Home / Balabac travel guide / Balabac vs El Nido and Coron
El Nido, Coron and Balabac are all in Palawan, and they are not interchangeable. El Nido and Coron are the famous, convenient choices. Balabac is the far one that costs you a long journey and gives you empty sandbars in return. Here is the honest trade-off.
Side by side
| Balabac | El Nido | Coron | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access | Fly to Puerto Princesa, then about 5 hours by van and 3 to 4 hours by boat | Direct flights to El Nido airport, or a long van from Puerto Princesa | Flights to Busuanga, then a short land transfer |
| Trip style | Multi-day expedition, camping on a beach | Day tours from a town base | Day tours and wreck diving from a town base |
| Where you sleep | Tent with mattress at a beachfront campsite | Hotels and hostels for every budget | Hotels and hostels for every budget |
| How busy it is | Very few visitors, and you can have a sandbar to yourself | Busy, especially in peak season | Busy, especially at the wrecks |
| Signature scenery | Sandbars, shallow lagoons, coral gardens | Limestone lagoons and cliffs | Shipwrecks and limestone lakes |
| Facilities | No cell signal at camp, no ATMs on the islands | Full tourist infrastructure | Full tourist infrastructure |
| Commitment | 3 or 4 days minimum | 1 day | 1 day |
| Best for | Travellers who want remoteness and do not mind basic camping | Travellers who want comfort and short trips | Divers and travellers based in a town |
The short version
- Choose El Nido for dramatic limestone cliffs, easy access and lots of hotels
- Choose Coron for wreck diving, lakes and a well-established tourist town
- Choose Balabac for remote islands, empty sandbars, reefs and almost no crowds - and accept a long journey and camping
How you get there
All three start from Puerto Princesa (PPS) if you fly into Palawan. El Nido and Coron are established destinations with frequent connections and plenty of onward transport. Balabac is different: from Puerto Princesa it is roughly a six-hour road transfer south to Buliluyan Port, and then a boat crossing to the islands. That final leg is what keeps the crowds away.
How you sleep
In El Nido and Coron you book a hotel, a resort or a hostel room. In Balabac, with us, you sleep in a tent with a mattress on a beach at the campsite in Punta Sebaring. Shared toilets, a bucket shower, generator power from 6 PM to 10 PM and no mobile signal at all. This is camping, not glamping, and it is the single biggest difference between the three destinations.
Crowds
El Nido and Coron are popular for good reason, and the well-known spots get busy. Balabac receives a fraction of that traffic. We time our runs so that we reach Onok Island before the day-trippers arrive, which is a large part of why people who make the journey say it was worth it.
What you pay for
In El Nido and Coron you pay per night for accommodation and separately for tours, permits and food. Our Balabac packages are all-inclusive: round-trip van transfer from Puerto Princesa, a private roofed boat, a licensed captain and guide, all meals, camping equipment, island and environmental fees, and campsites owned by local families. The 4-day Balabac Expedition is ₱19,800 per person for a group of 4, and the 3-day Essential Balabac is ₱17,800 per person for a group of 4.
Which should you pick?
If this is your first trip to Palawan, have limited time, or want comfort and convenience, go to El Nido or Coron. If you have already done those, want somewhere genuinely remote, and are happy to camp on a beach with no signal, Balabac is the trip. If you want the islands without the logistics, that is exactly what we handle.
Questions travellers ask
Can I visit Balabac and El Nido on the same trip?
Yes, but allow real time for it. Balabac is a full day of travel each way from Puerto Princesa, so most travellers do one or the other rather than both in a short trip.
Is Balabac cheaper than El Nido?
Not necessarily. Our packages are all-inclusive at PHP 19,800 for 4 days or PHP 17,800 for 3 days per person for a group of 4, which covers transfers, boat, crew, food and fees. Compare that against hotel nights plus separate tours, permits and meals in El Nido.
Is Balabac better than El Nido?
Different, not better. Balabac gives you emptiness and remoteness at the cost of a long journey and camping. El Nido gives you convenience and famous scenery.
Do you run tours to El Nido or Coron?
No. We are a Balabac operator based in Balabac, Bugsuk Island, and we only run Balabac expeditions.
Deciding between destinations?
Message us and we will tell you honestly whether Balabac suits the trip you are planning.