A beautiful view from within central Manila-mobile

How to get from
Banaue to Manila

Banaue to Manila Trip Overview

Distance256 km (160.0 miles)
Price range$14-$17
Ride Duration Range9h-11h 30m
Earliest Departure07:30
Latest Departure09:30

Find up-to-date information on departure times, schedules, and prices so you can easily compare and book your tickets.

Travel Schedule Options from Banaue to Manila



























































































Taking a bus from Banaue to Manila

Fastest bus: 9h

Cheapest bus: $14

The fastest: 9h

The cheapest: $14

Pros

Rest stops (no pick ups)

Efficient

Clean coach bus

Pick up at central Banaue terminal

Mindful service

Cons

A/C on high

Narrow seats

Drop off in Manila terminal: non-central

Non refundable

Inconsistent WiFi signal

POSSIBLE AMENITIES:

A/C

English Speaking Staff

Pros

Hotel drop off

Comfortable seats

Charger sockets in cabin

English speaking drivers

A/C provided

Cons

Reserve in advance

Limited pick up location

Not cheap

Non refundable

Long journey

POSSIBLE AMENITIES:

A/C

English Speaking Staff

Charger

Food

A beautiful view from within central Manila

About the ride from Banaue to Manila

Journeying from Banaue to Manila is a popular choice for travelers leaving behind the rural side of the Philippines to pursue a more cosmopolitan experience.

Yes, Manila is busy. Yes, it’s full of traffic. And yes, it’s ridiculously overwhelming if you’re not used to Southeast Asian mega-cities. But look even remotely beyond all that stuff, and it’s easy to find a city brimming with charm and allure.

While UNESCO-listed Banaue is packed with rice terraces steeped in history and heritage, Manila offers a very different slice of Filipino life. It’s developing faster than most cities across the world, and it’s full of towering skyscrapers, cheap bars, and award-winning restaurants. 

Vastly underrated as a tourist destination, you’ll probably be surprised by just how cool Manila is. It offers incredible food and drink, lots of kooky bohemian hangouts, weird alternative spots and a vibrant music scene. So don’t listen to the people telling you not to go. They’re just little killjoys.

Manila is one of the most exciting cities in Southeast Asia. Traveling directly from Banaue’s rice terraces to Manila is a great way to see how the nation’s future contrasts with its past.

What’s the distance from Banaue to Manila?

The distance from Banaue to Manila clocks in at around 390 km (242 miles). If you want to take the trip, you have two options:

  • Bus from Banaue to Manila - typically around 10.5 hours
  • Minivan from Banaue to Manila - typically around 10 hours

You can’t take a Manila day trip from Banaue, as the two places are too far away from one another. There are lots of great Banaue day trips, but spending a million hours on a round-trip bus to Manila isn’t one of them.

If you’re thinking about buying flight tickets to Manila – hold up. We’ve got bad news for you. Banaue’s nearest airport is four hours away by bus, so there’s no good Manila to Banaue flight or vice versa. 

What to see when traveling from Banaue to Manila

If you take a night bus from Banaue to Manila (and you’ve probably worked this out for yourself), you’ll be traveling during the night, so you won’t see much except the inside of your eyelids. 

If you instead travel during daylight hours, it’s a lengthy but attractive trip with loads of great views and vistas.

The first stretch of the journey is by far the most scenic section. Winding roads carry you through rice fields, misty mountains, and cliffside passes as you weave your way downhill towards bigger settlements and busier roads. Brimming with tight switchbacks, incredible panoramas and the wheezing groans of your ride’s struggling engine, it’s an adventure-filled trip.

During the middle part of your journey, and after you’ve finished descending, you’ll pass small towns, distant foothills and humble street food carts.

The final stretch of the journey is along a boring but well-maintained highway, which carries you to the bustling metropolis of Manila.  The moment you arrive, you’ll know you’ve reached one of the busiest cities on the planet. Jammed with roaring engines, massive markets, bustling bars and a huge population, you’ll be thrown right into the action. 

And that’s what travel’s all about!

How to get from Banaue to Manila

Taking a bus from Banaue to Manila

If you're short on dough, taking a bus is the best way to get from Banaue to Manila. Prices start at $13, perfect for even the barest-budget backpackers. 

But despite the low prices, buses offer a decent amount of comfort and convenience. All buses offer AC, and most have WiFi. Unfortunately, none of the buses have toilets, but they all stop for breaks along the way.

All buses from Banaue to Manila are night buses, so you can catch some sleep while you travel, perfect for maximizing your time.

The Banaue to Manila bus schedule is pretty regular, with at least 3 departures per day, but sometimes more. The travel time varies from bus to bus, but the average time is around 10.5 hours.

But listen up, because this part’s important: not every bus company in Manila offers a direct ride between these two destinations. So, for example, you can travel by Ohayami Trans Bus from Banaue to Manila, but you can’t travel by Florida Bus from Banaue to Manila. So bear that in mind when you’re planning.

 

For travelers wanting to make the return trip, it’s possible to catch a bus to Banaue from Manila. The prices and schedules for this return trip are pretty similar to what’s already outlined in this guide.

If you want to travel to Sagada after reaching Banaue, you can—lots of travelers ride from Manila to Sagada via Banaue. 

Taking a minivan from Banaue to Manila

This is the best option for anyone seeking comfort, convenience and a little slice of luxury. If you ride in a minivan, you can choose your own departure time, departure point and arrival point, offering you lots of flexibility. 

All this freedom is possible because you’re riding in a private minivan rather than a public one. If you take a minivan, you don’t pay for an individual ticket. Instead, you hire the entire minivan and split that cost between your traveling party. 

The prices start at $289 for the entire vehicle. All journeys take place during the day, and most vehicles seat up to 6 passengers. So, if you want to grab some good views while you make your way to Manila, a minivan is the best way to travel.

The Banaue to Manila travel time is around 10 hours if you travel by minivan.

 

Companies Operating from Banaue to Manila

Average time

9h - 11h 30m

Average price

$14

(294)

Average time

9h - 10h

Average price

$14

(25)

Popular stations and stops in Banaue and Manila

Departure stations in Banaue

Ohayami Bus Ticketing Office

Banaue Coda Lines

Banaue Hotel

Arrival stations in Manila

Ohayami Trans office

Quezon City

Manila - Any hotel

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