Port Barton

A laid-back fishing village on Palawan's west coast with island hopping and snorkeling among turtles and starfish — a backpacker stopover between Puerto Princesa and El Nido.

Port Barton is a small fishing village in the municipality of San Vicente on the west coast of Palawan, about 160 km by road north of Puerto Princesa and south of El Nido, and it's seen as the epitome of Palawan's slow pace of life. The village faces Barton Bay, dotted with a dozen or so islets and coral reefs. There are no big resorts — guesthouses, seafood restaurants and backpacker bars line the beach, and the vibe is far quieter than El Nido or Coron. The main draw is island hopping: Tour A usually covers a turtle snorkeling spot, Twin Reef, Starfish Island, German Island (for lunch) and Exotic Island, while Tour B goes farther out to places like Coconut Garden Island; shared tours cost about ₱1,200–1,500 per person. On days off the water, hike to White Beach or Pamuayan Falls, or hire a vehicle to the 14-km Long Beach of San Vicente. The best season is the dry season from November to May, when seas are calm; during the southwest monsoon from June to October, rough seas can cancel island-hopping trips. Getting there: vans from Puerto Princesa take about 3–4 hours (the connecting road via Roxas is now paved), or it's about 4 hours by road or a chartered boat from El Nido; San Vicente has a small airport but flights are irregular. Electricity in the village is often scheduled, internet is patchy, and ATMs are few and frequently out of cash, so bring plenty of pesos. Plan on 2–3 days — it makes a good rest stop between Puerto Princesa and El Nido.

Top sights

• German Island – A lunch stop on the Port Barton island-hopping tour. The small island, ringed by white sand and shaded by coconut palms, offers snorkeling…
• Turtle Spot – A feeding ground for green sea turtles on a seagrass bed, where you can swim with turtles right off the boat. It's the most anticipated sto…
• Starfish Island – Red starfish scattered across a shallow sandbar, with water as clear as a swimming pool. A good spot for photos and splashing around with k…
• Twin Reef – Two neighboring coral reefs with abundant hard and soft corals and schools of tropical fish. One of the best snorkeling spots in Port Barto…
• Exotic Island – A private island with a resort in the northern part of the bay, offering white sand and clear water. You can pay to go ashore or snorkel fr…
• Port Barton Beach – A long sandy beach in front of the fishing village, where coconut palms, crab boats, and sunsets make up daily life. Beachside bars and gue…
• White Beach – A white-sand bay near the village with few visitors and beautiful scenery. You can hike along a forest trail for about 40 minutes or reach…
• Pamuayan Falls – A small waterfall in the forest east of the village, with a swimming pool beneath it. A round-trip hike takes about 1 to 1.5 hours, making…
• Bigaho Falls – A multi-tier waterfall in the mountain forest north of Port Barton. It is taller and wilder than Pamuayan, and reaching it requires a motor…
• Coconut Garden Island – A resort island on the outer edge of Port Barton Bay, with coconut groves, white sand, and coral shallows. It's a stop on Island Hopping To…
• Long Beach, San Vicente – One of the longest white-sand beaches in the Philippines, stretching about 14 km. It is quiet and uncrowded and can be visited on a half-da…

Where to eat

• Mojitos Restobar – A jungle restobar that's a local favorite, rated 4.9 on TripAdvisor. Known for its mojitos and fusion small plates.
• Kusinero del Barrio – Considered one of the best-value restaurants in Port Barton, serving Filipino pancit, Palawan-style Vietnamese noodles…
• Olive's Crib – One of Port Barton's longest-running restaurants, offering generous portions of pizza, pasta and Filipino dishes at fai…

Itineraries

• Palawan North-South Traverse – Head north from Puerto Princesa through the Underground River, Port Barton, and El Nido to Coron, covering the entire P…