White Beach Puerto Galera is the cheapest beach in Puerto Galera

White Beach Puerto Galera is well known as one of the premier partying spots in the Philippines. It also plays host to one of the most popular weekend beaches in the country.

White Beach Puerto Galera, as the name implies, is a white sand beach that lies further up the coast from Sabang.

Come Holy Week, the beach is bustling with events organized by large commercial corporations like San Miguel Brewery and the Filipino telecommunication giant Smart.

Naturally during this time of the year, the price of accommodation increases by as much as 300%!

Getting to White Beach Puerto Galera

It is Puerto Galera’s close proximity to Metro Manila that make this beach such a popular weekend destination for Filipinos.

Getting to Puerto Galera is just a matter of taking a four (4) hours bus ride from the bus terminal around the corner of Gil Puyat Avenue in Cubao or Taft Avenue in Pasay City. Take the bus with the sign that say “Batangas Pier via Calabarzaon”.

The fare for the journey is around 170php if you take the bus from the bus terminal in Bueinda.

The journey will end at Batangas Pier where you will switch to an outrigger ferry for the last leg of the journey to Puerto Galera.

The ferry ride will cost you 250php and in addition, you will need to pay an ‘Environmental fee’ of 50php and a ‘Terminal fee’ of 10php.

The ride to White Beach from Batangas Pier takes roughly around an hour and a half and is pretty much uneventful except for the occasional rolling from side to side of the boat.

For those who are prone to seasickness, you might want to get a plastic bag ready before the journey!

Unlike Sabang Beach, White Beach is mostly patronized by the locals. Hence, the price of food and drink here is cheaper than what you find in Sabang.

What to do in White Beach

Activities wise, there is plenty to do, enough to tire you out for the day.

As for water sports, you can rent the numerous jet skis that are parked on the beach and take it out for a spin in the water or you can opt for something more adventurous like paragliding.

Snorkelling is also an option and the equipment for snorkelling is readily available for rent. The beach is pretty clean and the clear blue water really looks appealing and inviting for a nice cool dip.

Some of the beach goers prefer to spend their time sunbathing or playing volley ball. As for me, I found the beach a tad too crowded for my taste. Actually the whole place reminds me of Phuket in Thailand.

Perhaps this is due to the fact that the backend of the beach is jam packed with stalls selling souvenirs and drinks. In a sense, you feel that the place is over commercialized.

Where do I stay in White Beach

As for accommodation on White Beach Puerto Galera, the resorts here cater to all budget levels.

You can opt for a more upscale accommodation with air-conditioning, TV and hot/cold shower like those provided by the Mindorin Oriental Hotel (Yes! It sounds like the Mandarin Oriental Hotel but these two hotels bear no relation at all). Alternatively, you can go for a cottage and jam pack it with your entire entourage.

The cheapest type of accommodation will be to rent a tent, which would suit a backpackers budget perfectly.

Overall, White Beach Puerto Galera is a great place to hang out for a day or two just to get the feel of the partying atmosphere. Any stay longer than a couple of days, in my opinion would become monotonous.

For the best ways of getting to Puerto Galera have a look here.

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