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Imagine a little fishermen’s village with only a few sandy paths, some shacks and houses, tiny chapels and some small shops and restaurants. Totally isolated and marooned and only accessible via a dirt road that leads through jungle and mountains. A place in the middle of nowhere.
Port Barton – Palawan’s hidden gem
This is the village Port Barton in the west of the Philippine island Palawan, roughly 200 kilometers away from the famous El Nido.
But what is so special about Port Barton? Why should you visit a village where there’s apparently nothing going on? The answer to this question you can find in this article and also in our latest GoPro travel video below…
How to get to Port Barton
The best way to get to Port Barton is via Puerto Princesa, the main town of Palawan, which also has an airport. You can reach it by airplane from various domestic destinations such as Manila or Cebu. Departure times, prices and tickets can be found at Skyscanner.
From Puerto Princesa there are e.g. Minivans directly going to Port Barton, which take about 3 hours along the many dirt roads and curves. If you’re in El Nido, you’ll also find buses that travel mostly via Roxas to Port Barton in about 5 hours. You can find more information on 12go.asia, where you can also book tickets directly.
Accommodation in Port Barton – our hotel tip
The popular Kiwi Lodge in Port Barton is just a few-minutes’ walk away from the beach. The simple rooms are equipped with a fan, mosquito net, free WiFi, and a private bathroom. The owners take care of the guests and are always available to answer any questions. You can also book tours directly on site. A bonus is the generator which provides electricity 24 hours a day.
More accommodations in the village of Port Barton or right on the beach can be found here.
Port Barton and the surrounding islands
For a start, there are some amazing islands in the archipelago, where you can see paradise-like beaches, a fascinating underwater world and beautiful coral reefs.
For example there is Cacnipa Island, where you can even stay in bungalows, German Island and Paradise Island. Especially German Island was our favorite and it’s perfect for a relaxed day trip combined with some nice snorkeling spots.
Port Barton Town and Port Barton Beach
The tourism in Port Barton is still in its infancy. There are no big hotel chains, neither huge luxury resorts! All you find are some simple but beautiful bungalow resorts directly at the beach – and that’s it. No beach vendors, no “Yes Sir/Yes Ma’am”, nobody who wants to sell you “Perlas” or some other souvenirs.
The people in Port Barton are all very kind and always ready to help. On our arrival there was this young Filipino guy who helped us carrying our luggage and also arranged an accommodation for us. We did our island hopping tour with him, too, and on top of that he was our personal guide and contact person during our whole stay. Last but not least, he arranged the bus transfer back to Puerto Princesa for us and even told the bus to come directly to our resort. A really nice guy!
In Port Barton you have power for only a few hours a day. For us as digital nomads this wasn’t really good since you simply also don’t have an internet connection and a 3G connection is unfortunately not available in this isolated place. But if you want to just relax and have a quiet vacation with lying in a hammock with ocean view while reading a book, this place is right for you! If you’re looking for party, action and hustle and bustle, you’re completely like a fish out of water here.
Bottom line: Port Barton is totally worth a visit when you prefer to experience the Philippines away from mass tourism. It seems like the already very kind Filipinos are somehow even more helpful here and we felt very well and welcomed. The only disadvantage is the electricity and internet. But I’m pretty sure this won’t be a problem for many people considering this atmosphere.
As promised, here is our latest travel video from Port Barton. Enjoy!
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How did you like our video? Have you been to Port Barton yet? What are your experiences?
Good info. I am here at the minute and our accommodation has 24 hour electricity and hot water and even wifi (though it isn’t the best). Maybe Port Barton is upgrading!
I will write about it soon at http://www.globaltreats.net
Cheers
Hi, yeah it’s been a while since we went to Port Barton so maybe it’s really upgrading. 🙂
Thanks for the update!
Hi guys,
Awesome article, I love it! I’ve placed a link for it on my website to provide my readers with the best information possible, I hope you don’t mind. Hopefully they’ll enjoy it as well, providing you with great exposure.
Love,
Angelina DiGiovanni
We were in Port Barton for nearly 10 days! The place is amazing and really relaxing. There is lots of accommodation. Try Kiwi lodge, Pisces tourist Inn, Tribal Xperience. Great dining here too surprisingly. Easily the best place is Mojitos RestoBar about 15 minute walk from town. It is an oasis in the middle of no where. We felt like we were in Ibiza! Amazing food and Cocktails. Other recommendations would be Olives crib and Reef Cafe. Great post. Thanks for the information.
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comments and tips!
This article is definitely great advice. After visiting port barton I agree with what you’ve said. Hopefully it remains quiet so the rustic charm continues. By far my favourite hangout is a hidden place called Mojitos Jungle Lounge. Anyone headed to Barton should check that out too.
Hey guys!
I just got back from Port Barton two days ago – and everything you mentioned is on point (the dirt /muddy road to get there was rather scary!)
I hope it stays rather undiscovered – it’s so peaceful and feels rather unexplored. Can’t imagine what it would be like 5 years from now!
Great read – thank you!
Mick
We loved Port Barton! In comparison to el Nido, it was so laid-back – exactly what we were looking for! Our favourite place was the White Beach where we had the chance to spend 2 nights! I think that was the highlight of our trip! As it was so unforgettable, we keep our memories fresh in this blog post: https://www.myhammocktime.com/2017/03/14/where-to-stay-in-port-barton-must-go-in-the-philippines/ Thanks for this lovely blog post, interested to read more about it!
thanks for the blog is very useful ?, in two weeks Im going to Philippines and I plan to spend 2 or 3 nights in Port Barton but with a doubt about the accommodation.
Is the most complicated place to take accommodation, in booking there is no accommodation available, and everything is already booked. My dont know if maybe there will be accommodation when you go there that does not appear in booking or pages of that style. The truth is the only thing that worries me. Thanks in advance, greetings !!
Hi Eben,
Thanks for your comment. Many accommodations in Port Barton you won’t find online. Once you get there, you can easily find some accommodations directly at the beach. 😉 As long as it’s not peak season like Christmas, Easter etc. you should always find a place.
Best regards
Marcel
hi Marcel, I am Ariel, from Port Barton, i am a tourism student and i found your blog very useful.. i just want to say about the concern of Eben. the accommodation of Port Barton,,, well it is much better for him to find accommodation in that place in Traveladvisor website and he can found useful info. thanks a lot
Thanks for sharing this! Will want to visit this during my holidays ?