Puerto Galera, White Beach

[Genius]

I m planning to go in about four weeks time from Manila to the pier.

I see I can get a bus for next to nothing but I m curious has anyone done it by taxi?

Is a fair price about 4000 one way? <should that be plus tolls or gas money>

Anyone been, how was it?

[Papa Carl]

I m planning to go in about four weeks time from Manila to the pier.

I see I can get a bus for next to nothing but I m curious has anyone done it by taxi?

Is a fair price about 4000 one way? <should that be plus tolls or gas money>

Anyone been, how was it?

Hi Genius, Ellie and I have gone to Puerto Galera and White Beach many times. In fact once we went and stayed for 3 months, as I found Lenlys at White Beach with the Nippa Hut style accomodation right on the beach the best! We have also gone around the rocks just past the pizza place to Tamarau Beach which was even better has it only had 1 (one) resort on the entire beach and was beautiful and not expensive either.

 

Every time we took the bus, from the corner of Buendia and South Super Highway, (we lived on the corner there in Cityland tower) so it was convenient, walked out our front door, crossed the road and waited for a bus to come by. Every time we did, the bus was only about half full and airconditioned with music or video, clean and presentable and very inexpensive. The bus makes a stop about half way for you to get something to eat and use the CR in the bus stop retaurant store.

 

I did get some quotes for a taxi, and they were about 10 times the cost of taking the bus so never bothered.

 

I would stick with the bus, good value for money, and gets you right to the pier, no problem.

 

Papa Carl

 

PS Lenlys at White Beach have 8 or 9 Nippa Hut style places, only one is a true Nippa Hut, the rest are cement block built, with porch, kitchen etc. No A/C but to be honest I never needed it and the fans in the accomodation, along with the breeze from the ocean were all that was required. Cold showers though!

[bootleultras]

I agree with Papa Carl, I took the bus with friends a couple of months ago & they were comfortable & very cheap, around 150 peso I think? I think I heard someone in Batangas quoting 2500 to Manila when we were coming back but the bus was good enough for us.

[Genius]

Papa Carl & bootleultras, thanks for the replies.

Papa Carl, Do you remember how much lenlys at white beach was per night? And the other place at tamarau beach?

Both, Do they have international ATMs, scattered around or should I hit the ATMs before I leave Manila to last my sojourn?

I still remember being stuck in a few small locales in Mindanao, with only local banks, spitting my cards out, to much annoyance.

How is the seafood, there?

Plenty of cheap restos selling fresh seafood or is it all upscale places or carienderas and jollibees? I m clueless.

Internet cafes?

Any 4g or 3G tattoo etc coverage?

I was hoping to budget around 1500 a night or less for accommodations for fortnight and another say 1500 for food for two and a bit of drinking but mostly staying on the beach chilling. Does that sound about ok, 3000 a day all in?

Anyone else who has been, welcome to take pointers from.

Cheers

[MikeB]

It's been several years but when I was there there were only a couple ATMs and they weren't 24/7, they were only available when the bank was open. We stayed at White Beach which is quite a way from the main action and the roads were very bad in places. I would stay in Sabang if I was single.   

[Genius]

Ah ok, so I guess I should stock up on peso before arrival then. Yeah, I don't think staying in Sabang would go down too well; though it probably would be more entertaining. How far is Sabang from White Beach, as the trike trundles, any how's?

[MikeB]

How far is Sabang from White Beach, as the trike trundles, any how's?

As I recall it was about 30 min. We took a van over on the RORO so we had our own transportation. I don't recall any tricycles, most people rented motorbikes. We stayed at the Tamaraw Resort, don't know it it's still around. My info is from around 2006 so I'm sure things have changed.

[OldUgly&Cranky]

Papa Carl & bootleultras, thanks for the replies.

Papa Carl, Do you remember how much lenlys at white beach was per night? And the other place at tamarau beach?

Both, Do they have international ATMs, scattered around or should I hit the ATMs before I leave Manila to last my sojourn?

I still remember being stuck in a few small locales in Mindanao, with only local banks, spitting my cards out, to much annoyance.

How is the seafood, there?

Plenty of cheap restos selling fresh seafood or is it all upscale places or carienderas and jollibees? I m clueless.

Internet cafes?

Any 4g or 3G tattoo etc coverage?

I was hoping to budget around 1500 a night or less for accommodations for fortnight and another say 1500 for food for two and a bit of drinking but mostly staying on the beach chilling. Does that sound about ok, 3000 a day all in?

Anyone else who has been, welcome to take pointers from.

Cheers

Genius here is a few answers to your questions and some tips hope this helps ??!!

 

if your going on a weekend to white beach expect to pay more the the cost of the rooms theres 2 rates weekday and weekend , best thing to do is if your going with a local ( girlfriend ) when you come off the boat ignore the people trying to get you into there hotels go for a beer at the bar and have your friend walk around a bit to find a place , thats what we did and got a fan room in a nice nipa hut style room for 850 pesos a night weekend rate ! it was right beside lenlys , no worrys about fresh seafood every evening all the small beach bars usually have there fresh seafood on display for you to pick and have them cook it for you ! food is excellent there if your going on a weekend i recommend seeing the ladyboy shows its really really funny and they also put on a fire show on the beach as well , not sure what the cost of a trike was to get to sabang coz it was 2004 when i took a trike to get there but at that time i think it was 200 pesos so im sure it has gone up and i think it took about 40 mins to get there from white beach , internet coverage im not sure about i know theres inet cafes there so you shouldnt have a problem having access to inet ! , white beach is great lots of activities to do , theres banana boat rides , para sailing , or you can rent a motorbike for the day , or go to the shooting range and fire a fully automatic ak-47 or m-16 , you can hire a boat for fishing , if you dont plan on doing much of anything just relaxing 3000 a day should be fine dont forget to get a few beers for the crossing on the ferry get them in the mini stop in the terminal in batangus  there will be people outside the terminal asking if you would like a few beer they can get it for you but they will charge you for it ! hope this helps i'll try and dig up a few photos of my room there last time i stayed there and post it for you !!

 

O-U-C :thumbsup:  

Edited July 23, 2013 by OldUgly&Cranky

[Jake]

Triple LIKE O-U-C!  You bring back many fond memories of Puerto Galera.  My very first time witnessing

a pair of rain bows appearing right in front me, about 100 yards away.  It was such a religious experience,

similar to seeing Grand Canyon for the first time.

 

I think our 4th child was conceived in Puerto Galera, out in the open during one of our afternoon delights.  

 

Oooh yeah -- Jake

[ABCDiamond]

Do they have international ATMs, scattered around or should I hit the ATMs before I leave Manila to last my sojourn?

Any 4g or 3G tattoo etc coverage?

I was hoping to budget around 1500 a night or less for accommodations for fortnight and another say 1500 for food for two and a bit of drinking but mostly staying on the beach chilling. Does that sound about ok, 3000 a day all in?

Anyone else who has been, welcome to take pointers from.

Cheers

I have just spent 5 months in Puerto Galera.  

 

With Mobile Internet, Smart works well on the White Beach side of PG town, but very very bad on the South side (Tabinay) where I was.  Globe is lousy near Balatero, but not too bad in Tabinay.

 

4G has recently arrived in some parts of PG, at least with Globe.

 

In short, Smart and Globe 3G are very well spread, badly.

 

1,500 per night for a fortnight is a total of 21,000 Pesos.  I paid 20,000 for a month ;) One bedroom, kitchen, living room and bathroom, total 60sqm

 

They say there are THREE ATMS in the PG area, (White beach to Sabang).  I only found two!!  The other must be in Sabang ;)

I now know why they say to take cash.

 

Some Tricycle drivers will rob you blind....  my first trip was 300 pesos.  Locals pay 20 pesos, (for the exact same trip), and I only paid that same 20 pesos every time after. It is actually 10 pesos each, but I still give them 20 even when alone.