dive basics: cold drinks, somewhere to sit down with a laptop or paperwork, and a properly cooled room when the tropical heat has followed you indoors. Bathrooms are private and en suite, with a shower, toiletries, hairdryer, slippers and bathrobe. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side moving while you are out.

Breakfast comes in continental, Asian and buffet formats, giving you more than one way to face an early start. Hunt Restaurant handles breakfast, lunch and dinner, with Asian dishes, continental choices and fresh seafood. It sits beside the pool and offers air-conditioned indoor seating, a terrace and al fresco tables, so you can choose between cool shelter and an open-air meal.

Pride Rock Deck is the rooftop stop for cocktails, wine, spirits and gourmet coffee, with a view over Coron Bay and the sunset. Its Happy Hour runs from 17:00 to 19:00. Cinco Grande brings Mexican food to the evening table, including tacos, nachos and quesadillas, with an al fresco setting. There are two restaurants on site, two named bars, and 24-hour room service when the day has left you hungry but not sociable. Special-diet menus can also be arranged.

The main outdoor option is the swimming pool, open daily from 08:00 to 20:00. Sun loungers, pool towels, a sun terrace, garden and outdoor furniture give you somewhere to settle with a drink or a book, while the hot tub adds a warmer version of the same plan. No complicated itinerary required.

Sea Tree Spa offers Thai massage and Filipino massage therapies using locally sourced natural ingredients. If you still have some energy left, the resort offers bicycle rental, cycling, kayaking, paddleboarding and boat excursions. Hiking, snorkelling and other excursions can be arranged away from the property, with the concierge and tour desk helping you organise the day. Families also have board games and puzzles available.

The resort is about a 30-minute drive from Busuanga Airport. An airport shuttle can be arranged through the hotel, and a shuttle service is also available. The useful detail is to pass on your expected arrival time before you travel, particularly if your flight lands late or your transfer is part of a tightly planned diving trip.

Check-in starts at 14:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, while payment at the property is accepted in cash. Free private parking is available on site, with reservation required. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, and luggage storage, a concierge service, room service, laundry and ironing are available when your travel kit needs attention. Children of any age are welcome; children aged 12 and over are treated as adults, and extra beds can be requested.

The resort links its environmental work to Project Echo and offers coastal-clean-up activities under the Coastal Care programme. That gives you a practical way to spend part of a non-diving day rather than merely reading another slogan about conservation.

The Sea Tree Spa uses natural ingredients sourced locally, and the resort also offers bee exploration. These are modest, concrete parts of the property’s approach, alongside its coastal setting and outdoor activities.