View from on one of the islands of Pagdanan Bay

Port Barton is located midway between Puerto Princesa and El Nido on Palawan’s Northwest coast. This lovely little coastal beach town’s activities are mostly geared towards island hopping, swimming, diving and snorkeling around Pagdanan Bay while the mainland offers some walking or hiking trips to discover several of the nearby waterfalls. The atmosphere is very laidback in Port Barton so don’t expect any nightlife outside of your resorts bar. We did heard of a small local bar that turns into a disco and stays opened late once a week on Saturdays when there are enough people. Attempting to go there at around 11PM we found it closed.

Map of the Puerto Princesa to Port Barton route

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Pictures of the Port Barton

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Resorts of Port Barton

The bulk of the resorts of Port Barton are located along the town’s long white sand beach. Prices go cheap in this part of Palawan where beach front accommodations prices vary from 400 to 700 Pesos($8-12). Another positive note good to mention is that you definitely won’t feel like you’ve ended up in a tourist ghetto here as we didn’t encounter as much as 10 other tourists the time we were there. Alternatively there is also the option to stay at the Coconut Island Resort which is located in 45 minutes by boat in the Bay itself for a more secluded island getaway experience (from 600 to 1200 pesos).

Pictures of the Summer Homes Resort

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Island Hopping in Port Barton

Located in Pagdanan Bay, Port Barton it is the ideal place for those who love to do Island hopping. All the boats for hire are available from the Fair Trade Mariners Association of Port Barton where prices vary depending of the number of passengers, length of the trip or chosen tour destinations. Among the many islands of the bay at least 15 contain fine white sand beaches. Most are virgin and inhabited and since Port Barton is a low key tourist destination so you’ll most likely have those islands all to yourself. The water is often of a splendid turquoise color and always crystal clear so you will be able to see through several meters below. Bring snorkel or scuba gear as the marine life is abundant and the corals seem to be untouched.

Pictures Island Hopping in Pagdanan Bay

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Getting to Port Barton from Puerto Princesa and back:

To travel the 150 KM that separate Port Barton from Puerto Princesa you can:

1. Take the local Jeepney that Leaves Puerto Princessa’s new market bus station everyday at around 10 AM for Port Barton and costs 250 pesos (±$5) per person.
2. If you arrive later in the day and don’t want to stay overnight in Puerto Princesa another option is to take a one of the many Jeepneys that are leave for Sabang from 7 AM to 3 PM (150 pesos) at the new Public Bus Terminal. You can then get on one of the boats to do the trip from from Sabang to Port Barton (800 pesos). Boats only leave in the morning so this means you will have to spend the night in one of the beach resorts in Sabang.
3. Take one of the many vans for hire that do the trip up to Roxas once they get full (200-300 pesos)  from where you can take afternoon Jeepney that goes to Port Barton (250 pesos). Depending how late in the day you arrive you could get stuck in Roxas. If so I would recommend to stay in the Coco Loco Island Resort overnight.
   
4. Private shuttles taxis can also be arranged for around 3-4,000($90) and can accommodate up to 6 persons with their luggage.

Pictures of the Roxas to Port Barton Jeepney ride

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The view from the beach on a moody afternoon at Coco Loco island

The Coco Loco island and resort was certainly one of the highlights of my last trip to the Philippines. The seven hectares spec of land that make up this microscopic sized island consists but of two things. Flat land abundant with Coconut trees which is completely surrounded by beautiful white sandy beaches that lead into the inviting crystal blue to turquoise green seas. All this with clear view of the lofty mountains of mainland Palawan in the background. Whats makes Coco Loco particularly special is that there’s only 34 cottages which are spread out through the island so its in no way overcrowded and you still kind of have a sense as if you were on your own. The entire island can be walked around at a relaxed pace in about 30 to 40 minutes so you get that castaway “away from it all” feel to it, a true Heaven on earth experience. The pictures don’t give justice to the place mainly due to covered skies where the absence of sunlight doesn’t let the colors look as vibrant as they really were.

Coco Loco Island

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We hadn’t really planned to do anything on such a short stay so we played it very relaxed and carefree by the beach. Our only activity was swimming and snorkeling and it’s definitively an excellent place for that. You could snorkel right off the beach into what would seem like an aquarium full of tropical fish. Never seen quite something like this so for sure no need to rent a boat to do some quality snorkeling here. If you plan to stay there a while activities can be arranged such as island hopping, fishing, windsurfing, beach volleyball, kayaking, scuba diving or beginners diving courses (PADI).

Getting There

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After a 2½ hours Van hire journey from Puerto Princesa on a paved road through the amazing and very unique Palawan scenery we arrived in the small Municipality of Roxas. Once at the Roxas’ wharf we proceed onto a banca for the last portion of the trip, a 40 minutes boat ride East onto the sea set to reach the paradisaic island of Coco Loco.

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Coco Loco Accommodation

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The accommodations of Coco Loco resort are all made of traditional Filipino native style bamboo cottages. This means they are very basic but clean. Each one comes inside with the standard: The bed and its mosquito net, an electric fan, table and chairs, a bathroom with a non heated salty water shower and a flush toilet. The electricity is provided by the resorts generator which runs 12 hours a day from 6PM to 6AM. There is also a dive shop that also sells some souvenir items and a bar restaurant where guests can play billiard, ping pong, darts or watch cable TV.

Price and Food

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The price is around P2,000 (roughly $40/€30) per person, per day and includes three meals“a la carte’” and boat transfers. Definitely a good run for your money for what you actually get at this resort, especially compared to other private island resorts of El Nido. This place stands out and is definitely recommended.

A view of Malapascua’s northern part of the island near Langob

Malapascua with its small proportions of 2½ KM long by 1KM wide is a tiny but beautiful tropical island lost 8KM into the Visayan sea just off Cebu’s port of Maya. Often compared to what Boracay looked like 20 years ago the major advantage of Malapascua over Boracay is while it’s every bit as beautiful it hasn’t been overrun by development and tourists yet. More laid back and calm It’s a nice place to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of life where you won’t find here any of those western style big hotels, trendy restaurants or nightclubs. What Malapascua island offers are a few beach-style bars with a crowd mostly made out of divers on Bounty beach.

The people come here for diving, enjoying the beach and nature glad to take life without the frills, away from clubs and all night partying. Don’t expect to see any jeepneys, much paved roads at all, tricycles or televisions. Just friendly locals living at their pace. Sitting and talking with each other as the children play on the beach. Most are fishermen or live from tourism by renting bancas for island hopping, snorkeling or diving. A fairly new diving destination since the nineties Malapascua gained popularity for being one of the few spots in the world where divers can be just about certain to sight Thresher Sharks, Manta Rays and White Tip Reef Sharks.

My stay on Malapascua island only lasted two days but were memorable. On the last day I’ve taken about five hours to roam around and do the complete tour of the island on foot at my own pace which was well worth the long walk. It is where you will find the prettiest beaches (around the village of Langob and Guimbitayan) and get a taste of the real local Filipino native lifestyle. Due to the lack of ressources online showing pictures of the island in its entirety I shared pictures of my little tour where some commentaries can be read when images are viewed in full screen.

Map of the Island of Malapascua, Province of Cebu, Philippines

The banca ride from Maya to Malapascua

The crossing from the port of Maya on the tip of Cebu to Malapascua (under 50 pesos) takes 30 to 40 minutes by banca. Be sure to plan in advance and arrive not too late because it gets hard to find a boat past 5PM. Keep in mind that the ride from Cebu City to Maya will take ± 3½ to 4 hours by bus (under 100 pesos),  ± 2-3 hours by Van-Hire (under 150 pesos) or ± 2½ to 3 hours or by taking taxi depending on your bargaining skills and demand can range anywhere from 1000 to 2500 pesos.

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Various Photos from Bounty Beach

The bulk of the accommodations and tourism takes place on and around Bounty beach. If you continue walking on the beach to the north a while you’ll go cross the two villages of Pansil and Indonacion. If you want to get away from the dive talk and tourists there are many resorts all around the island that will give you much more privacy in a more secluded area.

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Photos going into Kabantangan

Leaving the end of Bounty beach to go inland following what would become a narrow path with ample vegetation leading me north of the island to the more remote village of Kabatangan.

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Next stop Bakhaw

After Kabantangan just a few hundred meters later after a small hill you reach the village of Bakhaw

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In and around the village of Bool

Just at the next beach cove a stone’s throw from Bakhaw is the next village of Bool

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Bantigue Cove Beach Resort and Dive Shop

Just after Bool is probably the best resort to be located beach-wise if you are staying in Malapascua. A maximum of 10 couples can stay at the location assuring plenty of privacy with the best view.

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Langob

Calm and and blue sea in perfect harmony with the blindingly white sands of this long stretch of sand. The opposite end of the island is definitely my favorite spot where no tourists are in sight.

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Guimbitayan

At the other side of the strip of sand is where Guimbitayan lies where the beach is as pleasant

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Guimbitayan

The walk up to the lighthouse tower which is Malapascua’s highest point on the Island

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Walk back

Road from the lighthouse tower back to Malapascua’s biggest city Logon in the South

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Walk back

Finally arriving in Logon, biggest city of Malapascua which is a few minutes from Bounty Beach

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Named cristos about a dozen each year volunteer to be nailed to the cross by their hands and feet as a form of atonement and sacrifice (some for the 15th consecutive year) while about one thousand others called mamalaspas come to take part in self flagellation ritual. The Catholic church typically frowns upon such practices but cannot forbid them as many of those participating do it to thank God for a son or relative cured from a life threatening disease.

Arriving in San Fernando for the Good Friday celebrations 2008 dubbed as Maleldo ‘08

Here a group of penitents stripped to the waist performing self flagellation

After a while of whipping themselves they start the 4 KM long procession to the cross

The sharpened bamboo whips are often tipped with sharp objects to facilitate the cut and bloodying of their backs.

More penitents passing in by a Sari-Sari store with a crowd waching

Get used to the idea that it will be impossible for you to keep your clothes free of blood since those blood soaked bamboo sticks are swinging left and right from the hundreds of mamalaspas participants.

There seems to be a never ending stream of processions passing by…

To give another aspect of the self flagellation ritual here is a short video of the procession we took that day.

Eventually the mamalaspas make it to the Holy Cross Crucifixion site

Paying their respects

Some people among the crowd preaching to Gospel

First volunteer to be crucified

The reenactment of the Vin Crucis includes Filipino Roman soldiers on horses

The start of the most realistic passion play where the participants are willing to be nailed to the cross.

Filipino Roman centurions arrive to prepare the cross for the penitent

The first Cristos approaches

While The media zoo watches…

He first is tied onto the cross

Then one approaches with a six inch nail in his hand

Once both hands are nailed the holy cross is raised from the ground

Then firmly fixated

Here is a close up of The hand nailed to the cross

After the hands of course comes the feet. Here The Roman soldier is looking for the right spot where to nail his feet to the cross while sustaining to the devotee as minimal damage as possible.

A hammer is used for this delicate “operation”

You can see here both feet are nailed to the cross (more clearly if you click to see in full sized mode)

Frontal view of the now fully crucified penitent completing his true test of his faith to God. The festival is now at its climax.. The same ritual awaits about a dozen more to come.

The way back was anything but easy with the thousands of people all trying to leaving a the same time. On this small little street we were cramped like sardines and the boiling heat didn’t do anything to help.