Self-Launched El Nido to Coron Expedition (Linapacan Islands, 3 Days)
3 days · Palawan, Philippines
LakbayPalawan charges £560
No-markup version: ~£265 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on LakbayPalawan's 3-day El Nido–Coron expedition through the remote Linapacan Islands. Rather than a private fully-guided boat, you book onto one of the regular small-group expedition boats that run El Nido→Coron (or DIY the legs with local ferries and island hop-tours), sleep in simple beach cottages and guesthouses on Linapacan, and snorkel the same shipwrecks, turtle grounds, WWII cave and sandbars. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
El Nido to Linapacan — sandbars and a shipwreck
El Nido → Linapacan
Meet your boat at Dipany/Corong-Corong port in El Nido around 8am — the standard expedition boats run this crossing several times a week (book seats online or through any El Nido tour desk, roughly £45-55 including lunch). Sail south past the shifting Maosonon and Magarangsing sandbars (ask the crew to slow down for photos), then stop at a Japanese WWII shipwreck site for your first snorkel. Lunch is cooked on board — usually grilled fish, rice and fruit. Arrive Linapacan early afternoon, check into a simple beachfront cottage or homestay, and watch the sunset with a rum-and-coke from the village sari-sari store.
🚌Shared expedition bangka boat from Dipany port, El Nido (~£50 incl. lunch)
🛏Basic beachfront cottage or homestay on Linapacan (~£12)
- →Boat crossing El Nido–Linapacan
- →Snorkelling at WWII shipwreck
- →Maosonon & Magarangsing sandbars
- →Sunset at Linapacan village
Turtles, WWII cave and empty islands
Linapacan Islands
Hire a local outrigger boatman (or join a small group at your guesthouse — around £20-25 per person for a half-day charter split between 4-6 people) to reach the seagrass meadows where green turtles feed; go early, 7-8am, before the day boats. Bring your own mask and snorkel (rentable in El Nido for ~£3/day). After lunch, hike 20-30 minutes up to the Japanese WWII cave with a village guide — steep and slippery, wear trainers. Spend the rest of the afternoon drifting between empty coves. Dinner is wherever your guesthouse cooks — expect grilled squid, adobong manok and rice (~£5).
🚌Shared local outrigger boat charter (~£22)
🛏Beachfront cottage/homestay on Linapacan (~£14)
- →Green turtle snorkelling
- →Hike to Japanese WWII cave
- →Island-hopping by local outrigger
- →Village dinner
Linapacan to Coron — Kayagan Lake and reef snorkelling
Linapacan → Coron
Leave Linapacan on the morning expedition boat (or the local passenger bangka if you're going fully budget, ~£15 and slower). En route stop at Kayagan Lake for a short swim, then the beaches of Dikabayutot and Ditaytayan for snorkelling on the coral gardens — bring reef-safe sunscreen. Boats usually reach Coron town by late afternoon (roughly £35-40 for the leg including stops). Drop your bag at a Coron guesthouse (~£12), walk up Mt Tapyas for sunset if you've still got legs, and eat at a cheap eatery on the main strip. From Coron you can fly out via Busuanga (USU) or take the ferry to Manila.
🚌Shared expedition boat to Coron (~£38)
🛏Coron town guesthouse (~£14)
- →Kayagan Lake swim
- →Dikabayutot & Ditaytayan beaches
- →Coral reef snorkelling
- →Optional Mt Tapyas sunset hike
Self-launched vs. LakbayPalawan
| This itinerary (self-launched) | LakbayPalawan | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£265 | £560 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £295 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more LakbayPalawan-style trips? Check them out here.~£265
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched El Nido to Coron Expedition (Linapacan Islands, 3 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £265 per person for 3 days in Palawan, Philippines. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with LakbayPalawan?+
Yes — LakbayPalawan charges around £560 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £265 — a saving of roughly £295 (53%) per person.
How long is the Palawan, Philippines trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 day-by-day stops through Palawan, Philippines.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, beaches, backpacker trip through Palawan, Philippines, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
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