When it comes to budget friendly paired with an active night life at the beach, Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro should be your choice. Aside from being pocket friendly, it’s also very accessible and well developed. Some people dubbed it as a Poor Man’s Boracay, oh well, that’s for me to find out.
Heard great and not so great stories about Puerto Galera years back and now I got the chance to see and experience what it has to offer. Packed with an overnight gear and curiosity, it’s time to explore ‘One of the most beautiful bays in the world’ PUERTO GALERA.
Puerto Galera is the northwesternmost municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. It is located at the southwestern end of the Isla Verde Passage, about 130 kilometers (81 mi) south of Manila. From Manila, it takes a two-hour bus ride to Batangas Pier, and then about an hour's boat ride to Puerto Galera itself. Accommodations on White Beach are relatively cheap including restaurants that serves filling eats at fair prices.
It’s my first time to be in Batangas Pier and it looks pretty decent. Ships can even take you as far as Cagayan De Oro. Great information to know, just in case I wanted a different travel style then I may take this route instead. Upon reaching the Port, we were accommodated flawlessly as stated in the package we took from the resort.
Walked few meters and off we go to the ferry boat that will take us to Puerto Galera. The sea is calm at first but after 30 minutes of cruising, water started to splash and the boatman have to cover the windows, so we ended having a sweaty, uncomfortable ride. Nonetheless, we docked safely.
Welcoming us upon arrival was a stretch of semi white fine sand and clear water. More than that, I also saw some beach activities on going: Jetski ride, Banana Boat Ride, Parasailing, Kite Surfing to name a few. Now I know why it has been hailed as a poor man’s Boracay. Puerto Galera is also known for its prime dive spots, so the money you save by getting cheap rooms and cheap food could be spent on exploring the underwater wonders of the island.
Our accommodation is few meters walk from the beach. We settled our stuff and had late lunch (we got breakfast meals though). After which we started exploring the beach while looking for another place to satisfy our gastro needs.
Few meters from our place, we found FoodTrip sa Galera. It’s a 24/7 eatery that serves unlimited garlic rice so you can really make the most of your money. We got the volcano pancake and some rice meals. Satisfaction guaranteed!
After having a great lunch, it’s time for beach bumming and bonding session by the beach and a great splash in the water. Of course we tried the island’s signature Mindoro Sling - a cocktail mix of various kinds of alcohol.
And the most awaited part is here, though I am not fond of beach parties, I am just excited to witness the fire dancers doing their thing. In addition to the breath taking fire dancers, each restaurants have their own shows to keep the customer entertained.
First day ended with grateful smiles for all the things I witnessed in the Island. It’s time to get those muscles rested for next day’s adventure.
Woke up around 5 in the morning and started preparing for our island hopping and snorkeling activities. Our all time favorite restaurant ‘Foodtrip’ served our breakfast, and as usual we had another round of volcano pancake. I got myself an extra meal, i felt i needed to eat more in preparation for the entire day. It was a peaceful Sunday Morning in Puerto Galera
Exactly 7 in the morning when we took a tricycle to the jump off point (Minolo Pier) for the island hopping. We got the Island Hopping and Snorkeling package at Php 200.00/person maximum of three hours.
We were taken to the Snorkeling Site but unfortunately we were not able to enjoy it as there will be extra charge to get near the sanctuary. A small motorized boat will take you there to enjoy the underwater world. Maybe next time when we have enough time. We content ourselves just swimming in the deep blue waters in the island.
A little satisfied stretching those arms and legs and swimming just around the boat, we were taken to the nearest beach to have some snacks and another round of photo session. I love the serenity and the natural scene in this part. At a distance you can see coconut trees dotting the coast. I just didn’t feel like swimming here though because of the sea urchins scattered all over. We just grab halo halo and some group shots, jump shots and all shots we can think of.
It was a short but sweet memory of Puerto Galera. It felt good that it somehow exceeded my expectation. It 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 and pure entertainment. There are a lot of places I need to explore in Puerto Galera but nevertheless I can still say that it is a friendly place for nature enthusiasts. White sand beaches and luscious mountains, great views above ground and underwater, there are just so many of them that you’ll find yourself not wanting to leave after your time off is up, like what happened to me!
| Items | Rates |
| OMG 2D/1N Promo at Sea Jewel | Php 1,305.00 |
| (Acc/Breakfast/RT Boat Fare/Terminal Fee - Batangas) | |
| Environmental and Exit Fee (Puerto Galera) | Php 60.00 |
| Island Hopping/Snorkeling | Php 200.00 |
| Tric Fee Php 50.00 (4 pax) x 2 | Php 25.00 |
| Food | Php 500.00 |
| Bus Fare Php 167.00 x 2 | Php 334.00 |
Total Expenses Php 2,424.00
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