How to Get Around the Philippines: Flights, Ferries and Tricycles
- Transport
- Flights
- Ferries
- Budget
Desk note — the quick answer
Book internal flights for anything over ~2 hours of ferry time; use fast ferries for Cebu↔Bohol (2h, from ₱920) and Coron↔El Nido (4h, from ₱1,800); vans for Palawan's long land legs (₱600–800); and never pay more than ₱150 for a tricycle ride in town. Carry ₱15,000 cash for transport. Fares checked August 2026 — they move, and the desk confirms today's numbers at booking.
The Philippines is 7,600 islands, and getting between the good ones is a skill — the country has no rail network worth the name, roads that follow coastlines instead of crossing them, and a ferry system that runs on Filipino time. After years of booking flights and ferry tickets weekly, here’s the transport playbook we actually use — numbers checked August 2026.
The decision tree
- Under 1 hour of ferry: take the ferry
- 1–3 hours by ferry, multiple weekly flights exist: compare price — flights win for time, ferries win for budget
- Over 3 hours by ferry: fly, almost always
- Land leg under 6 hours (Palawan): shared van
Internal flights
The Philippines’ domestic flying is cheap, frequent and — since the sector consolidated — surprisingly reliable. The main players:
- Cebu Pacific / Cebgo: the workhorses — biggest network, frequent sales. Cebgo now flies the routes AirSWIFT used to run (Coron, El Nido) under its own DG codes.
- Philippine Airlines (PAL): the legacy carrier, more schedule stability
- AirAsia: budget option on the main trunk routes (Manila–Cebu, Manila–Kalibo, Cebu–Caticlan)
The airport codes that matter:
| Airport | Code | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Manila | MNL | International gateway; jet routes stay here |
| Cebu | CEB | Visayas hub, best airport to fly into |
| Clark | CRK | North Luzon; all Coron & El Nido turboprops moved here Mar 2026 |
| Puerto Princesa | PPS | Palawan (Underground River) — keeps jet service from Manila |
| Busuanga | USU | Coron — from Clark or Cebu only, no Manila flights |
| El Nido | ENI | El Nido — from Clark or Cebu only, no Manila flights |
| Siargao | IAO | Siargao — from Cebu, Clark or Davao; Manila is gone |
| Caticlan | MPH | Boracay (fastest) |
| Kalibo | KLO | Boracay (cheapest, 2h transfer) |
| Bohol-Panglao | TAG | Bohol — from Manila, Clark, Davao or El Nido; no Cebu flights |
Rules that save money: book 6+ weeks ahead (fares triple at 2 weeks); fly midweek; check bags only if you must (7 kg carry-on is free, and small planes enforce it); and always book the first flight of the day — the morning departure is the one that gets cancelled least. See the full route board with fares for the numbers we ticket.
Ferries
Two ferry routes matter for tourism, and both are worth taking:
Cebu ↔ Bohol (2 hours, from ~₱920): OceanJet and SuperCat fast ferries run daily. This is the one ferry that beats flying — there is no Cebu–Bohol flight, and the airport transfer math never works out better.
Coron ↔ El Nido (3.5–4 hours, from ~₱1,800): the famous Palawan crossing. Montenegro (6:00am), Atienza (7:00am) and Jomalia (7:30am) run three morning sailings daily; book the 6am Montenegro. The ride is smooth in the dry season and honest-to-god rough in July–September. Seasickness pills, not pride.
Vans, buses and the land network
Palawan’s big leg — El Nido to Puerto Princesa (5–6 hours) — runs shared vans for ₱600–800 (first departure 5am is worth it; through the night they’re hourly). Buses do the same route for ₱860–1,360 but take 6–7 hours. Book the van through your hotel.
Cebu’s south corridor — Cebu City to Moalboal (3 hours) — is shared vans from the South Bus Terminal, or a tour transfer with us. Moalboal’s sardine run is a sunrise thing, so the early van matters.
Siargao’s airport leg — Sayak to General Luna, 30–40 minutes — is a standardized ₱300 shared van. The airport tricycle quote is the island’s oldest scam; skip it.
Getting around town
- Tricycles: ₱50–150 within any town; agree on the price before boarding. ₱150+ means you’re being quoted tourist rates.
- Scooter rental: ₱350–600/day on Siargao and El Nido (weekly deals from ₱3,000); you’ll need it on Siargao, and it’s the best money on El Nido’s Nacpan run.
- e-trike (Boracay): fixed routes, ₱150–200; no haggling needed — the app-style service fixed the rates.
- Grab: Manila, Cebu City and Clark only. On the islands, cash and haggling rule.
The cash rule
Transport eats cash: tricycles, vans, ferries, scooter deposits. Carry ₱15,000 in small bills (₱20s and ₱50s are gold for trike drivers — they never have change). ATMs exist on the islands but run dry on weekends and holidays.
Our transport rules
- First flight of the day, always
- Morning ferry, always
- Book vans through your hotel, not the street
- Agree trike prices before boarding
- Never transfer through Manila if CEB or CRK works
FAQ
Are Philippine domestic flights reliable?
Largely yes. Morning flights run on time most days; afternoon flights accumulate weather delays. Book the first departure and give yourself a buffer day before your international flight home.
Is it better to fly or take the ferry?
Under 3 hours of ferry time, the ferry usually wins on price and convenience (no airport security queues). Over 3 hours, fly. The Coron–El Nido ferry is the famous exception — it's a great trip in the dry season.
How much should internal flights cost?
Booked ahead, ₱1,500–4,000 per leg. Manila ↔ island hops run toward the high end; Cebu ↔ Bohol flights barely exist because the ferry wins.
Do I need to rent a scooter?
On Siargao, yes — the island's spread out and trikes add up fast. On El Nido, rent one for the Nacpan day. Elsewhere (Boracay, Bohol, Coron) transport is walkable or organized for you.
What's the one transport mistake tourists make?
Flying into Manila "because it's the international hub" and losing a day to traffic — or worse, expecting Manila–Siargao or Manila–El Nido flights that no longer exist. Fly into CEB or CRK whenever your route allows — you'll gain a beach day.