Just as the province is reopening after two years of travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we thought it would be a great addition to the site to see how to travel from El Nido to Coron. In this article, we’ll give you the different way you can reach Busuanga island, where is located Coron town, while departing from El Nido and the main island of Palawan.
Aside from the usual means of transportation, which include airplanes and fast-craft or slow ferries, we’ll see another way which is, by far, the most amazing of all. It will take you much longer, but you’ll get to discover some of the most beautiful part of Palawan in the process. If you’re impatient and want to learn more about our boat expeditions, you can read more about them here.
Ferries: The Usual Way to Travel from El Nido to Coron?
The most popular way seems to be the simplest of all. El Nido and Coron are separated by 280 km of sea and you can simply take a boat to get from one point to the other. You’ll go north, passing by the areas of Linapacan and Culion, with their many islands and islets. But what are the available options?
Before the pandemic, there used to be two companies operating fast-crafts between El Nido and Coron. As the island is reopening, those are still not yet in business. We’ll of course make sure to update this article as soon as the situation changes, but as of now, it seems that this popular mean of transportation has yet to resume…
When taking a fast-craft, you can get from El Nido to Coron in just under 4 hours. Compared to the slow ferry, this is undeniably a much better option. These cargo boats used to make the transfer between the two destinations is 8 to 9 hours. And the ride was nothing but comfortable.
Unfortunately, as of February 2022, the slow ferries seem to be the only available solution to reach Coron from El Nido with a transportation boat. And that is if you can find a boat actually going there. There’s not much solution for online booking or planning such a trip. What used to be easy and straight-forward has become much more difficult after two years of inactivity.
Since it’s almost impossible to plan any boat transfer at this time, we’ll focus on the other options that are available right now: small plane, regular airliner and expedition tours.
AirSwift, to Fly Directly From El Nido to Coron
If you want to get from El Nido to Coron as quickly as possible, the most convenient way is undoubtedly to take one of the small planes chartered by AirSwift. You’ll take off from Lio Airport, just fifteen minutes away from El Nido town. This option allows you to organize your itinerary and trip in advance, since you can book your tickets online.
Regarding that, you’re better off booking well in advance, and to make sure that flights are available on the day you plan to travel. The prices for getting on such a plane are more expensive than the ones of the charter companies, but they are also much rarer, which explains the cost.
Sadly, as of February 2022, the direct flights from El Nido to Coron have been discontinued. Here again, we’ll make sure to update this article as soon as this situation changes. That being said, flights to Cebu and Manila are still available, which means you can book a flight to Coron from both cities to arrange your trip.
Taking a Van and Flying from Puerto Princesa
If you cannot get a small plane to travel to Coron from Lio Airport, you still have the option to get to Puerto Princesa and take a flight from there. This journey will likely start with a bus or a van transfer from El Nido.
While you can catch a bus in Corong-Corong bus terminal, some travel restrictions may apply. And the safest and most convenient choice is to book a private van transfer from El Nido to Puerto Princesa. The trip takes about 6 hours, with a stop in the middle at Roxas, where you can rest and have a meal. At the time of writing, the cost of such a transfer is P6,500 for a van that can accommodate up to 10 passengers.
Once in Puerto Princesa, you will find many flights, with and without connections, to Coron. The departure will be from Puerto Princesa International Airport, where the major national airlines such as Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific are operating.
Although this is the safest option, it will take you a full day to reach your destination from El Nido, especially if you have to connect through Cebu or Manila. Fortunately, there’s another option, which can make this journey a part – an maybe the highlight – of your trip to Palawan. We’re talking about the Ultimate Adventure Tour…
Join an Expedition Tour to go from El Nido to Coron
Our company specializes in private tours and both private and group-open expeditions in the northern parts of Palawan. And we can tell you that this is the best way to travel between El Nido and Coron, by far! Why is this?
Well, first of all, you’ll reach Coron from El Nido, without making a long detour. You’ll start your journey from El Nido town and you’ll finish it in Coron port. But this is only a detail, as the reason why most join this expedition is because it’s a unique experience, that brings you to some of the most beautiful part of Palawan while doing fun activities.
Our most popular expedition lasts 3 days and 2 nights. While taking it, you’ll explore the islets, coral reefs, deserted islands and magnificent white-sand beaches of Linapacan and Culion areas. These areas are remote, far from anything and a true place to live an adventure. Hence, the name of this expedition: the Ultimate Adventure Tour!
During the day, you will have the opportunity to snorkel, kayak and explore the beautiful nature, both underwater and on land, with different stops in beautiful islands. At night, you’ll camp on deserted beaches in this tropical paradise. With a big bonfire, you’ll enjoy a drink, stargaze or just take part in the activities planned by your team leader.
All of this make this expedition the best way to travel from El Nido to Coron. If you’d like to learn more about the schedule of the public tours, you can check our booking page here: Expedition from El Nido to Coron. If you’re looking for a private expedition for your group only, don’t hesitate to contact us, we’ll be happy to make it happen for you!
Very interested in your expedition from El Nido to Coron. Our only concern is the group of people we are going with.
We are more quiet and reserve, we prefer older people who could be fun and pleasant without being noisy and drunk.
I’ve seen the other expedition showing younger people and they tend to be noisy, drunk and care less of others.
Is there a grouping that could accommodate us older people?
Hi Anita,
The age of participants is generally between 25 and 35, but there is also both older and younger to join. Sometimes families also, with kids. And generally everyone gets along and enjoy the experience they share. 🙂
That being said, we also offer private expeditions, where you can be with your group only. If you’d like to inquire for such a private tour, you can make a pre-request here: Private boat expedition between Coron and El Nido. This is a very exclusive solution which could be perfect. We often have couples availing it so they can enjoy the beauty of the area just for themselves. 🙂
Hello I need to book a ferry from el Nido to Coron
Can you tell me the website of the link to the fast ferry . Thanks