Puerto Galera

Puerto Galera was one of those "so near and yet so far" places for me. Friends have said that it's so near and accessible from Manila. I didn't believe them. I mean, how can a popular beach area be so near this crowded place?

But with our Sagada vacation cancelled last week, we hastened to make last-minute trip decisions. And Puerto Galera it was.

Peak season = throngs of people. Didn't mind at all. I would love to see Puerto Galera during off-season too, though.

Bars are in adequate supply by the shore, with Bob Marley singing to the groove of the summer heat.
Shirts! beach wear! Bracelets! Ref magnets! Souvenir shops vie for attention.
Jo-Lo had a wonderful time playing with the sand. He got his feet wet too.
What's beach life without barbecue? We had meals in some of the restaurants...

... and when we got quite settled in, we brought out our cooking skills! Yoyo (the guy at left) was able to get a great deal on a whole tuna for our dinner. Yum yum!
I remember my wife Tina was quite timid at getting into the water for snorkeling last year at Boracay. Now, she's become more adventurous and tried it on her own while I looked out for baby Jo-Lo in the boat. Go Dearest!
Watching the sun set by the beach was really nice. For a couple of late afternoons, we just sat by the beach, listened to the waters crash to the shore, with the other people milling about and having a great time, and watch the sun turn from a a yellowish hue, to a mesmerizing red as it finally calls it a day and takes a dip in the waters of Puerto Galera.

Now that I've been there, I still couldn't believe how relatively close and accessible it is from Manila! A really nice escape from the hustle and bustle of Manila. And you can really have a great time there without creating a hole in your pocket during off-peak season.

Thanks to my old and new friends who made the stay memorable!