Puerto Galera Diving Vacation
Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Puerto Galera is a little further from Anilao and uses Batangas Pier as jump-off point. Puerto Galera diving offers a natural harbor with fine beaches, green scenery and sheltered coves.
Puerto Galera has grown to become a diving haven due to its marine diversity, complemented by other activities. At least two dozen sites have been identified, each providing good opportunity for photography.
Puerto Galera is considered an 'all year' round dive destination with
water temperatures varying between 23°C to 29°C and visibility
is at 15 m (often up to 40 m). Most divers prefer to go to Puerto Galera
from March to October.
Puerto Galera leads the way in dive education in the Philippines. Beginners are well catered for with courses for children, families and the PADI Open Water Course.
More experienced divers can choose from a wide range of specialty and more advanced courses including IANTD and TDI technical dive programmes.
Puerto Galera's dive centers and dive shops offer mulitlingual courses to all levels of dive education, from Bubblemakers to Instructor Development Courses (IDC). Nitrox, technical training and specialty courses are also available.
| Puerto Galera Dive Sites | Depth |
|
| Manila Channel Coral Gardens Batangas Channel The Hill La Laguna Point Sabang Point Monkey Wreck Monkey Beach Ernie's Cave Dungon Wreck Point West Escarceo Hole in the Wall The Fish Bowl The Canyons Shark Cave The Big Rock (The Atoll) Pink Wall Kilima Steps Sinandigan Wall The Boulders Verde (Green) Island The Washing Machine |
6 m 14 m 12 m 12 m 15 m 35 m 12 m 22 m 18 m 25 m 18 m 12 m 40 m 29 m 25 m 20 m 10 m 20 m 25 m 20 m 40 m 15 m |
9 m 27 m 12 m 15 m 22 m 40 m 18 m 30 m 30 m 30 m 27 m 19 m 60 m 60 m 30 m 33 m 15 m 40 m 40 m 24 m 60 m 30 m |
HOW TO GET THERE
Puerto Galera is approximately 4-hours from Manila. Two hours by bus
from Manila to Batangas followed by a two-hour boat ride from Batangas
pier to Puerto Galera. There is a regular transfer from Manila that leaves
at exactly 0900H. The ferry leaves Puerto Galera pier daily at 0900H for
the return trip, just in time to catch the bus coming back to Manila.
For those who are arriving Manila in the afternoon but would want to proceed directly to Puerto Galera, it is highly recommended to hire a private car and rent the dive shop's dive boat for the night. Backpackers can take public buses going to Batangas. Last trip for these bus companies is at 1800. The last ferry that crosses Batangas to Puerto Galera is at 1800H.
At the pier, you can take a jeepney ride or just walk. Most of the resorts offer a free one-way boat transfer from the pier to the resort, convenient for divers who are carrying their own equipment.
The best time to dive is from November till June, but good diving can be experienced all year round. The Southwest Monsoon season (June till October) offers some of the best visibility and access to some of the more exciting dive sites.
Sources:
Philippine Dept. of Tourism
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