From the town of Sablayan in the province of Occidental Mindoro, Apo Reef is accessed via a 2-hour boat ride. Apo Reef is one of the most imporant reef systems in the Philippines because of its sheer size and diversity. Home to numerous pawikans and migratory birds, utmost conservation practices are implemented by the ecotourism officers in the island.

They even imposed a lights out on us and “almost” cut short our socials. We learned that suppressing laughter whilst spontaneously getting soused with cheap gin is a feat exercised by the most motivated drinkers!

Oh and planktons glow like LED lights in the water. Really cool.

Following shots were shot with my handy Canon and Fuji Superia 400.

The Fallen

Talisay

The Lagoon

Blue Crush

Roof of a Reef

APO REEF or BUST!

Read more at Pinas or Bust!

Night life in Puerto Galera is not complete without drinking Mindoro Sling. Mindoro Sling is a popular cocktail drink that is served with slices of apple. It is a mix of rhum, orange juice, mango juice, grenadine syrup and Sprite. If you are with a small group, it is best to order one pitcher of it instead of ordering by the glass. Of course if your other friends are not into cocktails, just order a glass of it since ordering a pitcher of Mindoro Sling may cause you to be a little dizzy after drinking it.

And of course, to enjoy the Mindoro Sling, it would be great to have some grilled goodies or some chips with it. Great “pulutan” treats would be Liempo, Chicken Kabob, Chicken Barbeque and grilled hotdogs.

And for the “washing”, you could just have a bottle of beer.

Puerto Galera is one of the most popular destinations especially by local Metro Manila tourists because of its proximity and accessibility to Manila on top of budget-friendly rates. A bus ride from the Jam bus terminal at Buendia cor. Taft. Ave to the Batangas Pier costs Php146 and could take about 3 to 5 hours depending on traffic and season. Boat tickets to White Beach, Sabang or Talipanan is another Php140 for 2 hours (May 2006 rates).

The accomodations on the other hand will vary depending on two things — the season (off peak and on peak) and the day of the week.

To help you get the best off your money’s worth, here are some tips to bear in mind when hunting for cottages, rooms and other accomodations at Puerto Galera:

• Peak season starts at March to end of May but lately, more tourists are coming to Puerto Galera that this season extends as early as February to end of June. (June being a favorite month corporate outings.)
• Favorite spots are White Beach for the party goers and Sabang Beach for the serious water aficionados. There are lesser known beaches around like Talipanan but you will need a land trip to get there (usually costs Php100 for a special tricycle ride).
• Room rates will double and even triple during these peak season (oftentimes even higher). Imagine a one bedroom (good for 2-3 people) accomodation 50 meters off of the beach can be had for Php500 per night during the rainy season but could get as high as Php3,500 per night on summer.
• If you have the money to spend, get your reservations early on. Two to 3 weeks notice is good enough but they will ask you for 50% down payment so you better get your schedules pegged.
• If you are coming in on a Friday or a Saturday on peak season, they will force you to pay two straight days for that week-end. Their worry is that they won’t get bookings if they leave Sundays free so a two-night deal will solve that.
• Locals will offer their own houses for groups of 4 and up and they usually costs around Php4,000 a night and up. This is good if you’re in a large group as you could save a bit more.
• Backpackers usually bring their own tents to camp at the beach although some resort owners would charge a “cleaning and maintenance” fee of Php100 per night.

If you are not really particular with the sleeping quarters and on a budget, I suggest you try Talipanan Beach instead. It’s quite there and the rooms are still affordable even if White Beach is already full to the brim. Usual rates at Talipanan is around Php1,500 for a decent room or cottage. There’s only one boat trip to Batangas to and from there during the day but the place fairly accessible by land (jeep or tricycle) from White Beach. A tricycle ride for 4 or 6 costs Php100 and takes around 15 minutes only.

At Talipanan, most the cottages and rooms are situated in from of the beach so you get a piece of the white sand and lots fresh cool air in the morning. It’s quite there as well and works best if you don’t like the too crowdy and noisy White Beach. You can always contract a tricycle driver to pick you up anytime if you want some round of drinks and disco at White Beach and the money you saved from the rooms can be well spent on a banana boat ride and a snorkelling tour around the islands.

Puerto Galera is an ideal get-away especially for divers and snorklers. Great diving spots and clearer waters compared to those off the coast of Batangas or Cavite. It’s not comparable to those in the Visayas, of course, but for those looking for an option nearer to Manila and does not necessitate air travel, Puerto Galera is a good choice.

But, where do you stay? Sure, there are a lot of cheap rooms to be had along Sabang, if you’re not picky. But if you want respectable, relaxing and semi-private accommodations, there’s one destination I am confident of recommending: Coco Beach.

From the cottages, to the restaurants, to the variety of activities offered daily, I just love this resort. I am not one, but scuba divers out there would also be interested to know that Coco Beach is PADI accredited and parents will feel better knowing that there are activities for children and you can even ask for baby-sitting (up to 3 hours free). Oh, and yes, if you’re paranoid like me, you’ll also feel better to know that they have a resident doctor at the resort.

But you know what I love best about this resort? Their concept of the “Service Family“.

This summer, bring 3 of your firends with you and avail of Coco Beach’s Barkadahan Package:

• 3D/2N Standard Room
• Buffet Breakfast
• Set Menu Lunch and Dinner
• Roundtrip Transportation (Manila-Coco Beach-Manila)
• Package Price: P3,800 net per person

For more info, visit C&C Tours and Destinations, or email info@ccphilippines.com.

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