Welcome to Puerto Galera
Why Puerto Galera?
Puerto Galera has all types of establishments catering to all types of tourists, both the budget-conscious and the upscale tourists. There are also an incredible number of activities and tour packages to choose from, making a holiday truly memorably cool.
Puerto Galera is only 3 to 4 hours away from Manila by land and sea transport. The travel time from Manila to Batangas by land is around 2 hours and then the ferry boat ride from Batangas to Puerto Galera takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes. The short distance from Manila means cheap transport and more fun time on the beach.
Puerto Galera boasts 2 world-class destinations, namely, White Beach and the diving village of Sabang. White Beach is popular among Filipino Tourists while Foreign Tourists from all corners of the planet flock to Sabang to dive and enjoy its exquisite night-life. The people of Puerto Galera have evolved as exceptional hosts and showcase Filipino hospitality at its best.
Puerto Galera’s amazing natural attractions are its foremost tourism assets. Tourists marvel at its numerous beaches and coves dotting the coastline, its majestic mountains and forests, its refreshing waterfalls and rivers, 33 spectacular dive sites, the ethnic Mangyan Tribe and the world-acclaimed Puerto Galera Bay – all these make the island a great and unique tourist destination.
The channel between Puerto Galera and Verde Island, known internationally as the Verde Island Passage, is “the center of the center of the world’s marine biodiversity” according to American scientists – turning Puerto Galera’s as the Number One hub amongst dive enthusiasts. It also has the biggest number of dive schools in the entire Philippines offering both PADI and BSAC courses in different languages.
At A Glimpse
Puerto Galera is a soothing vision of shimmering seas surrounded by lush mountains. It is considered one of the most beautiful and developed beach resort community in the country.
Starting from “backyard tourism” wherein local residents accept local and foreign tourist as stay-in guest, the island’s tourism has flourished. In the course of time, several hotels, resorts, inns and restaurants have mushroomed within the area.
There are a thousand things one can do here. Landlubbers can pitch tents, light bonfires, play volleyball, toss a Frisbee, go beach-hopping, watch the sunset, gaze at the stars, hike, go rock climbing, carom off on a motorcycle, discover Oriental Mindoro’s other tourist spots or simply live it up.
But water is certainly the main attraction of the island. Crystal clear and shimmering especially during the hot summer months, the sea framing Puerto Galera is ideal for swimming, sailing, surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving. In fact one doesn’t have to go by boat to get to a dive site. Within a kilometer from the coast, schools of Moorish idols, trumpet fish, frog fish, lion fish and leaf fish weave in and out of thriving corals and sea anemones while species of starfish – from the speckled red-and-white to the neon-blue Pacific – rest on the sandy floor.
Gradually sloping beaches – with the terrain ranging from powder white sand to grainy dark sand to smooth stones to rough coral rubble – comprise a large chunk of the island’s 25 thousand hectares. And while the Department of Tourism’s last count pegs the number of resorts at 115, pockets of isolated and virtually resortless coves and beaches are tucked between massive rock formations.
Outside of minor glitches, Puerto Galera is a tropical paradise that is both rustic and thriving. By day it echoes with the soft breeze and the pounding waves. At night, it comes to life with heady laughter and the clink of wine and glasses, only to segue once again to the barest whisper of the elements.