With so many things to do in El Nido, you’re surely already looking for how to get there quickly. Located in the north of Palawan island, 238 kilometers from the island’s capital, Puerto Princesa, you’ll find several ways to get to El Nido from different parts of the Philippines, some cheaper than others.
Although there are two basic ways to get to El Nido – the pricey one: a direct flight from Manila, Cebu, Coron, Bohol or Boracay to El Nido; or the budget one: fly to Puerto Princesa and then go by bus or van to El Nido –, we’re going to tell you all the ways to get to El Nido from the country’s main tourist destinations.
Where El Nido is and its transport infrastructure
El Nido sits at the northern tip of the famous island of Palawan, located to the west of the archipelago. As we said, the island’s capital is Puerto Princesa, in the south, and between them is Port Barton, a tourist destination you’ve probably heard about more than once.
El Nido has an airport located next to Lio Beach (IATA code: ENI), just 20 minutes by tricycle from El Nido Town. It’s a very small airport served only by small aircraft from a single company: Cebu Pacific Air (which bought the former AirSWIFT), one of the most important Philippine airlines.
Due to the increase in tourism, in recent years the number of flights to El Nido has grown. Most depart from Manila and Cebu, but it’s now possible to fly to this corner of Palawan from other tourist spots in the Philippines such as Bohol, Coron and Boracay.
If you’re thinking of flying to El Nido to save time, you need to keep three things in mind:
- These flights are usually among the most expensive you’ll take on your trip around the Philippines, since they’re operated by just one company. Prices are around €120 (between 7.000 and 9.000 Philippine pesos), although sometimes there are deals if you book in advance and you can find them for a little under €60.
- The aircraft are quite small and propeller-driven, which means it’s advisable to book as early as possible because there aren’t many seats.
- El Nido’s airport is small and has modest infrastructure, so in bad weather flights can be canceled. Our traveler tip is to leave enough buffer in your itinerary in case you need to catch a later flight or head to Puerto Princesa Airport, which is much better equipped. If possible, if El Nido is the last stop of your trip, it’s best to return to Manila or Cebu the day before your international flight.
El Nido also has a main port right in the center of El Nido Town. Boats depart to/arrive from Coron, Manila and Puerto Princesa. In addition, between El Nido Town and the Corong Corong area, in front of the market, there’s a terminal for buses, vans and jeepneys to travel by land to other destinations in Palawan.
How to get from El Nido airport to your hotel?
If you’ve chosen to arrive by plane, once you reach El Nido Airport you can take a tricycle to your destination. You can negotiate a little with them, but fares from El Nido Airport to El Nido “town” or Corong Corong, areas where to stay in El Nido, range between 300 and 350 Philippine pesos. The ride to the center of El Nido Town won’t take more than 15–20 minutes.
Quite recently, they no longer allow more than 2 people in each tricycle, which we don’t really understand, but it seems to be a regulation that must be respected.
How to get from the port or the bus terminal to your hotel?
As in the previous case, also by tricycle. You’ll need to haggle, but if you’re moving within El Nido Town, it shouldn’t cost you more than 50 pesos for the whole vehicle, as it’ll be a short ride. If you’re going to the far end of Corong Corong, it should be around 100 pesos per tricycle, and if you’re heading to Las Cabañas, it’s 150 pesos for the whole vehicle.
How to get to El Nido from Manila
The best way to get to El Nido from Manila is by plane. For that, you can choose between:
- Search for a direct flight: the only airline offering flights from Manila to El Nido is AirSWIFT (now owned by Cebu Pacific Air). The airline operates between 5 and 10 daily flights between the capital and El Nido (roughly between 5:00 and 18:00) and the journey takes just 1 hour and 15 minutes. It’s possible to find flights from Manila to El Nido for 3.400 pesos, although prices usually hover around 6.000 pesos per leg. As you can imagine, the earlier you buy, the cheaper it will be. You can carry 7 kilos of hand luggage and, depending on the fare, different amounts of checked baggage.
- Search for a flight to Puerto Princesa and then go overland to El Nido: this is almost certainly the cheapest option, but also the longest. Puerto Princesa Airport (IATA code PPS) is larger (in fact, it’s even international) and receives flights from Manila and Cebu, but also from other destinations such as Iloilo or Clark. They’re operated by airlines like Air Asia, Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air, so they’re considerably cheaper (€30–40 if booked in advance). The flight lasts approximately an hour and a half. Once in Puerto Princesa, you’ll have to go overland to El Nido, either by van or by bus. The trip takes between 5 and 6 hours and you can book directly here.
Book flights from Manila to El Nido
Book flights to Puerto Princesa
By the way, if you have more days and happen to land in Puerto Princesa, since Port Barton is roughly halfway between Puerto Princesa and El Nido (though you need to detour to the coast), you can consider stopping here for a few days. You can also do it on the way back. You have all the info you need in our Port Barton Guide.
There’s also the alternative of getting to El Nido from Manila by ferry, but we definitely don’t think it’s the most comfortable. The ferry company Atienza has a few sailings per week from Manila to El Nido (usually stopping first in Coron), but the journey takes more than 24 hours and prices are around 2.500 pesos. Unless flights to Puerto Princesa are extremely expensive, we wouldn’t choose this option. You can check dates and schedules and book here.
How to get to El Nido from Puerto Princesa
If you’re looking for how to get to El Nido without spending too much, you’ve already seen that the best way is via Puerto Princesa, Palawan’s capital. In this case, besides the flight time, you need to consider that you’ll spend between 4,5 and 6 hours traveling by bus or van.
Once you’ve arrived in Puerto Princesa, you have two options to get to El Nido, both very simple and inexpensive, which you can arrange on your own, even right from the airport.
Some travelers choose to hire private transport, which is around 6.000 pesos. However, we’ve been visiting Palawan since 2010 and have never had issues with public transport options. It’s true that if you take a car or a van for yourself or your group you’ll travel more comfortably, but as you can see it also costs quite a bit more. You can try bargaining there or avoid the hassle and book it directly via this link.
a) Get to El Nido by van
This is the fastest option, but a bit less comfortable. There are lots of vans that depart from Puerto Princesa Airport to El Nido. The journey takes between 4,5 and 5 hours, including a short stop at a café. They usually run frequently between 5:00 and 20:30.
As soon as you step out of the terminal, no matter the time, many people will offer you this ride. Put your bargaining skills to work; it’s normal to pay 600–700 pesos for this trip.
If you want to save a little (around 500 per person), you can also leave the airport and take a multicab (11 pesos per person) to the San José terminal; there you’ll find slightly cheaper vans.
If you want to book this trip in advance and forget about it, here you can book a minivan from Puerto Princesa Airport to El Nido. If you’re spending the night in Puerto Princesa, choose the “Puerto Princesa transfer” option and they’ll pick you up at your hotel.
Transport from Puerto Princesa to El Nido
The “problem” with these vans is that they’re often quite full and, therefore, can be a bit uncomfortable. Our advice is to sit in the seats next to the driver or in the first row. In addition, drivers tend to go quite fast and be a little careless, and the trip can make you a bit dizzy.
b) Get to El Nido by bus
If you have plenty of time and want a bit more comfort, the best way to get to El Nido is to use the buses run by Cherry Bus. Since early 2023, this company departs from Puerto Princesa’s new bus terminal, the Irawan Bus Terminal, so you’ll first have to cover the 12 kilometers from the airport to the station. To do this, you can take a tricycle (they usually charge 250 pesos) or go by multicab (30 pesos per person, which is like a jeepney but smaller).
The bus ride from Puerto Princesa to El Nido usually takes between 7 and 9 hours, depending on the number of stops it makes. There are air‑conditioned buses (800–900 pesos depending on the type) or without A/C (approx. 600 pesos). The latter, besides being much less comfortable, tend to make a lot of stops, so it’s only an option if you have a lot of patience and time, because the price difference with the van isn’t that big.
Cherry Bus schedules from Puerto Princesa to El Nido are: 7:00, 9:00, 11:00 and 21:30. Don’t worry about arriving late in El Nido; from the bus terminal you can take a tricycle anywhere for just 50 pesos. It’s a safe place.
If it’s more convenient and you want to secure your seat, book your Cherry Bus ticket here
How to get to El Nido from Coron
We already know how to get to El Nido from Manila and Puerto Princesa, but many travelers choose to arrive from neighboring Busuanga Island, specifically from Coron, another paradise for island hopping and diving. In How to go from Coron to El Nido we go into great depth on this topic, but below we’ll give you the most relevant data so you can decide how to get to El Nido in the way that suits you best.
a) Get to El Nido from Coron by plane
AirSWIFT (remember, now owned by Cebu Pacific) also operates direct flights from Coron (Busuanga Airport, IATA code: USU) to El Nido every day. They take approximately 25 minutes.
Although, as we mention below, you can also go between Coron and El Nido by fast ferry in about 3 hours, flying is a good option if you want to spend less time traveling and because, in addition, the price of the plane isn’t far from that of the ferries. In fact, if you look in advance, you can find good deals, around 2.500 pesos, a price very similar to the boat.
On the other hand, while ferries can be canceled due to rough seas, this usually doesn’t happen with planes in bad weather, so it’s a way to ensure you’ll reach El Nido. Obviously, in the case of a tropical depression or something more serious, both flights and ferries will be canceled.
Seats on this flight sell quickly because the aircraft are very small. Therefore, if you’re interested, it’s best to book well in advance.
Book flights from Coron to El Nido
b) Get to El Nido from Coron by boat
If you want to get to El Nido from Coron, besides flying you can take a boat. In 2025 you have these options:
- Jomalia Shipping: departs daily from Coron at 7:30 to, in theory, arrive in El Nido at 11:10. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, in addition to the 7:30, there’s another boat at 13:00. Price: 2.850 pesos. You can reserve your seat here or here.
- Montenegro Shipping Lines: offers a fast boat from Coron to El Nido every day at 6:00. The ticket costs 2.816 pesos and the trip takes about 4 hours. You can book your seat here or, if it doesn’t show on that page, on this one. These companies are 100% reliable.
- Atienza Interisland: operates daily. It departs from Coron at 7:00 (arriving around 11:00). Price: 2.816 pesos. You can book your seat here or here.
- Phimal: departs every day at 8:20 and, theoretically, takes 4 hours. That said, it’s a small, somewhat uncomfortable boat, despite being the cheapest. You can book your seat here or here.
From our point of view, if you don’t want to book online (which we recommend), it’s IMPORTANT that as soon as you arrive in Coron you go buy the ticket so you don’t miss out. In addition, we recommend Jomalia, which has larger, more modern boats and—crucial on this crossing—move less (so you get less seasick). We also find it the most professional.
Remember to bring warm clothing and motion‑sickness pills. It’s normal for these boats to rock quite a bit and, even if you don’t usually get seasick, you’ll feel it.
VERY IMPORTANT: as of today (2025), only Montenegro, Atienza, Jomalia and Phimal 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 at all prepared for this open‑sea crossing at night, taking almost 10 hours. For your safety, please DO NOT HIRE ANY KIND OF PRIVATE BOAT and don’t listen to people trying to sell you a different ticket.
c) Get to El Nido from Coron on an expedition
If you have a few more days or you want to enjoy one of the best experiences in the Philippines, we recommend considering joining Coron and El Nido on an expedition. You’ll spend 3 or 4 days sailing past deserted islands, enjoying incredible snorkel spots and sleeping in little huts by the sea. In our opinion, it’s one of the best things we’ve done in the country in the 15 years we’ve been exploring it.
We’ve been lucky enough to do this experience twice and wouldn’t rule out doing it again. We were among the first to try them and nowadays it’s become so popular that seats sell out 7–8 weeks in advance.
One of the best companies for this is Big Dream Boatman, which runs 4‑day/3‑night routes (we promise you won’t get bored) and only operates between October and July. If you want to do a 3‑day version or go on other dates, we can recommend this other company. One of the partners is Spanish and, by clicking our link and using the code TRAVELPHILIPPINES, you’ll get a 1.000‑peso discount.
You’ll find all the information in our guide Coron – El Nido Expedition.
How to get to El Nido from Port Barton: van or local transport
If you want to get to El Nido from Port Barton, Palawan’s second gem, you have three options:
- By van: as of today they only depart at 8:00, 13:00 and 17:00 (beware that sometimes the last one isn’t offered) from the transport terminal in Port Barton. The trip takes about 3–3,5 hours and prices are around 600–700 pesos and, if you want to relax and be the first to board, you can reserve your seat here.
- By local transport (if you have plenty of time): you can take the bus/jeepney that departs each morning to the city of Roxas (100 pesos), telling them you intend to go to El Nido so they drop you at the right spot, and then another bus to El Nido (around 200 pesos, depending on whether it has A/C). Keep in mind that it’ll take a bit more than a morning and it’s best to ask at the Port Barton terminal and reconfirm.
- Hiring a private van: if you want to go at another time, you can negotiate a private van, but note that it’ll rarely be under 5.000–6.000 pesos. You can also book it on this platform.
⭐ Read our Port Barton Guide.
How to get to El Nido from Cebu
The best way to get to El Nido from Cebu is by plane, as there are no direct ferries.
Cebu Pacific Air is also the only airline operating flights from Cebu to El Nido. At the moment there’s only one flight between the two destinations per day and it takes 1 hour and 40 minutes.
You can book Cebu–El Nido flights from €60 if you do it in advance, but the usual price range is around €100 per leg. They also include 7 kg of hand luggage and, depending on the fare, checked baggage.
Book flights from Cebu to El Nido
As from Manila, you can also get to El Nido from Cebu with a Cebu–Puerto Princesa flight and then go overland to El Nido, either by van or bus. Since the overland journey takes between 4,5 and 6 hours, it’s a much longer alternative, but it can work if direct flights to El Nido are very expensive. You can book the overland leg here.
Finally, since mid‑2025 Cebu Pacific Air operates flights from Cebu to San Vicente, a very quiet town relatively close to Port Barton with a tiny airport, located about 120 kilometers from El Nido. It’s true that flights can be found for around €40, but between the limited frequencies, frequent cancellations and the lack of regular transport from the airport to El Nido, we don’t see it as such an attractive option.
With all this, you can also make a stop for a few days either in Port Barton or in San Vicente.
How to get to El Nido from Bohol
Good news! Since 2019, AirSWIFT (remember, now Cebu Pacific Air) has been operating direct flights from Bohol (IATA code: TAG) to El Nido. This makes transfer times much shorter. They depart from the airport in Panglao, very close to Alona Beach.
Bear in mind there are about 3–4 flights weekly and they tend to sell out quite fast, since the aircraft are quite small. Book quickly, as it’s also cheaper to do so in advance. Prices are around 3.500–4.000 Philippine pesos per person if purchased well in advance; otherwise, they will rarely drop below 6.000–7.000 pesos.
Book flights from Bohol to El Nido
Other options to reach El Nido from Bohol:
- Go from Bohol to Cebu by ferry + flight from Cebu to El Nido: not usually the cheapest.
- Go from Bohol to Cebu by ferry + flight from Cebu to Puerto Princesa + van or bus from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: the longest option but likely the cheapest.
- Flight from Bohol to Puerto Princesa with a layover + van or bus from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: perhaps the middle‑ground alternative.
✈️ In How to get to Bohol from El Nido you’ll find more information about other ways to connect both destinations in the Philippines.
How to get to El Nido from other parts of the Philippines
As you can see, we’ve told you how to get to El Nido from the most common destinations and the closest ones in Palawan, but, without a doubt, you can also reach this place from almost anywhere in the country. With that said, the most common is to go to Cebu or Manila and from there take a flight to El Nido or Puerto Princesa (plus the corresponding land transfer). So it’ll be useful to first read How to get to Cebu or How to get to Manila.
However, we’re going to tell you the possible routes from the archipelago’s best‑known destinations:
- How to get to El Nido from Siargao: the best is usually to go back to Cebu. To do this, you can search for Siargao–El Nido flights (with a layover) or go by boat from Siargao to Surigao, then from Surigao to Cebu by another boat and from Cebu to El Nido by plane. You’ll find it in much more detail in our guide How to go from Siargao to El Nido.
- How to get to El Nido from Malapascua: you’ll have to return by bangka and then bus, van or car to Cebu and then take a flight from Cebu to El Nido. You probably already know this, but it’s important to plan transfer times to Cebu City, as it will take at least 5 hours. The most reasonable thing is usually to stay overnight in Cebu City and leave the next morning.
- How to get to El Nido from Siquijor: you can go from Siquijor to Cebu by ferry (4 hours, schedules and bookings here) and then fly from Cebu to El Nido; or go from Siquijor to Dumaguete by ferry (45 minutes, schedules and bookings here) and look for combinations of flights from Dumaguete to El Nido (via Manila or Cebu). You can find it in much more detail in our guide How to go from Siquijor to El Nido.
- How to get to El Nido from Camiguin: the best is to search for a flight from Camiguin to El Nido with a layover in Cebu. If, due to schedules, there isn’t one that suits you, you’ll likely have to overnight in Cebu City.
- How to get to El Nido from Boracay: you’re in luck because there are direct flights by Cebu Pacific Air on some days of the week; you can see them here. In the guide How to go from Boracay to El Nido you’ll find more alternatives.
Of course, in any of the options above you can consider flying to Puerto Princesa instead of directly to El Nido, but remember you’ll then have to go overland to El Nido.
If you’re not interested in getting to El Nido from Manila or Cebu, you’ll also find flights to El Nido from Clark (about 3 hours by car from Manila) with Cebu Pacific Air. There’s usually one per day and sometimes there are deals for about €60 per trip.
✈️ If you want to know more about Philippine airlines, baggage and so on, read our article on Domestic flights in the Philippines.
Finally, if you need help with any other route to reach El Nido, leave us a comment and we’ll reply as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions about the best way to get to El Nido (Philippines)
We know there’s a lot of information here, but to sum up a bit of what we’ve been discussing, below we answer the most common questions from travelers who want to know how to get to El Nido:
How can I travel to El Nido, Philippines?
The most convenient is usually to fly directly to El Nido Airport (IATA code: ENI), located a few kilometers from El Nido Town. Still, you can also fly to Puerto Princesa (IATA code: PPS), as it receives more flights and cheaper ones, and from there take a bus or van to El Nido (5–6 hours). Another alternative is to go by van from Port Barton (3 hours) or by boat (approximately 5 hours) from Coron. Finally, you can travel to El Nido from Coron on a 3‑ or 4‑day expedition, stopping at intermediate islands.
Where should I fly to for Palawan?
You can fly directly to El Nido Airport (ENI), Puerto Princesa (PPS) or, to a much lesser extent, San Vicente (SWL).
How do I get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido?
The most common is to go by van, which takes about 4,5–5 hours and costs around 600–700 Philippine pesos per person. Another option is Cherry Bus, which takes between 7 and 9 hours and has 4 departures a day. If you prefer, you can also hire private transport.
How do I get from Port Barton to El Nido?
The best is to go by van. As of today there are 3 per day and the trip takes about 3 hours. Prices are around 600 pesos per person. If you want to save money, you can combine jeepneys to Roxas and, from there, a bus to El Nido.
How do I get from Manila to El Nido?
The best option is to take one of Cebu Pacific Air’s flights (the airline that bought the former AirSWIFT) to fly directly to El Nido Airport. These are relatively expensive flights, so if you don’t want to buy well in advance, a usually cheaper alternative is to fly from Manila to Puerto Princesa and there take a van (about 5 hours) to El Nido.
How do I get to El Nido from Coron?
You can fly between both destinations (it won’t be the cheapest, especially if you don’t book in advance, though it’s worth comparing), go by ferry (about 5 hours) or do a 3‑ or 4‑day expedition on a local boat.
El Nido Guide
You’ll find much more information in our El Nido Guide: what to do, where to stay and other useful facts.
Still have any questions about how to get to El Nido (Philippines)? Ask us in the comments and we’ll reply as soon as possible.
