Mount Tapyas Viewpoint

Mount Tapyas is the hill directly behind Coron town, and a concrete stairway of somewhere around seven hundred and twenty steps - the count varies with who is telling you - climbs it from the edge of town to a large illuminated cross at the top. The steps are the whole activity: twenty to thirty minutes of steady climbing with landings and benches at intervals, done by most people in the late afternoon when the heat has dropped. From the summit deck the view takes in Coron Bay, the town below, Coron Island's karst wall across the water and the scatter of islands beyond, and sunset from up there is the standard end to a day of island hopping. It is free, it needs no booking and no guide, and the only equipment required is water. Anyone who has spent the day on a boat will find the climb harder than expected in the humidity.

What you actually see

• The stairway - the long concrete climb from town.
• The summit cross - the lit cross at the top.
• The bay panorama - Coron Bay and its islands.
• The karst wall - Coron Island's cliffs across the water.

When to go

November to May. Late afternoon for sunset, which is when everyone goes; early morning is quieter and cooler.

Honest expectations

It is seven hundred-odd steps in tropical humidity - genuinely hard work, and there is no shade for much of it. The summit fills at sunset. Bring water; there is nothing for sale at the top.

Nearby

Maquinit Hot Springs is a short ride from town; Kayangan Lake and Coron's island trips leave from the pier.