Puerto Galera Guide – Personal Experience

As of May 15, 2022

If you want some history or background about the physical and facts about Puerto Galera, please refer to wikipedia.com.

Vitality,

In the midst of this pandemic and getting back to normal, I now have a chance to fly and travel again. It has been more than 2 months since my last trip by air.

It seems that it was my first time because I felt excited and at the same time I was nervous. My fear is present, but my strong side comes out when I travel, especially if it is a long distance. It makes me alive again to ride in an airplane, even though my sleep is just during the travel.

I booked a flight from Cebu to Manila just to visit my friend and supposedly just explore the city.

I have been wanting to go to Puerto Galera since before the pandemic, and now is my chance, even if it is just for a single night.

How We Travel?

From Cubao, we ride the JAM Bus going to Batangas Pier since the ALPS is not available in Cubao anymore. The Jam bus started leaving at 1 a.m. and runs every hour on the hour. The regular fare is 251 pesos.

We departed from Cubao at 4:30AM and we arrived at Batangas Pier before 7:30AM.

It is a good thing that we were able to catch the 8AM ride for RORO by Montenegro Lines, as the next vessel for RORO is at 12 noon.

When we arrived at the pier, the LGU checked the vaccine card and collected 50 pesos each for Covid Voyage Insurance. I don’t know if this is really necessary, but we were just following the policy of the place.

The port looks very cool and new. There are lots of shipping lines that you can choose, but I think they differ in every departure schedule. We chose to have a budget RORO instead of a fast craft. 306 pesos is for RORO and 550 pesos for the fastraft, and they have a notice that they will increase the fare on June 1, 2022. After buying the vessel ticket, there is a terminal fee of 30 pesos. This can be used to scan when entering the boarding gate. The port is new, so they have a scanner just like the airport has. The environmental fee when you arrive at the Puerto Galera port is 120 pesos. The fare for tricycles is 50 pesos each going to Whitebeach.

Please be advised that the prices of snacks and food inside the port is really doubled compared to the outside price, so better buy some food and snacks outside.

What We Did?

We only want to go to the beach during this episode, and Puerto Galera is the nearest and easiest way to visit if you are from Manila. We didn’t go on any tours or activities on the mainland because we were on a tight budget. The main objective of this blog is to have an update on the expenses and to give some points on where to eat if you are on a budget.

Some establishment has been back to operations but I haven’t seen them in agoda.com. We booked our Some establishments have been back in operation, but I haven’t seen them on agoda.com. We booked our resort, which is the White Beach Guest House, from agoda.com at a discounted price. I got it for only 1,400 pesos for a night, good for 2 pax.

As of the moment, tourists really need to have a confirmed booking from the hotel/resort as the local tourism will ask for it. Since some of the hotels/resorts are already back in operation, many of them are very affordable if you are not that picky.

The hotel that we stayed at is really convenient to the main road and to the white beach. The place is also quiet since it was Sunday. 

Some Tips

• The Jam Bus Terminal in Cubao has been closed but they transfer right across.
• The ALPS Bus is only in Buendia terminal.
• Leave early if you want to catch the earliest ferry going to Puerto Galera.
• Buy some food/snacks from the city if gusto makatipid.
• There are many eatery outside the Batangas Pier and it is affordable compare eating inside the port.
• RORO rate will be increase on June 1, 2022.
• In this new normal, better to book your hotel in advance.
• We only stayed in White Beach Area so we cannot compare to the other area.
• If you are looking for affordable restaurant, go to the last point through main road and you will find one.
• Jam House and Pocoloco are one of the places to party at night.
• There is mango shake that you can buy in the mainroad that is only 50 pesos but it is 120+ when you buy at the beach.
• There is a siloghouse that you can buy for less than 100 pesos at the main road but its more than 150 at the beach

Our Expenses in Philippine Peso

Expenses Going Puerto Galera
251 – Jam Bus Line from cubao to Batangas Pier 2-3hours
50 – Covid Protectiom Voyage
306 – for RORO MONTENEGRO LINES 8AM
30 – Terminal Fee
120 – Puerto Galera Environmental Fee
50 – each for Fare from port to whitebeach.

Expenses going back to Manila
150 – Tricycle going to pier
10 – Terminal Fee
306 – RORO FERRY
250 – Bus going to Buendia LRT

Food expense will depends on your crave. So be it.

Our first day’s weather is cloudy with a sprinkling of rain. even though it is still 2 p.m. We even did not go out for a night party because of the rain.

We only stayed for one night, and it was a Sunday night, so it was not really crowded. It is a good thing that on our second day, the sun goes out. We were able to do the “sun kissed,” as they say.

We checked-out at 11 a.m. from our hotel and went to Pier 1. There was a trip at 12noon for fast craft, but since we were not in a hurry, we decided to take the 2PM for RORO, as this is less than 200 pesos than the fast craft. We had our lunch outside the pier since we had 2 hours to wait for our ferry trip.

The terminal fee from Puerto Galera port is 10 pesos and they already have air conditioning in their port.

The travel time from Puerto Galera to Batangas Pier took almost 2 hours. There are buses already outside the pier going to Manila or Cubao, but you need to use your speed and strength if there are many tourists going home at the same time as you.