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How to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: Complete Guide

How to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido: Complete Guide

El Nido is well known for its pristine white sand beaches, brilliant diving spots, crystal clear waters and beautiful lagoons. Being part of the province of Palawan, it is also a gateway to the Bacuit archipelago islands, making it one of the best destinations that you can visit in the Philippines. This tropical paradise is definitely somewhere you will want to add to your island hopping bucket list. If you are looking to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, you can find the most ideal form of transport for your travel plans via 12Go, as well as understanding more about each journey throughout this blog.

Puerto Princesa to El Nideo

HOW TO GET FROM PUERTO PRINCESA TO EL NIDO

In this blog I am going to delve into the details around how you can get to and book your ticket online from Puerto Princesa to El Nido. There are 5 travel options for you to choose from which use forms of transport such as buses, vans, taxis and planes. Depending on your budget for this journey, as well as when you would like to visit the gorgeous El Nido, this will play a role in which route you decide to pre-book online. I will break these choices down so that you have a better idea around which you would prefer as well as making it a lot easier for you to organise.

Following on from discussing how you can travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, I will then share information with you about when is the best time to visit this breathtaking destination, how long you should stay there for so you don’t miss out on all that it has to offer, and some of the amazing must-do activities that you will want to check out.

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El Nido Bus

BEST WAY TO BOOK A TICKET ONLINE FROM PUERTO PRINCESA TO EL NIDO

If you don’t have the time right now to get lost in this article, you will first of all want to save it for when you do, as well as at this moment in time understand the best way that you can book your ticket online from Puerto Princesa to El Nido. The quick answer to that question is via the online booking platform 12Go. Through this site you are going to be able to see all of the travel options available to you, compare prices, check departure and arrival times as well as destinations and discover all of the information that you will need to know ahead of booking and making the commute.

However, if you are interested in understanding this information without having to search for it all yourself, alongside learning about the key points that are great to know for travelling, plus tips for how to get to your departure station in Puerto Princesa and final destination in El Nido, then you will want to keep reading. 

Bus Puerto Princesa - El Nido $ 10.91–17.60 5h 7m
  •   Regular AC 09:00, 13:00, 15:00
  •   Lazyboy WC 11:00, 21:30
  •   Economy Non AC 07:00
Taxi Puerto Princesa - El Nido $ 114.42–123.22 4h – 5h
  •   Private Van 11pax
Van Puerto Princesa - El Nido $ 10.56–12.66 5h – 5h 30m
  •   Shared van 03:00, 07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 15:30, 17:00, 17:30
  •   Minivan 04:00, 05:30, 07:30, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 13:00, 15:00, 15:30, 17:30, 18:30
Puerto Princesa Van

5 TRAVEL OPTIONS TO GET FROM PUERTO PRINCESA TO EL NIDO

There are currently 5 ways that you can travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido. This is how you can make the journey so that you can find the best one to suit you, as well as details on how you can pre-book your ticket online for each option…

Option 1 – Van
There are approximately 25 vans running per day from Puerto Princesa to El Nido through four different travel operators. The first van departures from Puerto Princesa at 4am with the last being at 6.30pm, all taking 5 hours each in commute time, making it one of the quickest ways you can make the journey. Departure stations in Puerto Princesa are situated in either the centre of the city or at the airport, with arrival stations in El Nido being located at either the centre of the area or transport terminal.

Tickets for this commute cost $17 to $19 per person and can be booked online via 12Go. This is a great way to travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido as it is both fast and affordable, with you being able to arrive at the gorgeous destination for as early as 9am.

Option 2 – Bus
If you are looking to travel by bus from Puerto Princesa to El Nido you have three options to choose from which are run by Cherry Bus travel operator. These leave from Puerto Princesa at 6.45am, 9am and 9.30pm each day, all taking 5 hours and 7 minutes in commute time, meaning you will get to El Nido at either 11.52am, 2.07pm or 2.37am the next day. The buses depart from Puerto Princesa Land Transportation Terminal and arrive at El Nido Transport Terminal. You can book your bus ticket online through 12Go, with tickets costing from $17 up to $22 per person, making it another very affordable way to complete the journey.

Option 3 – Taxi
Travelling with a taxi from Puerto Princesa to El Nido can be a more expensive way to make the journey but a lot more convenient as you can choose where you would like to get picked up from and dropped off at. Tickets cost $175 per person with the commute taking 5 hours in travel time. If you are interested in booking this option for your visit from Puerto Princesa to El Nido head over to 12Go to check availability for your preferred date of travel.

Option 4 – Flight
You have the possibility to fly from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, however this does come at a cost and can be a long way to make the commute as you will need to take two separate flights.

The first flight will take you from PPS Puerto Princesa Airport to MNL Manila Airport at a cost of between $154 to $263 per ticket, taking 1 hour and 30 minutes in commute time with Philippines AirAsia. The second flight will take you from MNL Manila Airport to ENI El Nido Airport at a cost of $207 per ticket, also taking 1 hour and 30 minutes in commute time with AirSwift.

As these must be booked separately it means that they are also self transfer flights, so if you choose this form of transport to travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido please ensure that you are aware of the arrival times for the first flight and check in times for the second flight.

Option 5 – Shared or private van One-Way Shared Transfers between El Nido and Puerto Princesa, Palawan – Klook
When travelling from Puerto Princesa to El Nido as a group or with a family, booking a private van is a great way to complete the journey as you will be able to ensure that everyone you are with is in one vehicle, with no other passengers who you may not know. The cost of this option is $121.05 per vehicle for a group of up to 4 people, or $131.85 per vehicle for a group of between 10 to 12 people. You are able to be collected from either Puerto Princesa hotel or airport and dropped off at El Nido Bus Terminal.

There are also options to book a shared van at a cost of $11.39 per person with the same travel details as a shared van, which is great for a solo traveller or couple of people. The commute time for this form of transport is 5 to 6 hours in travel time.

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Puerto Princesa to El Nido

KEY POINTS

Here are some great key points that you are going to find useful before booking your ticket online from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, as well as information that is important to understand before boarding your chosen form of transport…

Most affordable way to travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido
The cheapest ways to travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido are via van or bus. Ticket prices for these forms of transport start at $11.39 (One-Way Shared Transfers between El Nido and Puerto Princesa, Palawan – Klook) per person with a shared van, or $17 per person with a van or bus.

Quickest way to travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido
The fastest way to travel from Puerto Princesa to El Nido is with either a van or taxi as they both take 5 hours in commute time. However, if you are looking for both the fastest and cheapest form of transport, you will want to book a ticket online to make the journey with a van as there are seven options available at just $17 per person.

Arrival and check in times at departure stations in Puerto Princesa
These are the times you are required to check in at each departure station in Puerto Princesa for. To ensure that you have everything you need ahead of travelling, avoid any queues that may occur when checking in and not miss your form of chosen transport, I suggest you arrive 30 minutes ahead of the stated time.

All van options and taxi
When travelling from Puerto Princesa to El Nido by van or taxi you must have checked in 30 minutes prior to the departure time stated on your ticket.

Bus
If you have booked your ticket online to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido with a bus you will need to have checked in 45 minutes ahead of your chosen departure time.

Flight
The check in time when taking flights from Puerto Princesa to El Nido is 2 hours before the departure time.

Luggage allowance for each form of transport

All van options
If you have booked to travel with a van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, you are allowed to take 1 piece of hand luggage as well as 1 big piece of luggage weighing between 10 kg to 15 kg depending on which travel operator you have booked with.

Bus
Each passenger is allowed to travel with 1 piece of luggage weighing up to 15 kg.

Taxi
You can take 1 piece of hand luggage and 1 big piece of luggage weighing 10 kg when making the journey from Puerto Princesa to El Nido with a taxi.

Flight
When travelling from Puerto Princesa to Manila each passenger can take 2 pieces of hand luggage on board as well as 1 checked in bag weighing up to 40kg. However, when travelling from Manila to El Nido each passenger has only 1 piece of hand luggage weighing no more than 7 kg included in their ticket.

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Flight to El Nido

HOW TO BOOK A TICKET FROM PUERTO PRINCESA TO EL NIDO

The most convenient way to book your ticket online from Puerto Princesa to El Nido is through 12Go. Through this online booking platform you will be able to discover the different options of travel available for you to make the journey with as well as compare prices, commute lengths, departure and arrival times plus where you will leave from and arrive in. Alongside this, you can check out the important information that is good to know before booking your ticket and travelling, with you also having a reliable form of contact may your travel plans change or if the trip you have booked may alter in any way.

Flight from Puerto Princesa

HOW TO GET TO YOUR DEPARTURE STATIONS IN PUERTO PRINCESA

Getting around Puerto Princesa is made easy with it being a city, meaning you have several options for getting to your departure station ahead of travelling from Puerto Princesa to El Nido. The choices that you have available for making the first part of your commute are;

  • Tricycle
  • Jeepney
  • Bus
  • Minivan
  • Car rental
  • Motorbike rental

When planning how you will get to your departure station, make sure to check the arrival time you will need to be there ahead of check in for your trip from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, as this will help you decide which form of transport to choose.

HOW TO GET TO YOUR FINAL DESTINATION IN EL NIDO

Once you have arrived from Puerto Princesa to El Nido you will then need to make the last part of the journey to get to your final destination. Similar to the transport available in Puerto Princesa you will be able to choose between options such as tricycles, jeepneys, buses, minivans, private rentals and private transfers. Some of these options are available to pre-book before arriving at El Nido which is always a great idea so that you have a smooth and stress free commute from your arrival station to your final destination.

El Nido

BEST TIME TO VISIT EL NIDO

In El Nido, the dry season is a great time to visit which is during the month of December through to and including April, with the weather having high temperatures of between 27 to 30 degrees, amazing sunshine days and the least amount of rainfall. Out of this time period the best month to visit is April as this is when the crowds are less so you can enjoy the blissful weather in a more relaxed environment. Humidity can be at a high level throughout this month, however, this will not become a problem if you make sure to spend your time near the glistening ocean, diving in magnificent spots and checking out lots of water activities.

HOW LONG TO SPEND IN EL NIDO

With so many beautiful places to explore on and around El Nido, you will want to make sure you have booked enough time for your trip to soak it all up. The least amount of time you will want to spend at the gorgeous destination is 4 days, with extending your stay to 7 days in this paradise being the best option. This is going to allow you to emerge yourself in the local activities as well as be able to do a couple of days island hopping.

El Nido

MUST-DO ACTIVITIES IN EL NIDO

These are some of the top activities that you will want to check out on your visit in El Nido…

Island hopping
There are several options you can choose from for island hopping with all of them taking you to view the most breathtaking places around El Nido. You will get to visit stunning lagoons and beautiful beaches with the chance to snorkel, relax and unwind whilst being surrounded by gorgeous landscapes.

Blue Lagoon
This is a spectacular place to visit. You will be in awe of the dramatic cliffs bordering the most crystal clear waters, making it a picture perfect spot to discover. Make sure to have your camera ready when you find this absolute gem of El Nido because it is a place you will want to capture the beauty of.

Go kayaking
Hiring a kayak to float along the glistening turquoise waters has to go on your El Nido bucket list of things to-do. Explore around at your own pace whilst soaking up the wonderful sunshine. One of the best spots to do this is at the Small Lagoon.

Hidden beach
To get here you will need to take a kayak or swim from a boat, as the entrance to get in is quite narrow. It is definitely somewhere you will want to see with a gorgeous white sand beach framed by wonderful limestone cliffs.

Watch a sunset
Enjoying the sun going down over the horizon at the end of a fun filled day should be on everyone’s must-do lists as this is a beautiful way to unwind and really enjoy a quiet moment to reflect on your trip. A great place to do this is at Las Cabanas Beach, which is also known as Marimegmeg Beach.

El Lido Cliffs

MORE PHILIPPINES BLOGS

If you are looking for more places to visit in the Philippines, how to get there and the best activities that you will definitely want to check out, then these are some great blogs you will want to have a read of…

ULTIMATE PHILIPPINES TRAVEL ITINERARY: 3-4 WEEKS ITINERARY

MOUNT BALOY: THE TOUGHEST HIKE IN THE PHILIPPINES

ULTIMATE CORON ITINERARY: ISLAND HOPPING, BEACHES, HIKES

13 AMAZING OVER-WATER BUNGALOWS IN THE PHILIPPINES

THE 14 BEST LUXURY RESORTS IN THE PHILIPPINES

HOW TO GET FROM MANILA TO BATANGAS: COMPLETE GUIDE

HOW TO GET FROM CEBU CITY TO OSLOB: ALL OPTIONS

Saturday 17th of February 2024

Great blogs, thank you!! :) Also the link for the '3-4 week itinerary' actually takes you to the 'toughest hike' page.