Villa Marguerita is in Port Barton village which has a population of around 1200. It’s a great all weather home as the bar/entertainment area overlooks the water and there are people passing by or vendors dropping in to sell fresh produce. It’s also a great place for guests with kids as the locals are very friendly and it’s easy for children to find friends in Port Barton. We have a tree house and a play gym for children to use as well as many other activities.

Gilligans Hideaway is a short boat ride away and is in a very quiet peaceful setting with around 20 residents in the locality. Gilligans is ideal for couples or small groups, but both homes can sleep 8 persons. Gilligans has no neighbours for 200 metres and is more suited to those looking for a quiet time. If there are vacancies available you are welcome to move between homes. You can always take the boat to Port Barton if you want to spend some time there to see a bit more action. We receive more bookings at Villa Marguerita, but Gilligans receives the most and best reviews. My wife prefers time at Margueritas whilst I am in awe with the simplicity and beauty of the scenery at Gilligans.

We recommend you spend some time doing your personal shopping prior to leaving on the trip north to our homes. The basic shopping goods including Beer, Gin, Tanduay Rum and basic spirits are available at Port Barton or you can do your own shopping before you leave Puerto Princessa for Port Barton. Local drinks are very cheap. Good Australian and South African red and white wines are available in Port Barton now from our friend Dan Ficareli. They cost around $20 per bottle but are good quality. We recommend you make a list of some of the things you’ll require for your stay and pick them up on the way. We have a suggested shopping list for self-catering guests. Just ask us to email it to you. We shop at the new Robinsons Mall which is just outside Puerto Princesa on the way to Port Barton for the basis essentials and personal items, and for the finer things in life such as imported spirits and quality wines we recommend Brunos in the city. The Van driver can take you to Robinsons and Brunos if requested. Most stores open at around 9.30 am. A few guests choose to self-cater, most decide to enjoy the quality meals served at our homes.
Yes we can. In fact you will pass the world renowned Underground River on your way to and from Port Barton, so it makes sense to ask your van driver to take the side trip to Sabang, where the boats leave for the river trip. Expect to pay P7500 for the Puerto-Sabang-Port Barton 7 seater van trip. For the more adventurous travellers, we can organise a boat trip from Port Barton to Sabang for you, and the scenery on the way is outstanding. Weather can be an issue for boat travellers, so Vans are the safest option. You’ll still need to organise permits from Puerto Princesa before you go to the site. Currently you need to appear in person at a ticket centre to buy your permits. We highly recommend taking this trip.

El Nido is a few hours north of Port Barton and is also accessible by van or a 4 and a half hour boat trip. Again the boat trip is for the more adventurous, but is an outstanding scenic trip. Expect to pay around P1500 per person for the trip by boat with a minimum charge.

I don’t know of anyone that has malaria In Port Barton. We’ve owned Villa Marguerita for around 18 years and never taken anti-malaria drugs nor has any of my family. My children spent the first 3 years of their lives in Port Barton without a problem. Of course none of the local residents take anti-malarial medications, so if there was a problem with malaria I’m sure the residents would be concerned. The side effects of the drugs can be serious so I advise guests not to take the drugs, especially if you are diving. We provide mosquito repellents for our guests and have sprays available in the rooms for those who have concerns. Mosquito nets are provided for the beds and should always be used. Our bedrooms have screens on the windows. Mosquitos are more of a problem in our home country than in Philippines. If you have concerns, then take your doctors advice.
No Problem. Please confirm your flight arrival time into Puerto Princesa and we’ll have a service or our own car pick you up if this is requested. We can also arrange pickup from your hotel as well. Our regular drivers are happy to take you to the shops. Shops open at 9.30. See our Booking Request Form for the phone numbers and email address of our manager should there be a
change or delay in your travel plans so that we can notify the driver about your arrival or pickup time. The local 7 seater shuttle van service charge from the airport to Port Barton is approximately P4500. The trip takes around 3 hours.
We have staff available at short notice. Our Manager Marilyn will organize people for you at either property. Basic housekeeping is included in your rental fee. Laundry service is extra. Self-caterers should pay our kitchen staff if our staff are cooking or cleaning up for you. Guests paying for meals are not expected to do this. We ask our guests to consider tipping our staff if they are happy with the service provided. For those guests asking the staff for extra services apart for those for which they are paying, the suggested daily rate is P 280 per day p[er person. All tips will be appreciated.
There are no credit card or ATM facility services in Port Barton. Take cash with you. Philippine Pesos are best. There is a money change facility available if required in Puerto Princessa but it is closed on Sundays. It’s difficult for us to make suggestions as to how much money you’ll need. If you get stuck for cash you can make a credit card transaction to pay for our staff and foods etc if
necessary.
Before you leave our manager will discuss your account for any extras such as boat trips, meals and payments to the workers, cooks, cleaners, washing etc. with you to make sure there are no anomalies. You can organize to pay her then. Keep some cash available for your purchases in Port Barton and Gilligans. Most local stores will give us credit for a few days, but if you’re short of
cash we may be able to make a credit card transaction by Paypal to cover your account. The driver service may agree to take you to an ATM on your return to Puerto Princesa to organise cash to pay you’re account.
Good idea also. Legends Hotel is the number one hotel. First class I’m told. My wife and I are cheapskates so we book and stay at Liberty Pension or Palawan Village Hotel. There are many reasonable hotels very close to the airport that you could try. Hibiscus Garden Is a nice hotel run by good people. http://www.puertoprincesahotel.com. The tricycle drivers can direct you to some others to try. There are some great restaurants along Rizal Avenue near the airport that you may try. You should note that the Jeepneys to Port Barton leave at 8 a.m. at the latest and they don’t wait for passengers coming from the airport, and most flights arrive after this time, so you don’t have much choice other than to take a service vehicle or stay overnight and take the Jeepney next day. Get to the Jeepney terminal (10 minutes from town) early if you want to get a good seat. If you’re adventurous… take the jeep… if you’re not… take a service vehicle.
No. You shouldn’t have any problems now. The Port Barton road has never been in better condition and several kilometres of the worst sections have been concreted now, and with ongoing work being carried out, we should see the road fully concreted by the end of 2016. The 7 seater vans are 4×4, so you should have no problem getting through the last 24 kilometres from the fully concreted highway from Puerto Princesa. As the road upgrade continues, travel times will shorten.
If you require any domestic flights please let us know as we may be able to negotiate cheaper flights by dealing directly through the airlines and not through travel agents. Flights up to half price are commonly available, but not through some travel agencies. Let us know if you have difficulty booking and paying for flights. We can recommend a travel agent in Puerto Princesa and will send you their contact details if you need some assistance with booking flights. Please check the baggage limits for your airline. Most airlines allow you to pre-purchase extra kilos. Check-in baggage and carry-on bags will be weighed and you will be charged for excess baggage.
Travelers staying 21 days or less don’t usually require a visa however you should confirm this with the airline you are traveling with. You will require a forwarding ticket leaving the Philippines or you may not be allowed to board your flight. This is important. If you wish to stay longer than 21 days you’ll require a 59 day visa prior to traveling. Contact your nearest Philippine Consulate to organize this. There will be a charge for the 59 day visa. Make sure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your visit, or you may be denied entry.