Puerto Galera Travel Guide and Itinerary

Puerto Galera, the perfect getaway destination near the bustling city life of Metro Manila. I’ve been hearing this for a while and at first, I am not intrigued because I felt that it is too popular and going there and writing a blog about it won’t be helpful to anybody – because almost everyone went there already.

Challenge

Few days into the planning of our vacation in Puerto Galera, we were faced by few details about DIY (Do-it-Yourself) tour in Puerto Galera. You can find abundant information about Hotels, tourist destinations, and activities, but I still feel I’m lost. That’s why I went to my basic instinct – not to plan and go with the flow.

How to get there?

Puerto Galera is just 3 – 4 hours away from Metro Manila and there are few options to go there, but I will focus on public transport only. If you want to check the other options check them here => http://www.puertogalera.org/getting-here:

Public Transport – Go to any bus terminals in Metro Manila.

• Near Gil Puyat (Buendia) corner Taft Avenue
• Ali Mall, Cubao, Quezon City
• EDSA corner Kamias, Quezon City
• Alabang, Muntinlupa City
• Ride a bus on any of the terminals mentioned above to Batangas port. The travel time is less than 2 hours and costs less than ₱ 200. At Batangas port, go to Terminal 3 and find the ticket booth going to Puerto Galera (Sabang and White Beach they are just 11 km’s apart). After that, you are going to pay the terminal fee for ₱ 50/person. There
• There are many shipping companies going to Puerto Galera from Batangas port and vice versa. These are the Father and Son Shipping Lines and Minolo Shipping Lines. The capacity is 60 – 150 passengers and the fare ranges from ₱ 230 to ₱ 280.
• The first trip to Puerto Galera is 6:30 am and the last trip is 5:00 pm. During normal days, the interval of the departures is one hour. Below are the schedules of the major shipping companies:

  • Rhealaine Shipping Lines
    Departure Batangas Port	Departure Puerto Galera
    9:00 AM	5:45 AM free coffee
    1:00 PM	10:30 AM
    4:30 PM	2:00 PM

  • Rhealaine Shipping Lines Contacts
    • Mobile Number: +639178557102, +639287284468, +639096252640

  • Father and Son Shipping Lines
    Departure Batangas Port	Departure Puerto Galera
    7:30 AM	6:45 AM
    9:00 AM	8:15 AM
    10:00 AM	10:15 AM
    12:00 AM	12:00 PM
    1:30 PM	2:00 PM
    3:00 PM	3:30 PM

  • Minolo Shipping Lines
    Departure Batangas Port	Departure Puerto Galera
    6:30 AM	6:00 AM
    7:30 AM	7:30 AM
    8:30 AM	9:30 AM
    9:30 AM	10:30 AM
    10:30 AM	12:00 PM
    11:30 AM	1:00 PM
    12:30 PM	3:00 PM
    1:30 PM	4:15 PM(holidays)
    2:30 PM
    3:30 PM
    5:00 PM

  • Minolo Shipping Lines Contacts:
    • Mobile number : +63 917 839 2680, 09178392608
    • Office Telephone/Fax : +63 (43) 287 3614
    • Note: Office hours 6:30am – 7:00pm. Landline in MSL office is until 7:00pm

Where to Stay?

There are many varieties of hotels in Puerto Galera. You can choose dive resorts, beach front, with swimming pool, and anything in between.

• Villa de Pico Highland Resort (near Sabang Port)

  • Room Rate: ₱ 1,500 – ₱ 3,000
  • About the property: Beachfront (Rocky Beach)
  • Amenities: Pool, Restaurant, Bar/Lounge
  • Internet:  Free WiFi Internet
  • This place offers a relaxing landscape compounded by wooden cottages and rooms. Villa de Pico is elevated and located on top of a hill which gives you a bird’s eye view of the sea.
  • Here are some of the pictures taken at Villa de Pico Highlands Resort
    • 

      View from the Pool. Surrounded by beautiful landscapes and natural winds blowing sums up a nice and serene vacation.

      

      This is the view from their reception area. The building on the right is their restaurant and bar.

      

      Garden all over the property and houses built using natural materials.

      

      You can also play billiards while drinking your beer!

• Amami Beach Resort (near White Beach)

  • Room Rate: ₱ 1,500 – ₱ 3,000
  • About the property: Beachfront, Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet-Friendly )
  • Amenities: Restaurant Bar/Lounge, Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
  • In your room: Refrigerator in room, Minibar
  • Internet:  Free WiFi Internet
  • Activities: Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly), Shuttle Bus Service, Room Service, Free Parking, Breakfast
  • Rooms were built using wood and bamboo. This property is at Talipanan Beach and only 2 KMs from White Beach. The location is very great if you are looking for a quiet place to bond with your loved ones.
  • Here are some of the pictures taken at Villa de Pico Highlands Resort
    • 
      

      Facade of the Amami’s Restaurant. Natural shade all over the place which makes it a good place to chill.

      

      Amami’s cottages.

      

      In front of the restaurant.

       

Getting Around

Puerto Galera’s main mode of transportation is tricycles and motorcycles. If you are going there without a tour package and you know how to drive a motorcycle, I recommend that you rent a motorcycle. Here is my personal recommended motorcycle rental:

• Bucks Motorcycle
  • Contact Number: 0915 291 9776
  • Rate: ₱ 500/day and below. (day is 24 hours). If you rent them for more than one day, you might get a discount.
  • About: Buck Motorcycle Rentals has branches in Sabang and White beach. Ideal for those who will stay at Sabang and will go back to Batangas through White Beach. They have friendly and accommodating staffs.

Big bike at Bucks Motorcycle for ₱ 500/day. When we say day it is 24 hours.

• For other options, check this out => http://www.in-philippines.com/renting-a-bike-in-puerto-galera-oriental-mindoro/ although some of them if not most, the mobile numbers are not reachable.

Where to Eat?

It is usual that resorts in Puerto Galera have restaurants, but if you are on a budget, you can opt to buy/eat foods on carinderias. You can find as low as ₱ 50/meal/person.

What to do?

Go Island Hopping

Island hopping tour in Puerto Galera is on top of my list. You can enjoy your vacation at the same time, help locals’ livelihood. You can charter a boat which accommodates up to 8 persons for ₱ 1,500 at Sabang Port. BEWARE of the barkers holding laminated pictures offering you island hopping tours as sometimes, they don’t have motorized boats.

Puerto Galera Island Hopping tour includes Friday’s Beach, Giant Clam, Coral Garden, and Underwater Cave. Although, you can ask your boatmen to stop at any beach along the way. If you opt to go snorkeling, you need to rent the snorkeling gear for ₱ 200/person for the whole day.

Giant Clam

School of fish at Island Hopping’s fish feeding.

Live corals at Puerto Galera’s Coral Garden.

Underwater cave

After the energy draining snorkeling, it’s nice to relax under the coconut tree’s shade at Friday’s beach.

Looking for island hopping tour? Contact Kuya Gilbert (0926 192 2985/0999 735 2291)

Our respectful and honest boatman for our Island Hopping tour. Contact him using the above contact details.

White Beach

Of course, you can’t go to Puerto Galera without visiting the famous White Beach. During the day, you can go swimming and try water sports/activities such as kayaking, jet skiing, banana boat, and parasailing. At night, you can listen to live bands while bar hopping and drinking. However, if you choose a quiet and serene place you can stay at Aninuan Beach, Talipanan Beach, and Tamaraw Beach.

Fine-white-sand and its distance from Metro Manila? A great destination indeed.

Go Beach Hopping

White Beach has singled out above, but it is not the only beach in Puerto Galera, You can visit Talipanan Beach, Pebble Beach, and Aninuan Beach while strolling along Puerto Galera’s highways.

This is unique beach throughout Puerto Galera. The smooth pebbles which gently massage your feet.

Right in front of Amami Beach Resort. Talipanan Beach offers an alternative for travelers seeking for a quite place to stay.

Go Explore the Waterfalls

You think you had enough of the beach? Try waterfalls exploration. Puerto Galera has 4 famous waterfalls: Tamaraw Falls, Talipanan Falls (near Mangyan Village), Aninuan Falls (near White Beach), and Tukuran Falls

Tamaraw Falls. You don’t need to exert so much effort to witness this.

How to go to Tamaraw Falls?

Tamaraw Falls is just 20 km away from White Beach and using a motorcycle you can go there in an hour. Tamaraw Falls is located beside the highway so you don’t need to worry about hiking. You can also charter a Jeep for ₱ 1,500.

After visiting this magnificent falls, chill out with the Mangyans.

How to go to Talipanan Falls?

Talipanan Falls is located 3 km west of White Beach. If you went there using the motorcycle, you need to leave your motorcycle at the Mangyan Village. You can hire a guide for ₱ 200 to avoid getting lost, but you can still use your boy/girl scout training to track the footprints and arrive at the Talipanan Falls. The falls is 25-minute hike away from Mangyan Village. This is a great location since you are hitting two birds with one stone.

They are free-spirited individuals who loved to live peacefully and it still transcends to their next generations.

Visit the Mangyans

Mangyan is the generic name for the eight indigenous groups found on the island of Mindoro, each with its own tribal name, language, and customs. Puerto Galera is the home of the Irayas which is the sub-tribe of the Mangyans. They originally settled in Mindoro’s coastal areas until foreign settlers like Tagalogs, Spanish, and Moros arrived which moved them into the mountains.

The Mangyan Village at Sitio Talipanan were developed by Ayala Foundation where Mangyans can consign their handicrafts at Ayala Malls.

Mangyan Village’s handicrafts.

Sample Itinerary for 2