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We got on the bus to find that it was incredibly crowded, so much that there was nowhere for three of us to sit. We stood for an hour or so of the trip while we waited for people to be dropped off. This photo is of my travel friend, Benjamin, basically hanging out of the door of the bus - not exactly by choice.

the stake before it went into the ground

One of the crew from the jeep, hammering a giant stake into the ground so that they can hook the winch from the jeep to it.

Port Barton is separated from civilization by an almost entirely dirt road. When it rains, it can become impassable. This road is probably the one thing keeping Port Barton such a unknown and untapped tourist spot - you can’t get to it unless you’re willing to travel this road basically.

This is a photo of the jeepney we took to get out of Port Barton. We got stuck in the mud on the way up a hill. Luckily, jeeps are amazing vehicles. We all got out of the jeep, walked up the hill and waited as they drove it up the hill the rest of the way assisted by a winch.

so we were on this island.. absolutely nobody else on it except this dog. im friendly with him, he’s friendly back. jasmine is sleeping in the sand and bjorn and benjamin are on another island.. so this dog leads me around the island on a short trek. we sit down and i have my hand on my water bottle.. and then he’s like, “hey”.

Christmas tree at the tourism office in Port Barton. I arrived in October. Christmas starts here pretty much in September.

Dinner companions at Jambalaya

Eating with my travel friends (left to right): Jasmine (Spain), Bjorn (Germany) and Benjamin (Germany). We’re at Jambalaya, a wonderful little restaurant in Port Barton with a healthy selection of books and a healthy menu as well.

Photo one of my travel friends took of the celebrations going on in Port Barton while we were there. All the school age kids from the San Vicente province come to Port Barton to play drums and xylophones. Marching and baton twirling too. And a sports competition. It’s sort of like a county-wide celebration here. The kids came from all over and arrived by jeepney and boat.

me sitting in the hammock outside my room

The porch area of my cottage

Inside my cottage. Very basic.. just a bed and some hard pillows. The electricity in Port Barton only comes on from 6pm to midnight, so it’s generally not worth it to have air conditioning or hot water appliances anywhere. I don’t think you can actually get a place with AC in Port Barton currently. Some places have hot water. My room just had a fan.

You don’t really need AC though.. at least not in October and if you’re on the ocean. The breeze comes in and cools the room just fine. Main thing to watch out for is mosquitoes. My room didn’t come with a mosquito net (some other places have them).

600 PHP [$13.85 USD] per night. Couldn’t get any more beach front than than this.. I’m literally just steps away from it.

A view from outside my cottage at El Busero. Cottage 1, in case you want to rent it yourself ;)

steps (on the right) leading up to my cottage. Building on the left is the main building of the place I stayed in Port Barton - “El Busero”.