Some say that Puerto Galera have been spoiled and too boring to visit because there are already other beaches that are way better than this place, I’d say it’s true and it’s not at the same time. Last month, we were able to take a dip and visited the place – totally got stunned by the beauty of the Philippines.
1.It is not true that a place or a person has no chance of renewing/changing. Just like PG, a lot of people say that this is an overrated place. This is truly over rated in a sense that the locals are well equipped with tourists already, especially in major spots like the White Beach where most of the tourists go here.
White beach is crowded since there are a lot of establishments shops and bars for day and night time. If you are a party goer kind of a person, this is your place for night life.
But there’s more in PG. Adventure doesn’t finish in the shores, there are other options you can check out in PG to enjoy the place, like I]island hopping, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, underwater cave adventures and on land activities like waterfalls hopping, mangrove, trekking and site seeing via overlooking decks.
2. Philippines is truly a wonder. PG might be a common thing for tourists but the beauty of the place especially underwater world is priceless! This what makes PG a cool thing to visit because nature still tops the list aside from nightlife and clubbing thing.
I also like that the locals are educated, equipped and caring with tourists and their tourist spots. When you pay for services, everything is connected, from tour packages, transportation and accommodation. The locals would advise you things that you can do and can refer people that can help you achieve what you want. You’ll have to pay of course but you are confident that this is for their living so you’d be happy paying at the same time, you’re surely enjoy your trip.
I’ve also noticed that the boatmen are very cautious about corals, warning tourists about their safety and the marine conservation efforts of their local government. The PG local and government deserves a thumbs up for this. They won’t take advantage of your money just to settle your desire to be over, locals know their limitation and your limitation as a tourist. So no, is no for them especially if it affects their tourist spots and your safety.
About the trip:
Depart from Cubao bus station via Jam Liner. We only have two days in our schedule so we have to seize our time in travelling and be early as possible. Our assembly time in Cubao is around 12:00 MD so we would be able to leave manila by 1:00 AM, Saturday Morning.
Tip: Batangas ferries going to PG leaves as early as 6:00 AM. So prepare earlier for your travel time prior at 6:00 AM. Leave early and arrive early so you can seize all the hours remaining for your weekend getaway.
Batangas Port.
Upon arriving, locals already know you’re visiting PG. Just be kind enough to ask question to locals and be cautious as well for scams. You might be overpriced for the ticket.
Tips:
Get a round trip ticket so you can save a penny. Php 500 is a roundtrip ticket compared to one way worth 280. By getting a round trip ticket, you’ll save Php 60.
Have your ticket verified in the ticketing station upon arriving In PG. This would lessen your time in verifying as you leave back to Manila. You’ll have your control of your schedule because tickets are flexible/re-bookable for your schedule of leaving.
Ferry boats leave as early as 10:00 am and late as 3:00 pm on a regular scheduled trips.
Lodging.
You can book early prior arriving or book upon arrival. Most of the places to stay are costly and ranging prices depending on your season of visit.
Activities:
Because PG is packed with tourists, there are a lot of things you can do while in the Island. It would really be boring if you only stay in your hotel room. Water and land activities are packed in PG and that’s the best thing about it!
Tip: Water in the island is costly. You may be able to buy cheaper bottled water but you have to ride a tricycle in order to go to the market. So bring a liter of water.
We arrived in PG at around 8:00 am, just enough time to prepare for the day. Prior to arriving we already have a contact who helped us with lodging and other concerns.
By 10:00 am we started our tour by underwater caving, snorkeling and island hopping until 1PM. The boat men took us to another island for lunch. By 2 pm, we went to Bayanan beach to finish the whole day until 4pm.
We settled back to our hotel by 5pm, bathe and had dinner. Since we learned that beach items esp foods are expensive, we bought foods in the local market before heading back to our hotel.
We took the nightlife at around 7pm (Just to see the famous "Galera Nightlife"). Since i am more of a laidback kind of a person, i went back to our hotel and slept by 12 MD after reviewing our pictures.
All expense were not mentioned in the post as it is included in the travel guide and Itinerary
Travel video: Youtube
