Transportation in Palawan

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Flights to Philippines

By Sea

From/To Manila
Every Thursday, Negros Navigation departs from Manila for Puerto Princesa. It heads back to Manila every Saturday. On the other hand, Super ferry departs from Manila for Puerto Princesa every Friday and heads back to Manila every Sunday. The journey takes between 18 and 22 hours from Manila and includes a stopover at Coron.

From/To Coron
Negros Navigation leaves Coron for Puerto Princesa every Friday and heads back to Coron every Saturday. Super ferry, meanwhile, leaves from Coron every Saturday and returns on Sunday.

Getting Around Palawan

Getting around the island province is as easy as getting there, though road journeys tend to be bumpy, time consuming and frustrating. One could use boats instead: two ferries go up and down the islands, and a Bangka (boat) can also be hired if you want to go from a point on the coast to an offshore island. Air travel, meanwhile, is speedy and remarkably efficient in Palawan, and it is the best way to travel, if you can afford it!

On the mainland of El Nido, one has to travel either by jeep or tricycle. Both forms of transport are easily available. The rates for normal routes are fixed and applicable on a per passenger basis. However, motorbikes and bicycles can be hired for special trips.

What's more, outrigger boats are also available for hire on a per day basis.

By Boat

If you want to save some money and also avoid the discomforts that come with travelling by road, then you should take a boat. Three ferries operate along the island province: Super ferry connects Coron and Puerto Princesa, Atienza Shipping Lines runs between Coron, Liminancong and El Nido, and San Nicolas Line connects Manila to El Nido and Coron.

The regular boat services along the west coast of northern Palawan, which connected Sabang, Port Barton and El Nido, have ceased operations, but it is still possible to charter a boat between these places and the other ports.

One could also hire a boat on an hourly or daily basis for journeys between offshore islands and the main island or for island hopping. Boat services are easily accessible; signs are advertised while walking the main beach of the El Nido town.

By Car & Motorcycle

Road trips across Palawan are very popular among tourists. These trips are made either by jeepneys or bus hybrids, which are larger jeepneys that have seats facing forward. You could also hire a jeepney or private van to cover long distances. This way, you will be able to enjoy the scenery along the way.

Remember, however, that the roads become inaccessible during the wet season, from June to September.

By Air

The only airline with links to various places within Palawan is SEAIR. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, it flies from Manila to Busuanga, El Nido and Puerto Princesa and back. The airline also allows you to take flights between the different points. You could, thus, take a flight at Busuanga and head to El Nido. SEAIR is constantly adding new routes. In fact, they fly to some additional places during peak season. During the low season, however, they tend to merge two flights if they don't have sufficient passengers.

One advantage of flying is the opportunity for aerial sightseeing: if, for instance, you are flying from the south to El Nido, you could get a spectacular aerial view of the Bacuit Archipelago.