This retreat is built around freediving — the practice of diving on a single breath, in silence, without equipment between you and the water — in one of the most breathtaking environments in the Philippines. Over six days, you will earn your international freediving certification under the guidance of MJ Paula, a two-time Philippine National Record holder whose teaching is known for being calm, structured, and deeply supportive.

The certification days take place in Barracuda Lake and selected reef sites. After your course, the retreat opens into the best of what Coron offers: a freedive over the Lusong Gunboat, a Tour B boat day through the island lagoons, and a full-day dugong expedition to the northern seagrass meadows — approached respectfully, at the pace of the animals.

Small group. Calm instruction. A place that earns its reputation.

Coron rises from the Sulu Sea as a cathedral of limestone karsts piercing turquoise water. It is one of the most distinctive dive destinations in Southeast Asia — not because of its reefs alone, but because of what lies beneath them: a volcanic freshwater lake with dramatic thermoclines, a fleet of Japanese WWII ships now draped in coral, and northern seagrass meadows still inhabited by the rare and gentle dugong.

For freedivers, Coron is exceptional. Barracuda Lake — a volcanic freshwater lake enclosed by limestone cliffs — offers some of the most extraordinary freediving training conditions in the world: crystal-clear visibility, a dramatic thermocline you can feel shift against your skin as you descend, and an atmosphere of complete stillness. The Lusong Gunboat wreck sits in shallow water, close enough to freedive on a single breath. And the overall landscape of limestone and turquoise water makes every session feel genuinely unlike anything else.

This retreat is built around freediving — the practice of diving on a single breath, in silence, without equipment between you and the water — in one of the most breathtaking environments in the Philippines. Over six days, you will earn your international freediving certification under the guidance of MJ Paula, a two-time Philippine National Record holder whose teaching is known for being calm, structured, and deeply supportive.

The certification days take place in Barracuda Lake and selected reef sites. After your course, the retreat opens into the best of what Coron offers: a freedive over the Lusong Gunboat, a Tour B boat day through the island lagoons, and a full-day dugong expedition to the northern seagrass meadows — approached respectfully, at the pace of the animals.

Small group. Calm instruction. A place that earns its reputation.

Duration

7 days / 6 nights

Location

Coron, Palawan, Philippines

Arrival airport

Busuanga Airport (USU)

Accommodation

MO2 Lagoon Coron or Corto del Mar Hotel — chosen at booking

Instructor

MJ Paula — Freediving Coron — 2× Philippine National Record holder

Group size

Maximum 4 guests

Meals

Breakfast included daily. Lunch and dinner at your own pace.

Certification

Wave 1 / AIDA 2 Beginner or Wave 2 / AIDA 3 Advanced — available as an add-on

Who it's for

Beginners and intermediate freedivers, solo-traveller friendly

●    Train in Barracuda Lake — one of the world's most unusual freediving environments: a volcanic freshwater lake with a dramatic thermocline, enclosed by limestone walls. Crystal-clear visibility, no currents, complete stillness.

●    Learn with MJ Paula — 2× Philippine National Record holder. Known for calm, structured teaching that builds real confidence rather than performance.

●    Freedive the Lusong Gunboat on a single breath: a shallow WWII wreck you can descend to without tanks — one of the most unusual freediving experiences anywhere.

●    An ethical dugong expedition, not a tourist show: a full day at the northern seagrass meadows with a respectful, distance-keeping approach.

●    A guided Tour B lagoon day: see the same waters from above that you've been freediving below — Kayangan Lake, the Twin Lagoon, and the turquoise coves of Coron's archipelago.

●    Small group, women-only, solo-traveller friendly: capped at four guests. You are not a number on a trip list — you are one of a few.

●    Founder-led and Swiss-organised: a real person (Rocío) behind every booking, answering questions before, during, and after the retreat.

●    Private airport transfer from Busuanga Airport (USU) on arrival and departure

●    6 nights accommodation (MO2 Lagoon or Corto del Mar — chosen at booking)

●    Daily breakfast at your hotel

●    Freedive session at the Lusong Gunboat WWII wreck

●    Guided Tour B boat trip (Coron island lagoons, lakes, and reef snorkelling)

●    Full-day ethical dugong expedition to the northern seagrass meadows

●    All scheduled boat transfers during activities

●    Local transport for all retreat activities

●    Professional host support throughout the week

●    Flights to and from Coron / Busuanga Airport (USU)

●    Travel insurance (required)

●    Lunch and dinner on in-town days

●    Freediving certification — optional add-on at booking

A full-day boat journey to the seagrass meadows of northern Palawan, where dugongs — the sea manatees, rare and protected — graze in the shallows. Not guaranteed. Dugongs are wild and unpredictable, and the expedition is run with respect: no chasing, no touching, calm water entries only. But when they come, they come close — and quietly. Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments included on the boat. One of the most meaningful days you can have in Coron.

●    Underwater photoshoot — optional add-on

●    Carbon fins or monofin rental (on request)

●    Personal expenses and gratuities

You choose your level when you add certification. Wave 1 / AIDA 2 (beginner) is the entry-level course and runs over two and a half days. It covers breathwork and relaxation techniques, static and dynamic apnea, and open water dives — everything you need to freedive safely and confidently in the ocean. No prior experience is required.

Wave 2 / AIDA 3 (advanced) is for those who already hold a beginner certification. This course runs over three days and includes deeper dives, advanced equalization technique, and rescue skills. It is a significant step in any freediver's practice, and Coron's combination of Barracuda Lake and open reef environments makes it an exceptional place to take it.

Both courses are conducted through Freediving Coron, led by MJ Paula. Training takes place in Barracuda Lake and selected reef sites, chosen for conditions and suitability to your level on each day.

Barracuda Lake is unlike any other freediving environment. Enclosed by vertical limestone walls, it is a freshwater lake with salt layers beneath — which means the water temperature shifts dramatically as you descend through its thermocline, from warm surface water to cooler depths below. The visibility is extraordinary. The stillness is complete. There are no currents, no boats, no distractions — just you, your breath, and the limestone walls around you.

It is one of the finest places in the world to learn freediving, and one of the most memorable places to practise it at any level. MJ has taught here for years and knows the lake's conditions, its quirks, and how to use the environment to help each student find their own depth.

MJ Paula (Mary Jane Paula Jumuad) is a Filipino freediving instructor and two-time Philippine National Record holder. She discovered freediving in 2015 and reached national record level within only a few months — then chose to leave her career as a Certified Public Accountant to dedicate herself fully to teaching in the ocean.

Since 2016, MJ has trained thousands of students — from complete beginners to advanced freedivers, including children, mothers, and seniors. Her teaching is built around safety, technique, and the kind of calm progression that builds genuine confidence rather than just performance. She is particularly known for her ability to help students who are new to freediving, or who come to the water with hesitation, find ease and trust in themselves underwater.

"Do not rush. In the water, progress comes from patience, consistency, and learning to relax rather than force." — MJ Paula

MJ leads Freediving Coron, one of the most established and respected freediving schools in Palawan. coron-freediving.com

MO2 Lagoon Coron — recommended for freediving

Set slightly away from the centre of town, MO2 Lagoon Coron offers more space, more quiet, and a stronger sense of retreat. Surrounded by greenery with lagoon-style pools, it is a genuinely beautiful place to rest and allow the nervous system to recover between freediving days. A short tricycle ride connects you to the training meeting point and the waterfront.

●    Room type: Private single-occupancy rooms.

●    Setting: Quieter area outside Coron Town, surrounded by greenery and lagoon-style pools.

●    On-site: Multiple pools, restaurant, garden.

●    Wi-Fi: Included.

●    Air-con: Yes, in all rooms.

Corto del Mar Hotel — alternative option

A boutique hotel in the heart of Coron Town, Corto del Mar is ideal for guests who prefer to be central, within easy walking distance of restaurants, the waterfront, and the town's main departure points. Elegant and calm, with a serene pool setting.

●    Room type: Private single-occupancy rooms.

●    Setting: Central Coron Town, walking distance to restaurants and the waterfront.

●    On-site: Pool, restaurant.

●    Wi-Fi: Included.

●    Air-con: Yes, in all rooms.

Property (MO2 Lagoon or Corto del Mar) is matched at booking. All prices are per person, single-occupancy throughout.

Breakfast is included every day at your hotel. Lunch and dinner are at your own pace — part of the design of this retreat. Coron has a strong local food culture: waterfront seafood grills, Filipino home-cooking, and a handful of international restaurants within easy walking distance. Boat lunches on the Tour B and dugong days are included.

●    Included: Daily breakfast at MO2 Lagoon or Corto del Mar.

●    Not included: Lunch and dinner on in-town days. Local restaurants in Coron are excellent and affordable.

●    Dietary needs: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergen-aware options can be arranged — let us know at booking.

●    Water: Filtered drinking water provided at the hotel to refill your bottle.

This retreat is designed for women who want to discover what it feels like to move through the ocean on a single breath — in one of the most beautiful and extraordinary environments in Southeast Asia.

This retreat is for you if you

●    are curious about freediving and want to learn in a calm, expert-led environment

●    are drawn to Coron's unique landscapes — the limestone lakes, the Ghost Fleet, the dugongs

●    prefer a small, intimate group over a large dive operation

●    are travelling solo and want structure and genuine support throughout

●    care about ethical wildlife encounters and responsible travel

●    want to return home with a real certification and a changed relationship with the sea

This retreat is probably not for you if you

●    are looking for a party or high-energy group dynamic

●    want a performance-focused or competitive training environment

●    are not comfortable with the idea that wildlife encounters are never guaranteed

You don't need experience. No prior freediving is required for the beginner course. You need comfort in the water, curiosity, and a willingness to breathe slowly.

Day 1

Arrival in Coron

Morning

Arrive at Busuanga Airport (USU). Your private transfer takes you to your accommodation in Coron Town — a scenic drive through Palawan's interior.

Afternoon

Time to settle in, rest, and explore Coron on foot. The waterfront is beautiful in the late afternoon light, and the town is easy and pleasant to walk.

Evening

A free first evening — dinner at leisure. Coron has excellent restaurants along the waterfront. An early night before your first day in the water.

Morning Breakfast, then your first session with MJ at Freediving Coron. You will begin with the theory and physiology of breath-hold diving, relaxation and breathwork techniques, and your first static and dynamic apnea practice. The classroom work is grounded in real technique — MJ teaches with precision and warmth in equal measure.

Afternoon Into the water. Your first pool or confined-water session. You will hold your breath longer than you thought you could, and the surprise of that will stay with you.

Evening Free evening in Coron. Rest — the body is already adapting.

Morning Your first session in Barracuda Lake — one of the most extraordinary freediving environments in the world. Enclosed by limestone walls, clear to extraordinary depth, with the thermocline shifting against your skin as you descend. MJ guides you through the lake at the pace your body is ready for.

Afternoon Continued open water training. Beginner students complete their certification dives. Advanced students deepen equalization technique and begin working on depth.

Evening Free evening. This day will have been a lot — in the best possible way.

Morning Final training dives. Beginner students who need a final half-day complete their certification this morning. Advanced students continue with depth work, rescue skills, and the final dives of their Wave 2 course.

Afternoon Certification. A guided reef session in the afternoon, or free time in Coron at your own pace. The water feels different when you know you belong in it.

Evening Free evening. Your first evening as a certified freediver.

Morning An early start by boat into Coron's iconic island scenery. Tour B takes you through the limestone lagoons, hidden coves, and turquoise inlets that define this part of Palawan — including Kayangan Lake, the Twin Lagoon, and snorkelling stops at shallow reef sites alive with coral and fish. A freedive over the Lusong Gunboat wreck is included in the day.

Afternoon The tour continues — more snorkelling, more time on the water, and the particular pleasure of moving slowly through one of the most beautiful archipelagos in the Philippines with no agenda beyond the landscape itself. Return to Coron by late afternoon.

Evening Free evening in Coron.

Morning An early start for the full-day dugong expedition to the northern seagrass meadows of Palawan. Dugongs are rare marine mammals — related to the manatee — that still graze in Coron's protected coastal waters. All encounters are approached quietly and respectfully, following responsible wildlife guidelines. Sightings are not guaranteed, but the journey itself, through open water with limestone islands rising on the horizon, is worth the day.

Afternoon Continued time on the water. Snorkelling, observing the seagrass ecosystem, and enjoying the scale of Palawan from the sea.

Evening Return to Coron. A final free evening — dinner at leisure, time to sit with the week.

Morning Breakfast at your hotel. A slow final morning in Coron.

Afternoon Private transfer to Busuanga Airport (USU) for your onward flight.

Evening Travel home — carrying the particular quiet that comes from a week spent learning to breathe in the deep.