Big Dream Boatman (often shortened to BDB) runs one trip: a 4-day, 3-night group expedition between Coron and El Nido, sold in both directions on its own website. On 25 October 2026 it listed the trip at $649 per person, discounted to $599, with a 40% deposit. It runs from the start of October to the end of July and takes guests aged 12 to 60 only. Pick it if you want one more night than the standard 3-day trips and a slightly more comfortable camp. It is not on GetYourGuide or Viator, so the bookable alternatives below are other operators.
Castaway Tours 3D2N, Coron to El Nido
What the trip includes
BDB’s own pages describe the same structure in both directions: four days, three nights ashore, finishing in the afternoon of day 4.
From El Nido, you meet at 09:00 at 86’d Gourmet Cafe & Bar, transfer to the San Fernando RoRo port on the east coast and sail at about 11:00. You reach Coron port at about 15:00 to 16:00 on day 4.
From Coron, you meet at Coron port at 09:00 and sail at about 10:00. On day 4 the boat lands at San Fernando RoRo port and a jeepney takes you to Sitio Uno in Lio, arriving about 16:00.
The price includes three meals a day, the accommodation, snorkelling, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, the island entrance fees along the way and drinks, which BDB describes as limited local beer and rum. Not included: the El Nido eco-tourism fee (PHP 400) and the Coron fee (PHP 200), towels beyond one per guest, and tips. BDB tells guests to bring “a little cash for the environmental fee and whatever you choose to tip”.
Like the other operators on this route, BDB does not fix the stops. The crew chooses them each morning according to the wind and sea, with two or three snorkelling or beach stops a day as the usual rhythm. Groups are between about 6 and 24 guests, with boats sized for the number on board and one guide for every eight guests.
Price, deposit and season
| Item | What BDB’s site said on 25 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Price per person | $649 list, $599 discounted |
| Deposit | 40%, balance due 7 days before departure |
| Cancellation | 30 or more days out: deposit refunded less $50 per person |
| Season | Start of October to end of July |
| Ages | 12 to 60, “strictly” |
| Group | About 6 to 24 guests, 8 guests per guide |
| Fees not included | El Nido PHP 400, Coron PHP 200 |
BDB states its season more plainly than most operators we track. It writes: “We run our trips from start October until end of July” and “August and September are wet season and we do not run.” It flags October and May to July as shoulder months with a higher chance of rain, and calls mid-November to April “the driest and calmest window”. Another operator, Keelooma, describes December to March as the choppiest months, so treat any calm-sea promise with care. Our best time to go guide sets out what the weather records show.
On 25 October 2026 BDB’s calendar listed departures almost daily through July 2027. Most October and November 2026 departures showed between zero and ten-plus seats left. An older travel blog (January 2025) quoted $600 for the same trip, so the price moves; check it on the day you book.
How does that compare? The shared 3-day trips on GetYourGuide cost about $280 to $460 per person on dates we checked in late October 2026, for two nights. BDB costs more in total, but you get a third night and the entrance fees and drinks are included. Our price guide compares what each operator includes.
Camps, comfort and the boat
BDB offers a choice of a bamboo cottage or a glamping tent on the beach. Both come with a mosquito net, a fan and what BDB calls “six inch deluxe mattresses”. We Are Juan, for comparison, states that its huts have no fan.
The camps have freshwater showers and manual-flush toilets. A generator runs until about 3:00 am, so you can charge your phone, but bring a power bank anyway. The boat has a toilet on board. BDB describes its boats as the “highest quality” with nets and beanbags for lounging, which is its own claim and not something we can check.
Your large bag travels under the boat and comes out only in an emergency. Pack a dry bag with what you need for four days. BDB, like Keelooma, suggests taking seasickness tablets before you board if you are prone to it.
BDB says it has been “Rated #1 on TripAdvisor since 2019” with more than 1,900 reviews. That is BDB’s claim on its own site. We could not see those reviews in our data, so we have not scored it.
Who BDB suits
We’d pick BDB if you:
- have four days and want three nights on the islands, not two;
- want a fan, a thicker mattress or a tent option;
- like an operator that publishes its season, deposit and cancellation rules in plain words.
It is a weaker fit if you:
- are over 60 or travelling with a child under 12, since BDB enforces both limits;
- want to pay later or cancel free a day or two out. BDB keeps the deposit less $50 per person only if you cancel 30 or more days ahead, while the GetYourGuide trips below have free cancellation windows;
- are travelling in August or September, when BDB does not sail.
Official pages: Big Dream Boatman, El Nido to Coron and Big Dream Boatman, Coron to El Nido. We have no commercial link with BDB.
Bookable alternatives on GetYourGuide
If you want to book through a marketplace with free cancellation, these are the closest matches. All are 3-day, 2-night trips unless stated.
- Castaway Tours, Coron to El Nido: 4.9 from 45 reviews, $327 per person on the first open date we checked. Adults 18+, social and backpacker-style. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Our review.
- We Are Juan, El Nido to Coron: 4.8 from 602 reviews, $311. Native huts without a fan, age 16+. Our review.
- Sea Quest’s 4-day expedition with an island resort night: four days and three nights like BDB, one of them at a resort, $1,051 per person. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet.
For a four-night trip, see our Tao Philippines guide and the head-to-head Tao vs Big Dream Boatman. For every option ranked by traveller type, go to the best expeditions, or start from your departure town: Coron to El Nido or El Nido to Coron.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Big Dream Boatman?
On 25 October 2026 BDB listed $649 per person, discounted to $599, with a 40% deposit and the balance due seven days before departure. Eco-tourism fees for El Nido (PHP 400) and Coron (PHP 200) are extra.
Is Big Dream Boatman 3 days or 4 days?
Four days and three nights, in both directions. You arrive in the afternoon of day 4, about 15:00 to 16:00.
When does Big Dream Boatman not run?
August and September. BDB says it runs from the start of October to the end of July.
Is there an age limit?
Yes. BDB takes guests aged 12 to 60 and says the limit is strict.
Pick your crossing date
Shared expeditions run most days in the dry season and the popular dates fill first. Check your date and direction.
Check dates and prices