Boats from Batangas to Mindoro, Caticlan/Boracay

Early last month, I travelled by RORO (roll on, roll off boats) from Manila to Iloilo then Negros. Plane fare Manila-Bacolod one way that weekend was something like P4,300 cheapest. I estimated that via RORO and multiple transfer would take about 26 hours but the cost would be only around P2,000 or less.

So I just took an air-con bus at Buendia-Taft in Makati going to Batangas and from there, would decide what boat to take going to Calapan, Or. Mindoro, or straight to Caticlan, Aklan.

Here are the boats from Batangas port to Calapan (Or. Mindoro), Abra de Ilog (Occ. Mindoro), other destinations in Mindoro island. During the vacation season, I think some shipping lines field more boats or they make their boats take extra trip per day whenever possible.

The RORO boats that ferry both people and vehicles, Batangas to Mindoro, Romblon, Panay (Aklan, Capiz, Antique), other island-destinations.

 I took the Batangas-Caticlan boat of 2GO, 9pm and arrive Caticlan around 7am with stopover at Odiongan, Romblon (perhaps around 3am). Tourist class aircon, P1,150 per head one way.

Passengers form two lines, one each for males and females, their bags and luggages beside them. This is for security inspection. Instead of making passengers go through an X-ray inspection, a bomb-sniffing dog just checks all bags, then passengers get their bags and go inside the boat.

So if one wants to go to Boracay from Manila, the fastest route of course is to take the plane (direct to Caticlan or via Kalibo, Aklan, then bus to Caticlan, 2 to 2 1/2 hours trip), then short boat ride to Boracay.

Another option is to take any bus from Manila/Makati/QC, etc. to Batangas, take 2GO's boat to Caticlan, 10 hours ride, just sleep and wake up at Caticlan port.
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See also:

Oriental Mindoro to Caticlan, Aklan, December 31, 2014

Caticlan to Boracay boats, December 12, 2016

White Beach, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro

Last December 21, more than a week ago, my family (me, wife, two girls) took a bus and went to Puerto Galera, among the famous white beach resorts in the Philippines. Here are  some pointers going there by bus. First three photos are from the web, not from my camera phone.

1. We took Ceres aircon bus at LRT Buendia station in Makati. Fare is P157 per head, students with discount P125/head. The bus stops at Batangas pier about two hours travel, passing by three expressways (SLEX, SLEX extension, and STAR). 

2. Boat fare, Batangas to White Beach is P275/head, students P200. Children (maybe below 6 yo) free. Terminal fee about P40/head. It's a big boat with outrigger, can seat perhaps 100 people. Travel time today was around 1:20 hour.

3. Boat stops at Muelle, near the Puerto Galera town proper. There are air-con vans to take passengers to White beach, free, part of the fare. About 15 minutes ride. Sometimes the boat goes to White Beach after unloading passengers at Muelle, but I think this is seldom done.

4. The provincial government of Oriental Mindoro charges P50/head environmental fee for tourists/visitors; locals are free. Children visitors below 12 yrs old are also free.

We have no reservation in any hotel in Puerto Galera. Our plan was to walk around and see various resorts to compare prices and facilities. But at the Departure lounge of Batangas Pier, a lady from Sea Jewel beach resort befriended us, said that their hotel is nice. two beds room to accommodate 4 people is P2,500 but she can give it to us for only P2,000. I haggled for a bigger discount, we settled at P1,800. I paid right there, got the receipt. When we got off the van right in front of the resort, a staff was already waiting for us with a plackard of my name.

Nice room, but no swimming pool, no breakfast. The beach resort is about 250 meters away.

These are the neighboring resort hotels of Sea Jewel, much bigger.

Another resort hotel on the other side.

White Beach, PG. Thickly forested hills and mountains at the background. The island and its two  provinces (Mindoro Oriental and Occidental) generally have thick  forest cover.

It does not appear to be attracting many visitors. Maybe it will be full between Christmas and New Year, or during the hot months. Besides, there are other resorts in other parts of Puerto Galera, like Sabang.

The resort hotels and their restaurants at the ground floor. There are few beach front hotels there. Restaurants, bars and shops mostly occupy the beach front. So there are many places to eat and hang around there.

Elle Marie doing her favorite activity when visiting a beach resort -- building a sand castle.

We stayed only one night in PG, then moved to Roxas, Oriental Mindoro, to catch a boat going to Caticlan and Boracay. Tricycle ride from White beach to PG town proper is P150 per trip. 
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See also:
Batangas Port, April 17, 2009
Christmas 2014, December 25, 2014