If you are planning to get from El Nido to Coron, then in this article I will mention the perfect ways how to reach this paradise. It will surely reduce a lot of stress and hustle around organizing your transfer.
We don’t have to introduce El Nido to beach lovers. El Nido belongs to one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines and there are many reasons why.
Known for its turquoise-blue lagoons, amazing scenery and some of the best beaches in Southeast Asia, this part of the world belongs to heaven.
After visiting beautiful Bohol island and Cebu island, Palawan was our last stop in the Philippines.
WHY VISIT EL NIDO
Located on island Palawan in the west of the Philippines, El Nido belongs to one of the most visited sights in the Philippines.
El Nido town has a slightly touristy feeling with international restaurants, many booking agencies. But we don’t even blame them. Everyone in their lifetime should visit El Nido.
After traveling through Southeast Asia for about 5 months, mostly through small islands, we were looking forward to a bit of bustle and hustle. Moreover, to eat more diverse food than Asian. For us, it was a great break from Asia in a way and we really enjoyed our time there.
WHY VISIT COROON
Coron is located in the north of Palawan and it is a part of Calamian Islands.
If you are not sure why you should travel so many hours to get to Coron then wait until you get there. Coron is famous for wreck-diving beautiful beaches, lagoons, and limestone cliffs.
It is definitely less busy than El Nido, although there is a certain hype among travelers about Coron. And we don’t blame them. It is one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines and you should definitely add it to your itinerary.
HOW TO GET TO CORON FROM EL NIDO
There are two ways how you can get easily from El Nido to Coron.
WITH FERRY
The most popular way how to get from El Nido to Coron is to take a ferry. You will most likely arrive on Busuanga Island.
Here, you need to be careful because you will find many ferry operators in El Nido. Some of the ferries are very slow, and the journey can take up to 7-9 hours.
Thats why we recommend for you to take high speed ferry.
There are several tour companies who can organize your trip. There is an awesome company called BookAway that we highly recommend.
HOW LONG IS THE FERRY?
You simply need to visit their website and buy tickets online.
It is that simple.
This will save you a lot of time to look for ferries yourself, walking around the busy streets of El Nido. And you will know that the ferry is secure.
And the best thing is that the high-speed ferry will take only 3.5 hours to get to Coron. You can choose to go either with Montenegro, Phimal Fast Ferry, or Jomalia Shipping company.
HOW MUCH DOES THE FERRY COST?
The price for one way would set you back to $39 per person, which is very affordable. Don’t forget to add a return trip as this will allow you to save up to 20% of the entire price.
BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE
WITH PLANE
Book Away also offer economy flights for travelers directly from El Nido to Coron. You will fly most likely with Air Swift airlines and the flight takes around 40 mins. If your schedule is limited or you just don’t like to travel by ferry, this is the best option for you.
Very important: Please note that flights only operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. So make sure to book your accommodation accordingly.
Please keep in mind that:
- You are allowed to take one piece of luggage (20kg) with you and one cabin baggage with up to 7kg
- You will receive an e-ticket via email 24-48 hours after your booking has been confirmed. This is great because you don’t have to stress where to print your ticket in El Nido.
Naturally, the flight tickets are more expensive than a ferry, so if you have a higher bucket and not so much time, then this is for you. But just for you to know, two-way tickets for one person cost around $200.
If you are thinking of flying directly from the capital of the Philippines Manila, then you can catch a flight from Manila International Airport to Busuanga Island Airport. You can also check the connection from Cebu and other islands.
ABOUT BOOKAWAY
Bookaway is an international online booking platform that focuses on organizing transfers via sea, air, and land. We like this company as it allows you to book any transfer at any time. The only thing you need is an internet connection and a credit card. Also, after your order is confirmed you will receive your e-ticket straight to your email.
Easy!
READ MORE: 2 PERFECT WEEKS IN THE PHILIPPINES
HOW TO GET TO EL NIDO
There are many ways how you can get to El Nido. Depending from which island you are coming from.
We were visiting Bohol island, and we traveled from Puerto Princessa to El Nido, which is located at the bottom of Palawan.
The best way how to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido is to take a van or minibus. It will take around 5-6 hours and cost you P600. You need to come to Corong-Corong bus station and buy tickets there. We got there by tricycle and it was P50.
If you would like to read a more detailed guide on all possible ways how to get to El Nido, then have a look here.
THINGS TO DO IN EL NIDO
Everyone who comes to El Nido has one thing in their mind. To visit and swim in one of the most beautiful lagoons.
There are three main tours that you can take. There is some fight about which tour is the best. However, to us, we think that all of them are great and this depends on everyone’s preferences.
EL NIDO TOUR A
When we did tour A, we were on the boat with another 15 people and honestly, it wasn’t bad at all. It was actually really fun.
The highlights for Tour A are kayaking around lagoons and visiting beaches surrounded by fascinating rock formations. These are the usual stops:
- Small Lagoon
- Big Lagoon
- Secret Lagoon
- 7 Commando Beach
- Shimizu Island
The main attraction that comes with Tour A is that you will be able to kayak in a small lagoon. The price for the kayak is only 400 PH and you have around 1 around to kayak around.
EL NIDO TOUR B
If you decide to visit Tour B then you will visit these places:
- Pinagbuyutan Island
- Snake Island
- Entalula Beach
- Cathedral Cave
- Cudugnon Cave
EL NIDO TOUR C
We personally enjoyed tour C, as we also decided to go on the private tour with one couple joining us.
Tour C will take you to some of the most beautiful beaches in the Bacuit Archipelago:
- Matinloc Shrine
- Hidden Beach
- Secret Beach
- Star Beach
- Helicopter Island
EL NIDO TOUR D
Oh yes there is even tour D. This tour will take you to Cadlon islands. We decided to camp on Paradise beach here and it was absolutely stunning.
- Pasandigan Beach
- Nat Nat Beach
- Paradise Beach
- Buccal Beach
In each tour, lunch is included and served on the beach and mostly consists of fresh fish, prawns, rice, veggies, and fruit.
THINGS TO DO IN CORON
Coron is such a beautiful place. Located around 130 km from El Nido is a true paradise.
These are the most popular attractions that you can see in Coron:
- Skeleton Shipwreck
- Twin Lagoon
- Kayangan Lake
- Ditaytayan Island
- Black Island
If you are looking for a unique way how you can experience Coron then we recommend choosing the shipwreck & twin lagoon island hopping tour.
TOP SPOTS NOT TO MISS IN PALAWAN
- PUERTO PRINCESA
- PORT BARTON
- EL NIDO
- CORON
WHEN TO VISIT EL NIDO AND CORON
Philippines have two seasons: winter monsoon and summer monsoon.
The best time to visit El Nido and Coron is in the dry months which are from December till March. This is the time with mostly dry and hot days.
The rainy season starts from June to November. If you would like to travel in monsoon months then there is a big chance then your travels might be affecting it by the weather and possibly canceled due to storms.
However, typhoons do not occur in El Nido as in other parts of the Philippines ( like in Siargao).
I would avoid traveling in the months of June, July, and August as in these months rains the most.
WHAT TO PACK
- waterproof backpack
- quick-drying towel
- swimwear, hat, sunglasses
- Sun protection
Don’t forget to check out more articles on the Philippines: Best things to do in Kalanggaman island, Should you snorkel with whale sharks in Oslob? How to dive with treasure sharks in Malapascua island.
Hope you are going to enjoy your stay in the Philippines and have a beautiful holiday in El Nido and Coron.
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Very informative post. Thanks for posting.