The Beautiful Puerto Galera

Sabang Beach

The Philippines is renowned because of its rich culture, heartwarming people, rugged mountains, and of course its stunning beaches. This time, I would like to feature in my blog the beautiful Puerto Galera.
Puerto Galera is a small town in the province of Oriental Mindoro. It is a few hours travel from Manila. Puerto Gallera is a Spanish for "port of the Galleon." When it says Puerto Galera, typically it refers to the town and the beautiful beaches and resorts that surround this municipality.

The floating bar, view from our cabin

Always like a home to us, Steps and Garden Resort

There are two very famous beaches in Puerto Galera. The Sabang beach to the east and White Beach to the west. These two beaches are the primary destinations of the tourists who are coming in Puerto Galera.
I first visited Puerto Gallera with my officemates and our manager during my Citibank days. We stayed at White Beach for two days and two nights. While they were enjoying the nightlife at the beach, I was alone in our accomodation with a novel. But I enjoyed our stay there. I have fun riding on a banana boat, I watched the spectacular sunset, and before we leave, a Mangyan woman braid my hair.

Tamaraw Falls

At Batangas Pier

my husband and our friend, the owner of Extreme Sports Philippines

Lonelyplanet.com posted: "each has its own distinct character, spanning the range from sleaze to sophistication, you'd be well advised to choose carefully."
After White Beach, about three years later, my husband took me to Sabang, Puerto Galera. Now, I fully understand what does the lonelyplanet.com imply.

Me and my son with the tourist bus to Batangas Pier

Attending our meeting anywhere we are. 

Despite of many  unfavorable comments about Sabang, I even read on internet, someone called Sabang as the worst place in the world, I came to love this place. It has its unique quality that makes me longing to always come back there. During our stay there I make friends, and few of them are still my friend until today.

There are many wholesome activities that you can enjoy while you are in Puerto Galera. But it is at night time that Sabang got so alive. I went with my husband in scuba diving. Puerto Galera is an excellent diving site. We travel from town to town with a buggy and we went up to Calapan.

my husband to go scuba diving

habal-habal ride

those days at Steps and Garden

Here are some of the places that I can recommend when you are in Puerto Galera: The Tamaraw Falls. It is 15 km from Puerto Galera.
The Mangyan Village. There are special jeepney trips going to these places. Viewpoint. A small restaurant at the tip top of the forest where you can dine and drink, the view from there is superb.
From Sabang, you can take a tricycle going to Viewpoint. For fun, instead of tricycle, we ride in habal-habal (motorcycle).
Every time we are are in the Philippines, we take time to also visit Puerto Galera. My husband has a good long time friend there, the Belgian guy who owns the Extreme Sports Philippines, also located in Puerto Galera.

The view at Viewpoint

In my solitude

At Big Lalaguna

We always stay in Steps And Garden Resort. It is like a villa at the top of the hill. The rooms are very neat and their swimming pool is really clean.
How to go there? From Manila you can take a bus going to Batangas Pier. At the Batangas Pier, there are boats going both to White Beach and Sabang. It takes an hour from Batangas Pier to these beaches.
There is also a special tourist bus that carries tourists from Manila to Batangas Pier. Boat arrangement going to Sabang or White Beach is included. They hold their small office on the ground floor of the City State Garden Hotel in Mabini. We prefer this one. I think they have two or three trips going to Batangas Pier every day.
Puerto Galera for me is also worthy of your visit. Whether you are a nature-lover or fun loving. I hope my photos give you some insight what to expect about this place. Still, once you are there, discretion lies on the shoulder of the visitor. You can find out why.