How to get from El Nido to Coron and Coron to El Nido?

Overview

Despite the fact that they are situated in similar territory of Palawan, it can be tricky to know how to go between Coron to El Nido. These two famous destinations in the Philippines are separated by 280 kilometers of ocean, along which you'll track down the areas of Culion and Linapacan islands.

When deciding on how to travel between these two majestic parts of Palawan you need to consider four things:

1. Budget
2. Time
3. Comfort
4. Type Of Traveller

Transportation between El Nido and Coron

Type	Budget (USD)	Time	Comfort	Fun	Best For
Flight	50-100	1 hour	Good	1	5 Star
Ferry	25-40	4 hours	Poor	3	Budget
Expedition	300-700	3-6 days	Operator Dependant	6-10	Adventure

 

 

Palawan Ferry Operators, Schedules and How to Book

The current most popular ferries from Coron to El Nido and vice versa are 

1. Jomalia

2. Phimal 

3. Montenegro.

The cost of the ferry from El Nido to Coron is around $25-40 USD. 

Do I need to book a ferry in Palawan in advance?

During peak season yes, they can get very busy,

How do I book the ferry in Coron and El Nido?

You can do it online by clicking the links above or you can do it in Coron town through a hotel, or by going down to the operators themselves and booking. Online is easiest. 

How to Get to Coron from El Nido

Montenegro Daily Schedule
DESTINATION	DEPART	ARRIVE
EL NIDO –> CORON	12.00pm	3.30pm

Phimal Daily Schedule
DESTINATION	DEPART	ARRIVE
EL NIDO –> CORON	8:00 am	11:30am

Jomalia Daily Schedule
DESTINATION	DEPART	ARRIVE
EL NIDO – CORON	12:30pm	4.00pm

How to Get to El Nido from Coron

Montenegro Daily Schedule
DESTINATION	DEPART	ARRIVE
CORON –> EL NIDO	6.00am	9.30am

Phimal Daily Schedule
DESTINATION	DEPART	ARRIVE
CORON –> EL NIDO	1:30 pm	5:00 pm

Jomalia Daily Schedule
DESTINATION	DEPART	ARRIVE
CORON – EL NIDO	7:30am	11:00am

Palawan Flight Operator and Schedules

Currently the flight schedules are continually updating so we suggest checking with the providers directly. The current flight operators between Coron and El Nido are:

1. Air Swift

2. Check additional operators on SkyScanner

El Nido Coron Expeditions

The truth about Palawan is that everything you really want to see exists on the water away from both the town centres of Coron and El Nido and so, before long in either of these places, you'll end up on a boat trip.

Now if you stay on the land, and do day trips, those boats can only take you so far in one day and so you are sure to hit the crowded places. For this reason alone, it's worth considering doing an expedition.

Now of course we have some bias, but if you look at the reviews of most expedition operators, including ourselves, you will see that most everybody says that the expedition was the best part of their trip to the Philippines. 

So if you have the money, and the time, and you are OK with going without deluxe bedding for a couple of days, we would recommend doing this option. And even if you don't go with us, Big Dream Boatman, we really do believe this is the best way to explore the Philippines and travel from Coron to El Nido.

Which Expedition to Choose?

Again this depends on budget and length of desired travel. The main factors are:

1. Trip Duration

2. Comfort & Budget

3. Company Ethos

What length of Palawan expedition to choose?

The shortest expedition between Coron and El Nido an vice versa is two nights and three days and the longest is up to six nights. Big Dream Boatman's El Nido to Coron Expedition and Coron to El Nido Expedition are four days and three nights and we chose that because we think it's the perfect fit. 2 nights there is too much rush and travel and on a slow Banka boat you will spend a lot of the time going from A to B and not really getting to enjoy the trip. And longer than three nights, whilst enjoyable, can get a bit draining and boring and can be a bit too long to go without some of those home comforts. 

How much do El Nido Coron Expeditions worth?

We put these two together because they go somewhat hand in hand. The cheaper the trip, the less comfortable the boat and the accommodations. Expeditions range between $300-800 USD. Big Dream Boatman expeditions range between $450-600 USD.

What about Company Ethos, why does it matter?

The Philippines is a growing economy and tourism is the main part of Palawan's income. But the desire for money can make many operators irresponsible about the environment and also about how they treat their staff. At Big Dream Boatman we have a strong company ethos about the quality of how our guests our staff and our environment are treated, and would encourage you to make sure that whichever companies you support whilst in the Philippines (and elsewhere) are operating consciously and with sustainability and best practices in mind so that the whole world and future generations can enjoy these beautiful places.

Summary

We hope this has answered your questions on how to get from Coron to El Nido and vice versa.

We hope you have the most beautiful time on your trip to Palawan, take care!