Port Barton is a peaceful beach town on the central west side of Palawan in the Philippines. Compared to other destinations on Palawan such as Coron and El Nido, it is far less touristy. If you’re looking for a destination that’s quaint, beautiful and authentic: Port Barton is the place to be. We would describe it as the perfect location for those seeking a relaxed beach holiday – or if you’re a backpacker like us, it’s a stunning place to wind down and reset between epic adventures.

Until a few years ago Port Barton didn’t have electricity, so we wouldn’t describe the accommodation-style here as ‘luxury retreat’. However, it does have some remarkable eco-resorts that feature the perfect balance of rustic-nature vibes with modern comforts.

We loved our stay in Port Barton so much that we had to share it with you.

If you’re into stunning views, delicious food, and eco-style leisure, read further for our experience in Port Barton and staying at Green Hill Cottages.

The perfect sunset viewpoint

The view from our cottage “Fool Moon”, arguably the best view

Located about 7 kilometers from town, Green Hill Cottages is situated on top of a hill with a fantastic view over the ocean and surrounding islands. The owners, Kasia and Thomas, are a very kind Polish couple who had dreams of opening a small eco-resort together. A few years ago they made their dream come true when they opened Green Hill Cottages in Port Barton, Palawan.

When designing their dream staycation, they employed local artists to help curate a space that would feel authentic. The results were amazing. The set-up and decor flow naturally with the surrounding jungle and nature. You’ll hear the sounds of nature and see beautiful butterflies and birds going about their day in the surrounding environment. They truly created a heavenly eco-oasis on top of the ‘Green Hill’.

Jungle Bar (left side) and Green Hill Cottages (right)

Our first cottage “Lagoon” hiding behind a palm tree

When you arrive to Green Hill you’ll be greeted by Thomas and Kasia, and probably a few of their amazing staff. The main house has a bar, hammocks, a dining area, and plenty of other places to lounge. This is where we spent a lot of our time during our weekend at Green Hill.  There are amazing views overlooking the beautiful ocean and scattered islands, from pretty much anywhere on the property.

Spread across the property are 7 cottages. Each cottage is private, for a few extra dollars you can have a balcony (which also includes a hammock) or attached bathroom. However, even if you don’t have an attached bathroom, you’ll still have a private bathroom next to the cottage.

We extended our stay while we were there so we had the chance to stay in two cottages. Our first Cottage was ‘Lagoon’ with an attached bathroom and balcony. The second was ‘Fool Moon’ without an attached bathroom, so it was a bit cheaper, but it had a better view than Lagoon.

Important for Digital Nomads: the wifi only works in the main house – but from ‘Full Moon’ we did manage to get a couple bars. The main house is a great place to set up your WFH station though so it shouldn’t be a problem. 

Cozy hangout spot with a perfect view

“Full Moon” Cottage: each room has a different mural 

Getting to the Cottages can be a bit of a journey. You’ll most likely arrive to Port Barton by van or bus and be dropped off at the local bus station. From here you have four options: boat, tricycle, motorbike, or walk.

1) BOAT. This is your cheapest option (besides walking). If you walk to Port Barton Beach you can take a boat taxi to White Beach. These boats come very frequently. It should cost around 250 PHP. If you take this route, you will still have a 15-minute walk to the resort from White Beach. The walk is uphill so just keep that in mind if you have luggage.

2) TRICYCLE (TUK TUK). This is the easiest option. There are plenty of drivers at the bus station. The ride costs 600 PHP (500 if you’re able to negotiate) and takes about 30 minutes. The first few minutes of the drive are on a paved road, but it quickly becomes a rocky and bumpy ride. We arrived by tricycle at Green Hill as a thunderstorm rolled in, and we were so happy we were covered in our tricycle. We almost went the motorbike route – this would’ve been a nightmare in the rain. You will have to walk up to Green Hill for the last 10 minutes because the Tricycles don’t have access to the steep hill.

3) MOTORBIKE. This is an alternative route if you like a challenge, but if you’re planning on exploring the town and surrounding areas of Port Barton this is the best choice. However, if you do not have experience riding a bike then I do not recommend learning on your drive to Green Hill. As mentioned before, the roads are rough and challenging, and if there is any rain, mud and puddles will make it even harder. We were offered a bike for 500php per day. 

4) WALK. As we said earlier, Green Hill is 7 km away from the main town. Walking will take a few hours, so unless you’re looking for some exercise I don’t recommend it. If you are crazy enough to walk, just follow the main road out of town and all the way to Green Hill Cottages. If you need a break, there is a good restaurant next to White Beach you can get food and a drink at.

The treacherous but rewarding road to Green Hill Cottages (this is the aftermath of a downpour, it dries up as soon as the sun comes out)

Port Barton was a stop for us between some jam-packed destinations so we used it as a time to rest, relax, and catch up on some work. We didn’t rent a motorbike so we never ventured to town but we still had plenty to do. 

Our favorite thing to do was walk down the hill to the beach. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to White Beach. There’s a nice man who collects the 50php entry fee, and then you’ll arrive at the long sandy beach. This beach has some of the calmest waters we’ve ever experienced. We could float for hours and not move – it’s pretty incredible. Even when it stormed, we found ourselves jumping into the warm ocean and enjoying the downpour. 

The beach never felt crowded. And if you’re lucky, you’ll meet the local pigs, cows, dogs, and cats that freely roam the beach.

After the beach, you can stop by the restaurant just across the road for a quick bite. We enjoyed their local Filipino dishes.

Coconut Beach is a 30-minute walk past White Beach. We heard there is a lot of Coral, so it’s not quite as nice to swim in as White Beach.

Pro Tip: Grace at Green Hill told us that at low tide, you can walk around the edge of White Beach (to the right) and take a shortcut to Coconut Beach. BELOW is a photo of White Beach, and as you can see there’s a curve that takes you to the other side. Apparently, it takes about 15 minutes, versus 30 minutes on the gravel road.

White Beach <3

Located right next to Green Hill is another eco-style stay. This place is called Jungle Bar and has delicious Filipino food, tasty drinks, and a beautiful view of the ocean. We tried their home-brewed rums and some local dishes, both were 5/5. Their main house is also very vibey, with hammocks, floor pillows, and a ton of decor that makes it the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the views below. Their dog, Sausage, is also adorable. 

And even better, Jungle Bar also has cottages available to stay in. We’re biased to Green Hill because we got to know Kasia and Thomas, and their staff very well, not to mention that they made Drew’s 26th birthday a very special one. But if they are fully booked, Jungle Bar is a great alternative, if you are set on a fabulous eco stay in Port Barton.

Let’s talk pricing: we stayed at Green Hill in mid-May, just at the start of their off-season. The price for our first cottage (Lagoon) with an attached bathroom was $35 USD. We moved to our second cottage (Fool Moon) with a separate bathroom for $30. Jungle Bar prices were slightly higher, at around $40-45.

A perfect spot to enjoy home brewed rum

The owner did an amazing job with the upstairs

We spent a lot of time in Port Barton just enjoying our time at Green Hill. There are plenty of places to lounge and enjoy the amazing views. Most of the cottages have their own hammock and private balcony. There is so much nature to see and hear, and given that this was us ‘splurging’ for Drew’s 26th birthday, we wanted to take full advantage of our time at Green Hill. 

In the afternoons, we sat on our balcony for a few hours taking photos of the birds, butterflies, and other bits of nature that popped up into our view. It was a wonderful and simple way to spend an afternoon.

Pictured below are three of Drew’s subjects, (if you know the species please send us an Instagram message): the first is the largest butterfly we’d ever seen. It was hard to capture its’ wingspan in a photo, but it was about the size of an adult hand. The second was this bird playing hide & seek before Drew finally got the shot. And third, a shy turquoise butterfly.

If you’re in the mood for an adventure, you can join an island-hopping tour while in Port Barton, and the staff at Green Hill can help organize your trip.

We heard great things about Port Barton’s island-hopping tours. Much like El Nido and Coron, they spend the day bouncing between gorgeous islands with stunning sandy beaches in every direction, but what’s even better about these is that they don’t have the crowds that El Nido and Coron have. 

A sunset from Green Hill

A short distance from Port Barton town you have two popular waterfalls, Bigaho and Pamuayan. Both can be reached easily with a scooter, or you can hire a tricycle for the trip. 

• Bigaho Waterfall: Entry to the waterfall cost 40 PHP. Google Maps shows a 2 hour driving route, but head to Pamuayan Beach instead, and then head north on the main road to reach Bigaho Falls.
• Pamuayan Waterfall: Entry is free, but donations are accepted. Pamuayan Falls is a 20 minute motorbike ride from Port Barton town, and then a 20 minute walk to the falls. 

Relaxation Station

Every meal we ate here was fresh and DELICIOUS. From breakfasts like savory vegetable omelets to sweet pancakes topped with orange (YES – orange) watermelon and nuts. 

The lunch/dinner was our favorite part though. We stayed here for 3 nights, so we were lucky to enjoy 3 amazing dinners. One dish that we kept ordering was the Stuffed Squid. This is a popular Filipino dish in which you stuff the squid with a combo of diced tomato, onion, and flavors like ginger and garlic – it reminded us a bit of Pico de Gallo (one of our favorites). Then you grill the squid. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Their menu fluctuates a lot since it relies on what is available in the market. We also had their fresh catch which was Mackerel one day and Tuna the next. If there’s anything we both love, it’s fresh caught, grilled fish. And if you’re seeking Western comforts, the Creamy Mushroom Pasta was our favorite. The whiteboard by the bar has the ‘Today’s Menu’, meaning it changes every day, depending on what they’ve got. This is the best way to eat – always fresh and seasonal.

Jungle Bar is where we loved to grab a drink because they have house-infused Filipino rum. When we visited in May 2024, they had 6 different infusions to try – the flavors would make any pirate smile. At Green Hill, we enjoyed a glass of white wine with dinner to celebrate Drew’s birthday. Kasia and Thomas have great taste, and since wine is scarce in the Philippines, it was a real treat to have a good glass of wine.

Fried veggies with Noodles

The legendary Stuffed Squid 

Green Hill’s bar is fun & inviting. Come have a drink or two!

If you want more Port Barton content, check out our Instagram page!