Puerto Princesa is known as one of the cleanest and greenest cities in the Philippines and is known for its fantastic diving opportunities and wonderful beaches. Called the city of the forest, Puerto Princesa has everything you need to shop and eat, with some excellent seafood restaurants and many beach resorts. If diving and beaches are your thing, be sure to head to the small town of El Nido, a quieter alternative to Princesa, with stunning beaches and scenery, and great diving opportunities. Getting from Puerto Princesa to El Nido by car is easy and relatively cheap.
Travel options from Puerto Princesa to El Nido
Nice scenery between Puerto Princesa and El Nido © N8Allen / Shutterstock.com
If you are already thinking of visiting Puerto Princesa, El Nido is not far away and is highly recommended if you like the beach, nature and diving. The road distance between the two cities is 230 kilometers (144 miles) and although the road is in fairly good condition, it winds its way along the coast and mountains, so the journey can be longer than you think. The advantage is that you will enjoy the amazing lush landscapes and coastline so you will have great views. Keep in mind that there is quite a rough stretch of road that lengthens the journey, and if you are prone to motion sickness, it is best to take a motion sickness pill before leaving Puerto Princesa.
The only way to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido is by road, but don’t worry as both the public bus and van have frequent departure times so you’ll have no problem finding a seat.
Bus from Puerto Princesa to El Nido
As you can imagine, public buses are the cheapest way to travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, but the journey is much longer than by van. You will have to weigh the pros and cons of time and cost to choose one option or the other.
If you don’t mind a longer journey (it can take 6 to 9 hours depending on traffic and time of day), buses are a very good option. Keep in mind that some drivers like to stop along the way to pick up more passengers, so you may have to make frequent stops which can be a nuisance. Despite this, the buses are quite modern and safe, and Cherry Bus buses, which are better equipped, have Wi-Fi, TV and air conditioning on board. Cherry Bus, like the company Roro, also have cheaper buses without air conditioning. For both companies, departures are every two hours throughout the day. The first one is scheduled around 4:00 am and the last one around 10:00 pm. There is usually an express bus option which can shorten the trip by around 30 minutes, but considering its high price you will have to think about whether it is worth it.
If you decide to take the bus, you should know that they only depart from the San Jose bus station, so if you are arriving at Puerto Princesa airport and want to go directly to El Nido, you will need to take a tricycle to get to the bus terminal in about 15 minutes. It doesn’t take much time, but it’s worth remembering.
For travelers who want to save some money, there is an overnight bus option to travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido. You won’t enjoy the views, but you’ll save an overnight stay. Please note that all buses stop along the way to allow all passengers to get off, stretch their legs and grab a bite to eat.
Van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido
Vans waiting at the bus station in San Jose, Puerto Princesa © Lano Lan / Shutterstock.com
The second option to travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido is by van. I’m sure you’ve heard that this is the mode of transport that tourists prefer, mainly because it can be faster than the bus, but before you book tickets, read the fine print.
A van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido can make the trip in just 4 hours, but you’d better count on an average of 5 hours. Even if the journey is longer, you will undoubtedly cover it in less time than by bus. Be sure to add some time as vans also stop along the way.
The big advantage of traveling by van is that there are several companies that offer this route, so there are plenty of departure times and you will have no problem finding a seat. That being said, for your peace of mind, we recommend booking your ticket from Puerto Princesa to El Nido in advance.
If you’re staying in Puerto Princesa, some van tour companies can pick you up from your hotel at no cost, which is a great advantage that buses don’t offer. And if you are arriving at the airport and want to go directly to El Nido, there are also vans waiting for passengers to arrive. But if you are using a van at the airport, be aware of one thing: even if you buy a ticket for a specific van, you may be sitting in your seat for over an hour before departure as drivers usually wait to fill up and in some cases wait until another plane lands to take more passengers. So while vans can get you from the airport to El Nido in less time than buses, you may not save much time if they keep you waiting.
Therefore, we recommend spending a few days in Puerto Princesa before going to El Nido. So you can use the pick up van from your hotel.