Coron, Palawan is a scenic island destination located just north of the more famous El Nido, and a lot of tourists nowadays like to visit both places on the same trip.
In the old days, there was no easy way to travel from El Nido to Coron or vice versa. They weren’t linked to each other by flights or fast ferries, so you had to fly out to Manila or Cebu and then fly back in, which was an expensive hassle.
Thankfully, that’s all changed since 2020! There are new flights and fast ferries linking the two places in the Philippines, and this mini guide will explain how you can use them!
Where To Stay In El Nido
El Nido To Coron Ferry – How To Book
There are now multiple companies running a fast ferry route between Coron and El Nido. Phimal Fast Ferry and Montenegro Shipping Lines were two of the first, and you can book them online.
Phimal departs once daily, leaving at 8:20 AM from El Nido or 1 PM from Coron. Montenegro has two departure times daily, leaving at 6 AM and 12 PM from either place.
We booked Montenegro on Biyaheroes.com and everything went smoothly. Our experience with the ferry was great. It was very comfortable and safe, although the air conditioning was too cold.
The price with either company is about 1,800 Pesos ($35 USD) and you get 2 free pieces of luggage per person. You can pay by credit/debit card or Paypal, along with some other options. The journey from/to Coron takes 3-4 hours.
Another option is the tourist ferry by Atienza Shipping Lines (Judy Ferry Travel), which you can reserve on Bookaway. We haven’t used this one, but it seems to have good reviews.
Occasionally there’s some potential for the ferries to be canceled if there are storms or big waves, in which case you may want to consider flying instead. You can find more information on that below.
Direct Flights From El Nido To Coron
In 2019, AirSWIFT started doing direct flights from El Nido airport to Coron and vice versa. You can shop for flights at Skyscanner.
The flight from El Nido (ENI) to Coron Busuanga (USU) is 40 minutes and costs about 4,000 Pesos ($75 USD).
This is the most reliable option for going between the two places. Flights are way less likely to be canceled than the ferries.
Shop Now: Palawan flights
Multi-Day Trips Between El Nido & Coron
If you have time, another very interesting way to explore Palawan is with a multi-day sailing trip that lasts up to 4 days and 3 nights, taking you all the way from El Nido to Coron, or vice versa, while seeing some of the islands in between.
This can be a great way to go island hopping in paradise without the crowds and time constraints of a simple day tour, and you get to see a lot of nice new islands that are off the beaten path and not included on the main day tours. It’s also a fun way to meet other travelers.
There are several companies offering multi-day trips in Palawan, but one of the highest rated is Big Dream Boat Man. They’re based in Coron, but they also have sailing expeditions that start from El Nido!
Book Now: El Nido / Coron Palawan Sailing Expeditions
More Palawan Travel Tips
I hope this guide was helpful for planning your El Nido trip. Looking for more information on Palawan island in the Philippines?
Don’t forget to check out my full El Nido Travel Guide with free tips, photos, and more!
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