What is the Philippine's Hidden Gem? A look at Port Barton
As of December 2019, the world has been experiencing a global scale pandemic. It all started in Wuhan, China and has moved to most corners of the world. As I write today, I would like to preface it by saying that writing is an escape for me. And now more than ever we need those, whether it is exercising for you, or learning a new skill, reconnect to those roots and explore new ones. This is the time to grow, reflect, and flourish. With that being said, I hope that this article helps you plan future trips, feel free to comment or message me privately to ask me about this, any other trip, or how life in China has been for me lately.
Where to Start…
Sitting here almost a month after my trip, I can finally sit down and look back on all the amazing things I saw in the Philippines. This amazing country is filled with magical places, welcoming people, and despite what many say, delicious food! I want to tell you all about my trip so let’s start where I started: Port Barton.
How long should you spend in Port Barton?
This little beach town is becoming more and more known, and it’s not really a head-scratcher folks. This calm town is not for the party-goers, rather it is made for those looking for some quiet time, some time to get to know other travelers, and time to speak to the locals.
Paradise Island
So you are set, ready to travel but you sit down to think: how many days should I stay in Port Barton?
Well, look no further! Here is your answer: it is really up to you. I know right, not the answer you were expecting, but it's true. Before traveling you should set your intention: what do you want to accomplish from this visit? If you are looking for the next Instagram picture then two days should be enough, if you are looking for El Nido then you are in the wrong spot, but if you are looking for relaxation at a fraction of the cost compared to the rest of the Philippines? Then stay around 5 days.
Port Barton
5 Things to do! + BONUS!
Papawyan Falls
An easy drive away, these falls are small compared to many others in the Philippines (especially around Cebu) but they are a nice break from all the saltwater, and the drive there is not too difficult. You can also walk there and it would take you about an hour (depending on how fast you walk, especially up hills) but the drive on a motorbike should not be too difficult even for novice drivers. A BIG DISCLAIMER: ask the locals about the road conditions. When we decided to drive there the road had a few mud pits where the scooter got a bit stuck. The waterfall has a little donation box and a little store to grab some snacks and drinks if you so desire. Remember to always pick up after yourself and keep natural areas as clean as possible.
Papawyan Falls is only a short motorcycle ride from town.
Picture by Travel Palawan
White Beach
From our research, White Beach was easily accessible with a bike however, when we tried to drive there the locals told us the roads where ruined from recent rains. Therefore, the best way to get there would definitely be by boat. The boat will charge you about 300 pesos per person per trip so it can be expensive if you're only going for a few hours. We were gutted that we didn’t make it there but because of time constraints we just couldn’t.
Bikini Cafe
This location looked pretty new and had a unique feel to it. They had breakfast items and a bar, which just screams brunch to me. The atmosphere was great and the service was enjoyable. We were stuck there for two hours because of the rain but we did not mind it at all.
Street food
And just food in general! I’m not sure if we happened to be there at a special time or what was happening but there were tons of stalls out on the street selling just about everything: from underwear and shoes, to dry bags and Japanese food. We ate at several of these little stands including a burger stand with offerings for 35 pesos, a variety stand that sold Ramen, tacos, and burgers, and a skewer stand. There were a lot of options and why not just try them all. There are also many restaurants in town, but we pretty much stuck to the street food or the food at our inn.
Tour
The boat tour in Port Barton is amazing and everyone should just do it. Compared to places like El Nido and Coron, it's cheaper and in my opinion, a better value. Tour A will take you to a few beaches and a location to see sea turtles. The lunch was also delicious and I will note here and probably in future blogs, that the food on these tours is so delicious and incredibly fresh. Everything is cooked on the spot. The tour took us to a few snorkeling spots, a few deserted beaches, and to see some marine life such as turtles and starfish.
Reggae Bar
As you will realize quickly Port Barton is NOT a party town, but that is not to say they don’t have a few great places to grab a drink. Native’bo Bar is right on the beach and just a few steps away from Guayacan ( a popular restaurant in town). This place was incredible as they have live music pretty much every night and the drinks are not crazy expensive. They also have a little barbecue and they will cook up some skewers to order. I can tell you this: there is nothing quite like listening and dancing to reggae music on the beach with a beer in your hand. Try it out, go ahead, I’ll wait.
So the takeaway? Give Port Barton a chance on your next trip to the Philippines.
I know I would definitely head there again if I have the chance.