Puerto Galera

ABOVE THE WATER

Puerto Galera is just a car and boat ride away from Manila, in a beautiful little pocket of Mindoro Province. The white sand beaches and great snorkelling and diving opportunities are an attraction for those looking for a low-budget, fun dive holiday.

Diving here is year-round, with high season from December to May. Visibility is often better in the low season. There are dives suitable for all levels, with competent guides to show you the best underwater sights. The area is mostly reef diving, with all the favourite inhabitants such as turtles, nudibranchs, parrotfish, eagle rays, and many, many colourful tropical fish. Dive sites are almost all within 15 minutes boat ride, which means you have more time to enjoy your holiday. Non diving activities include kayaking, trekking, golf, sailing, snorkelling and windsurfing.

Puerto Galera is accessible by boat from Batangas; there are buses that leave Manila daily for Batangas. Today, Puerto Galera is a major destination for low-budget fun-loving travellers who seek sun, sand and sea. Many come to enjoy its beaches, which are crowded with hotels, restaurants, discos, and rental services for water activities. The good snorkelling and diving sites are the beaches near Sabang: Coco Beach, Big and Small La Laguna, and nearby Paniquian and Verde Islands.

BELOW THE WATER

Located on the northern coast of Mindoro Island, the beautiful beaches, coves and spectacular dives sites of Puerto Galera have been bringing people in from all over the world over the world. Mindoro Island is separated from Luzon (the largest island in the Philippines) by the Verde island passage. These waters are flushed by the current of the South China Sea, resulting in strong currents of up to 6 knots. This makes the area well known for its spectacular, exhilarating drift dive and abundant sea life. The Verde Island Passage is very deep so clear water is very common to the dive sites of Puerto Galera, along with a fantastic variety of underwater flora and fauna.

There are dive shops that cater to those who want to enjoy the reefs and Puerto Galera in Mindoro is known for its exceptionally beautiful little white sand beaches, some fringed with reefs full of marine life. It has long been regarded by geologists, botanists, and students of the University of the Philippines as an ideal place to study the eco structure of plants, animals, and micro-organisms in almost undisturbed natural conditions.

Accommodation in Puerto Galera