With over 7,600 islands, the Philippines is the perfect country for island hopping. It is clear that even a minimum percentage of a country with such a number of islands cannot be visited, so you need to choose the best destinations. El Nido is one such place. Known as heaven on earth, El Nido is famous for its beautiful beaches, limestone mountains and coral reefs, as well as fantastic diving spots. With many beaches among the best in the world, El Nido is truly a special place. After exploring it, a good option is to head north to Corón, another fantastic island area that also has excellent diving spots, including Kayangan and Barracuda lakes.
Travel options from El Nido to Coron
By plane, the distance from El Nido to Corón is only 130 kilometers, because you can fly practically in a straight line. However, with the ferry, the route is not so direct, but you have to navigate between other islands, which increases the distance and travel time. The good thing is that there are several options to get from El Nido to Coron, including flight and two different types of ferries, so it won’t be hard to find an option that fits your budget and schedule.
Flight from El Nido to Coron
AirSWIFT plane at El Nido Airport © easyknotcoco / Shutterstock.com
You might think that flying from El Nido to Coron is the easiest way to get from one island to another. Without a doubt, it is the fastest means of transport, as it manages to connect both places in just 40 minutes. But keep in mind that you have to add extra time both at one place and the other to go to the airport, pass security, wait for your flight and get to the city from the airport. Still, with this extra time, the flight will be faster than the slow ferry and possibly the fast ferry as well.
So what are the flying options? The truth is that there is only one airline that serves this route: AirSWIFT. This airline only operates a few routes in the Philippines, including between El Nido Airport and Francisco B. Reyes Airport on Busuanga Island, where Corón is located. They currently offer this service four times a week, on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so you’ll have to adjust your schedules to these times and be willing to pay roughly twice what a fast ferry costs. . With these extra costs, flying from El Nido to Coron won’t be a viable option for everyone, but if money isn’t an issue, you could save a lot of time.
Fast ferry from El Nido to Coron
Tourists boarding Montenegro Lines ferry © Kim David / Shutterstock.com
While flights from El Nido to Coron are a viable option, most travelers choose the ferry. Previously, there was only a slow ferry option, which we will explain later, but now there is a fast ferry that can take you to Corón in almost half the time.
The service is operated by Montenegro Lines and you can buy tickets online through the website 12Go.asia. They offer instant bookings and confirmations so you can have everything prepared in advance. The fast ferry can accommodate up to 140 passengers and has indoor and outdoor seating, air conditioning and a TV. The expected time is 4 hours, although in favorable conditions it can cover the route in 3.5 hours. You also need to consider that if the water is choppy, the trip can be longer and a bit bumpy, and it may be a good idea to take a pill if you tend to get dizzy. If the weather is bad, the operator may even delay departure until conditions improve.
Montenegro Lines runs a daily ferry service from El Nido to Coron and vice versa. Although the price is acceptable (much cheaper than flying), there is a downside: departure is around 6am, so you have to get ready early.
There is another fast ferry that runs from El Nido to Corón and is owned by Phimal. Departure is scheduled for 8.20am, a slightly more acceptable time than the Montenegro Lines option.
Slow ferry from El Nido to Coron
If you want to save more money, check out the slow ferry that runs from El Nido to Coron. These ferries are long wooden boats, called bangkas, which are much more rustic than fast ferries and have a much smaller engine so the journey is quite long. Travel time on the slow ferry from El Nido to Corón can vary from 6 to 9 hours, depending on the weather and sea conditions. Keep in mind that even if the water is calm, the journey on one of these boats will be quite bumpy as they are smaller and closer to the water than the fast ferry. Therefore, if you are prone to dizziness, the slow boat option will not be the best idea.
The good thing is that with two companies to choose from, it’s always easy to find vacancies with one, especially if you book several days in advance. The price is reasonable as it is the cheapest way to get from El Nido to Coron.
Here are the three options that exist to go from El Nido to Corón. Choose a flight if you want to get there as soon as possible and have a relatively comfortable journey, as long as you don’t mind spending a little more on the ticket. Take the fast ferry from El Nido to Coron if you want to save some money and travel in comfort, or the slow ferry if you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind a long and uncomfortable journey.