Puerto Princesa to Boracay

Travelling between the world famous beaches of Palawan (Puerto Princesa) and Boracay is now possible by air via Caticlan and Kalibo airports. In theory you can get there combining buses and ferries via Puerto Princesa North Road or Western Nautical Hwy but either way the distance is around 1000 km and it will take you up to two complete day to reach your destination without any chance to save any pesos in your pocket.

Flights from Puerto Princesa to Boracay

Currently, there are no direct flights, bus travel, or ferries that connect Puerto Princesa to Boracay.

The island itself does not have an airport so you will need to fly either into Caticlan or Kalibo Airport both of which are located on the main Panay Island. Caticlan is the closest airport to Boracay; it is only a few minutes from the jetty port where you can take a short ferry ride to Boracay.

Flying via Caticlan airport

There are two connecting routes bringing you from Puerto Princesa in Palawan to Caticlan Airport: via Manila or via Cebu.

Cebu Pacific Cebu Pacific flies to Boracay from Puerto Princesa daily via Manila. Expect ticket to cost between PHP4,000 and PHP5,400. The flight time itself is only about 2 hours and a half, out of which you spend 1h20m flying to Manila and 1h10m getting to the Caticlan Airport. Note though that there are always several hours of layover in Manila bringing the whole trip to 5 hours in average.

Air Asia also flies via Manila with a few hours layover. Air Asia tickets can be bought for around PHP3,700-PHP4,400.

Travelling via Cebu will save you about half an hour of flying time, though there is also a layover of a couple of hours. Direct flights between Palawan and Cebu followed by direct flights from Cebu to Caticlan are offered by Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines. Expect to pay PHP4,400 per pax the minimum.

To get from Caticlan airport to Boracay try My Boracay Guide – they offer transfers to any of Boracay hotels for about PHP675.

Flying via Kalibo airport

Alternatively, you can also fly to Kalibo Airport. It is slightly less convenient than flying via Caticlan as Kalibo is located approximately 2 hours by bus, van or taxi from Boracay. Flight time is around 2 hours 10 minutes not including the layover which can be fairly long.

Cebu Pacific, Air Asia and Philippine Airlines all offer a layover either in Manila or in Cebu.

You can book your ticket with Cebu Pacific for about PHP3200-PHP4000 while Philippine Airlines have seats available for a minimum of PHP4300. Air Asia airfare typically ranges between PHP3,600 and PHP4000.

From Kalibo Airport, there are buses or van transfers to Boracay for PHP200. You can pay a hundred more if you want a package that includes a ferry ticket all the way to Boracay island.

General notes

It is important to note here that it is not uncommon for flights to get severely delayed especially in the afternoon due to bad weather or air traffic congestion. There is always a risk of missing your connecting flight and getting transferred to a different flight which means further delays.

Another factor to consider is the sunset limitation in Caticlan airport which means no landing after sunset.

With this in mind, you might want considering making a proper stopover in either Manila or Cebu and flying to Boracay from there.