If you’re looking for a paradise destination then Port Barton in San Vincente is the place. This dusty and charming town on the west coast of Palawan feels like travelling back in time, to a more simple way of living with beachfront bars, boat trips and some of the best beaches we’ve ever seen.
Still a hidden gem compared to the neighbouring town of El Nido, Port Barton hasn’t lost its charm and the locals are actually happy to see you. Many travellers choose to skip Port Barton and seem to all visit the same spots further north, during our boat trip to the famous Big Lagoon in El Nido we were one of hundreds of boats on the water (in shoulder season). That’s not the case in Port Barton, you’ll have untouched coral all to yourself.
This Port Barton travel guide explains when to visit, how to get to Port Barton, the top things to do and more! Here’s everything you need to know before travelling to Port Barton Palawan, one of our favourite stops during our two month trip around the Philippines.
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Best Time To Visit Port Barton
The best months to visit Port Barton are from December to February, the temperatures are at their coolest and there is little rainfall. However, that also directly overlaps with the busiest tourist season for the Philippines, so depending on what type of traveller you are, might change when it’s best for you to visit.
August to mid-October is best avoided due to the possibility of typhoons ripping through the country. Other than these months, you should still have a great time visiting Port Barton, the shoulder seasons will just bring daily showers however it will still be warm.
What To Pack For Port Barton
When heading to the Philippines, you’re going to want light breathable clothes as the tropics are warm all year round, they only have a wet and dry season, meaning you’ll also need some waterproofs. Read our Full Philippines Packing List for some of our favourite essentials.
Port Barton Itinerary
If you’re thinking of visiting Port Barton and wondering how long to spend we’ve got you covered! We could’ve easily spent a week in Port Barton just relaxing on the beach and catching up on work in the beachfront bars, however it is a small town compared to the more popular El Nido, that we also include on our Palawan travel itinerary.
3 Day Itinerary
As a minimum, we recommend spending 3 nights in Port Barton.
- Day 1: Your first day will be taken up by the travel journey, most likely in a tourist van or private taxi which will take a few hours. You can then check-in and spend the rest of the evening at Happy Bar enjoying live music and pizza on the beach. Welcome to paradise!
- Day 2: Go on the Port Barton Boat Trip. We recommend booking your Island Hopping Tour in advance! This means you can relax and enjoy your first evening then spend the next day being taken to some of the best spots in Palawan.
- Day 3: Check out Coconut and White Beaches, whether you’re visiting as a family and taking a boat taxi or backpacking and renting a scooter to explore, these paradise beaches are worth seeing!
Plan the trip of a lifetime with our Philippines Bucket List
- Day 4: Spend the morning on Itaytay Beach in Port Barton Town, check-out and get a shared van or private taxi to your next destination.
If you have longer in the Philippines, we would recommend an extra couple of nights in Port Barton, it’s a relaxed local town so there isn’t loads going on, however this adds to the island charm.
Top Things To Do Port Barton
Port Barton is the ultimate relaxing holiday destination but that doesn’t mean it’s short of adventure. There are loads of great things to do, whether you’re looking for an Island Hopping Tour, to relax on Port Barton’s Best Beaches, or rent a scooter to explore hidden falls in the jungle – Port Barton is a Philippines gem.
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Map of Port Barton’s Best Things To Do
Some of our personal favourite Things To Do in Port Barton were:
- Port Barton’s Island Hopping Tour
- Taxi Boat to Coconut and White Beach
- Sunset Drinks and Pizza at Happy Bar on Itaytay Beach
Best Port Barton Tours
Our favourite tour by far was the Island Hopping Tour, it felt so much more authentic than El Nido’s over touristy boat trips where we were one of hundreds of boats lined up to get into the Lagoons. Port Barton’s Boat Trip includes:
- Paradise Island – aptly named and our favourite beach of our whole trip
- Starfish Island – a small sandbar off the coast of Itaytay Beach with loads of chocolate chip starfish!
- Twin Reef snorkelling – beautiful coral that hasn’t been ruined like El Nido’s
- Baby Turtle Sanctuary visit
- Freshly cooked lunch – we had fresh fish, bbq chicken and the best mangos we’ve ever tasted.
Best Port Barton Tours
Where To Stay in Port Barton Town
Port Barton is a small, local fishing village with most of the accommodation concentrated in the centre of town. Wherever you stay bars, restaurants and the beach will be within walking distance, so you need to decide if you want to pay more for a beach side property or something more budget set further back.
Best Places To Stay In Port Barton
$ Budget
CocoRico Hostel
A beach side hostel perfect for solo travellers and couples on a budget who don’t mind shared dorms. CocoRico has a prime location and an onsite restaurant.
$$ Mid-Range
Tribal Xperience
Set further back but still only a five minute walk to the beach is Tribal Xperience which offers private rooms on a budget alongside a pool and breakfast.
$$$ High-End
Besaga Beachfront B&B
A perfect option for families and couples due to it’s location just outside Port Barton. With it’s own private beach front this is a lovely place to stay
Spacing
Best Places To Eat In Port Barton
- Joan’s Cuisine – A great local restaurant that serves an amazing paella
- Fat Cat – A perfect place to head for your pizza fix!
Port Barton’s Average Costs
Port Barton isn’t overly expensive however the prices in Palawan are slightly higher than the rest of the Philippines which is expected. We definitely think our money went further in Port Barton than El Nido, it felt like the tours and restaurants actually had to try to earn customers rather than take them for granted.
For example, the lunch we got on the Port Barton Island Hopping tour was 10 times better than El Nidos, even though the tour price cost less and had less people on it. We’re talking cold adobo in a plastic container compared to a freshly cooked buffet of chicken, fresh fish, noodles and everything else you can think of.
Average Philippines Backpacking Costs:
- Bottle of beer: £1-3
- Hostel Bed in a Dorm Room: £5-15
- Private Hotel Room (for one or two people): £10-25
- Trike Ride: £0.2-5
- Jeepney Ride: £0.5-2
- Western Restaurant Food: £5-15
- Local Restaurant Food: £2-5
- Street Food: £1-2
Explore our full budget breakdown from our two month trip to the Philippines here
Port Barton Philippines Travel Tips
- Plan your transport: getting to Port Barton is best done by shared van from El Nido or from Puerto Princesa.
- Use an E-sim like Airalo to stay connected and remove the hassle of a physical SIM, don’t rely on Wi-Fi as the island has frequent blackouts.
- Eat Local, there are loads of local restaurants that sell freshly cooked fish
- Chill out and relax at Port Barton Beach! The town is so laid back with only a handful of activities which is why we loved it. Here are some of the best things to do in Port Barton.
- Rent a scooter and explore. If you do want to discover the area we recommend a rental scooter or hiring a trike driver for the day.
- The Boat Tour was our favourite in all the Philippines.
Port Barton’s Best Beaches
Palawan is world famous for having some of the best beaches in the world & San Vincente’s Port Barton lives up to this expectation – calm crystal clear blue water hugs silky smooth powdery white sand which backs up to a line of picture perfect palm trees. This area truly is paradise with some of the best beaches in the world, however make sure to check with the locals about jellyfish season before going for a swim.
Map of Port Barton’s Best Beaches
Our personal favourite beach was Paradise Island. Aptly named, this island is a paradise gem just off the coast of Port Barton Town, its part of the Island Hopping Tour which we couldn’t recommend enough (and preferred it to the more popular El Nido Boat Tour due to less people).
How To Get To Port Barton
There are two main options to choose from when travelling to Port Barton. The first is a shared van and the second is a private car, there is no direct public bus service from Puerto Princesa to Port Barton or El Nido to Port Barton, and the island of Palawan generally relies on tourist vans.
Puerto Princesa To Port Barton
For most travellers, we recommend the shared tourist van, taking roughly 3 hours and costing ₽600 per person. Alternatively, if you’re a family or a large group and need to buy multiple tickets, it might make more sense to get a private taxi instead which will be more convenient but much more costly. The journey from Puerto Princesa to Port Barton is really easy and commonly done by tourists.
If you’re coming from Puerto Pirncesa Airport to Port Barton, you’ll first need a trike from the airport to a shared van booking booth (5-10 minutes, ₽100). Just let the trike driver know you want to go to Port Barton in a shared van and they will know to bring you to a tourist booking office.
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El Nido to Port Barton
Similarly, from El Nido to Port Barton (or vice versa), the best option will be a shared van with other tourists (3 hours, ₽600) which can be booked online before your travel day. The vans depart from El Nido Town Square and will drop you off at the Port Barton Bus Terminal. Alternatively, a private taxi will be more convenient but also more costly.
Once you arrive in Port Barton, you might have to pay a small environmental fee, although we didn’t have to. You can then catch a short trike ride to your hostel or hotel, we chose to walk as it was only a short walk through the small town.
