Coron is one of the most incredible places in the Philippines and a favorite of many travelers (us included). In Things to do in Coron we already told you everything you could do there, but in this article we’re going to detail how to get to Coron from different parts of the country.
You have two basic ways to get to Coron: by boat or by plane. We’re going to tell you all the options and departure points.
Where Coron is and its transportation infrastructure
Coron Island is part of the Calamianes islands of, in the north of the province of Palawan. Most travelers use the town of Coron Town as a base, located on the island of Busuanga, where the airport is also found, and from there take the different excursions that will show you the most beautiful spots on the island.
The island has an airport, Francisco B. Reyes Airport. Since this is located on the island of Busuanga, in many search engines the destination you should select is “Busuanga”. The IATA code is USU. The airport’s name is Francisco B. Reyes Airport.
With the increase in tourism in Coron, in recent years the number of flights to Coron has grown. Even so, if you’re thinking about getting to Coron by plane, you need to keep several things in mind:
- The planes that usually fly to Coron are somewhat smaller, so it’s advisable to book in advance to avoid running out of seats and paying more.
- The airport in Coron is small, has modest infrastructure and is located in an area surrounded by mountains, so landings and takeoffs are a little more complicated than usual. Therefore, in case of bad weather, flights to and from Coron can be canceled. Our recommendation is to leave enough buffer time in your trip (ideally, a whole day) if you have to take a subsequent flight, especially your international one.
- The price of flights to Coron has risen considerably, often above $110 if bought at short notice. If you’re looking to save, we recommend booking your flights well in advance.
- Since March 2025, there aren’t as many flights from Manila to Coron because Clark Airport is being used, as these are turboprop planes.
- Given the airport’s limited infrastructure, flights can’t land at night, which is why you’ll only find departures up to 14:00 or 15:00.
It also has a main port, which is also in Coron Town. From here boats depart and arrive to/from El Nido, Manila and San José in Mindoro.
Upon arrival at both the port and the airport, you’ll be charged 200 Philippine pesos as island fees. You’ll need to pay in cash.
How do you get from Coron Airport to your hotel?
Once you arrive at Coron Airport, you’ll see lots of vans parked to take you into town. The price of the ride to any hotel in town is 250 pesos per person. The ride to the center of Coron Town takes about 20 minutes.
If you don’t want to worry and prefer someone to wait for you with a sign or you don’t want to spend more cash (which is good in the Philippines because banks are going to charge you about $7 in withdrawal fees), you can book the transfer online for the same price via this link. You can also book a private transfer for the whole van to other areas of Busuanga such as Concepción or the north of the island at a discount.
How do you get from Coron Port to your hotel?
The best thing is to take a tricycle. It’s common for them to charge 100 pesos per person to any point in Coron Town. If you’re not offered this, negotiate. If it’s for the entire tricycle, what’s known as a “special trip”, prices are around 300 pesos for the whole vehicle.
How to get to Coron from Manila
Cebu Pacific Air (CEBGO) and Philippine Airlines operate several direct flights from Manila to Coron per day. The journey takes just 45 minutes. It looks like Sunlight Air will soon start operating its flights from Manila again (previously it only did so from Clark).
If you want to get to Coron from Manila by plane, flight prices are usually around $90 if you book a little in advance. If you leave it a bit later, it’s common for tickets to be around $110, although lately, with the rise in fuel prices, they’re up to $200, so we don’t advise leaving it too late.
Bear in mind that if you travel with Philippine Airlines, some of its fares include a 10 kg checked bag, whereas with Cebu Pacific you’ll need to buy the baggage allowance you want, as we explain in our article about cheap flights in the Philippines.
Book flights from Manila to Coron
We recommend being careful when booking your flights to get to Coron from Manila because sometimes the search engines will suggest departing from Clark. This airport is not in Manila, but about 3 hours (depending on traffic, sometimes 4 or more) north of the capital. It’s true there’s a wider variety of flights, but unless you’re transiting through Clark for a reason, it’s more convenient to depart from Manila.
The cheapest way to get to Coron from Manila is by the company 2Go’s ferries. However, these only leave on Fridays from Pier 4 of Manila Port at 17:30 and arrive the next day at 6:30. You can book your ferry tickets here.
Prices start at 2,000 pesos per person in the “super value” class and increase depending on the type of cabin you want. Super value is the most basic, but it’s fine, as you’ll have a bed for yourself on the deck without freezing with the air conditioning.
The other shipping company that operates is Atienza Interisland Ferries, also offering this route several times a week with different schedules, but with ships in worse condition. They take around 18–20 hours. You can see the second’s schedules and prices at this link.
Book ferries from Manila to Coron
How to get to Coron from Cebú
The best way to get to Coron from Cebú is by plane because there is no ferry connection. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air and Sunlight Air operate flights from Cebu to Coron. At the moment there are several daily flights between both destinations. These take 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Prices are around $100 (quite a bit more with little advance), although you can find them a little cheaper by booking early. You’ll need to add the baggage you want to take and pay according to its weight.
Book flights from Cebu to Coron
How to get to Coron from El Nido
We already know how to get to Coron from the main cities in the Philippines (Manila and Cebú), but many travelers actually come from the neighboring island of Palawan, specifically from El Nido, one of the most visited destinations in the archipelago.
We’ve dedicated an exclusive guide to it, but here we also give you lots of information:
How to get from Coron to El Nido and vice versa
a) Getting to Coron by boat from El Nido
This is the most common route to get to Coron for travelers visiting several places in Palawan. Although previously there were only slow bangkas between both destinations, as we tell you in the article on how to get to El Nido, you can now get to Coron from El Nido on fast ferries. These are the main options in 2025:
- Montenegro Shipping Lines: offers a fast boat El Nido to Coron every day at 12:00. The trip takes about 3–4 hours and the price is 2,816 pesos. You can book HERE or, if the previous one doesn’t show it, HERE. Both pages are 100% trustworthy.
- Atienza Interisland Ferries: depart every day from El Nido at 12:30 (arrival around 16:30). Price: 2,816 pesos. You can book HERE or HERE.
- Jomalia Shipping: depart from El Nido every day at 12:30 and arrive in Coron at 16:10 (in theory). Since December 2024 they have an additional boat on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 8:00. Price: 2,850 pesos. You can book HERE or HERE.
- Phimal: depart every day at 13:00 and, again, in theory, take 4 hours to arrive. It’s the most economical, but keep in mind the boat is smaller, with the consequent seasickness this implies. You can book HERE or HERE.
Which is best? From our experience, Jomalia has larger boats that move a bit less (trust us, you’ll appreciate it), besides being a serious company.
We strongly recommend bringing warm clothes for this boat and, if you get seasick, taking a biodramina.
VERY IMPORTANT: as of today, only the companies mentioned set sail. Don’t pay attention if you’re offered other boats because other travelers have been scammed (even buying tickets at that company’s office) and were put on a bangka not prepared at all for this open-sea crossing at night, taking almost 10 hours. Please, for your safety, DO NOT BOOK ANY KIND OF PRIVATE BOAT, nor pay attention to people who want to sell you a different ticket.
b) Getting to Coron by plane from El Nido
It’s also possible with Air Swift flights (now owned by Cebu Pacific Air), which operates flights almost every day of the week. The price, if you book in time, is around 3,000 pesos, so it’s a pretty good option, considering the ferry ticket costs roughly the same and it’s not suitable for people who get very seasick. The trip takes just 25 minutes.
Even so, keep in mind it’s a flight that tends to sell out quickly, since the planes are very small. Therefore, if you don’t book well in advance, it’s possible you won’t find a seat or that the price will be more than double.
Book flights from El Nido to Coron
c) Getting to Coron from El Nido on an expedition
This is the most adventurous and cool option to connect both destinations. It’s a 4- or 3-day journey exploring the islands in between, islands where you’ll feel like a castaway sleeping in little huts by the sea, going snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding… Plus, you can catch your breath on your trip, as EVERYTHING is included.
For us, one of the best things you can do in the country (we’ve been living/traveling here since 2010). That’s why we’ve done it several times with Big Dream Boatman, the best company of all. This one lasts 4 days and 3 nights (we promise you won’t get bored) and only operates between October and July, but if you want to do it for 3 days and on other dates, we can recommend this other company. One of the partners is Spanish and, therefore, by clicking our link and using the code TRAVELPHILIPPINES you get a 1,000‑peso discount.
You can read more and snoop around videos at El Nido to Coron Expedition.
We advise booking as soon as possible because spots are selling out 1 or 2 months in advance.
How to get to Coron from Port Barton
From our perspective, it wouldn’t make much sense to skip El Nido if you’re already in Palawan because we think it’s an amazing destination, but if you want to go from Port Barton to Coron without stopping for a few days in El Nido, you’d need to do the following:
- First go to El Nido: for that, the best thing is to take one of the vans that leave from the Port Barton terminal to El Nido. The journey takes about 3 hours and can be booked here. They’ll drop you at El Nido’s transport terminal, on the outskirts of El Nido Town. If you’re very loaded, you can take a tricycle to the port (they shouldn’t charge you more than 50 pesos); otherwise, you can walk. If you choose to fly, from the terminal to the airport it should be 300–350 pesos for a whole vehicle.
- Then go to Coron: for that, you’ve already seen you can choose between going by ferry (you can check schedules and book here) or by plane (take a look here). There isn’t a better option; just compare the prices and schedules that suit you best.
If you need to spend the night in El Nido, take a look at Where to stay in El Nido, where we give you lots of options by price.
How to get to Coron from Puerto Princesa
If you’re thinking of skipping other places in Palawan such as El Nido or Port Barton and want to get to Coron from Puerto Princesa, the shipping company 2Go operates a boat every Sunday at 4:30 in the morning, arriving at Coron Port the next day at 17:30 in the afternoon. The ticket price is more than 2,600 pesos per person in “mega value class”. You can reserve your spot here.
If you don’t want to go by ferry from Puerto Princesa, the other options are:
- By land and sea: go from Puerto Princesa to El Nido by van (5–6 hours, you can book here) and then take one of the El Nido to Coron boats we mentioned above (4–5 hours, you can book here).
- By air: take a flight from Puerto Princesa to Coron with a stop. It certainly won’t be the cheapest.
How to get to Coron by boat from San Jose Mindoro
If you want to explore Mindoro before reaching Coron, perhaps because you fancy diving in the fabulous Apo Reef or swimming with turtles on Pandan Island, Bunso Transport operates a route from San Jose Mindoro port to Coron. The boats leave on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 9:00. The journey takes about 5 hours and costs around 1,400 pesos. If you want to do it the other way (from Coron to San Jose) they leave on Mondays and Fridays at 8:00.
We’ve done this trip a couple of times and recommend it. In our case, we’ve always gone on a large and comfortable bangka that usually isn’t very full, so you have space to lie down and travel comfortably. Even so, there are also RO‑RO ships, which are slower (6–7 hours), but they’re also more stable and comfortable because they have beds. A meal is included in the price.
On the other hand, you’ll also need to follow this route (plus other prior steps) if you’re thinking of going from Boracay to Coron using public transport.
How to get to Coron from other parts of the Philippines
We’ve already given you the alternatives to get to Coron from the most common destinations and the closest ones in Palawan, but of course you can reach the island of Busuanga from many other places in the archipelago. The most common thing is that if you’re on islands such as Siquijor, Bohol, Siargao or Malapascua (among many others), the most appropriate thing is to head back to Cebú and from there take a flight to Coron. That’s why it’ll be very useful to first read How to get to Cebú.
With that said, here are some pointers for possible routes:
- How to get to Coron from Bohol: you have the option to go from Bohol to Cebú by boat (2 hours, schedules and booking here) and then a flight from Cebú to Coron or look for a flight from Bohol to Coron with a stop. It’s explained in much more detail in How to go from Bohol to Coron.
- How to get to Coron from Malapascua: you’ll have to return by bangka and bus, van or car to Cebú and then a flight from Cebú to Coron. It’s important to gauge the transfer time to Cebu City well, as it will take at least 5 hours. You might want to stay overnight in the city.
- How to get to Coron from Siquijor: you can return from Siquijor to Cebu by boat (4 hours, schedules and booking here) and then fly from Cebú to Coron or go from Siquijor to Dumaguete by ferry (45 minutes, schedules and booking here) and look for combinations of flights from Dumaguete to Coron (via Manila or Cebú).
- How to get to Coron from Siargao: again, it’s better to go back to Cebú. Then you can search for Siargao–Coron flights with a stop, or otherwise go by boat from Siargao to Surigao, then from Surigao to Cebú by another boat and from Cebú to Coron by plane.
- How to get to Coron from Camiguin: the most practical thing is to look for a flight from Camiguin to Coron with a stop in Cebú. If, due to schedules, there isn’t one that suits you, you’ll likely need to spend the night in Cebu City.
- How to get to Coron from Boracay: unless you want to spend many hours, it’s more convenient to look at a flight from Caticlan to Coron. If you prefer to do it more cheaply, you can make the journey from Caticlan to Bulalacao (Mindoro), from Bulalacao to San José and from there take one of the San José to Coron boats we mentioned above. As those boats aren’t daily, you need to be very careful to match the days well. It’s detailed further in How to go from Boracay to Coron.
If you’re not interested in getting to Coron from Manila or Cebu, you’ll also find regular flights to Coron from Clark (about 3 hours by car from Manila) by Philippine Airlines and Sunlight Air.
If you need help with any other route to get to Coron, you can leave us a comment and we’ll reply as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions about getting to Coron
Before finishing, as a summary, we answer the most common questions travelers have about going to Coron:
Where do you fly to for Coron?
You need to fly to Francisco B. Reyes Airport or Busuanga Airport, IATA code USU.
How do you get from Manila to Coron?
The most convenient way is to take a direct flight now operated by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air (CebGo) or Sunlight Air. Prices are around $80–$170, but it depends on how far in advance you buy. You can also go by ferry, but keep in mind the journey takes between 14 and 20 hours.
How do you get from Cebú to Coron?
Since there are no ferries, the best option is to take a flight. Airlines offering them are Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air (CebGo) and Sunlight Air. The journey takes a little over an hour and keep in mind that if you buy in advance they can cost around $60.
What’s the name of Coron’s airport in the Philippines?
Coron’s airport is called Francisco B. Reyes and the IATA code is USU.
How do you get from El Nido to Coron?
You can go by plane (flights by Cebu Pacific Air, which acquired the former AirSWIFT) in about 45 minutes or by ferry (4–5 hours). If you book in time, flight prices are similar to the boats. In addition, there’s the option to go on a 3- or 4-day boat expedition visiting the islands in between.
Coron guide
You have much more information in our Coron Guide: what to do, where to stay and other useful data.
Questions? Suggestions? We’ll be happy to read you in the comments.
