Puerto Galera is a coastal town in the northwest of the province of Oriental Mindoro. It is located at the south-western end of the Verde Island Passage, about 130 kilometres south of Manila.
It is also located in the same region as the more renowned and popular Palawan.
Puerto Galera has become a very popular weekend beach getaway for many locals and expats due to its close proximity to Manila, and its numerous pocket beaches and many snorkelling and scuba diving spots. It is also renowned in Asia for some of the most diverse coral reef diving. It is consistently regarded among the top diving destinations in the Philippines.
Among the beaches in Puerto Galera are Sabang Beach and White Beach, both of which have an active nightlife with numerous bars and restaurants. Big La Laguna Beach and Small La Laguna Beach are also considered part of Sabang.
Even though there are a number of resorts lining the beach in those areas, Sabang itself is where most of the action is.
Puerto Galera is a haven for scuba divers
Puerto Galera is one of the main technical diving destinations in Asia. For those into scuba diving, there is excellent diving found less than 5 minutes from Sabang Beach.
Technical Diving International (TDI) has several dive centres in the area, offering a full range of TDI courses from basic to advanced.
Behind the beaches are the largely unexplored mountain ranges of central Mindoro. The views of Puerto Galera’s natural harbour and the Verde Island Passage are breathtaking.
These mountains are where you’ll find the tranquil and popular Tamaraw Falls, about 17km from Sabang, or about 40 minutes by tricycle.
Something for everyone
Puerto Galera has something to cater for everyone. There’s a large variety of resorts covering various price ranges: beachside, mountaintop, white sand beach, diving resorts, Puerto Galera has it all.
Throw in the beautiful water, the diverse marine life and reefs, and the party atmosphere, and there aren’t too many better places in the Philippines, especially one this close to Manila.
Dezza’s Tip
I fully recommend partaking in some island hopping when in Puerto Galera. Boats are readily available for day hire from around ₱1,500 for up to about 8 people. This allows you to explore all around the area, taking in the different beaches and attractions Puerto Galera has to offer.
If you want to party, Sabang is the place to stay, with a very active nightlife that includes numerous bars, the famous floating bar at Big Apple Resort among them. If you want a chilled white sand beach setup with slightly less action, White Beach is the place to stay.
How To Get There
The best way to get to Puerto Galera from Manila or Makati is to drive to Batangas Port via the SLEX and Star Tollway, then take a boat across. The drive to Batangas Port is about 100km and takes approximately 2-3 hours depending on traffic.
Public buses run from the Taft Ave/PITX terminals for around ₱300 one way, plus a ₱30 terminal fee at the pier. If you’d rather not deal with public transport, a private van (up to 12 passengers) or car/SUV can be booked for around ₱5,000-5,500 one way.
From Batangas Port, you then catch a boat across to Puerto Galera (Balatero Pier or Sabang). Fastcraft services take about 1.5 hours and cost ₱655-870 depending on class; the cheaper RORO option (around ₱425) takes closer to 2 hours. A ₱120 environmental user fee applies on arrival at Balatero Pier.
If you miss the last direct ferry, an alternative is to take a ferry to Calapan Port instead (departures almost every hour, 24/7), then a van for the remaining 50km/80 minutes to Puerto Galera.