Philippines West: Manila to Palawan to Coron, Self-Launched
10 days · Philippines (Manila, Palawan & Coron)
TruTravels charges £955
No-markup version: ~£475 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of the classic Manila–Palawan–Coron island-hopping route: Makati nightlife, a local-family lunch in Port Barton, turtle snorkelling, El Nido's lagoons and Nacpan Beach, a castaway-style island stay, and Coron's wreck and lagoon scene. You book the same boat trips, boats and buses yourself — the local operators run virtually all of these tours anyway — and you're free of the 18–39 age cap. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and assume dorm/twin-share accommodation, local transport (flights, buses, bangka boats) and self-booked day trips.
Day-by-day
Arrive Manila — Makati
Manila
Land at NAIA and take a Grab (ride-hailing, ~£5-7) or the airport bus/jeepney combination into Makati. Check into a hostel or budget hotel around Poblacion/Makati, then walk the neighbourhood: Poblacion's bar and street-food strip is the easiest intro to Manila. Stock up on cash (ATMs are everywhere in Makati but less reliable on the islands), get a local SIM/eSIM (~£3-5 for data), and confirm your flight to Puerto Princesa for tomorrow.
🚌Grab from NAIA (~£5-7); walk/metro within Manila
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Makati/Poblacion (dorm £8-12, private £18-25)
- →Poblacion street food and bar crawl
- →Makati/Ayala evening wander
- →Buy local SIM and withdraw cash
Fly to Puerto Princesa, bus to Port Barton
Port Barton, Palawan
Early flight Manila–Puerto Princesa with Cebu Pacific or AirAsia (~£25-40 booked ahead). From the airport, either take the direct shuttle van to Port Barton (~3.5-4 hrs, ~£7-9) or a bus/van to Roxas then onward — the direct van is simplest. Arrive in Port Barton (San Vicente), a laid-back fishing village with no big resorts. Instead of the tour's family lunch, book a homestay or ask your guesthouse to arrange a home-cooked Filipino meal with a local family — many do this for ~£5-8. Sunset on the beach.
🚌Flight Manila–Puerto Princesa (~£30); shared van to Port Barton (~£8)
🛏Beach guesthouse/hostel in Port Barton (dorm £7-10, private £15-22)
- →Domestic flight to Puerto Princesa
- →Scenic van ride to Port Barton
- →Home-cooked Filipino meal with a local family
Port Barton island hopping & turtles
Port Barton
Join a joiner boat tour from the beach — the classic Port Barton island-hopping trip (German Island, Exotic Island, turtle snorkelling spots) is sold at every beachfront stall for ~£15-20 including lunch and snorkel gear. The turtle snorkelling here is genuinely excellent and far less crowded than El Nido. Afternoon free for kayaking or just hanging at the beach; the fishing village lunch stop is included in most trips.
🚌Boat tour from Port Barton beach (included in tour price)
🛏Beach guesthouse/hostel in Port Barton
- →Port Barton island hopping boat tour
- →Snorkelling with sea turtles
- →Lunch at a small fishing village
- →Beach and kayak afternoon
Port Barton to El Nido
El Nido
Take the shared van or bus from Port Barton to El Nido (~4-5 hrs, ~£9-12), or the slower Roro/boat route if you prefer. Arrive El Nido town, check into a hostel or guesthouse in town or in nearby Corong Corong. Free afternoon: grab lunch, walk the town beach, do the canopy walk for sunset views over the bay, or head to Las Cabanas for sunset drinks. Book your El Nido island-hopping tour (Tour A is the lagoon trip) and, if you want it, the zip line for tomorrow.
🚌Shared van Port Barton–El Nido (~£10)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in El Nido town or Corong Corong (dorm £8-12, private £20-30)
- →Scenic transfer up the Palawan coast
- →El Nido town and canopy walk
- →Las Cabanas sunset
- →Book El Nido boat tours
El Nido island hopping — lagoons
El Nido
Join a joiner Tour A boat trip (Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Seven Commandos Beach) — ~£18-25 with lunch, booked at any tour office in town or via Klook/GetYourGuide a day ahead. Kayaking in the Big Lagoon is usually a small add-on (~£4-6) and worth it. Snorkelling stops are lighter on Tour A, so consider Tour C (Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine) for snorkelling or ask around about combining. Crystal-clear water and karst cliffs either way.
🚌Boat tour from El Nido town beach
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in El Nido
- →El Nido Tour A island hopping
- →Small and Big Lagoon kayaking
- →Snorkelling stops
- →Beach lunch
Zipline & Nacpan Beach
El Nido / Nacpan
Do the El Nido zip line over the sea (~£10-12, runs across the water between two islets) — walk the Las Cabanas beach path to find the launch point. Then hire a motorcycle taxi or tricycle to Nacpan Beach (~40 min, ~£8-10 return shared) and spend the day on the long golden sand strip with its twin beach and beach bars. Return to town in the evening; book your Daracotan/Coron boat trip and onward transfer for the next days.
🚌Tricycle/motorbike taxi to Nacpan Beach (~£9 return)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in El Nido
- →Zipline over the ocean
- →Nacpan Beach day
- →Booking onward island transfer
Daracotan Island castaway stay
Daracotan Island (near El Nido)
The operator's Daracotan stay is a private island experience, but you can replicate it independently: several small islands and beach camps around El Nido and Taytay (e.g. island beach camps and simple bamboo hut stays bookable via local guesthouses or via Airbnb/Booking) offer basic bamboo huts, meals and snorkel access for ~£15-25 a night including dinner. Book ahead through your El Nido guesthouse or a local boat operator. Expect simple setup (bucket showers, generator power), a barbecue dinner, and a bonfire on the beach — plus snorkelling over reef and nearby small wrecks. Ask the boatman for a village stop on the way.
🚌Bangkaror boat from El Nido (~£12-18 return, arranged locally)
🛏Basic bamboo hut / island beach camp (twin-share, ~£15-25 with dinner)
- →Boat to a small island beach camp
- →Snorkelling over reef and shallow wrecks
- →Fisherman village visit
- →Beach barbecue and bonfire
Island hop to Coron
Coron
The fast ferry from El Nido to Coron (Montenegro/PSSS lines) runs daily and takes ~3.5-4 hrs (~£25-35, book online or at the pier a day or two ahead). Morning snorkel before departure, then cross to Busuanga. Arrive Coron town, check in, and walk up Mt Tapyas for sunset (~700 steps, free) and soak in the Maquinit Hot Springs (~£4) afterwards. Book the Coron island-hopping Tour A (Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon) for tomorrow — both direct and via Klook.
🚌Fast ferry El Nido–Coron (~£30)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Coron town (dorm £8-12, private £18-28)
- →El Nido–Coron ferry crossing
- →Mount Tapyas sunset climb
- →Maquinit Hot Springs
- →Book Coron boat tours and wreck dives
Coron island hopping — Kayangan & Twin Lagoon
Coron
Join Coron Tour A (~£18-25 with lunch): Kayangan Lake (the photogenic viewpoint), Twin Lagoon, CYC Beach, Skeleton Wreck and a couple of snorkel spots. Book at any Coron tour office or on Klook the day before. Divers can instead do a wreck-dive day (WWII Japanese wrecks in Coron Bay, ~£35-50 for two dives with a local shop) — this is one of the best wreck-diving destinations in Asia. Evening: Coron town dinner scene and a drink on the waterfront.
🚌Boat tour from Coron town pier
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Coron town
- →Coron Tour A island hopping
- →Kayangan Lake and Twin Lagoon
- →Snorkelling at Skeleton Wreck
- →Optional wreck diving (extra ~£35-50)
Coron departure / onward travel
Coron
Breakfast and a transfer to Francisco B. Reyes (Busuanga) Airport for flights back to Manila (Cebu Pacific/AirAsia, ~£25-45) — tricycles and shared vans run from town (~£2-4). If you have time, add a day on Busuanga's Calauit or Black Island, or take the long ferry back to Manila if you're on a deep budget. Ask your guesthouse about onward travel help — the same service the tour guide offers.
🚌Tricycle/shared van to Busuanga Airport (~£3); flight to Manila (~£30)
🛏Not included (onward travel day)
- →Transfer to Busuanga Airport
- →Flight to Manila or onward connection
Self-launched vs. TruTravels
| This itinerary (self-launched) | TruTravels | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£475 | £955 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £480 per person (50%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more TruTravels-style trips? Check them out here.~£475
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 Philippines West: Manila to Palawan to Coron, Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £475 per person for 10 days in Philippines (Manila, Palawan & Coron). 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 TruTravels?+
Yes — TruTravels charges around £955 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £475 — a saving of roughly £480 (50%) per person.
How long is the Philippines (Manila, Palawan & Coron) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Philippines (Manila, Palawan & Coron).
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 backpacker, island-hopping, beaches trip through Philippines (Manila, Palawan & Coron), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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