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It may be touristy and the hawkers can wear you down, but there's no denying PUERTO GALERA on the northern coast of Mindoro has a stunning natural harbour, some quiet coves, cheap accommodation and excellent scuba diving . There are dozens of dive outfits in the area making it a good place to strike a deal and get yourself a discount on the going rates. The point of arrival is officially known as Poblacion, though most people refer to it and the surrounding areas as Puerto Galera. From the harbour jeepneys depart for the area's many beaches. Sabang is the busiest beach, with a mind-boggling variety of accommodation dotted haphazardly along the shoreline and plenty of choices for eating. Neighbouring Small La Laguna and Big La Laguna are rather more laid-back and family-oriented. Twenty minutes by jeepney the other side of Puerto Galera harbour, to the east, is White beach . Accommodation here is strictly of the bamboo-hut variety and for meals you'll have to eat what you are given: it might be catch of the day or a tin of sardines. Five minutes beyond White beach by jeepney is Talipanan beach . Both are good bases for trekking in the mountains. One of the many locals who earn a little bit extra as guides will gladly take you to Talipanan or Aninuan falls. Access to Puerto Galera is from Batangas Pier on the outskirts of Batangas City. BLTB, Jam and Tritrans buses (P80) run regularly from Pasay in Manila to Batangas Pier. Try to avoid travelling on a Saturday morning when city folk are all scrambling to get to the coast and the roads can be choked. Likewise, it's best not to make the return journey on Sunday evening. Once you get to Batangas Pier there are a number of ferry options. MV Super 85 leaves at 10.30am and Si-Kat at midday. Both charge P110 plus P10 terminal fee. Local outriggers (P80) go back and forth to Sabang, leaving Batangas Pier daily at 9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, noon, 1.30pm and 2.30pm. Si-Kat operates a joint bus-and-ferry service (P350 one way) that leaves every morning at 9am sharp from the Centrepoint Hotel at 1430 A Mabini St, Ermita. The Royal Palm Hotel in Ermita has recently launched a rival service (tel 02/526 2566 or 521 2814; P695 round-trip) leaving the hotel daily at 8am. Travel time from Manila to Batangas Pier is about three hours by road, then another ninety minutes by boat. If you take the Si-Kat or the MV Super 85 you will land at Muelle Pier in Puerto Galera, from where you can hop a jeepney or a small banca to one of the beaches. Jeepneys charge P10 to Sabang and P30 to White beach, but only leave when they are full, meaning packed to the gills with people, baggage, produce and farm animals. It's not unusual on these routes for passengers to be hanging from the sides or sitting on the roof. The jeepney to Sabang no longer departs from the pier itself, so you have to walk up the hill to the left for about 150m. All boats are met by a welcoming committee of touts offering "special rides" for P200. A banca to Sabang will cost around P150 depending on your negotiating skills. White beach is further and will cost around P200. You can always share the boat with others. On the return journey, the MV Super 85 leaves Muelle Pier at 8am and the Si-Kat at 9.30am. Outriggers including Sabang Princess leave Sabang beach (in front of the Sunshine Coast Bar and Restaurant) at 6am, 7am, 8am, 9am and 11.30am. Viva Lines has sailings at 5am, 10.30am and 2pm from Balatero Pier, which is on the eastern outskirts of Puerto Galera town. There are no longer any flights from Manila to northern Mindoro, although if you are feeling flush you can hire a seaplane for US$300 one-way. Call Atlantis Resort Hotel in Sabang (tel 639/7349 7503) for details. There are also a number of ferries between Batangas and Puerto Galera operated by Blue Diamond Lines. Be careful with these, as they are claustrophobic and often overcrowded. The post office is at the town hall in Puerto Galera, although some resorts will post mail for a charge. There are rudimentary clinics in the town, but no hospital. Clinics charge P80 for a consultation, but if in doubt you can always ask the dive shops, who always know where the best doctors are. There are many telephone stations in Sabang and Puerto Galera where you can make calls to Manila for P12 a minute or overseas for P130 a minute. Swagman Travel at the western end of Sabang beach offers exchange , fax, phone, visa extension and air tickets. Exchange and telephone services are also offered by Centrum in Sabang; this used to be a go-go bar until the owner became vice-mayor, and now hosts regular live bands from Manila. To arrange trekking , kayaking tours or overnight trips into the tribal hinterland, go to Jungle Trek Adventure Tours opposite Tropicana on Sabang's main drag. Motorbikes can be hired at a number of places for around P500 for half a day. Telephones in Puerto Galera are all cellular and there are no landlines, making Internet access tricky. Asia Divers lets guests use its email for important messages.
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