History 

Puerto Galera is the main port on the island of Mindoro. Located 130kms Southwest of Manila it is accessible by boat mainly. The ferries across from Batangas are available daily (weather permitting) The Spanish named the island Mindoro from the word mina de oro meaning gold mine. Although no gold seems to ever have been found there. Geographically and politically it is divided by the Mindoro Mountains into Mindoro Oriental and Mindoro Occidental on the west side.

Introduction 

Nowadays Mindoro is an ideal destination within the Philippines. Still mainly frequented by weekend visitors from Manila, it is also one of the Philippines best resort areas. In Europe and many overseas locations, travel agencies and tourist information usually only get as far as suggesting Boracay as a Philippines travel destination, which is a shame as Mindoro has equally as much to offer and has been less 'spoilt' by tourism.

Mindoro Oriental and Puerto Galera have so much to offer the visitor. Excellent beaches, lots of activities - the area is renown for its excellent scuba diving. Plenty of hotels and shops, and good quality food at some of the finest restaurants around the area.

Sabang Beach is the ideal destination for travelers who want to have the diversity of beach and the alley ways of shops and restaurants as well as some disco bars and karaoke bars for evening entertainment. The other beaches are quiet and tranquil. Most of the area is a Scuba Divers haven... And even if you have never dived before all the dive shops run inexpensive course that last about a week. Ideally you should consider a minimum stay here of 4/5 days longer if on a dive course. Try also to plan to visit during the week and avoid the weekend crowd from Manila..

As a destination for tourists to getaway to for a few days, then Puerto Galera is a must see and visit place... Many have been there and had a great experience see this report free from one of our members.

How to get there 

From Manila :It is approximately 1.5 to 2 hours by road to Batangas. Where various ferry services will transport you across to Puerto Galera. Travel time on the ferry will depend on which service you take. The quickest is just over 1 hour and the longest is near 2 hours.

The ferry services are inexpensive and run frequently providing the weather is good. The Sabang Princess is a double decked large banka boat, and is the slowest form of crossing (nearly 2 hours) 

From Angeles: Travel from Angeles can be more daunting. To begin with if you want to catch the special shuttle bus service to Batangas from the Royal Palm, then you must leave Angeles before 6am in the morning. And that is well before the first Swagman 'fly the bus' leaves. So you will either have to make your way in to Manila by public bus or private car hire to catch the shuttle service, or stay over in Manila the night before departing for Batangas.

Alternatively for additional expense but great comfort and safety, a private car can be hired from Angeles all the way to Batangas. Usual trip time is around 5 hours. Best advice is still to leave early in the morning to get a morning ferry, that way you are normally there and checked in by 'lunchtime.'

Ferry Time Tables

Cost of ferries depends on which one you catch. But are inexpensive one way or return. (few hundred pesos) You will have to pay in additional P10 terminal tax at Batangas.

Warning

Private Banka owners are touting along with baggage handlers at Batangas. You need neither... Unless you have missed a ferry and can not wait. A private banka crossing can cost upto P2000! Private Banka's also operate at Puerto Galera for P200-P250 to take you around to one of the beach resorts - this is a good way to travel on Puerto Galera.

Beeline can provide a car or van service from Manila or Angeles to and from Batangas.

Vessel	Puerto Galera to Batangas Pier		Batangas Pier (Terminal 3) to Puerto Galera
Super 85	Muelle Pier	8:00 a.m.	Batangas Pier	11:00 p.m.
Si-Kat	Muelle Pier	9:30 a.m.	Batangas Pier	12:00 p.m.
Blue Eagle	Muelle Pier	7:00 a.m.	Batangas Pier	11:00 a.m.
		1:30 p.m.		3:30 p.m.
Viva Lines	Balatero Pier	5:00 a.m.	Batangas Pier	8:30 a.m.
		10:30 a.m.		12:00 p.m.
		2:30 p.m.		5:00 p.m.
Princess Kay 1	Sabang Beach	6:00 a.m.	Batangas Pier	9:30 a.m.
Princess Kay 2		7:00 a.m.		10:30 a.m.
Princess Sabang		8:00 a.m.		12:00 p.m.
Island Cruiser		11:30 a.m.		2:30 p.m.

A shuttle bus service from Royal Palm hotel in Manila leaves daily for Batangas to link up with the MG Super Ferry also on the return from Puerto Galera. The shuttle service leaves at 7.30am from Royal Palm.

 Warning 

At Batangas Docks. There are hoards of husslers, for carrying your baggage and also offering direct Banka boat across for around P1500. These local Banka boats are not that big. Will take 2 hours to get across, will almost certainly mean getting wet from the spray, and in anything but very calm weather be a little hazardous. Not for the fainted hearted. The Ferry services from Batangas are listed below, and if you miss one, then a small wait to catch the next scheduled, may in the longer run be more enjoyable than one of these expensive small Banka boats.

Where to Stay 

Tropicana Resort hotel - Sabang Beach

There are, four standard types of rooms here, and the Hotel is built into the cliff-side with a medieval castle type look. Rooms are excellent and very reasonably priced.

The Penthouse has a patio with a hammock where you can layback and read or sleep in the shade of the brilliant sun. The Penthouse suite is large with two huge four poster beds and a large bathroom that has a Jacuzzi.

The Royal suite is one floor below and identical to the penthouse with the exception of the patio and hammock.

The Suite rooms are smaller with just the one four poster bed but also have a bathtub in the bathroom, whilst the standard rooms are slightly smaller still, with just a shower.

The Hotel has all rooms fully fitted with A/C and fans above the bed, which make them amongst the very best rooms I have seen outside of Manila and the Heritage Hotel!

Rooms come equipped with a well, stocked mini-bar refrigerator and Cable TV in the Rooms

The Hotel manager, Paul is a character himself. A likeable Austrian who makes all his guests feel welcome and goes out of his way to be friendly as well as adding the personal touch to your vacation. Hospitality with a capital "H" is the order of the day here.

In the evenings the Hotel runs a movie at 7pm each night, and will also accept credit cards, and arrange cash advances as well as having money changing facilities.. The hotel now has additional rooms and also has a  newly built swimming pool.

Atlantis Beach Resort - Sabang Beach

Atlantis a lost paradise rediscovered. Nestled in a lush tropical isle, rising from turquoise seas, sink into a luxurious haven, bathe in the calmness and tranquility, soak in the voluptuous union of light and water, share the fading of the last embers of the night, and sleep until the first songbird awakens the sun.

The Atlantis rooms are bright and beautifully designed in this tropical setting. Fully furnished with air conditioning, 24 hour room service, mini bar and fridge. There is a beautiful swimming pool as well.

I can also say that although I'm not a scuba diver I do keep getting rave and glowing reports about the diving on the island. So if you are into the world of scuba, I would highly recommend you add Puerto Galera onto your itinerary when visiting the Philippines.

The Atlantis has a fully equipped dive shop, with all apparatus and equipment available as well as dive courses. You can rent Kayaks as well.

The Restaurant is one of the best on the island and they also have Internet facility at the reception - one of the few places on the island that has public access to the Internet.

Portofino Resort Hotel - Little Laguna Beach

Portofino at Small La Laguna Beach is Puerto Galera's newest and one of Mindoro's finest residential resort-retreats, catering to the international traveler and to Manila Embassy and executive families.

Portofino is a first class Spanish-Mediterranean design of award winning architectural character with white sand, beach front, diving, swimming and dining.

The hotel is comprised of 25 one and two bedroom studio homes, all elegantly furnished and air conditioned with full cooking facilities.

 There is cable TV and mini-bar, refrigerators and room service available as well as a laundry service. 

A pool side restaurant overlooking the beach with a wide and varied menu. 

Exotic birds reside near a cascading fresh waterfall-swimming pool where patrons may enjoy a special rum drink and tostadas, quesodillas or huevos rancheros whilst overlooking the beauty of a reflected sunset and moonrise over Verde Island across the bay. 

The Portofino has a very good, and highly recommended restaurant.

Carlos Inn resort hotel - Little Laguna beach

Located right next door to the Portofino, is Carlos Inn Hotel. Set in the cliffs, in a quiet and secure cove, Carlos Paradise Inn is made up of apartments, private cottages and aircon deluxe rooms.

Carlos Paradise Inn is ideal for those more budget class minded, as this is an inexpensive resort Hotel on the beach at Small La Laguna. They are also friendly and well run by Gunther who is of German origin.

The views from the rooms are breathtaking and spectacular . The hotel also organizes and runs beach trips, fishing trips, day trips to hidden paradise waterfalls, Mangyan Village, the cockfighting arena and a nearby gold panning site. They accept Visa and Mastercard credit cards and offer special room rates for long staying guests

La Laguna beach resort - Big Laguna beach

The hotel we recommend on this beach is The La Laguna Beach Resort. Managed by the same group that, run the Southern Star in Angeles, and the Southern Palms in La Union. This resort Hotel has a swimming pool and it's own Dive Shop.

The hotel has a variety of rooms, all of which are spacious and are equipped with all the essential requirements you need. The staff, are friendly and the service is good. There is a restaurant and a fine area of beach right in front of the hotel. 

Others we recommend include the Big Apple Dive resort on Sabang beach, and the Coco Beach resort hotel on Coco beach.

All the hotels listed here can be booked with our associates Beeline Travel Services over the Internet. Many promo offers and discounts available.

*until recently the cable TV on offer on Puerto Galera was very limited. However, in 2001 They have upgraded the service via the mainland and a better choice is to be had.*

Restaurants 

No question that two of the finest restaurants in the area are at two of the hotels. 

The Portofino - This hotel has the finest, and I mean the finest food, I have tasted in the P.I. and it's part of their everyday standard fare not a special occasion thing. The menu is varied and the cuisine is cordon bleau, though I say so myself.  I had a meal there on this trip and it was so damn good, I returned for their equally as impressive brunch on the beach buffet on Sunday afternoons.

The chef is a certified German Chef and as well as Bavarian dishes there are great chicken dishes with crËme sauces and the Mexican foods there are done by a Southwest American. Try it if you get to Puerto, and remember the Sunday Brunch as well.

Tropicana hotel have absolutely fantastic restaurants and food quality is superb. The Hotel Restaurant has a wide and varied menu and specializes in fondue cooking at your table. A really nice touch, try the seafood or meat fondue, which we again highly recommend.

The Atlantis restaurant at the hotel and La Laguna's restaurant are not bad at all either.

In Sabang Relax Thai Restaurant is also highly recommended.  There are several other restaurants in and around Sabang and all offer good value and quality. Even the BBQ sticks whilst joining in at one of the Karaoke's can go down well.

Opposite the Atlantis hotel there is the local run Tamarindo restaurant just one of many that specialize in local cuisine including fish.

Carlos restaurant and bar, at the Carlos Inn hotel, serves mouth watering international cuisine and sumptuous seafood delights, fresh from the bountiful sea. Grilled to perfection or cooked just the way you want it. Feast on Filipino delicacies and indulge to your hearts content

Sunshine Coast Restaurant and Bar - Sabang Beach.  Happy hour Daily from 5-7pm. The restaurant has special nights featuring cuisine from different nationalities. Tuesdays is Indian Banquet. Wednesdays, Japanese. Thursdays, Greek night. Saturdays is BBQ night and Sundays is English Roast.

Full Moon - Small Laguna. Home made Australian food.

Eddie's Place - Sabang Beach

Scuba Diving - 

The island has several good scuba dive operators and three of the best independent dive shops are Action Divers, a New Zealand run business with a dive shop on both Sabang and Little Laguna beaches. South Sea Divers on Sabang beach and Big Apple which has accommodation to offer as well. Others at the Atlantis and La Laguna hotels are also to be recommended. Beeline can offer some discount (10%) at Action Divers and South Sea Divers when booked in advance with Beeline.

An in depth page of Scuba Diving and all the Dive Sites is available on www.go2phil.com 10% discount available

Places of Interest - 

Sabang Beach - From Puerto Galera itself Sabang Beach is about a 20 minute banka boat ride away. On departing the ferry at Puerto Galera there are a number of banka boats available and they will take you to any of the beaches and resorts you require for a small fee P200-300. Trikes and Jeepneys are also available, but the roads are bumpy and the view less scenic. There are no taxi's. There is also a direct ferry service from Batangas to Sabang on the 'Sabang Princess' a double decked large banka. 

Sabang Beach itself is not that much of a 'beach' and is used mainly by boats. There is a floating bar in which is fun and you can swim across or get a small boat across and enjoy a drink and snorkeling from the bar. There are though at Sabang a number of shops and restaurants and also the area's bars. Where as on the other beaches there is nothing. There are also a number of dive shops in Sabang.

The nicer beaches are at Small Laguna and Big Laguna, and at White Beach. You can walk along the beach from Sabang to Small and Big Laguna in no time at all, but at night you need a 'flashlight' as it is pitch black and there are no paths to talk of.

Small Laguna Beach - About a 10-15 minute leisurely stroll along the beach front you will reach Small Laguna beach. much nicer in terms of sands for sun bathing and swimming. There is some excellent snorkeling as well. Along the beach front you will find Portofino and Carlos Inn hotels and Action Divers shop, as well as little eatery and restaurants. You can also avail yourself to a beach side. massage.

Big Laguna Beach - A further 10 minutes walk around the 'point' and you reach Big Laguna beach. The nicer of the three. Again here you will find excellent swimming and snorkeling and you can even 'feed' the fish. Snorkels and fins are available to hire all over the place for around P100.

La Laguna hotel is based on this beach and you can buy all the food and refreshments you need here or at any of the small restaurants along the beach.

White Beach - This is a beach some way away and you can hire a Banka boat at Sabang or through any of the hotels we list here, that for a few hundred pesos will take you to any of the beach areas around the island. White Beach is one of the more popular. I would recommend a day to this beach any time, and although there are some small accommodations there, it is not really a place to stay as other amenities are almost non existent.

Ponderosa Golf Club - A nine hole golf club, 1,700 ft in the mountains with spectacular views. Can be reached from Puerto Galera itself by Jeepney in 30 minutes. Green fees P300 Caddy Fee P100.

Kayaking. -Asia Divers at Small Laguna Beach can hire you Kayaks at US$5 per hour $15 half day or $35 a full day.  they come with life vests.

Fishing - From Carlos Inn who specialize in such trips or from asking around at the dive shops etc you can hire rods and go out fishing, best time is early mornings.

You can also hire motorbikes in and around Sabang and go for a ride and explore the islands. Be very careful though the road conditions can catch you out and hospitals are few and far in between!

Mamburao - the capital town of Occidental Mindoro to the west, is possible to reach by crossing over Abra de Ilog.  In the rainy season this can be difficult because of those road conditions. There is a idyllic back to nature resort, simply called Mamburao.

Off the north eastern tip of Mindoro lies Lubang Island, with it's exceptional array of beaches and coves. The waters around Lubang are a favourite fishing ground for Anglers who cross the narrow channel from Manila and Nasugbu, Batangas. Lubang was in the limelight several years back when a second world war Japanese straggler final surrendered! A certain Lt Hiroo Onoda.

Mindoro Oriental's capital city of Calapan is about 45kms south of Puerto Galera. Several beaches may be found around Calapan, with the better ones on Aganahaw Island and Silonay Island about a kilometer off the mainland.

Forty Kms south of Calapan is Lake Naujan, where a wildlife sanctuary allows you to go hunting and fishing under supervision and is regulated by the National Park personnel.

A boat ride to Bulalacao near Mindoro's southern tip leads to a Hanunoo Mangyan settlement, a great place to study and observe Mindoro's original settlers.

San Jose on the far  south western coast of Occidental Mindoro is the largest and most progressive town in the province. The off shore waters there are still fairly rich in Tuna, Marlim, Sailfish and Swordfish.

Nightlife - 

Prices

In Puerto Galera local drinks are around P50 - Less during happy hours. The Ladies Drinks are around P100. EWR's/TG's are P1300. P300 goes to the bar and P1000 goes to the girl.

The main nightlife revolves around three go-go bar's a disco and numerous videoke/karaoke bars. These are all primarily located on Sabang beach amongst the little alleyways wandering around the beach front.

Within these alleyways, three go-go bar type bars are located. The Sabang Disco 1 2 3  had the best looking, and most energetic dancers, whilst the Philippine Disco Bar 1 2 3  was also a good place to visit.

The Third Bar, located just along the way from them was The Sunset Paradise Disco.1 2 3 4  This bar actually looked more like the go-go bars we maybe used to in Manila and Angeles. It had a stage with seating all around, then a disco dance floor which was in the middle of the bar with bench type area for sitting and enjoying the conversation and hospitality of the girls and GRO's.

All three bars were under the restrictions of the local authorities which allows a maximum of three dancers on stage at any onetime and the costumes were in line with how Angeles was, until a couple of years ago. No bikinis but tops and shorts..

They all had an abundance of dancers and GRO's to entertain the guests, and they rotated dancers every third song. The other place is called the Umbrella Bar, this was a go-go bar but, on my last visit it had reverted to a disco which the Philippine Disco Bar was originally. Now the Philippine Disco Bar is a go-go bar and The Umbrella Bar - the disco- if you follow!

It has long been advised to take a "friend" when visiting places such as Puerto, and whereas that remains to be true, there were an abundance of nice ladies around even on the beach where several approached offering massage services. The biggest problem with dating some of the ladies here was that they would almost all, shoot off in the morning, for various reasons, which can leave you unattached during the day.