The 4 Best Port Barton Beaches I Actually Visited (2025)

Port Barton in Palawan is, from my experience, one of those places in the Philippines that still flies a little under the radar. Everyone’s heard of El Nido, but barely anyone talks about Port Barton, which is kind of surprising, because it’s a super chill little beach town just a few hours away from El Nido.

It’s small, walkable, and has a relaxed vibe with lots of cute restaurants, cafés, and beach bars. And the beaches in Port Barton are honestly some of the best I’ve seen.

Towards the end of my 3 months in the Philippines, I made sure to spend at least a week in Port Barton. I was mainly just hanging out, eating good food, and checking out some of the best Port Barton beaches in and around town.

In this quick guide, I’ll share the beaches I actually visited, what I thought of each one, how to get there, and whether or not I think they’re worth it.

In a Rush? Here Are Our Favorite Hotels in Port Barton Philippines

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Parrot Boutique Resort – Click here for rates & availability

⭐️⭐️ La Palapa Inn Port Barton – Click here for rates & availability

⭐️ CocoRico Hostel – Click here for rates & availability

The 4 Best Port Barton Beaches I Actually Visited (2025)

Port Barton Beaches – My Experience

If you’ve read any of my El Nido guides, then you probably already know I’m a big fan of the landscapes around El Nido, but not so much the town itself. Port Barton, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. I loved it.

It’s small, walkable, barely any traffic, and packed with beach bars, cafés, restaurants, and hostels. The whole vibe is super relaxed, and it honestly reminded me of some of the beach towns I visited in South America, which, coming from me, is a big compliment.

I spent about a week in Port Barton and used the time to visit a few beaches. I’m not saying I’ve seen every single beach in the area, but the ones I did go to were all amazing.

What stood out to me the most was how quiet these beaches were. After coming from El Nido, which can feel hectic and packed with tourists, it was really refreshing to have entire stretches of beach almost to myself.

If I had to pick a favorite, I’d say White Beach. It has everything you want with leaning palm trees, soft white sand, and beautiful clear water. I kayaked there from Port Barton Beach, which was super fun, but you can also just take a tuk-tuk or rent a motorbike if you’d rather not paddle.

And just to be clear, this guide only includes beaches you can actually spend a full day on. So I’m not adding any beaches that are part of the island hopping tours.

1. White Beach Port Barton

Not that this is a ranking or anything, but if I had to pick a favorite beach in Port Barton, it’s definitely White Beach.

Even though Port Barton has its own little town beach (called, well, Port Barton Beach), the better beaches are just outside of town. And White Beach is for sure one of them. It’s got soft white sand, leaning palm trees, and that perfect turquoise water. The kind of place I could easily spend all day doing absolutely nothing.

You can get there by scooter, though the road is a pretty rough dirt track. Doable, but bumpy. What I did instead was rent a kayak from one of the shops on Port Barton Beach for $10 USD for the whole day for a two-person kayak.

I took it out for the entire afternoon, paddled to White Beach and Coconut Beach, and honestly had such a fun time. I highly recommend it.

Also, if you’ve got the time (and the energy), there’s a little jungle trail from White Beach that takes you to Jungle Bar. It’s about a 15-minute walk, and the bar has amazing views over the ocean, cold beers, and a super laid-back vibe. It was the perfect lunch stop for us.

2. Coconut Beach

Coconut Beach is basically the next beach over from White Beach, and it’s super common to visit both in one day, especially if you’re kayaking. That’s exactly what I did. We spent most of the day hanging out at White Beach, then paddled over to Coconut Beach on the way back.

I’m not gonna lie, the paddling was a bit of a workout (at least for me), but it was totally doable. And honestly, I loved seeing the coastline from that angle, the beaches looked even prettier from out on the water.

Coconut Beach has that same tropical look: white sand, clear water, and tons of coconut trees (as the name suggests). The main difference is that it’s a bit closer to town, so it’s easier to get to and tends to be a bit busier than White Beach. It’s still super chill and definitely not crowded.

From my experience, I’d absolutely recommend renting a kayak and visiting both beaches in one go. But if a full paddle day sounds like too much, Coconut Beach is a little closer and still a great spot to check out on its own.

3. Port Barton Beach

Port Barton Beach is the main beach right in town. It’s not my favorite beach in the area, but it’s still a really decent one, especially for hanging out in the late afternoon or grabbing a drink. The sand area isn’t super wide, and depending on the tides, it’s not always the best spot to just throw down your towel. But where it really shines is the beachfront vibe.

There are loads of beachside restaurants and bars, and my favorite one was definitely Barton Bistro. I ended up there a few times, they’ve got bean bags set up right on the sand, good music playing, and when I was there, even a live DJ.

I didn’t try the food, but I had more than a few beers while watching the sunset, and it was just a really chilled-out spot. Perfect for some slower evenings when you don’t want to do much except sit on the beach and hang out.

4. Eliott Beach

Eliott Beach is one of those places I’d definitely call a bit of a hidden gem and I actually found it by complete accident. I was just riding around on my scooter with no real plan, kind of just hoping to stumble across a nice beach somewhere outside Port Barton.

I stopped for a juice from a few locals on the side of the road, and when I asked them where to go, they pointed me in the direction of Tentstar Eco Resort. They told me to park near the road and follow the little path down behind the resort. So I did exactly that.

And wow, I’m so glad I went. The beach was beautiful. White sand, loads of palm trees, and not a single person around. It’s a small beach and probably not somewhere I’d spend the whole day, but it’s perfect if you want to take a quick swim, crack open your own coconut, and just enjoy some proper castaway vibes for a while.

Where to Stay in Port Barton Palawan

When it comes to staying in Port Barton, I wouldn’t overthink it too much. The town is tiny, so location doesn’t really matter that much. I stayed in a couple of different spots, one right in the center and one a bit further out with amazing views and honestly, both were great. As long as you’re somewhere close to the main town, you’re good.

Of course, I haven’t stayed everywhere, but there are two places I can happily recommend. I had a great time at both with friendly staff, well-designed rooms, and just a really good stay overall:

Book here: Parrots Boutique Resort

Book here: La Palapa Port Barton

How to Get to Port Barton Philippines

Getting to Port Barton is actually super easy. There isn’t really a proper public transport system in Palawan like there is in Cebu, but you’ve got plenty of shuttle vans running between Puerto Princesa, Port Barton, and El Nido.

I booked mine through the hotel I stayed at in Puerto Princesa, they arranged the shuttle for me and it picked me up right at the hotel. That’s honestly what I’d recommend doing too. Just let your hotel organize the minivan for you, it’s way easier.

If you’re not staying in Puerto Princesa and need a pickup straight from the airport, just contact your hotel in Port Barton directly. Most of them will be happy to help. I always prefer letting my accommodation sort out transport anyway since locals usually know which companies are decent and they’ll often get you a fair price too.

And if for some reason that doesn’t work, I did all my routes with Recaro Transport Palawan. I know their reviews online are pretty rough, but I personally had a decent experience for a fair price.

FAQs About Beaches in Port Barton

What are the best Port Barton beach resorts?

Honestly, I didn’t come across any proper beach resorts in Port Barton. If you’re hoping for something beachfront and fancy, you might be disappointed. I’d just stay in town and book a place like Parrots Boutique Resort, which I thought was really cute.

How do you get to Coconut Beach in Port Barton?

You’ve got a few options. Rent a scooter and drive yourself, hop on a tuk-tuk (there are always drivers hanging around in town), or do what I did and rent a kayak. Kayaking there was by far the most fun. You’ll get a little workout in and the views along the way are beautiful.

How are the beaches in Port Barton?

They’re actually great. Beautiful white sand, palm trees, clear water and way less crowded than El Nido. If you’re looking for chill beaches without the chaos, this is the spot.

What are the best things to do in Port Barton?

There’s not that much to do, to be honest, but I kinda enjoyed that. Kayaking to nearby beaches or joining an island-hopping tour are the main highlights, and both are worth it. Otherwise, I just relaxed and ate some good food.

Final Thoughts on Port Barton Beaches

The beaches in Port Barton were exactly what I was hoping for, white sand, palm trees, crystal clear water, and barely any people around. After some pretty underwhelming experiences in overcrowded places elsewhere in the Philippines, I really appreciated how quiet it was here.

My favorite was White Beach, but Coconut Beach is also stunning, and kayaking out there was one of the best things I did. Just a heads up though, depending on the season, there can be a bunch of jellyfish in the water, so keep an eye out before you dive in.

Hope this little guide on the best Port Barton beaches helps you figure out where to go and how to get the most out of it.