My Trip from Cebu to Puerto Galera

My Trip from Cebu to Puerto Galera on Mindoro Island, Philippines

My alarm was set for 2:15, 2:30 and again at 2:45 am, just in case waking up was a problem 😀

The flight was sheduled for 5:15am take off.

At 3:15 am, we left the room, and went down to reception to check out, and collect the refund of our deposit.
The hotel driver then took us to the Airport, where one of the Hotel staff took us, andour bags, to the correct flight check in area.

The flight ticket, for two people, cost us 5,000 pesos but I had paid an extra 160 pesos for an extra 5kg of checked baggage, so we had a 45 kg allowance. Our bags weighed 45.2 kg. So I am glad I did pay the extra up front. Otherwise, at excess baggage rates it would have cost me an extra 168 pesos per kilo, or 840 pesos for my extra 5kg. I saved 680 pesos.  Not as bad as I first expected 🙂

We checked in, and were at the boarding gate by 4am. Plenty of time. The flight left on time at 5:15am, and by 6:15am we were landing in Manila.

Collecting the baggage was easy, but as soon as we got outside the airport doors, one taxi driver was asking us to go with him. I asked his price to the bus station at Buendia, corner of Taft Ave and Gil Puyat. He asked 490 peso, which I thought was very high, compared to previous taxi fares. So we carried on to the metered taxi cab line up. These taxis were yellow, not the normal white ones. But they were metered, so should be OK?  The fare ended up at 450 pesos, based on 70 pesos flag fall, and 8 pesos per 50 metres ??

I saw these rates being shown a few days after my trip:

• Yellow Manila airport cabs have a flag down rate of PHP 70 and PHP 2.50 per 500 metres.
• Yellow Manila airport cabs have a flag down rate of PHP 70 and PHP 4 after every 300 metres.
• For example: taxi cost from the airport to Taguig City or Makati City is 160 pesos.

The distance should be about 7 kms, and about 14 minutes drive, so that 8 pesos would be for about every 50 metres ?

We arrived at the JAM bus terminal at Pasay. Two buses parked just off the main road.

The first bus was marked Batangas via Calabarzon, and they were calling out “Bus to Puerto Galera”, to catch people attention, so we had the bags put underneath, and got on board. The fare was 140 pesos each, so I paid the 280 pesos for the two of us, and sat back watching “Taken 2” on the on board TV, with audio in English. This was followed by the Adam Sandler movie “Zohan”.

Having only had 2 hours sleep the night before, we slept on the bus, which took about 2 hours for the 100 mile trip to reach Batangas Port. Not that comfortable a trip, but it was air conditioned and cheap. My legs extended into the aisle most of the trip.

Distance from Manila to Batangas Pier: 90kms and 2 hours is quoted at one website, and another website quotes: 120 Km and 115 Minutes travel time.

Then came the FERRY trip.

We had hoped to get the large RORO over to Puerto Galera, and big metal ship that also takes trucks, but it seems not to run when no commercial vehicles are booked.  A common event on weekends it seems.

So, over to the wooden ferries… and we book places on the next one out.

10:07 waiting at Batangas Pier for boat.
10:20 was about the time we left
11:50 arrived at Muele Pier in Puerto Galera

Total ferry ride about 1 hour and 30 minutes on a large outrigger licensed for 144 passengers.

The Ferry Cost was:

Quoted 310 pesos each including the terminal fee of 30 pesos, so I gave 1,000 to cover the total 620 pesos, I got 280 change instead of 380, and he said 100 has to be paid for the security check fee. So the total ferry trip was 720 pesos, or 360 each.

I did email the ferry company later, and asked why the extra 100 pesos, but I received no reply.

I will not go back with the “Father and Son Lines”… there are other options.

I checked with another today, and they quote 230 pesos, presumably plus 30 pesos terminal fee and 50 pesos environmental fee, so 310 pesos each.

In July 2013 another ferry option becomes available, a 45 minute trip on a fast ferry between Batangas and Puerto Galera, with a capacity of 220 passengers. This should run every 2 hours from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm from Batangas, and from 6:00 am leaving Puerto Galera, with the last trip being at 9:00 pm. (Times subject to confirmation and changes)

The main current options are:

• Minolo Shipping Lines,
• FSL or Father and Son Shipping Lines
• Montenegro Shipping Lines (RORO vessel).

There is another ferry option, getting a ferry down to the port at Calapan, on Mindoro Island, and then a jeepney up from Calapan to Puerta Galera. But that road trip is another hour or so between Calapan and Puerto Galera.