With Holy Week coming up and summer in full swing, you know the most accessible and popular beaches are going to get pretty crowded. For those looking for peace and privacy for beach camping trips, Inaladelan Island Resort in Palawan is a great choice. This 12-hectare private island and camping paradise off the coast of Port Barton in Palawan offers a stunning getaway.

Inaladelan (also known to the locals as German Island) is a small island just 15-20 minutes away by boat from Port Barton, a small fishing village on the backpacker trail in Palawan. Port Barton is part of the emerging tourist town of San Vicente, a town on the north-western side of the main island province of Palawan noted for having the longest white beach in the country. Still overlooked by mainstream tourists, San Vicente is usually noted as the half-way point between Puerto Princesa and El Nido, the two most popular tourist destinations on the main island of Palawan. 

Island-hopping is the main attraction in San Vicente, with Inaladelan Island offering a private and unspoiled setting that will appeal to outdoorsy people and beach bums who just want to enjoy the simple beach life. Most guests usually visit the island on day tours, but for quality time with friends, I highly recommend camping on the island overnight. The island has been transformed into a party almost island ideal for camping and glamping trips for groups and events.

There’s a large covered Pavillion with a generator, an Island Bar that sells snacks and drinks, beach-front benches, several tables and chairs, beach huts, hammocks and swings and restrooms with running water. But the main draw here is the pristine beach where you can swim and snorkel with sea turtles just right beside the shore.

During our recent visit for #AlohaPalawan event help in partnership with Air Asia, we got to enjoy the chill island life and wake up with the view of the ocean. For those looking for their next beach trip this summer, here’s a guide to help you plan your trip there.

Location

Inaladelan Island Resort is a small island roughly 15-20 minutes by boat from Port Barton, a village in San Vicente in the province of Palawan, Philippines. Port Barton is about 146 kilometers or roughly 2.5-3 hours away by land from Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, where the main international airport is located.

AirAsia Philippines now flies from Clark to Puerto Princesa 3 times a week or every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Aside from Clark, AirAsia also offers flights to Puerto Princesa from its hubs in Manila, Cebu, and Davao. 

Things to do

Enjoy the beach

Go swimming, go snorkeling, get a tan or just laze around on the hammocks and beach chairs and enjoy the chill beach vibe. Sporty guests can also play frisbee or volleyball facing the ocean.

Camp out

For guests staying overnight, Inaladelan provides camping tents equipped with foam beds, pillows and blankets for a very comfortable camping experience. You wake up with an amazing view of the ocean. For day trip visitors, you can always take a siesta on the beach on their comfortable hammocks.

Swim with turtles

The area surrounding Inaladelan Island has a lot of “pawikan” or turtles swimming just a few meters from the island’s shore. If you’re lucky enough, you might be able to see them during the hatching season every January!

Have a Bonfire Party

If you’re camping overnight, Inaladelan can arrange for a bonfire that you can just enjoy with friends. For our stay, we were entertained with firedancers and local musicians. You might want to bring marshmallows for this.

Where to eat

For guests availing of day trip tours and overnight stays, tour organizers take care of all the meals. Island staff cook food fresh – from fish, pork to chicken, anything you like that is within the island’s reach! For lunch, we had beach classics of grilled pork and chicken, cucumber salad, fresh tropical fruits and coconut juice.

For dinner, we had a delicious boodle fight meal with rice, squid, shrimps, adobo, breaded pork, tofu and vegetables.

The island also has its own Happy Hour bar where you can buy juice, mixed drinks, cocktails and beer. This is also where we enjoyed our breakfast of French Toast and jam, ham, scrambled eggs and coffee.

What to Bring

There’s no need to bring any camping gear as the tents and everything you need is already included in the package. For those staying overnight, you might want to bring the following:

• Reusable water bottle
• Dry bag for the boatride
• Swimwear
• Change of clothes for sleeping
• Off Lotion/Coconut oil
• Hand Sanitizer
• Sunscreen
• Personal Toiletries
• Action cameras
• Flashlight and batteries
• Powerbank
• Snorkeling gear
• Your OOTD beach attire
• Extra snacks and chips

Rates

Inaladelan Island Resort is open for Overnight Camping, Day Visits and Walk-Ins.

• Day Tour: Php 1,500 / person minimum of 5 pax. Includes round trip boat transfers, entrance fee, lunch and light snack
• Overnight Camping Rate: Php 2,500 / person minimum of 2 pax. Includes 2 days 1 night stay, round trip boat transfers, camping tent with foam bed and pillow, dinner and breakfast, 1 hour free use of kayak
• Walk-in Entrance Fee: Php 100 / person. Inclusive of island entrance fee, access to the beach, swimming and use of hammocks. Boat transfers and meals not included.

How to get to Inaladelan Island

• From anywhere in Puerto Princesa City or the airport, ride a tricycle to the terminal at San Jose, New Market.
• Ride a public van from the terminal located in San Jose, New Market to Port Barton. Cost: Php 400/person
• Alternatively, you can hire a private van from accredited travel agencies. Amika Travel & Tours can arrange a private van for you, from Puerto Princesa Airport going directly to Port Barton. Prior reservation is needed. See details below.
• From Puerto Princesa, the main national highway is mostly paved, but the road leading in to Port Barton was just recently constructed. There are areas with sharp, downhills and steep rough roads. It’s a bit of a bumpy ride.
• From the terminal of Port Barton, walk to the mainland/bay area. There is a waiting area for campers and guests who want to go directly to the island.
• As of March 2018, there is only 1 trip from 9:00 am going to the island and back to the bay area by 4:00 pm. Travel time by boat is 15-20 min going to the island.

Travel Tips & Useful Info

• Some areas in Palawan are known for sandflies (locally called niknik). Make sure to use Off Lotion or coconut oil if you’re camping overnight.
• There is no electricity on the island, though there is a generator which is only turned on during during the day.
• It’s best not to bring too many gadgets (or bring a fully charged powerbank) or recharge your gadgets while the generator is on.
• There is a restroom on the island with sinks, toilets and several outdoor shower areas. However, because water supply is limited it’s better to wait until you get back to the mainland to take a full shower.
• Check out the island’s Beach Bar for souvenir shirts by Laag of Inaladelan Island and other top spots in Palawan.

Video

Contact Info

For bookings and reservations, please contact Inaladelan Island Resort directly.

• Website: Inaladelanisland.com
• Email: inaladelan@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inaladelan/

For hassle-free personalized tours and transport (including van rentals to and from Port Barton), get in touch with Amika Travel and Tours / @amikatravels, a reputable licensed travel agency and tour operator that offers customized and personalized itineraries for different groups in Puerto Princesa and Palawan.

Additional photos courtesy of Aloha Palawan, Air Asia and TPL Media.