Guess what? Another first time adventure for me! Even though I swallowed some of the sea water, it was nothing compared to seeing the rich marine biodiversity of Puerto Galera which is considered one of the most beautiful bays in the world.
HOW TO GET THERE?
Puerto Galera is only few hours away from Manila, making it one of the best weekend getaway choices for those who want to breathe some fresh air. If you have a private vehicle, just go to Batangas Pier which is 2 hours south of Manila. Leave the car at the parking area of the boat pier, don't worry it's safe and costs Php200 overnight. However, if you are taking the public transportation, you may proceed to one of the bus stations with a placard "Batangas Pier" in Gil Puyat. I recommend the JAM Liner, a big company with buses heading to Batangas every thirty minutes. Fare costs around Php140-Php190. If you're a student or senior citizen, don't forget to show your ID for a 20% discount.
Once you arrive in Batangas Pier, there are a lot of shipping lines to choose from. I recommend Manolo Shipping Lines which we trusted. Fare costs Php460 to and from Muelle Port. Fare sometimes is higher or lesser depending on your destination. From Batangas Pier to our destination Muelle port, it was an hour of smooth boat ride. What bothers us is when we were on our way back to Batangas after the trip, the ride was so bumpy and uncomfortable because of the big waves. Almost everyone in the boat seemed dizzy and some were even puking. Errr! I was kind of dizzy too but I stayed strong. ;)
SNORKELLING & ISLAND HOPPING PACKAGES
Snorkelling and island hopping packages are available as soon as you step down from your boat. Fixers usually wait for the tourists in the boat docking area whether your boat docks in the white beach, muelle pier or any public docking area in Puerto Galera. During peak season, island hopping and snorkelling costs around Php1500 not including the small boats that you need to ride to be able to reach some areas that aren't reachable by the normal sized boats. We were there during lean season and the package that was offered to us costs only Php800. Almost half of the regular price! Wow! We considered it right away, but as I have mentioned, we were there in a lean (rainy) season so the waves are bigger than usual. We weren't able to dock in some of the famous beaches. sigh* The good news is, whether it's peak or lean season, the snorkelling sights never change!
Usually, snorkelling and island hopping packages already includes snorkelling gears but it's better to bring your own for the sake of hygiene and some of the gears aren't in good condition anymore. I had water going inside my snorkelling mask. They also have other famous tour packages like land tours with a visit to some of their famous falls. If only we had more time, I would avail everything. Since we're only having a weekend getaway, we decided to see the most beautiful thing Puerto Galera has to offer, its marine life.
If you can't find any fixer, don't worry! The hotel/hostel/dorm/house you're staying offers tour packages for sure.
THE ULTIMATE SNORKELLING EXPERIENCE
We got the contact number of the fixer who approached us in the docking area. His name is Kuya JR. We first checked in in our hotel Buri Resort & Spa. Then after unpacking and getting ready for our adventure, we texted kuya JR and he arrived few minutes later. He first brought us to the famous snorkelling sights. Kuya JR is also a great photographer, he took all our amazing photos while we were snorkelling. He asked us to hold on to the rope in his boat and the boat drag us slowly making it easy for us to snorkel.
You can watch our 2 minute underwater video. See the unexpected beautiful fishes in motion when our camera fell off the sea. You'll also be mesmerised to watch the middle part when we were attacked by the fishes. Enjoy!
Seeing the marine life was beyond amazing! I felt like a mermaid. lol. Seriously, I felt like I was one of them. This activity made me realise how rich and beautiful my country is and therefore all of us should work together to keep it that way.
ISLAND HOPPING
After snorkelling, we went to see some of Puerto Galera's best beaches. Unfortunately, tides were so high and our boat might flip if we force to reach the beach. We were able to see Agas and Haligi beach from afar. We had the chance to visit sand bar. It's also a nice beach to chill while watching people and different boats pass by.
This is where our snorkelling and "island hopping" ends. All in all, it's a wonderful experience and I'd love to do it all over again. Next time when we're back in Puerto Galera, I'd like to visit their famous falls and experience the crazy nightlife in white beach.
How about you? What's your favourite activity in Puerto Galera?
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