Port Barton Philippines Travel Guide (2024)
TL;DR
Enjoy our complete Port Barton the Philippines guide for backpackers and other travellers. Including useful tips as well as the best things to do in Port Barton.
We have spent 30 days in the Philippines staying on 6 different islands. Port Barton was our favourite place not only in Palawan but in all of the Philippines. Here’s our travel guide:
- Travel Guide To Port Barton Palawan
- Is it Worth Going to Port Barton?
- Where is Port Barton
- How to Get to Port Barton
- Getting Around Port Barton
- Where to Stay in Port Barton
- Where to Eat in Port Barton
- Things to Do in Port Barton
- How Many Days in Port Barton
- Port Barton Itinerary
- Best Time to Visit Port Barton
- What is a Good Budget for Port Barton
- Are there ATMs in Port Barton
- Is Port Barton Safe
- Is Port Barton Better than El Nido?
Travel Guide To Port Barton Palawan
Is it Worth Going to Port Barton?
We absolutely think going to Port Barton is worth it! It was our favourite stop on our Philippines itinerary. It is a sleepy town without paved roads which is still not overrun by tourists.
The beach right in the town centre is long and not overrun.
Still, there is enough tourist infrastructure to easily spend a couple of comfortable days.
Where is Port Barton
Port Barton is located in the municipality of San Vicente in the province of Palawan.
It is conveniently situated between Puerto Princesa and El Nido and hence a great spot to break up the journey between them.
How to Get to Port Barton
The closest airports to Port Barton are
- Puerto Princesa (more flights, cheaper).
- El Nido (fewer flights, more expensive).
Puerto Princesa to Port Barton
There are multiple vans per day between Puerto Princesa and Port Barton. You can check here for the times and book a spot. It is advised to be at the van 20 minutes early. The journey takes around three hours and can get a bit windy.
El Nido to Port Barton
There are multiple vans per day between El Nido and Port Barton. You can check here for the times and book a spot. It is advised to be at the van 20 minutes early. The journey takes around three hours and can get a bit windy.
Getting Around Port Barton
Port Barton itself is super walkable. If you want to explore more outside, you can rent a bicycle or a scooter or hire a tricycle.
Where to Stay in Port Barton
The most Social Hostel in Port Barton
If you want to stay in a hostel, there’s no way around CocoRico Hostel. They are super close to the beach and the bus stop, they offer a booze cruise, and they might have one of the fastest WiFis in town.
You’ll find most backpackers in town at CocoRico’s between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. because they serve free drinks.
Amazing Value for Money
We stayed at Rodel Yellow Hauz. The private rooms were right in the centre of everything and only a minute's walk from the beach.
Treat Yourself
We had friends who stayed at Holiday Suites Port Barton which is one of the nicest hotels in town. They have a private beach and a pool with a sea view.
Tip: The location is much closer to town than shown on booking.com. Rather check on Google Maps.
Where to Eat in Port Barton
- Star Apple Canteen has amazing Filipino and seafood for great value.
- Happy Bar and Barton Bistro are perfect for sunsets on the beach.
- You can get cheap breakfast next to the Giant Strike Dive Centre (not on Google Maps).
- Native'bo Reggae Bar has live music.
- You can get great coffee at Milano Cafe.
Things to Do in Port Barton
Port Barton Beach
The main attraction of Port Barton is its beach. You can relax on the sand or in one of the beach bars.
Island Hopping Port Barton
We seriously enjoyed our island hopping in Port Barton. While it might miss the dramatic limestone cliffs of El Nido, it is significantly less crowded and we had some of the places to ourselves.
- We saw turtles at Turtle Spot.
- Snorkelled at Twin Reef.
- We visited the twin islands Exotic and Maxima Island which are connected by a sand bar.
- Spotted starfish at Sandbar or Starfish Island.
- Had a drink at Paradise Island.
By the way: The BBQ lunch on our tour was amazing!
White Beach Port Barton
If you want to see even fewer people than at Port Barton Beach, head to White Beach. The most convenient way is a taxi boat. You can also rent a scooter (beware it’s bumpy), rent a kayak (around 45 minutes), or walk (around 1 hour).
There’s an entrance fee of 50 PHP.
Chase a waterfall
There are some waterfalls like Bigaho Falls in the area.
How Many Days in Port Barton
How many days you need in Port Barton strongly depends on your capacity to relax at the beach because that’s the main activity. If you just want to see the town and go island hopping, one day is enough. Personally, we could have stayed (almost) forever.
Port Barton Itinerary
Day 1
Go on an island hopping tour.
Day 2
Explore the surrounding beaches like White Beach and/or a waterfall like Bigaho Falls.
Day 3 - ∞
Relax at the beach. Maybe enjoy a massage or a cocktail.
Best Time to Visit Port Barton
The dry season in Port Barton is generally between November and April. We visited during the peak season and the place was far from overrun.
What is a Good Budget for Port Barton
We are budget-conscious travellers and spend an average of 30$ per person and night in Port Barton for accommodation and food.
For activities like island hopping, you need to budget around an extra 30$.
Are there ATMs in Port Barton
At the time of our visit, there were two functioning Euronet ATMs in town. They were open 24/7 and we did not experience any problems withdrawing money.
Most things in town are cash only so we still recommend bringing enough just in case.
Is Port Barton Safe
Port Barton is a small and sleepy village. We always felt safe – day and night. I also felt safe walking alone as a woman at night – be it in town or at the beach.
We have also not heard of any incidents from other travellers.
Is Port Barton Better than El Nido?
Port Barton is not better than El Nido, it’s different.
The main draw of El Nido is the limestone cliffs which are just gorgeous. Many travellers don’t like El Nido and say it’s crowded and touristy. Personally, we enjoyed El Nido and all of its options.
Port Barton on the other side is much quieter. You don’t see the picturesque limestone cliffs in town or while island hopping but you will also see much fewer tourists. There’s not as much infrastructure as in El Nido but there are more than enough restaurant, cafe, and bar options if you ask us.
A major advantage of Port Barton is that you can swim at the beach while El Nido Beach is not much more than a boat parking lot nowadays.
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