Palawan airports and how to get around the island

Which Palawan airport to fly into

Puerto Princesa (PPS), the provincial capital in the middle of the island, is the largest Palawan airport and the only one that takes jets. Cebu Pacific flies there from Manila, Cebu, Clark, Davao and Iloilo, and PAL Express from Manila and Cebu. It sits on the edge of the city, so hotels are a short tricycle or taxi ride away. Choose it for Puerto Princesa, the Underground River, Honda Bay and Port Barton, or as the cheap way in before the long drive north.

El Nido's Lio Airport (ENI) is a small terminal about 2.5 miles (4 km) from town, owned by Cebu Pacific. Its turboprops, flown by AirSWIFT until Cebgo took over all its flights on July 1, 2026, connect El Nido with Clark, Cebu, Caticlan for Boracay, Tagbilaran for Bohol and Busuanga. Fares are higher than to Puerto Princesa, but you skip five or six hours in a van; our El Nido airport guide covers transfers and baggage.

Busuanga's Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU) serves Coron. Its short runway takes only turboprops: Cebgo, PAL Express and Sunlight Air fly from Clark and Cebu, and Cebgo also flies to El Nido. Shared vans meet the flights for the ride of about 30 minutes or more into Coron town, and the town's environmental fee is collected on arrival.

Flying from Manila to El Nido and Coron in 2026

On March 29, 2026, Manila's airport moved all turboprop flights out to Clark, about 50 miles (80 km) north of the city, to free slots for bigger aircraft. Since then there are no nonstop flights from Manila to El Nido or Coron. If you land at Manila from abroad, you can connect on a jet to Puerto Princesa, take a bus or private car to Clark for a turboprop to El Nido or Busuanga, or route through Cebu, which some international flights also serve. Booking sites that still show "Manila to El Nido" usually sell a connection, so check the departure airport of each leg.

Turboprop flights carry fewer passengers and stricter baggage limits than jets, and bags are weighed, so check the allowance on your fare and pay for extra weight in advance. Weather can delay or cancel small-aircraft flights in the wet season; leave a buffer before an international connection, as explained in our weather guide.

Vans and buses between towns

Most travelers cross the island by shared air-conditioned van. From Puerto Princesa, vans leave from the San Jose terminal north of the center and many operators also pick up at hotels or the airport. The ride to El Nido takes 5–6 hours with a stop or two in Roxas or Taytay, and recent shared fares are mostly around ₱650–800 (about $11–14) per seat, sometimes with a fuel surcharge. In El Nido, vans arrive at the transport terminal in Corong-Corong, a short tricycle ride from town.

To Port Barton, allow 3 h 30 min to 4 h 30 min from either Puerto Princesa or El Nido; departures are fewer, mostly in the morning. Sabang, for the Underground River, is about two hours from Puerto Princesa by private car and longer by public bus, which is why most visitors join a day tour that includes transport. Buses such as Cherry Bus are cheaper than vans, but slower and with more stops.

Vans are often full, drivers are fast and the road through the hills is winding, so take motion-sickness tablets if you need them, ask for a seat near the front, and keep valuables in your day bag rather than in the luggage pile.

Between El Nido and Coron

El Nido and Coron are not connected by road. Fast ferries run between the two ports in about 3 h 30 min to 4 h, usually leaving El Nido around midday and Coron in the morning, and they are the most common choice; see our El Nido to Coron ferry guide for operators, luggage and seasonal cancellations. Cebgo also flies directly between El Nido and Busuanga, which is quicker but costs more. For a slower trip with nights on remote islands, there are multi-day boat expeditions between El Nido and Coron.

From Manila, 2GO and Atienza also run overnight ferries to Coron, which take well over half a day and run only a few times a week. They make sense only on a slow, low-budget trip.

Tricycles, scooters and local transport

In every town the default ride is the tricycle, a motorbike with a covered sidecar for two or three passengers. Short hops within El Nido, Coron or Puerto Princesa cost little, but longer trips, for example from El Nido town to Nacpan Beach, are priced per vehicle; agree the fare and whether it includes waiting time before you set off. Puerto Princesa also has multicabs and jeepneys on fixed routes.

Renting a scooter is popular in El Nido, Port Barton and Coron. Philippine rules accept a valid foreign driver's license for 90 days after arrival, provided it is in English or carried with an International Driving Permit; you should hold a motorcycle license, as travel insurance often refuses claims without one. Helmets are compulsory by law. Roads can be rough, unlit and full of dogs and children after dark, and side roads such as the last stretch to Nacpan turn muddy after rain.

Private transfers and drivers

A private van with driver is worth it for families, groups or anyone arriving late. It costs several times a shared seat for the whole vehicle, but leaves when you want, stops where you ask and can combine sights, such as Puerto Princesa to El Nido via Port Barton. Hotels and tour desks can book one; confirm the price per vehicle, tolls and driver's meals in writing.

Cash is still important for transport: many van operators, tricycle drivers and small ports do not take cards, and ATMs in El Nido and Coron can run out on busy weekends. Our Palawan itineraries show how to order the towns to avoid backtracking, and the Palawan prices guide gives a wider budget picture.