Getting Around the Philippines: Flights vs Ferries
Pick a Route
All routes ↓Fly the long hops. Take the boat when the crossing is under about 4 hours.
Flights vs Ferries
| Route | Fly | By sea / road | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manila → Cebu | About 1 h 20 min · PAL, Cebu Pacific, AirAsia | Overnight ship (2GO) — slow | ✈️ Fly |
| Cebu → Bohol (Tagbilaran) | — | Fast ferry about 2 h, ₱800–1,400 · car ferry about 4 h | ⛴️ Ferry |
| Cebu → Davao | About 1 h 15 min · Cebu Pacific, PAL, AirAsia | — | ✈️ Fly |
| Iloilo → Bicol (Daraga, DRP) | 1 h 20–35 min · Cebgo, a few days a week | Very long by road and sea | ✈️ Fly — check days |
| El Nido → Coron | Few small-plane seats | Fast ferry 3.5–5 h, ₱1,800–4,000 | ⛴️ Ferry (Dec–May) |
| Manila → El Nido | No Manila (NAIA) flights since 29 Mar 2026 — fly from Clark (about 1 h 40 min) or Cebu · Cebgo | Fly to Puerto Princesa (about 1.5 h) + van 5–6 h, ₱600–800 | Either |
| Manila → Coron (Busuanga) | No Manila (NAIA) flights since 29 Mar 2026 — fly from Clark (1 h 5–25 min) or Cebu · PAL, Cebgo, Sunlight Air | 2GO ship about 13 h, weekly (Friday) | ✈️ Fly from Clark or Cebu |
| Coron → Cebu | About 1–1.5 h · PAL, Cebgo, Sunlight Air | — | ✈️ Fly |
| Cebu → Siargao | About 45 min | Via Surigao City, then a ferry 1.5–2 h | ✈️ Fly |
| Manila → Boracay | Kalibo + 1.5–2 h by road, or Caticlan (closest; some flights now use Clark) | + 15-min boat to the island | ✈️ Fly |
| Dumaguete → Siquijor | — | Fast boat about 1 h | ⛴️ Ferry |
| Manila → Puerto Princesa | About 1.5 h · PAL, Cebu Pacific | 2GO ship about 29 h, weekly | ✈️ Fly |
Prices checked November 2026. Domestic flights usually cost $30–120 one way; promo seats go lower, holidays higher. Ferry fares change by boat and class.
Clark: The Small-Plane Hub
Since 29 March 2026 turboprop flights no longer use Manila’s NAIA. Coron (Busuanga), El Nido (Cebgo, formerly AirSWIFT) and Siargao now fly from Clark, north of Manila, or from Cebu. Point-to-point buses link NAIA and Clark; allow about 3 hours.
El Nido ↔ Coron by Sea
| Operators | Montenegro Lines, Phimal, Island Water, Atienza, Jomalia |
|---|---|
| Time | 3.5–5 h by fast craft |
| Fare | ₱1,800–4,000 |
| Book | A day or more ahead, December–May |
| Cancelled | Often, in rough seas (about June–October) |
Full Palawan detail: getting around Palawan.
Who Runs What
| Operators | |
|---|---|
| Airlines | Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific, Cebgo (small planes), AirAsia Philippines, Sunlight Air |
| Big ships | 2GO — overnight routes such as Manila–Coron |
| Fast craft | OceanJet, SuperCat and others in the Visayas (Cebu–Bohol); Montenegro, Phimal, Island Water in Palawan |
| On land | Vans (Palawan), buses, jeepneys, tricycles; Grab in big cities — see getting around Manila |
Booking Tips
- Flights: book in the airline app. Low fares often exclude checked bags; small planes have strict weight limits.
- Ferries: buy a day or more ahead in December–May, on the operator’s site or a booking site such as Barkota or 12Go.
- ID: carry your passport for every boat. Terminal and environmental fees are paid in cash.
- Typhoon season (June–October): sailings stop when storm signals go up. Keep a spare day before an international flight.
- One airport in, another out: fly into Puerto Princesa and out of Busuanga (or the reverse) to skip a 6-hour backtrack.
Putting it together: the Philippines in 2 Weeks itinerary uses three flights and two boats.
Plan
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