Mindoro / Puerto Galera / Transportation
Within downtown Puerto Galera one can walk to any point in 10 to 15 minutes. Encenada Beach Resort and White Beach Nipa Hut have a free jeepney service to their resorts. Most jeepney fares from downtown Puerto Galera to beaches are 10 pesos or more depending on the distance. Jeepneys depart from Puerto Galera whenever there are enough passengers to fill the jeepney. The last jeepney to Talipanan Point departs from downtown Puerto Galera around 17:00, the first one in the morning leaves Talipanan Point for Puerto Galera at about 6:00 in order to get travelers to the pier in time for the first ferry at 7:30.
One can get to beaches and other points around Puerto Galera by bangka. The Puerto Galera Pumpboat Association has fixed fares per bangka (one way) from the pier to the most important destinations around Puerto Galera. They are (1991): Big Lalaguna 100 pesos, Small Lalaguna 120 pesos, Sabang 150 pesos, Boquete 50 pesos, Kalaw 50 pesos, Coco Beach 80 pesos, Palangan & Encenada 440 pesos (long loop), Punta Guarda 500 pesos, Long Beach 150 pesos, Bayanan 375 pesos, White Beach 440 pesos, Talipanan 500 pesos.
There is a limit of six passengers per bangka. It is common for several persons to take a bangka and share the cost. Prices should be confirmed by the bangka operators before starting to avoid attempts at overcharging at trip's end. After dark there is a substantial increase in bangka fares. Coco Beach Resort and Coral Aquaria on Boquete Island provide free boat service. Long trips by bangka, e.g. Manila, are not recommended as a number of boats have simply disappeared. In case of problems, one should contact Mr. Willie P. Fedelicio, the president of the Puerto Galera Pumpboat Association; most of the time he is available at the pier.
To/From Puerto Galera
Public buses for Batangas-Pier (buses with the signboard Batangas City do not go to the pier) depart about every 15 minutes in Manila from Lawton, near the walls of Intramuros. The fare on ordinary buses is 39.50 pesos, and the travel time is about two hours. Buses for Batangas-Pier also leave from the BLTB Terminal on EDSA in Pasay City. Smoking is permitted on the ordinary, non-aircon, buses (outside Metro Manila) but never in aircon buses. As always when traveling by public bus to popular tourist destination, the tourist is advised to carefully watch his luggage. Many cases of theft have been reported. Passports, tickets, traveler checks and cash should not be kept in the side compartments of bags but on one's person.The number of public ferries varies as does their schedule depending on whether it is high or low season. The MV San Miguel Deilijan of Viva Shipping Lines leaves Batangas at 9:00 and arrives in Puerto Galera at 10:30. The MV Queen of the AC Shipping Line departs Batangas daily at 12:30 and gets to Puerto Galera at about 14:30. A second ferry of AC Shipping Line is usually available during the peak season and will depart a few hours earlier or later than the MV Queen.
From Puerto Galera to Batangas, the ferries of AC Shipping Line depart at 8:00 (and 10:00, when there is an additional ferry during the high season) while the ferry of the Viva Shipping Lines departs at 7:30. The public ferries charge 28 pesos ordinary, 48 pesos second class and 75 pesos first class.
To Puerto Galera by Combination Bus-Ferry
An alternative to the public bus and ferry is to make the whole trip with one of the private companies offering a combination bus-ferry trip. The most convenient it is to buy a combination ticket at one of the following hotels: Iseya Hotel, Park Hotel, White House Inn, Swagman Hotel, Southern Cross Hotel. A daily aircon bus picks up passengers at these hotels every morning. The MV Queen of the AC Shipping Line waits at the Batangas Pier for the buses with the tourists picked up at these hotels, so one can be sure to get to one's destination the day intended. All the above named hotels have strong connections with Puerto Galera; some are connected with hotels in Puerto Galera, others house the Manila offices of Puerto Galera dive shops. Therefore, when booking the trip at one of these hotels, one can collect the latest infos on the resort. Tickets are 180 pesos one way. An alternative that should be avoided for a variety of reasons are the offers of the SIKAT Ferries company. There are a number of very practical reasons: First, SIKAT has the most overpriced offer, charging 220 Pesos - more than three times the price of the most economical fare for the trip.**********
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Jan Garanoz
Juhu Tara Road, Juhu,
Mumbai - 400049 India
Last updated: May 08, 2010