Imagine yourself! Far from the madding crowd, yet just three hours from Manila; relaxing at a peaceful and safe seashore resort where you are never far from white sandy beaches, pristine waters for swimming and diving and as the sun goes down, plenty of choices for evening dining and entertainment. This is the resort town of Puerto Galera, well known among expats in Manila as a weekend playground.

Puerto Galera is just 102 Kms south of Manila, across the water from the bustling port of Batangas. The main town is reached by a comfortable one hour boat ride – take the ferry or the catamaran depending on the time of day. There are plenty of public buses plying the route from Manila and you can choose between air conditioned and non air-conditioned.

The township offers plenty of shopping and waterfront restaurants plus a couple of reasonably priced hotels while the nearby villages that make up this rambling conurbation offers the full spectrum of fun and entertainment.

If you are with your family, looking for an inexpensive weekend getaway then you will probably want to head for White Beach. This area of Puerto Galera offers a number of small family owned chalets for rent at reasonable prices and right on the beach. Prices start from around P500 per night upwards. There are plenty of restaurants and eateries also on the beach – hey this is the Philippines, you will never go hungry. At night, there is a small open bar area and prices are very reasonable. Sip your beer or favorite cocktail and feel the sand between your toes. There is also a small disco at White Beach, or at least it calls itself a disco. Not recommended except for desperados.

The alternative to White Beach is Sabang. This area is popular with divers and the single set. If White Beach is the place for families then Sabang is the place for those after the “action”. It is one of those places that looks scruffy by day but at night time it comes into its own. Plenty of bars, plenty of booze and plenty of girls. Accommodation in Sabang ranges from the up-market resort hotel to smaller b&b type places.

The alternative is to stay at one of the specialized resorts in the area of which there are two main ones. Coco Beach is large and caters mainly to European tour groups while Coral Cove is smaller and is a specialized dive resort that also does good business during off peak season as a conference center.

Whatever option you take, Puerto Galera offers a safe and relaxing environment for all ages and tastes. Wherever you go, you are never far from the mountains, the beaches and the water. Indeed the coral formations of Puerto Galera, the reefs and shipwrecks are acknowledged as providing one of the best locations for divers in the world.

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