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PUERTO GALERA |
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It may be touristy and the hawkers can wear you down, but there's no
denying PUERTO GALERA on the northern coast of Mindoro has a stunning
natural harbour, some quiet coves, cheap accommodation and excellent
scuba diving . There are dozens of dive outfits in the area making it a
good place to strike a deal and get yourself a discount on the going
rates. The point of arrival is officially known as Poblacion, though
most people refer to it and the surrounding areas as Puerto Galera. From
the harbour jeepneys depart for the area's many beaches. Sabang is the
busiest beach, with a mind-boggling variety of accommodation dotted
haphazardly along the shoreline and plenty of choices for eating.
Neighbouring Small La Laguna and Big La Laguna are rather more laid-back
and family-oriented. Twenty minutes by jeepney the other side of Puerto
Galera harbour, to the east, is White beach . Accommodation here is
strictly of the bamboo-hut variety and for meals you'll have to eat what
you are given: it might be catch of the day or a tin of sardines. Five
minutes beyond White beach by jeepney is Talipanan beach . Both are good
bases for trekking in the mountains. One of the many locals who earn a
little bit extra as guides will gladly take you to Talipanan or Aninuan
falls.
Access to Puerto Galera is from Batangas Pier on the outskirts of
Batangas City. BLTB, Jam and Tritrans buses (P80) run regularly from
Pasay in Manila to Batangas Pier. Try to avoid travelling on a Saturday
morning when city folk are all scrambling to get to the coast and the
roads can be choked. Likewise, it's best not to make the return journey
on Sunday evening. Once you get to Batangas Pier there are a number of
ferry options. MV Super 85 leaves at 10.30am and Si-Kat at midday. Both
charge P110 plus P10 terminal fee. Local outriggers (P80) go back and
forth to Sabang, leaving Batangas Pier daily at 9.30am, 10.30am,
11.30am, noon, 1.30pm and 2.30pm. Si-Kat operates a joint bus-and-ferry
service (P350 one way) that leaves every morning at 9am sharp from the
Centrepoint Hotel at 1430 A Mabini St, Ermita. The Royal Palm Hotel in
Ermita has recently launched a rival service (tel 02/526 2566 or 521
2814; P695 round-trip) leaving the hotel daily at 8am. Travel time from
Manila to Batangas Pier is about three hours by road, then another
ninety minutes by boat.
If you take the Si-Kat or the MV Super 85 you will land at Muelle Pier
in Puerto Galera, from where you can hop a jeepney or a small banca to
one of the beaches. Jeepneys charge P10 to Sabang and P30 to White
beach, but only leave when they are full, meaning packed to the gills
with people, baggage, produce and farm animals. It's not unusual on
these routes for passengers to be hanging from the sides or sitting on
the roof. The jeepney to Sabang no longer departs from the pier itself,
so you have to walk up the hill to the left for about 150m. All boats
are met by a welcoming committee of touts offering "special rides" for
P200. A banca to Sabang will cost around P150 depending on your
negotiating skills. White beach is further and will cost around P200.
You can always share the boat with others. On the return journey, the MV
Super 85 leaves Muelle Pier at 8am and the Si-Kat at 9.30am. Outriggers
including Sabang Princess leave Sabang beach (in front of the Sunshine
Coast Bar and Restaurant) at 6am, 7am, 8am, 9am and 11.30am. Viva Lines
has sailings at 5am, 10.30am and 2pm from Balatero Pier, which is on the
eastern outskirts of Puerto Galera town. There are no longer any flights
from Manila to northern Mindoro, although if you are feeling flush you
can hire a seaplane for US$300 one-way. Call Atlantis Resort Hotel in
Sabang (tel 639/7349 7503) for details. There are also a number of
ferries between Batangas and Puerto Galera operated by Blue Diamond
Lines. Be careful with these, as they are claustrophobic and often
overcrowded.
The post office is at the town hall in Puerto Galera, although some
resorts will post mail for a charge. There are rudimentary clinics in
the town, but no hospital. Clinics charge P80 for a consultation, but if
in doubt you can always ask the dive shops, who always know where the
best doctors are. There are many telephone stations in Sabang and Puerto
Galera where you can make calls to Manila for P12 a minute or overseas
for P130 a minute. Swagman Travel at the western end of Sabang beach
offers exchange , fax, phone, visa extension and air tickets. Exchange
and telephone services are also offered by Centrum in Sabang; this used
to be a go-go bar until the owner became vice-mayor, and now hosts
regular live bands from Manila. To arrange trekking , kayaking tours or
overnight trips into the tribal hinterland, go to Jungle Trek Adventure
Tours opposite Tropicana on Sabang's main drag. Motorbikes can be hired
at a number of places for around P500 for half a day. Telephones in
Puerto Galera are all cellular and there are no landlines, making
Internet access tricky. Asia Divers lets guests use its email for
important messages.
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