More Puerto Galera Photos

sharing my enjoyment

It is a lazy day today. I digged my files and saw some beautiful photos from our recent Philippine holiday. They are too beautiful not to be shared. All from Puerto Galera. I hope you will like them too, whoever you are :)

my son in White Beach

Puerto Galera

me and my son

my husband and my son at the boat to White Beach

How can I forget this boat? Since 2009 to present.

I love to go back here.

my son and the lovers whom I do not know :)

a delicious banana smoothie

The day that we left Puerto Galera.

Appartelle De Francesca in Puerto Galera, The Hotel With A Footstep Swimming Pool

I was up at the third floor to make this aerial photo.

good times with my son.

Jacuzzi

this is the view in our doorstep.

Our cabin is just next to the swimming pool.

The Appartelle De Francesca

This past Philippine vacation, it was the first time that we stayed at White Beach, Puerto Galera. Before, we always stayed at Sabang Beach. A friend told my husband that White Beach is more family-friendlier than Sabang. My husband booked us ahead in Appartelle De Francesca. Our plan was just for three to four days, then we will move to Sabang. But we changed our minds. We stayed in Appartelle De Francesca for one week until we left Puerto Galera.

As I am writing this blog, I feel the sense of warmth in my heart as I remember our days in Appartelle De Francesca. The hotel is very clean, with a beautiful garden, flowers are there to make you feel home and so relax. During our stay there, I made many beautiful flower photos. The hotel has this unique shape swimming pool, foot-shape/footstep swimming pool with jacuzzi and fountains. It was a grand view in our cabin doorstep, the swimming pool. The management and staff are all accommodating. They always see to it that we are taken care of well. They are always ready to give assistance to us. When I told the owner to give us a fair discount and I love to write on my blog their hotel, my request was granted.

The Appartelle De Francesca has many rooms, I think more than 40 rooms available to guests. They also have conference halls. It was a real busy day at Appartelle De Francesca when we arrived because the Department Of Education held their two day event there. The hotel is about five minutes walk to the beach. A good place if you want a rest and peace, a distance from a noisy world of nightlife along the beach.

On our last night, I went up to the third floor, made photography of the footstep swimming pool. In the morning that we left, the owner gave us a free breakfast of their very delicious pancakes. The best pancakes in my entire lifetime! Please stay tuned because I will write separately on my blog about that pancake experience. I am looking forward to the day that me with my family will be back at the beautiful Appartelle De Francesca.

Philippine Holiday 2017: A Sunset Poem By A Sunset Seeker, Puerto Galera

The sunset photo is I made this afternoon at White Beach, Puerto Galera

Chasing Sunset

There is something with sunset,

That is hard to tell.

The mystery, the beauty,

As well as the dramatic scene,

Makes the sunset a subject 

In all forms of arts.

Sunset by the bay,

Sunset from the mountain, 

Anywhere I go, I look to the horizon 

The glow of the sun setting.

Looking at the sunset,

I am grateful for another day.

Watching the sunset,

I am praying and hoping for 

The best that what tomorrow will bring.

Philippine Holiday 2017: One Fine Day In White Beach

Since the day that we arrived in Puerto Galera, it is only today that we enjoy the sunshine and enjoyed swimming in the beach. It was always cloudy, raining, and windy. We are glad that in the hotel where we are staying, we have a clean swimming pool by our doorstep, where we can swim regardless of the weather. We took the chance to go to the beach early, have our breakfast there, and swim the entire morning. Even there are many people who are coming to visit White Beach or for a holiday, and even there is a small port where bancas (boats) transport passengers, White Beach preserve its clean water. Me with my family, enjoyed our time there. There are also some water sports that you can enjoy at White Beach, like a ride at the banana boat, dragon boat, fly fish, jet ski, and a parachute. I love watching my son enjoying in the sea. He swim like a real swimmer now using an arm band. He don't mind the big waves, when he goes further and further, my husband has no choice but to change to his swimming trunk and swim with our son. This is not yet a peak season at White Beach. I hope tomorrow it is sunny again, I love to go back swimming at the beach. For now, I am satisfied with my sunburn. Me, my husband, as well as our son are now all sun-kissed.

Philippine Holiday 2017: Now In White Beach, Puerto Galera

the boat that took us to White Beach from Batangas Pier

Lunch with my son at the busy beach area

me with my son at the boat

breakfast at the beach

passing by the Coco Beach 

approaching Sabang Beach

the Sikat Bus

After one day and two nights stay in Manila, we arrived on the island of Oriental Mindoro yesterday afternoon. From Manila, we took the Sikat Bus, the bus that brings  tourists twice every day to Batangas Pier. From Batangas Pier, another one hour ride in the boat getting to the island. Because of the past super typhoon that hit Luzon, our bus trip took three hours. There are still road and bridge damages that make the motorists to turn to alternate longer route.

Before, we always stay in Sabang. This time we are staying at White Beach. The boat first stop was in Sabang, discharge the passengers there, then to Puerto Galera, finally in White Beach. A staff from the resort where we are staying was there to meet us and to give us a lift going to the hotel. It was a tiring day. In the evening, we have dinner at the nearby local restaurant. One of my husband's friends who is also a Dutchman with his wife and daughter were also there to join us. After our dinner, we returned to the hotel where there is a special program that being held by the officials, officers, and staff of the Department of Education. A night of Philippine music, songs, and dances.

This morning, we have our breakfast at the beach. The sand sparklingly white in the sun. The waves are huge, good for a windsurfing. Only, I observed that the White Beach is now very commercialized. While awaiting for your food and even while eating your meal, there are approximately ten vendors who will approach you to sell something, earnings, bracelet, tour guides, boat rides, to braid your hair, even an offer to have a tattoo.

I just understand that they are doing it for a living. Anyway, it is my nature to always see the good in a situation. So I am here again to share some beautiful photos I made here in Puerto Galera... It's only just begu

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.