For an El Nido start, the quickest way in is a direct flight from Clark (not Manila) to El Nido’s Lio airport, about 1 hour 35 minutes; the cheaper way is to fly to Puerto Princesa and take a van for 5 to 6 hours. For a Coron start, fly to Busuanga airport, usually from Clark or Cebu, then take a van to Coron town for about 45 minutes. Either way, arrive the day before your expedition: most operators hold a compulsory briefing in the early evening before departure. At the other end, leave at least one spare day, preferably two, before an international flight.
We Are Juan 3D2N, El Nido to Coron
Which airport serves which town
| El Nido | Coron | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Lio Airport (ENI), about 4 km from town | Francisco B. Reyes Airport, Busuanga (USU) |
| Direct flights from | Clark, Cebu, Busuanga, Caticlan, Tagbilaran (Cebgo) | Clark and Cebu (Cebgo, PAL Express, Sunlight Air) |
| Airport to town | Short tricycle or van ride | Van, about 45 minutes |
| Road alternative | Puerto Princesa (PPS) then 5 to 6 hours by van | None practical; fly or take the ferry from El Nido |
Flights into El Nido and Coron
El Nido: Lio Airport is privately owned and has a 1,000 m runway, so only small turboprops land there. The Manila-area flights now leave from Clark (CRK), not Manila’s NAIA; two 2026 sources report the move in late March 2026. An August 2026 guide gives about 1 hour 35 minutes from Clark, 4 to 6 flights a day, and fares from about PHP 3,500 to PHP 8,000 one way, with 15 kg checked and 7 kg cabin baggage. The AirSWIFT brand that used to fly here was taken over by Cebgo on 1 July 2026, so you will book Cebgo or Cebu Pacific. A Cebu to El Nido route opened in October 2025.
Coron: Busuanga airport has a single 1,225 m runway. Its listed direct routes are from Cebu and Clark. We could not confirm a current direct flight from Manila’s NAIA; aggregators show the history of one but no current schedule. Plan on Clark or Cebu.
Clark is a different airport from Manila’s NAIA, where most international flights land, so allow for the connection when you pick flights.
From the airport to your start point
Busuanga airport to Coron town
Vans meet arriving flights and take about 45 minutes to Coron town (sources give 30 to 50 minutes). Shared vans were quoted at about PHP 150 to PHP 228 per person. Have cash ready for the PHP 200 Coron environmental fee, which travel guides report being collected on arrival; where exactly it is collected varies by account.
Lio airport to El Nido town
Lio is about 4 km from El Nido town. If your expedition operator is based in Lio (Keelooma’s office is there), you may not need to go into town at all. Keelooma quotes about PHP 250 by tricycle from El Nido town to its Lio office.
Puerto Princesa to El Nido by van
This is the most common budget route. The road is about 269 km and the drive takes 5 to 6 hours, with a stop for food. Shared vans were quoted at about PHP 720 to PHP 790 per person in 2026 and private vans at about PHP 7,300 to PHP 8,800. Shared vans drop at the El Nido Transport Terminal in Corong Corong.
You can book the shared van in advance on GetYourGuide. Three listings are well established, and all three have modest ratings:
| Listing | Rating | Price on dates we checked |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido | 3.4 from 623 reviews | $20 per person |
| Puerto Princesa: One-Way Transfer To/From El Nido | 3.8 from 119 reviews | $16 per person |
| Transfer to/from Puerto Princesa and El Nido | 2.9 from 64 reviews | $20 per person |
Prices are from late October 2026. Read the small print before booking. The most-reviewed of the three includes one carry-on-size bag only, charges from PHP 990 for each extra bag, and drops off at the El Nido terminal, not your hotel. Another counts luggage that takes up a seat as an extra passenger. The lower-rated reviews repeat the same complaints: fast driving on a winding road, vans packed with people and bags, long waits for other passengers before leaving, and unexpected luggage charges. Some reviewers were also unhappy with how drivers communicated stops. It is why we would not book the van on the same day as a flight out of Puerto Princesa; one listing itself asks you to allow at least two hours’ margin.
Getting to the briefing on time
Most expeditions want you in the departure town the evening before. Times published by the operators:
| Operator | When and where you report |
|---|---|
| We Are Juan | 5 pm the evening before, its office in Pops District (El Nido) or opposite Jollibee (Coron). Mandatory |
| Castaway Tours | 6 pm the evening before, at Outpost Beach Hostel in El Nido. Mandatory |
| Tao Philippines | Early evening the evening before, at the Tao office (18:00 on its itinerary page, 5:30 pm in its booking data) |
| Keelooma | 07:30 on the morning of departure |
| Big Dream Boatman | 09:00 on the morning of departure (86’d Gourmet Cafe & Bar in El Nido, or Coron port) |
So book a flight or van that lands by early afternoon the day before, and a hotel for that night. Our where to stay in El Nido and where to stay in Coron pages cover areas close to the briefing offices.
From El Nido, the expedition boats leave from San Fernando on the east coast, about 45 minutes across the peninsula. Most operators include that transfer; We Are Juan’s El Nido to Coron trip, for example, lists a one-way transfer to San Fernando port (4.8 from 602 reviews, $311 per person on dates we checked in late October 2026). From Coron, boats leave from Coron port, about 2 km from town; Keelooma quotes about PHP 200 by tricycle.
How much buffer to leave at the end
Expeditions arrive in the afternoon of the last day (about 4 to 5 pm on We Are Juan’s El Nido to Coron trip), or at noon on day 5 for Tao. Weather can delay a departure or hold a group at a camp, and small planes into Lio and Busuanga are cancelled in poor visibility.
- Tao’s sample itineraries end with a night in Manila before the flight home and note that travel between the islands “often takes a full day”.
- A 2026 travel guide advises leaving a buffer day before any international flight.
- Keelooma requires travel insurance that covers trip disruption, and warns that neither it nor the airlines refund onward costs when flights or ferries are cancelled.
Our advice: at least one full spare day between the end of the expedition and an international flight, two in the wet months. Do not book a domestic flight out on the evening you arrive.
If you are still choosing a direction, Coron to El Nido or the reverse compares the logistics. For the trips themselves, see the best expeditions, or browse El Nido to Coron and Coron to El Nido. If you only need to cross between the towns, read the El Nido to Coron ferry guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I fly from Manila to El Nido?
Not from Manila’s NAIA. The direct flights now leave from Clark, about 1 hour 35 minutes to Lio airport. The other route is Manila to Puerto Princesa, then a 5 to 6 hour van.
What is the airport for Coron?
Busuanga’s Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU), about 45 minutes by van from Coron town.
How long is the van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido?
About 5 to 6 hours, including a food stop.
When should I arrive before my expedition?
The day before. Most operators hold a compulsory briefing in the early evening before departure.
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