Port Barton & Papawyan Falls, Palawan by Henri

The gang arrived in PORT BATON on the 7th.

Port Baton is a village on the north-west coast of the island of Palawan in the Philippines.  It's about 23 km northwest of Roxas. Port Baton is a quieter, smaller, laid-back version of El Nido.  The activities you can do here are very similar to those in El Nido (but for about half the price), including for example Tours through A to D, kayak rentals, etc.

Port Baton does not usually attract luxury-seeking status vacationers. Instead it has become a popular choice for budget backpackers and other adventurous international travelers, who appreciate and enjoy the rural, relaxed atmosphere and natural beauty that this quiet and peaceful beachside village, on the edge of the rainforest, it has to offer. (Wikipedia)

A fresh star fish for a star photo of the day

Relaxing on a hamomock @ Port Baton

Fortunately, Port Barton is not as popular or progressively developed as Boracay or Puerto Galera. Therefore, it does not attract bus loads of domestic tourists. Also, due to its remote location Port Barton does not suffer from hordes of photo snapping, day trippers, as does the more accessible, touristic Sabang, or the more promoted El Nido with its airport. Much of the road to Port Barton has been paved, though considerable stretches are still unpaved, which can mean very slow travel times especially if you're on a jeepney. There are now regular van services between Puerto Princesa and Port Barton. (Wikipedia)

Cool and refreshing Secret Papawyan Falls @ Port Baton

It takes an hour and a half to trek going to the falls.  You have to wear comfy shoes.  You can also hire a motorcycle but walking through the falls is WORTH-IT!

How to go to Port Barton:
http://www.gilligans.com.ph/how-to-get-to-port-barton-san-vicente-palawan/

You can reach Port Barton via Puerto Princesa City by taking the first flight out of Manila. Generally, Philippine Airlines, Cebu pacific Air and Air Asia will have regular flights to Puerto Princesa. Flights leave at around 6 am, 9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm and 7 pm. Check your baggage allowance as usually the airlines only allow 10 to 15 kilograms. You can buy more allowance online. Excess baggage attracts a high charge so make sure you have all the allowance that you need. Flights are generally priced at around $60 each way, but book early or the price goes to around $100 for last minute bookings.

From Puerto Princesa by Private Van.

The travel time could take about 2 and a half hours. The private rental charge for a 7 seater between Puerto Princesa and Port Barton is 4,500 Php or around $106 usd. Private vans will meet you at the airport or your hotel at any time of the day or night for the trip north to Port Barton. For a little more they will assist you to buy your tickets for the Underground River, and take you via the side trip to Sabang to take the river tour. Total price from Puerto, to Sabang to Port Barton is Php 7000 at the time of writing this article in February 2016.

By Public Transport

Although we must tell you that it can sometimes be grueling, we suggest you consider this trip as an adventure. You’ll favor the experience at the end of the day.

After you land at the airport or reach Puerto Princesa City proper, take a tricycle for Php 50 per trip or get inside a multicab for Php 15 per pax to San Jose Terminal. This could take anything between 10 to 15 minutes. Look for San Isidro Express (Php 300), a Jeepney that goes directly to Port Baton. While the trip leaves at 8:30 am, it’s advisable that you be there early as there are chances of the bus getting filled up by as early as 7:30 am. With one stopover for lunch midway during the trip, the bus could take around for hours to reach Port baton. The bus stops at the Tourist Assistance Center on the beach in Port Barton.

There is a new operator in Puerto Princesa offering one way tickets for a van trip to Port Barton for around 400 Php. We’ll provide more information and contact details when we have them.

Make sure you wear comfortable clothes, bring sunglasses, and pack water during the trip as some of the road is unpaved, bringing dust along the way and it can get very humid, especially during the summer season.

From Sabang to Port Barton by Private Transport

The Subterranean River is located a short boat trip away from Sabang. Many of the Port Barton travelers visit the ‘Underground’ river on the way to or from Port Barton. Because there’s no direct trip via land, you’d need to go back to Puerto Princesa and travel to Port Barton the following day. One of the fastest ways is via a private boat that can carry four persons for Php 5,000. This could take 2-3 hours. The photos below shows a group in a small boat on the Underground River tour and  the group returning to Port Barton by boat.

By Public Transport from Sabang to Port Barton.

Boat trips cost around Php 1,200 per person. There are road options available by public transport.

Disclaimer:  This is just  micro-blog since Henri is a tourist...we just shared bits of info via whatsapp. Other info was added via blog, google sites, wikipedia, etc.