There are 4 ways to get from El Nido to Sandakan by plane, ferry, car ferry, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly El Nido Airport to Sandakan Airport
best- Fly from El Nido Airport (ENI) to Sandakan Airport (SDK)plane ENI - SDK
14h 35mRM 632–1,740Ferry, car ferry
cheapest- Take the ferry from El Nido, Palawan to Coronferry
- Take the ferry from Coron to Manila North Harbor Pier 4ferry
- Take the ferry from Manila to Zamboangaferry
- Take the car ferry from Zamboanga to Sandakan Harbourcarferry
3d 12hRM 569–1,546Minivan to Puerto Princesa, fly to Sandakan Airport
- Take the bus from El Nido to Puerto Princesa Airportbus
- Fly from Puerto Princesa (PPS) to Sandakan Airport (SDK)plane PPS - SDK
18h 30mRM 1,188–1,994Fly El Nido Airport to Kota Kinabalu Airport, bus
- Fly from El Nido Airport (ENI) to Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI)plane ENI - BKI
- Take the bus from Kota Kinabalu North Bus Terminal Inanam to Sandakanbus
17h 25mRM 583–1,785
El Nido Airport (ENI) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from El Nido to Sandakan is to ferry and car ferry which costs RM 550 - RM 1600 and takes 3 days 12h.
The fastest way to get from El Nido to Sandakan is to fly which takes 14h 35m and costs RM 600 - RM 1800.
No, there is no direct ferry from El Nido to Sandakan. However, there are services departing from El Nido, Palawan and arriving at Sandakan Harbour via Coron, Manila and Zamboanga. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 3 days 12h.
The distance between El Nido and Sandakan is 627 km.
The best way to get from El Nido to Sandakan without a car is to ferry and car ferry which takes 3 days 12h and costs RM 550 - RM 1600.
It takes approximately 14h 35m to get from El Nido to Sandakan, including transfers.
There are 213+ hotels available in Sandakan.
What companies run services between El Nido, Philippines and Sandakan, Malaysia?
AirSWIFT, AirAsia Philippines, and four other airlines fly from El Nido Airport (ENI) to Sandakan Airport (SDK) twice daily.
- Website
- airasia.com
Flights from El Nido Airport to Sandakan Airport via Mactan–Cebu, Kuala Lumpur
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- RM 1,000–2,500
Flights from El Nido Airport to Sandakan Airport via Bohol-Panglao International, Manila, Kota Kinabalu Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 5m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- RM 600–1,700
Flights from El Nido Airport to Sandakan Airport via Clark International, Hong Kong, Kota Kinabalu Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 21h 30m
- When
- Tuesday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- RM 700–2,100
Flights from El Nido Airport to Sandakan Airport via Clark International, Taiwan Taoyuan, Kota Kinabalu Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 50m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- RM 750–2,200
Flights from Puerto Princesa to Sandakan Airport via Manila, Kota Kinabalu Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 57m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- RM 550–1,700
Flights from Puerto Princesa to Sandakan Airport via Mactan–Cebu, Manila, Kota Kinabalu Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 15m
- When
- Monday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- RM 650–1,900
- Website
- airasia.com
Flights from El Nido Airport to Kota Kinabalu Airport via Bohol-Panglao International, Manila
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 55m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- RM 600–1,600
Flights from El Nido Airport to Kota Kinabalu Airport via Mactan–Cebu, Manila
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- RM 550–1,600
Flights from El Nido Airport to Kota Kinabalu Airport via Boracay, Manila
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 55m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- RM 500–1,500
- Phone
- +63 917 686 1118
- [email protected]
- Website
- facebook.com
Bus from El Nido to Puerto Princesa Airport
- Phone
- +60 198072570
- Website
- redbus.my
Bus from Kota Kinabalu North Bus Terminal Inanam to Sandakan
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 25m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- RM 40–230
- Schedules at
- facebook.com
- Book at
- facebook.com
Ferry from El Nido, Palawan to Coron
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- RM 188
- Schedules at
- facebook.com
- Book at
- 12go.asia
- Phone
- (043) 723-6980
- [email protected]
- Website
- montenegrolines.com.ph
Ferry from El Nido, Palawan to Coron
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- RM 35–180
- Schedules at
- montenegrolines.com.ph
- Phone
- (+632) 8528-7000
- [email protected]
- Website
- travel.2go.com.ph
Ferry from Coron to Manila North Harbor Pier 4
- Ave. Duration
- 13h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- RM 65–189
- Schedules at
- travel.2go.com.ph
- Book at
- travel.2go.com.ph
- Super Value Class
- RM 65–90
- 4 Person Cabin
- RM 90–120
- Tourist Class
- RM 65–180
- State Room
- RM 270
- Mega Value Class
- RM 181
- Business Class
- RM 189
Ferry from Manila to Zamboanga
- Ave. Duration
- 2d
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- RM 90–594
- Schedules at
- travel.2go.com.ph
- Book at
- 12go.asia
- Super Value Class
- RM 75–140
- 4 Person Cabin
- RM 110–160
- Tourist Class
- RM 90–140
- State Room
- RM 382
- Mega Value Class
- RM 140
- Cabin for 4
- RM 277
- Stateroom for 2
- RM 594
- Phone
- (062) 992-6410
- [email protected]
- Website
- alesonshippinglines.com
Car ferry from Zamboanga to Sandakan Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 16h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- RM 367–508
- Schedules at
- alesonshippinglines.com
- Economy
- RM 367
- Aircon
- RM 414
- Cabin
- RM 461
- Suite
- RM 508
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