Puerto Galera

[z_k_g]

My wife and I were looking for a nice beach to visit for 2 or 3 days.  Since I am working in Manila we wanted to go somewhere close, not travel for 4 or 5 hours and also deal with all the Korean and European tourists.

We ended up chosing Puerto Galera.

Puerto Galera is about 2 hours south of Manila by bus and a 1 hour ferry ride.

In the Puerto Galera region you have 2 options, Sabang beach or White Sand Beach.  Sabang is jaded, crowded and has no real leisure beach options.  If you love diving then Sabang is the place for you.  If you like a nice beach experience then hit White Sand Beach.  Also Sabang is more where foreigners frequent and WSB is more where filipinos vacation but there is no absolute, you will see both.

So once you made your choice between Sabang and WSB then getting there is your next step.  With either choice, if you are coming from Manila, you have to travel to Batangas and take a ferry.

From Manila is pretty easy.  From Cubao Bus Terminal near Quezon City there are many buses direct to Batangas Port.  I recommend the Jazz Bus but there are many choices.  If you are in Manila then take a taxi to LRT Taft/Baclaran Station and go to the Baclaran Bus Terminal nearby, once again many options to Batangas Port, and Jazz bus is a good option among many.

Once you are on the bus the trip is about 2 hours depending on traffic. I suggest leaving around 4 to 5 AM when traffic is not so bad.  Also take backpacks, do not take luggage. You will thank me later!!

Once at Batangas Port the ferry options are pretty straightforward, Just tell the attendants where you want to go.  I went to WSB, 350p. The ferrys leave pretty much on the hour from 10 am to about 6pm last ferry.  Sabang ferry is direct.  WSB ferry actually does not go to WSB but takes you to another port.  you hae to take a jeep to WSB about 3 miles away, 10 minute ride.  The jeep ride 50p per head is included in your ticket.

The ferry boats are pretty small and enclosed with small windows a pretty claustrophobic experience.  But the ride is decent and goes by quickly.   Space is very tight so bringing your backpack really helps to keep you mobile.  This is not a trip for luggage.

Once you arrive at the port, the jeep is next to the ferry exit.  You have to pay a port arrival fee of 50p per head.  Then you can hop on your jeep to WSB.

The ride is quick, and when you see WSB you will fully appreciate the beauty of the Philippines,  the beach is awesome white sand with an unobstructed view of the south of Luzon.  Really breathtaking!  The beach is wide and long.  I would suggest going on a Monday to Wednesday because WSB is pretty inexpensive and very close to Manila and very popular with filipinos!

There are many booking options so just go to booking.com or agoda.com you will have many choices Mon to Wed.  I rented a place on the beach for 3500p per night.  Most of the places are on the beach so no big deal finding one.

Next the experience

To be continued....

ZKG

[robert angel]

My wife and I were looking for a nice beach to visit for 2 or 3 days.  Since I am working in Manila we wanted to go somewhere close, not travel for 4 or 5 hours and also deal with all the Korean and European tourists.

We ended up chosing Puerto Galera.

Puerto Galera is about 2 hours south of Manila by bus and a 1 hour ferry ride.

In the Puerto Galera region you have 2 options, Sabang beach or White Sand Beach.  Sabang is jaded, crowded and has no real leisure beach options.  If you love diving then Sabang is the place for you.  If you like a nice beach experience then hit White Sand Beach.  Also Sabang is more where foreigners frequent and WSB is more where filipinos vacation but there is no absolute, you will see both.

So once you made your choice between Sabang and WSB then getting there is your next step.  With either choice, if you are coming from Manila, you have to travel to Batangas and take a ferry.

From Manila is pretty easy.  From Cubao Bus Terminal near Quezon City there are many buses direct to Batangas Port.  I recommend the Jazz Bus but there are many choices.  If you are in Manila then take a taxi to LRT Taft/Baclaran Station and go to the Baclaran Bus Terminal nearby, once again many options to Batangas Port, and Jazz bus is a good option among many.

Once you are on the bus the trip is about 2 hours depending on traffic. I suggest leaving around 4 to 5 AM when traffic is not so bad.  Also take backpacks, do not take luggage. You will thank me later!!

Once at Batangas Port the ferry options are pretty straightforward, Just tell the attendants where you want to go.  I went to WSB, 350p. The ferrys leave pretty much on the hour from 10 am to about 6pm last ferry.  Sabang ferry is direct.  WSB ferry actually does not go to WSB but takes you to another port.  you hae to take a jeep to WSB about 3 miles away, 10 minute ride.  The jeep ride 50p per head is included in your ticket.

The ferry boats are pretty small and enclosed with small windows a pretty claustrophobic experience.  But the ride is decent and goes by quickly.   Space is very tight so bringing your backpack really helps to keep you mobile.  This is not a trip for luggage.

Once you arrive at the port, the jeep is next to the ferry exit.  You have to pay a port arrival fee of 50p per head.  Then you can hop on your jeep to WSB.

The ride is quick, and when you see WSB you will fully appreciate the beauty of the Philippines,  the beach is awesome white sand with an unobstructed view of the south of Luzon.  Really breathtaking!  The beach is wide and long.  I would suggest going on a Monday to Wednesday because WSB is pretty inexpensive and very close to Manila and very popular with filipinos!

There are many booking options so just go to booking.com or agoda.com you will have many choices Mon to Wed.  I rented a place on the beach for 3500p per night.  Most of the places are on the beach so no big deal finding one.

Next the experience

To be continued....

ZKG

That's a great, well written trip report---thanks. Not to be pushy, but while I'm (and others I'm sure) wait for trip installment report II...

I am sure I'm also not the only one wanting to know about your gorgeous wife, how getting married came to fruition, etc.

You had relationships before, but were methodical and philosophical about the journey. There's probably lessons therein that might help guys on both forums. Killer!

We usually stay away from the vacation places there that are clogged with tourists too.

[z_k_g]

I am sure I'm also not the only one wanting to know about your gorgeous wife, how getting married came to fruition, etc.

You had relationships before, but were methodical and philosophical about the journey. There's probably lessons therein that might help guys on both forums. Killer!

Thanks for that compliment, she is blushing so shy haha so!  About the marriage, another Forum Post for later.

[z_k_g]

Lets continue....

The White Sand Beach Experience

Once you arrive at the main WSB jeepney terminal you must weave your way through the local barangay to the your selected hotel.  Its not a long walk regardless if you are on the beach or just near because the WSB community is pretty small.

If you arrive on a slow day then the crowds are pretty light, Mon to Wed.  If you arrive on Thur to Sun you will be greeted by a significant throng of Filipinos enjoying the white sand!

The white sand is absolutely gorgeous. from the concrete seawall to waters edge is about 30 feet unobstructed and is about half a mile long terminating on both ends with beautiful rock formations, so there is lots of beach here to enjoy and finding a secluded spot to lay your beach towel on a slow day is possible.  The sand is not quite white power, some small to medium rocks and seashells mixed in but not so bad on the feet. 

Lots of options for windsurfing, jetski, parasailing for adults and boat rides for children.   

Along the seawall are vendors and restobars  with mix of western and pinoy foods.  We enjoyed western breakfast and pinoy dinners. 

At night the entertainment gets started and lasts until 2am or so on slow nights and even later on the busy nights.  Lots of live music and some great "drag" shows from the local ladyboys are very entertaining.  All of the restobar chairs and lights are placed on the white sand beach so the beach is transformed into a huge party.  If you hotel is on the beach you will not get much sleep during high season.

My place was near the West end of the beach so not much noise here.  If you rent near the middle or east end of the beach you will need earplugs in your room if you are here during high season and want to hit the bed early!

We pretty much hit the beach early in the morning around sunrise at 6am and retreated to the patio around 8am when the sun eclipsed the top of the palm trees and heated up the beach.  We again hit the beach again around 5pm when the treetops were just catching the sunset until complete dark around 7pm.

In the middle of the day I rented a motorcycle and we traveled the Calapan North Rd to Tamaraw falls.  Along the Calapan Rd you will encounter some of the most pristine beaches in the world and some awesome views of the Southern Luzon from Oriental Mindoro.  The falls are a tourist trap but fun.  This is one of many falls in Pueurto Galara but the only one that's actually right on the Calapan Highway!  The others require inland travel that takes up to an hour roundtrip, we decided not to visit those.

During the evenings we sat on the numerous patios and barhopped at the various restobars listening to the live bands and dancing to the music on the white sand beach in the warm night air.

Oh yeah, make sure you catch the sunset, well worth the entire trip!

Since we are there during the slow days, the crowds were not overwhelming and we could enjoy the experience without bumping into hundreds of drunk patrons! 

It was truly a relaxed and laid back experience that I am looking forward to repeating.

We made a few new FB friends and had an awesome bonding experience that was fairly easy on the budget.

Heading back is pretty much the reverse but make sure you book all your return the day before you plan to leave.  The bookings are pretty well sold out on the day of travel so make sure you get yours early!

I hope this post will give you some insights on Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro White Sand Beach.  I consider this a superior option to many of the other beaches in the Philippines because its close to Manila and has great beaches. 

We had a great time and will return.

ZKG

[thekfc]

Awesome report there Z.


Never been there or even close, you TR sure want to make me give that place a visit (and very likely a few folks too).


On our next visit to the PI, my wife plan on going to Batangas/Cavite to visit family there, she always spend all her time in Manila & Pangasinan (some in Cavite keep complaining why she don't come to visit them when she comes to the PI, my wife told me she intentionally do avoid some family members). Our trip may be short in the PI, so no chance of a visit to Puerto Galera (or anywhere else) as we plan on spending most of our time in Singapore & Malaysia.


Congratulations on the wedding.

[z_k_g]

Congratulations on the wedding.

Thanks!

On our next visit to the PI, my wife plan on going to Batangas/Cavite to visit family there, she always spend all her time in Manila & Pangasinan .

Puerto Galera is directly across the archipelago from Batangas about an hour each way, a day trip to White Sand Beach is possible!  You can leave early in the morning and come back on the last ferry!

[thekfc]

Puerto Galera is directly across the archipelago from Batangas about an hour each way, a day trip to White Sand Beach is possible!  You can leave early in the morning and come back on the last ferry!

What she plan on doing on our next trip to the PI is go but don't tell anyone that we are coming so maybe we can do that before she visit any family members. We plan on staying at a hotel this time so she can free go where she want , when she wants. Only issue is if one person finds out then the news will quickly spread so we are keeping the trip hush hush.


My wife & son were there this past June/July but she didn't get to enjoy it much (it rained almost every day & the garbage burning in some area did a number on her sinus).
 

[robert angel]

I'm just a sucker for a top ten, world class beautiful beach. With out a ton of westerners, so no Boracay now for us.

The Philippines probably has 100's of beaches that could be considered as 'top ten', but for now Palawan and Bohol are top of our list, along with the Cloud Nine (Siargao) beach.
https://www.thetravelmagazine.net/surfing-philippines-cloud-9-siargao.html


In some instances, I worry that the Koreans and Japanese are gonna buy up all the best water front.

Microsoft's big Bill and Melinda Gates reportably LOVE Palawan.  I've heard they've even brought their kids there.

It didn't come up again in a quick search, but I heard that last time, their kids had to fly back before their parents, as their school's Easter Break was over.

AND that their parents flew them back to Washington state on a civilian,  commercial airline!!!

Cheep, cheap, cheep...LOL

[robert angel]

Sheet, like I said, knowing everything about a Filipina is impossible for us Kanos.

Like a mysterious onion, I suppose there will always be new layers of the onion unpeeling over the years

I mentioned the "Cloud Nine Beach" again to her a few minutes ago. It's on a lot of surfer's top 10 lists, w/ Bali, Australia, etc...

This time, she happened to remember:

"Oh Honey,  my Auntie has a home right there ON Cloud Nine and she's said before that we can not only stay there, but she also has a free car for us to use"""

Air flight is about an hour by jet from the  airport closest to our house, in big, safe Davao City.

Jet airfare for island hopping in the Philippines,  (over 7100 islands) costs about what bus or train might cost in the USA=CHEAP.

A nice vacation in the Philippines can be very cheap. Or ultra luxe private islands are available for 2 or 3 thou$and dollars a night.

I'm cool experiencing such, on a much less expensive basis, like a 'local' native. Real.

"When in Rome, do as...."

But usually,  the longest,  most expensive part is getting to the Philippines, then it gets cheap.

It took ten years for her to hint that we probably have a bit of land in prime New Dauis, Bohol too.

But the whopper was after about eight years mentioning all the land her parents have bought over many years, largely devoted to "copra" (coconut) agriculture. With some corn, mangos and low, wet land, where they have rice fields.

Turns out this white boy might have to end up working/running a large,  remotely situated coconut plantation! OMG...

Gotta resist. Can't imagine me around all those other farmer's daughters. The devil might lead me into: "flagrante delicto"

Besides, with copra down to 14 cents a kilo now, from a previous 30 cents, I'm not "feeling" a green thumb!!

My wife just said she was going to write Philippine President Duterte, asking him to rise the price paid for copra!!

LOL, 'Green Acres' TV show, but not exactly as seen on old USA TV reruns and on YouTube, may be in our future!

She's always hated talking about family land, in terms of numbers, be it land area, or value. It's like she thinks her Mom will live forever,  which I honestly hope is the case...