What to expect when visiting Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines — an old city often disregarded by travellers who use it only as a gateway to the country’s more visually appealing islands. But if you have an extra day in your itinerary, we think Manila’s colourful history is a great way to kick off your trip.
Explore the walled city of Intramuros, Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church — all of which were first built in the late 1500s. Art and anthropology also attract many locals to Manila. You will find here the National Museum, a complex of three museum buildings that tell the story of the Filipinos.
4 ways to get from El Nido to Manila
There are 4 ways to travel the distance of 623 kilometers (387 miles) from El Nido to Manila by Direct flight (1 hour 30 minutes), ferry (20 hours 30 minutes to 22 hours 30 minutes), minivan + flight via Puerto Princesa (6 hours 30 minutes to 7 hours) and minivan + flight via San Vicente (3 hours 45 minutes). The journey duration ranges between 1 hour 30 minutes to 22 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by direct flight. The lowest priced tickets start from €26 for the minivan + flight via Puerto Princesa.Where to stay in Manila?
Still looking for accommodation? Don't forget to check out our favourite places to stay in Manila at the bottom of this page.
El Nido to Manila by Minivan + Flight via Puerto Princesa
The most popular option to travel from El Nido to Manila is a combination of a 5 to 5.5-hour minivan ride to Puerto Princesa and a 1.5-hour flight to Manila.
More airlines operate flights from Puerto Princesa to Manila and fares are cheaper for this route. In fact, combined fares for this indirect flight option are less than half of the direct flight fare from El Nido to Manila.
Step 1: El Nido to Puerto Princesa by Minivan
From El Nido Transport Terminal, there are multiple minivans bound for Puerto Princesa. Fortwally and Eulen Joy Express vans head straight to Puerto Princesa Airport, so you won’t need any additional rides.
The van ride can take 5h - 5h 30m with fares from €9.80.
We highly suggest booking online in advance via BookAway if you have already booked your flight from Puerto Princesa to Manila. This way, you can plan your trip from El Nido to Puerto Princesa Airport accordingly without missing your flight.
Klook also offers shared transfers between El Nido and Puerto Princesa for 600 PHP (€9.60) per person. Reviews for this activity are consistently 4 out of 5 stars, citing friendly staff.
Note that there are reviews about the lack of legroom and the van not leaving on time. Unfortunately, these are common occurrences when taking a van in the Philippines.
Read more details in our article about going from El Nido to Puerto Princesa.
Step 2: Puerto Princesa to Manila by Flight
The second leg of your trip is a flight from Puerto Princesa to Manila. AirAsia and Cebu Pacific are low-cost carriers operating this route. Philippine Airlines usually offers more expensive flights among the three.
Same as direct flights from El Nido to Manila, it takes 1.5 hours from Puerto Princesa to Manila.
Book your flight ticket in advance
Flights from Puerto Princesa to Manila are as cheap as 1,000 PHP (€16).
Note that flight fares get more expensive if you are booking shortly from the scheduled flight. Also, during peak seasons, ticket fares can get more costly and even sell out.
Aside from booking tickets during seat sales, booking your flight months in advance is the best way to avail cheap tickets for your trip. To find the cheapest available flights, we recommend checking Skyscanner.
Manila Airport
Flights from Puerto Princesa to Manila also land at Manila Airport in Pasay City. NAIA Terminal 2 is exclusive for Philippine Airlines flights.
Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia flights both land at Terminal 4. These two terminals are about 10 minutes away from each other.
TIP: Cebu Pacific and AirAsia offer many promotions annually. Keep an eye out for these promotions to book a cheaper flight for this route!
El Nido to Manila by Minivan + Flight via San Vicente
Aside from El Nido and Puerto Princesa, San Vicente has a small airport where you can take a flight to Manila. This town is located 2 to 3 hours away from El Nido, so travel time is shorter compared to taking a flight via Puerto Princesa.
San Vicente is a budding tourist destination in Palawan. You’ll find here the longest white sand beach in the Philippines, which makes for a good side trip opportunity before heading to Manila.
This option includes a 2-hour minivan ride from El Nido to San Vicente and a 1-hour-45-minute flight with Sunlight Air from San Vicente to Manila.
Step 1: El Nido to San Vicente by Minivan
Since San Vicente is a small town with only two flights a week at its airport, public transportation is not regularly available.
For this reason, Sunlight Air, the sole airline operating between San Vicente and Manila, offers minivan transfers for its passengers. Tickets cost 785 PHP (€12.50) one way, and you can book your seat through their Facebook page.
The minivan will pick you up from El Nido Terminal and drop you off at San Vicente Airport in time for your flight to Manila.
We suggest booking your seat with Sunlight Air, especially since the flight is early in the morning. If by public transportation, you will need to take a bus or a minivan to Roxas town or junction and then ride an e-tricycle (electric tuk-tuk) to San Vicente Airport.
Step 2: San Vicente to Manila by Flight
Sunlight Air offers flights between San Vicente and Manila twice a week. The flight departs San Vicente at 07:00 on Sundays and Thursdays.
Airfares start from 3,000 PHP (€48), but you can score cheaper tickets during seat sales.
It takes around 1h 45m from San Vicente to Manila by flight.
El Nido to Manila by Ferry
Travelling by ferry from El Nido to Manila takes the longest. With the ferry options available, you’ll arrive in Manila after 20 hours 30 minutes to 22 hours 30 minutes.
The shorter option is a 1-day direct ferry with Atienza Interisland Ferries from El Nido to Manila.
Alternatively, you can take an indirect ferry via Coron with 2Go Travel. This option requires a 4 to 5-hour ferry ride from El Nido to Coron and a 17 to 18-hour ferry ride from Coron to Manila, all in all taking about 1.5 days.
Departure and arrival station
With the indirect ferry option, you need to first take a ferry from El Nido Ferry Terminal to Coron Port. Here, you can take the 2GO Travel ferry to Manila North Harbour Pier 4.
Option 1: El Nido to Manila with Atienza Interisland Ferries
The sole company offering direct ferry trips from El Nido to Manila is Atienza Interisland Ferries with only one departure a week.
The ferry departs El Nido every Sunday at 10:00 and arrives at Manila at around 11:00 the day after. Both passengers and cargo are allowed on the ferry.
Economy class tickets cost 2,210 PHP (€35), while an air-con tourist class ticket costs 2,410 PHP (€38).
Since Atienza does not have a website for online booking, you need to buy your tickets at the port or from a local travel agency. You may also contact the numbers posted on their Facebook page.
Option 2: El Nido to Manila via Coron with 2Go Ferry
2Go Travel is one of the most famous ferry companies in the Philippines, so it is often travellers’ first choice for sea travel.
However, 2Go Travel doesn’t offer direct ferry trips from El Nido to Manila. Instead, you need to take a ferry from El Nido to Coron first and take the 2Go ferry from Coron to Manila.
Step 1: El Nido to Coron by Ferry
There are three fast ferry companies operating between El Nido and Coron.
The cheapest option is Montenegro Lines with daily trips at 12:00. Ferry tickets with Montenegro cost €44.
Judy Ferry Travel and Atienza Interisland Ferries also operate ferry trips on this route. However, tickets are more expensive starting from 3,200 PHP (€51), and their ferry trips are only on select days.
Travel time is about 3h 30m - 4h 30m, so you’ll arrive in Coron between 16:00 and 17:30.
For more information, you can visit our page on El Nido to Coron.
Step 2: Coron to Manila by Ferry
The 2Go ferry from Coron to Manila operates only on Mondays and Thursdays. Travel time takes 17-18h to Manila North Harbour with fares starting from 1,400 PHP (€22).
With the ferry schedules from El Nido to Coron and Coron to Manila, you might not make it in time for the 18:00 trip to Manila in case there are delays.
We suggest taking the 02:00 ferry trip on a Monday instead so that you’ll have enough time between your arrival in Coron and your departure to Manila.
Atienza Interisland Ferries also offers ferry trips from Coron to Manila every Wednesday and Saturday. The ferry also departs at 18:00, and travel time to Manila is about 18 hours. You can book your tickets online through BookAway.
Want more details? Read how to go from Coron to Manila.
El Nido to Manila by Direct Flight
The direct flight is the fastest option from El Nido to Manila, but it is also the most expensive.
Airswift is the only airline offering direct flights on this route, and it takes 1 hour 30 minutes from El Nido to Manila.
El Nido Airport
Flights depart from El Nido Airport, which is only 5 km away from the town centre. A tricycle ride from your hotel to the airport costs 300 PHP (€4.80) for 2 passengers with luggage.
You can also check with your hotel if they offer transport to the airport.
Manila Airport
The direct flight from El Nido to Manila lands at the main airport in Manila: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City. You can take a taxi or Grab outside the airport building.
Note that the Manila Airport has 4 separate terminals that are quite far from one another. This is important to consider when booking a connecting flight. AirSwift flights land at Terminal 4.
TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.
Best places to stay in Manila
Manila is a bustling metropolitan city that can be slightly overwhelming at first. Not just because of the busy streets and towering skyscrapers, but also because of the number of hotels to pick from. There are a lot!
No matter your price range, we’ve found some great places to stay in the best locations so you don’t have to do that research.
Before you start reading about our favourite stays, it’s good to know a bit about the best areas to stay in Manila. That way, you’re picking the best accommodation in the area that’s right for you.
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- Makati is our favourite area to stay in Manila, and where most of our favourite stays are. It’s one of the most upscale areas in Manila and is known for its shopping malls, restaurants, and nightlife.
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- Bonifacio Global City (BGC) is a newer development in Manila and is known for its modern architecture, restaurants and shopping centres.
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- Malate is a lively area known for its bars, nightclubs and restaurants. It’s also close to several tourist attractions, such as Rizal Park and Intramuros.
Somerset Central Salcedo Makati - Treating Yourself
Area: Makati City centre — approx. 10-minute walk to shopping malls and business centre
As soon as you step into Somerset Central, you forget about the hustle and bustle going on outside the doors. Inside the hotel you’re met with luxury, relaxation and a chance to rejuvenate yourself in the gym or outdoor pool.
The grandeur of the hotel continues in the rooms, decorated in a stylish and modern design. The highlight of the room are the beds. They’re huge and super comfortable, guaranteeing you a great night’s sleep.
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Gym
- A la carte restaurant
- Continental breakfast included
Double rooms start from $50 per night
Hotel 101 Manila - Mid Range
Area: Along Mall of Asia complex — approx. 10-minute drive to shopping malls and airport
Hotel 101 Manila has everything you could ask for from a city hotel. It has a refreshing outdoor pool, a delicious on-site restaurant and it’s close to the airport — perfect if you’re flying in or out of Manila.
The rooms are large, comfortable and exceptionally clean. With their incredible hospitality, the staff make you feel like you’re staying in a 5-star hotel.
- Outdoor swimming pool
- On-site restaurant
- Amazing staff
- Great and convenient location
Double rooms cost $30-$50 per night
Hop Inn Hotel Makati Avenue - Budget Friendly
Area: Makati City centre — approx. 5-minute drive to nearest shopping mall
Only passing through Manila? Hop Inn Hotel is perfect for those spending just a few nights in the busy city. It’s clean, modern and has all of the basic amenities that you could possibly need.
Modern minimalism would be a good way to describe this place. Plus you won’t be spending too much time in your room as you’re located in Makati, one of the best neighbourhoods in Manila.
- Clean and modern rooms
- Great location
- Air conditioning
- Helpful staff
Double rooms cost $15-$30 per night
Frequently Asked Questions about El Nido to Manila
What is the distance from El Nido to Manila?
The distance from El Nido to Manila is 623 kilometers (387 miles).
What is the fastest way to get from El Nido to Manila?
The fastest way to get from El Nido to Manila is by direct flight and takes 1 hour 30 minutes.
What is the cheapest way to get from El Nido to Manila?
The cheapest way to get from El Nido to Manila is by minivan + flight via Puerto Princesa with ticket costs starting from €26.
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from El Nido to Manila. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
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Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Abby is a writer who finds joy in mountains, beaches, and road trips. She considers her solo backpacking trip to the rice terraces of Bontoc one of the most fulfilling moments in her life. She’s loyal to the islands of her home country, the Philippines, but Thailand’s beaches also have a special place in her heart.
