Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Encyclopedia
Puerto Galera is the northwesternmost municipality
in the province
of Oriental Mindoro
, Philippines
. It is located at the southwestern end of the Isla Verde Passage
, about 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) south of Manila
.
.
s:
around Medio Island and a large section of shallow reef ('Coral Gardens') died. Since then the coral has regrown with a larger diversity of coral species replacing the prolific table corals. Corals in Puerto galera were largely unaffected the 2010 El Nino event.
In 2006 two super-typhoons damaged the shallow areas around Escarceo Point. Many of the faster growing coral species were destroyed to a depth of 6m. This represented about 5% of the coral reef in the area. From mid-2008 there were extensive signs of new coral recruitment. Acropora species (staghorn and table coral) rapidly recolonated the area so that most of the damaged coral have been replaced with new growth.
A study by the University of the Philippines in the 1980s, found that the Batangas, Puerto Galera area has one of the highest diversity of marine species in the world. It forms the centre of the golden triangle - The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia - renowned for their coral and fish species.
es and many snorkeling
and Scuba diving
spots. The area was designated a Man and Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO
in 1973 and has some of the most diverse coral reef diving in Asia. The marine environment has benefited in recent years from the influx of tourist dollars. This has seen a huge reduction in the number of fishermen in the area, as they gain higher revenue from tourists.
Puerto Galera is a listed by the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World
, and is the only bay in the Philippines to be listed there.
Among the famous beaches in Puerto Galera are Sabang Beach and White Beach, which have an active nightlife with numerous bars and restaurants. Both beaches also have an array of first-class and economy-class accommodations.
Sabang beach is the main destination for foreign tourists, while White Beach remains popular with local travelers.Big La Laguna Beach and Small La Laguna Beach are considered part of Sabang with resorts lining the beaches. Big La Laguna Beach is popular for local swimmers and snorkelers. Since 2001 White beach has seen uncontrolled development. New restaurants and places to stay are rapidly encroaching on the beach itself and little remains of the once charming beach. Puerto Galera town is a pleasant but sleepy Philippine town with few attractions. It has a large central catholic church and a Pier area, with a selection of bistros and cafes.
Behind the beaches are the huge and generally unexplored mountain ranges of central Mindoro
. A particular local attraction is the nine hole golf course perched on the hillside above White Beach which commands spectacular views over Puerto Galera's natural harbor and the Verde Island Passage. Mangyan
tribes are scattered over the mountain sides - some of the more remote tribes have virtually no contact with the outside world. Of the eight tribes on Mindoro, the Iraya are the largest. They are based in the Puerto Galera area.
Puerto Galera is among the top diving destination in the Philippines. Excellent diving is found less than 5 minutes from Sabang Beach. The diving generally focuses around the areas either side of Escarceo Point, which is famous for its current rips. Strong currents are a feature of the diving in Puerto Galera and it is good advice to employ the services of an experienced local guide or dive centre. There are more than thirty dive sites all within a 5-10 minute banca ride from Sabang Beach. Marine life is highly diverse. 180+ species of nudibranchs are found in the area and many species of fish can be seen. A variety of wrecks have been sunk over the years in addition to the one wreck of an engine of a WWII Japanese patrol boat.
Puerto Galera is also one of the main technical diving
destinations in Asia. Technical Diving International
- [TDI] has many dive centers in the area, offering the full range of TDI courses from Basic nitrox to advanced trimix.
Municipalities of the Philippines
A municipality is a local government unit in the Philippines. Municipalities are also called towns . They are distinct from cities, which are a different category of local government unit...
in the province
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
of Oriental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro is a province of the Philippines located in the island of Mindoro under MIMAROPA region in Luzon, about 140 km southwest of Manila...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It is located at the southwestern end of the Isla Verde Passage
Isla Verde Passage
This article refers to a body of water, for the landform see Verde Island.Isla Verde Passage is one of the busiest sea lanes in the Philippines. It is located between Batangas and Oriental Mindoro. Commercial and industrial ships pass through this passage to reach Manila from their port of origin...
, about 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) south of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
Demographics
The National Statistical Coordination Board of the Philippines characterizes the municipality of Puerto Galera as 1st Class based on household income. The population was 28,035 at the time of the 2007 Census of Population conducted by the National Statistics OfficeNational Statistics Office (Philippines)
The National Statistics Office is the Philippine government's major statistical agency responsible in collecting, compiling, classifying, producing, publishing, and disseminating general-purpose statistics as provided for in Commonwealth Act No...
.
Barangays
Puerto Galera is politically subdivided into 13 barangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s:
- Aninuan
- Balatero
- Dulangan
- Palangan
- Sabang
- San Antonio
- San Isidro
- Santo Niño
- Sinandigan
- Tabinay
- Villaflor
- Poblacion
- Baclayan
Environment
In the summer of 1998 there was some extensive coral bleachingCoral bleaching
Coral bleaching is the loss of intracellular endosymbionts through either expulsion or loss of algal pigmentation.The corals that form the structure of the great reef ecosystems of tropical seas depend upon a symbiotic relationship with unicellular flagellate protozoa, called zooxanthellae, that...
around Medio Island and a large section of shallow reef ('Coral Gardens') died. Since then the coral has regrown with a larger diversity of coral species replacing the prolific table corals. Corals in Puerto galera were largely unaffected the 2010 El Nino event.
In 2006 two super-typhoons damaged the shallow areas around Escarceo Point. Many of the faster growing coral species were destroyed to a depth of 6m. This represented about 5% of the coral reef in the area. From mid-2008 there were extensive signs of new coral recruitment. Acropora species (staghorn and table coral) rapidly recolonated the area so that most of the damaged coral have been replaced with new growth.
A study by the University of the Philippines in the 1980s, found that the Batangas, Puerto Galera area has one of the highest diversity of marine species in the world. It forms the centre of the golden triangle - The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia - renowned for their coral and fish species.
Tourism
This coastal town is well known among tourists for its numerous pocket beachBeach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es and many snorkeling
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
and Scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
spots. The area was designated a Man and Biosphere Reserve of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 1973 and has some of the most diverse coral reef diving in Asia. The marine environment has benefited in recent years from the influx of tourist dollars. This has seen a huge reduction in the number of fishermen in the area, as they gain higher revenue from tourists.
Puerto Galera is a listed by the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World
Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World
The Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World is an international association , founded in Berlin on 10 March 1997, consisting of structures, each representing a community with a frontage marine bay exceptional locked world.It is chaired by Jérôme Bignon, French specialist member of the...
, and is the only bay in the Philippines to be listed there.
Among the famous beaches in Puerto Galera are Sabang Beach and White Beach, which have an active nightlife with numerous bars and restaurants. Both beaches also have an array of first-class and economy-class accommodations.
Sabang beach is the main destination for foreign tourists, while White Beach remains popular with local travelers.Big La Laguna Beach and Small La Laguna Beach are considered part of Sabang with resorts lining the beaches. Big La Laguna Beach is popular for local swimmers and snorkelers. Since 2001 White beach has seen uncontrolled development. New restaurants and places to stay are rapidly encroaching on the beach itself and little remains of the once charming beach. Puerto Galera town is a pleasant but sleepy Philippine town with few attractions. It has a large central catholic church and a Pier area, with a selection of bistros and cafes.
Behind the beaches are the huge and generally unexplored mountain ranges of central Mindoro
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...
. A particular local attraction is the nine hole golf course perched on the hillside above White Beach which commands spectacular views over Puerto Galera's natural harbor and the Verde Island Passage. Mangyan
Mangyan
Mangyan is the generic name for the eight indigenous groups found in the Philippine island of Mindoro, each with its own tribal name, language, and customs...
tribes are scattered over the mountain sides - some of the more remote tribes have virtually no contact with the outside world. Of the eight tribes on Mindoro, the Iraya are the largest. They are based in the Puerto Galera area.
Puerto Galera is among the top diving destination in the Philippines. Excellent diving is found less than 5 minutes from Sabang Beach. The diving generally focuses around the areas either side of Escarceo Point, which is famous for its current rips. Strong currents are a feature of the diving in Puerto Galera and it is good advice to employ the services of an experienced local guide or dive centre. There are more than thirty dive sites all within a 5-10 minute banca ride from Sabang Beach. Marine life is highly diverse. 180+ species of nudibranchs are found in the area and many species of fish can be seen. A variety of wrecks have been sunk over the years in addition to the one wreck of an engine of a WWII Japanese patrol boat.
Puerto Galera is also one of the main technical diving
Technical diving
Technical diving is a form of scuba diving that exceeds the scope of recreational diving...
destinations in Asia. Technical Diving International
Technical Diving International
Technical Diving International is the largest technical diving certification agency in the world. As one of the first agencies to provide training in mixed gas diving and rebreathers, TDI is seen as an innovator of new diving techniques and programs which previously were not available to the...
- [TDI] has many dive centers in the area, offering the full range of TDI courses from Basic nitrox to advanced trimix.
External links
- Philippine Standard Geographic Code listing for Puerto Galera - National Statistical Coordination Board
- Puerto Galera Wiki Map
- 505th Squadron Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary - 505th PCGA, Puerto Galera