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Travel Details for Solo Travelers: Puerto Princessa to El Nido, Philippines (R/T)

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The sleeping man in front of me catches himself in time before falling out of the chair as the transfer van from Puerto Princessa to El Nido careens around another sharp corner at an alarming speed. The passenger on my left has long legs and the close quarters make for awkward moments where our legs are practically draped over one another. 

It’s a five-hour journey north through the winding roads of the jungle landscape of Puerto Princessa to El Nido. The van is at capacity with eleven passengers, plus a trunk space boasting a mountain of luggage. Determined to sleep along the way, the passenger’s heads bob to and fro like yo-yos on a string. The driver entertains the blonde foreign girls sharing the front seat as he glances at the road occasionally to keep his barring.

Van transfer is the most common means of transport from Puerto Princessa to El Nido, an island-hoppers favorite. Hailing some popular beaches and a handful of protected islands off the coast, El Nido is a tourist haven of water-based activities. 

The Journey From Puerto Princessa to El Nido

I watch the terrain as we push forward toward our destination. Rivers, bamboo forests, single-room wooden homes on stilts, cottages nestled between towering banana trees, and children far too young to be operating motorbikes. A solo window seat provides an advantage point of sporadic, but panoramic views of the Sulu Sea. The monochromatic color scheme of blue that creates the sea surrounding this island nation has been unlike any I’ve ever seen—and I’ve seen plenty of bodies of water around the globe.

The beauty of the coast in the Philippines going from Puerto Princessa to El Nido
The Sulu Sea sneak peeks

The van hits a speed bump jarring the sleeping to wake. They adjust themselves in their seats to try and slumber once more. I cross my legs, using my knee and foot to wedge myself against the back edge of the sliding door and the seat in front of me. Doing so keeps me relatively stationary despite the demonic movements of the van as it goes.

At the rest stop, the driver puffs his vaporizer and checks in with each passenger to verify hotel drop-off points. The end of his trek is the first bus terminal off the main road, about 3km outside of the center of town in El Nido. 

After discovering that almost everyone is staying in town, he announces the endpoint to each of us. He continues, in broken English, to explain the road is unpaved on this second leg of the journey and therefore riddled with bumps. The passengers nod in unison, understanding the story that lives in the gaps between the missing words. We share a few glances in solidarity understanding that this ride should continue to be interesting.

Puerto Princessa to El Nido as a solo traveler in the Philippines
Van company for this route of the trip north
Inside the van transports from Puerto Princessa to El Nido
The view from inside the van

The Return Trip: El Nido to Puerto Princessa

The bus terminal is chaos. The locals operating this outfit understand what’s what and who’s who, but the process is the definition of chaotic. I watch these young drivers maneuver these heavy vehicles within the confines of this impossibly small space. Multi-tasking, the drivers continue attempts to secure last-minute passengers to fill their financial quotas for the day.

I’ve made a reservation, but it’s obvious now that having one isn’t entirely necessary. Tourists arrive on tricycles— a motorbike with a sidecar that resembles a tuk-tuk —or piled on the back of motorbikes. Patrons harass each other as they arrive inquiring about final destinations and shouting out prices. 

I present my ticket and am told to wait until the van company my reservation is linked to has arrived. I was relieved to remove my pack for a while, I walked to this station from my accommodations about a kilometer down the road. It’s hot and I’m sleepy, so I am happy to take a load off as I sit down in the 60s-style plastic chair to wait.

Adolescents do what they do and display juvenile bravado, attempting to get my attention with whistles and catcalls. I don’t ignore them, instead, I turn my head and lock eyes with them with a raised eyebrow in a challenging stare down. Intimidated, or entertained, I’m not sure which, they guffaw and relent, leaving me in peace. 

A young man approaches me quickly calling the agency’s name aligning with my ticket and pointing at my pack. This movement to ask if this is all I have with me for loading. He grabs it, hoisting it over his shoulder like a nap sack full of rice. I make my way to the van and climb in, 

Securely in the vehicle, along with five other bodies, we wait. The van is not likely to leave until it’s full, but I’m grateful for the air conditioning. I’ve chosen the front seat, which will grant me more legroom than any other seat in the vehicle. This also positions me in the direct stream of the airconditioning. I exhale sharply and lean my tired head against the window as tropical raindrops begin to collide with the windshield.

Need More Solo Traveling Details for the Philippines?

The Philippines was one of my favorite destinations to adventure solo, and adventure I did! Taking myself to three different islands I got to experience the jungle, the sea, and the gracious people of this island nation.

Grab more solo traveling details regarding logistics from Cebu City to Oslob as a solo female, and don’t forget to watch the videos on my YouTube channel for more visual fun. 

A few days in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

**This blog post contains affiliate links.

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