Tag Archives: Palawan

Travelogue: Port Barton

For my last stop in the Philippines, I stopped by Port Barton, a beach and scuba diving town similar to El Nido, but much less developed, much less touristy.  To use a well-worn cliche, it’s like El Nido from a decade or two ago.  And I stayed here for a couple of days, just relaxing, enjoying the sunsets, and doing not much of anything at all.  It’s that kind of place.
Port Barton - panorama sunset

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Travelogue: El Nido

El Nido is named after the swifts that live on the nearby cliffs, whose nests used to be harvested to make soups.  Nowadays, however, it’s known as more of a tourist destination, with great scuba diving, beaches, and seascapes.  And after suffering through the lack of electricity at Sabang, El Nido is a welcome change, having electricity from 2PM to 6AM – though many places also have backup generators.
El Nido - town view 2

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Travelogue: Sabang and the Underground River

After spending a day or two in Puerto Princesa to get tickets to the Underground River, I hopped on a bus at PP’s ‘market’ bus terminal, and rode three hours to Sabang, home of the Underground River.  Sure, there are also day tours that leave from PP going to the underground river, but why take a tour if you can go yourself?
Sabang -  underground river on boat 2

What I didn’t expect, was for Sabang to be an unexpectedly small town, with barely any internet and electricity only available from 6-10pm.  Still, it was quite a picturesque town, and one with some pretty great sunsets.
Sabang - panorama sunset

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