Starfish Island Port Barton: A Slice Of Palawan Paradise
Starfish island is part of Port Barton’s Boat Tour, a highlight of our stay in the local village. Having only experienced small English starfish before, the size and perfectionism of these creatures amazed us. They look surreal and the island they rest by is so tiny, a small crest of sand peaks out above the ocean which you can walk across while taking a break from snorkelling.
Port Barton’s Boat Tour has four separate stops and controversially we prefer it to the world famous El Nido Tour. Starfish island was the last stop we made and it did not disappoint. We got to see multiple large Chocolate Chip Starfish resting on the shallow banks of the island.
Important: Do not lift the starfish out of the water as this will damage them. Our guide told us we could flip them over as long as they stayed fully submerged. We decided not to touch them at all, leaving them be as this felt the right thing to do.
Contents
Where Is Starfish Island?
Starfish Island can be found in Port Barton, Palawan. A small, local village with up and coming tourism, Starfish Island can only be reached during the Boat Tour. The island is located around 10 minutes off-shore from the town.
How To Get To Starfish Island?
Book onto Port Barton’s Boat Tour. We recommend booking with GetYourGuide or heading down to the beach to book with a local, the island was the last stop on our full day tour. You might also be able to visit just the sandbar rather than doing the tour by asking a local on the beach for a taxi boat.
To get to Port Barton Book A Shuttle Bus From El Nido or Puerto Princesa
Starfish Island Description
Your boat will pull up to a summit of sand where you can enter the shallow water and admire the beauty of this tiny isolated island. Submerge your head and you’ll be greeted with spotted starfish that look like they're straight out of a cartoon.
As mentioned before, please don’t lift the starfish out of the water.
About The Chocolate Chip Starfish
The Protoreaster nodosus also known as the chocolate chip starfish is popular in Indo-Pacific waters. Their population remains steady even though these crates are popular in the aquarium trade.
They like to make their home in the shallow areas but can also be found in deeper reefs. These starfish can reach up to 40m in length!
Starfish Island Common Questions
How Much Is The Port Barton Boat Tour?
The Port Boat tour cost us ₽1500 or you can book online... Book here
How Long Do You Spend At Starfish Island?
We had around 20 minutes to snorkel, admire the starfish and clamber over the smallest island I’ve ever seen.
Other Stops On The Port Barton Boat Tour
A collection of high quality coral, we were amazed by the size and intricacies of the flora we were exploring. The first stop on our tour and some of the best coral we saw in the Philippines!
We stopped here for an unforgettable lunch, a spread of grilled seafood, noodles, rice and fruit allowed us to feast on the island's banks. You can also hike to the peak of the island, it takes around 5 minutes and gives you insane views over the neighbouring island.
Turtle Snorkelling Spot
The second snorkelling spot on the tour is where you can often spot turtles. We saw one turtle here and only stayed for around 15 minutes. This stop was a little more crowded than the others.
Best Places To Stay In Port Barton
Port Barton is a small, local fishing village with most of the accommodation concentrated in the centre of town. Wherever you stay bars, restaurants and the beach will be within walking distance, so you need to decide if you want to pay more for a beach side property or something more budget set further back.
We use Booking.com and HostelWorld for all of our stays around the world!
Below is a list of top accommodations we recommend for Port Barton, Palawan:
Top Things To Do In Port Barton
Perhaps less known than El Nido, Port Barton was one of our favourite towns in the whole of the Philippines. You get a local feel but the area is still set up for tourism, with bars, western and local restaurants and an amazing boat trip. Here we share our top things to do in Port Barton.
Top Pick: Port Barton Boat Tour
This is a must in Port Barton! You get to visit two snorkelling spots including Twin Reef which has some of the best coral we’ve seen, Paradise Island where you get a local feast for lunch, snorkel with turtles and look for Chocolate Chip Starfish On A Tiny Sand Bar.
If you’re looking for a large strip of powdery sand, coconut trees and a refreshing place to swim you can get a boat taxi from Port Barton Bay (Itaytay Beach) to White Beach.
Off The Beaten Track: Pamuayan Falls
Jump on a scooter or hire a taxi and head to Pamuayan Falls where you can get back to nature and enjoy a swim in the falls natural pool.
Best Place To Eat: Joan’s Cuisine & Fat Cat
Joan’s Cuisine serves a mixture of budget friendly local dishes as well as a mouth-watering paella which is a must try. If you’re looking for western food head to Fat Cat for amazing pizza!
Essential Travel Items You Need
 | Lifestraw - Filtered Water Bottle Allowing you to fill up water whenever and wherever with peace of mind plus you’re helping the environment! |
 | Jungle Formula - High Deet Mosquito Spray The weak sprays will not work! Make sure to bring a high deet percentage spray made for the tropics. We also use Mosquito Wipes. |
 | Water Shoes - Lightweight with Protection Stay protected from Sea Urchins with these, also useful for snorkelling, waterfall hikes and more. We also love our Microfibre Towels and Dry Bag. |
 | Universal Travel Adaptor With Multiple USBs Life while travelling will never be the same again! Charge multiple devices all at once in any country... game changer. |
Top Tips For Travelling The Philippines
If you’re visiting the Philippines here are our top travel tips:
Book flights in advance - they can become expensive if you leave it last minute… oh and check your luggage allowance to skip expensive check in fees at the airport. Don't forget your Apple Airtags to track your bags
Agree on taxi prices upfront - when getting into a tuk-tuk, tricycle or taxi, make sure you agree on a price or they have a meter, so many tourists get ripped off with a huge price tag at the end of the ride.
Take it slow - don't feel the need to see all the islands, we recommend picking a few and doing them properly. See the island in full, find some locals and sing Karaoke..
Embrace the chaos and get stuck in, the locals are friendly and love to help and share information about their home!
For a checklist of what's needed to pack for your trip, read: How to Pack for Backpacking to South East Asia: Backpacking Essentials and Accessories
We love our DJI Mini for all of our drone shots!
Final Thoughts on Starfish Island Port Barton
It was the first time we had experienced these beautiful creatures making this stop one of the most memorable on the Tour. Snorkelling around the island makes you feel like you’ve landed in paradise due to the calm, shallow waters and idyllic starfish. This picture perfect sandbar is a must do if you’re in Palawan!
Travel Tools To Help You Plan
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Thank you for reading and enjoy your Philippine adventure. Reach out to us over on Instagram @KateandMikesTravels. We always love to hear from people who read our blogs!
For our Filipino friends: Maraming salamat sa pag babasa, hangang sa susunod nating pag kikita, mamimiss namin kayo, mabuhay ang pilipinas! Salamat
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