It's our first time to go to Puerto Galera via commute with the kids. I and hubby went there before for our honeymoon via Coco Beach Express so no hassle. But this time, surprisingly, getting to Puerto Galera from Biñan, Laguna via commute is fairly easy as well.
So, here's how we did our commute:
1. We rode a jeepney from National Hi-way going to Sta. Rosa, Balibago Complex.
2. In Balibago Complex terminal, we rode a van going to Batangas Pier. These vans are the ones parked beside the buses going to Alabang. This is the bus terminal in front of Jollibee between Target Mall and Mercury Drug. It took us a long 30 minutes to wait for passengers to fill the van but the travel is quite fast at only 2 hours from Sta. Rosa to Batangas Port. Fare is P130/person.
3. In Batangas Port, lots of fixers and vendors flocked toward us as we are getting off the van. The reasearch I did before this trip helped :D I told the fixers we are boarding Minolo then they all disappeared and left us to the care of a man who ushered us to the ticketing area and helped with our baggage. P230/person for the boat transfer to Muelle (Mwel-ye), Puerto Galera.
Then the unexpected happened. Gab vomitted as soon as we sat down in the waiting area. Maybe due to the rush and sudden change in temperature and surroundings, from the airconditioned van walking towards the ticketing office, it was hot and lots of people here and there, then we passed by the inspection area and inside the Port's waiting area. It's good that they have a nice bathroom in Batangas Port so I was able to wash Gab and rinsed his clothes properly. The dad also rinsed his pants which caught some of Gab's puke which is more of half digested burger sandwich from Jollibee. Ewweee!!! After I washed Gab, I let him hold on to a plastic bag if there's any more emergencies. Poor boy! Nahilo at namutla talaga sya. I let him sip some Gatorade to help regain energy.
If you have a car, you may park it in Batangas Port. There are two parking lots with minimal fees. The more secured one of course has higher cost than the other. But still reasonable as I've heard.
Atlast! After, 30 minutes, we are called for boarding time. The clouds added a little more excitement as we are on the way to the boat. It suddenly rained. But nothing can stop us now!
I chose Minolo Shipping Lines as it gained better comments around the web than its rivals. True enough, their boats look well maintained than other passenger boats docked in Batangas Port.
We chose a seat in the center, hoping that there wouldn't be another throwing up scene. The boys are excited and scared at the same time. Good thing, the boat was smooth sailing and the boys slept all the way to Muelle like they were being rocked to sleep, and they really were. Travel time: 1 hour.
4. From Muelle, we hired a smaller boat to take us to Coco Beach. Travel time: 15 minutes. Boat rental: P250.
If you're going to White Beach, you also get off in Muelle and ride a shuttle van for P50/person or ride your hotel's free shuttle.
Going Home From Puerto Galera
There are available boats always in Coco Beach if it's time for you to go home. Just ask the boatmen and they are ready to take you to Muelle. Again, from Muelle, you need to take the boat going to Batangas Port. MSL boats leave Muelle Port every hour so it wouldn't be hard for you to catch any. The last trip going to Batangas is 3:00pm. Secure your ticket from the dilapidated yellow building for the same price of P230 each.
Be on the look out for dolphins swimming around in Batangas-Mindoro sea. We saw two groups of dolphins and it's an added experience. :D
In Batangas Port, there are lots of buses that go to Sto. Tomas Batangas, Turbina, Alabang, Magallanes, LRT Buendia and Cubao. There are also vans going to Cavite and Sta. Rosa, Balibago.
We were to take the van going back to Balibago Complex but after 20 minutes, we can't wait any longer. Anyway, what are the odds that there will be lots of passengers from Mindoro going to Sta. Rosa at that time? In summer months maybe. So when we saw that the bus going to Alabang is about to leave, we left the van and got in the bus. We're still not sure how to travel from Turbina to Sta. Rosa, so we paid the ticket going to Alabang (P130 each person). But when some passengers got off in Turbina, we saw the terminal going to Sta. Rosa just beside the road. Maybe next time, (wow next time!) we'll take the Turbina route from Batangas.
Sorry, this post is too long already. Standby for more of my posts about our Coco Beach vacation.
Enjoy! :D
Check out the next day adventure:
Coco Beach: Day 1
If you have a car, you may park it in Batangas Port. There are two parking lots with minimal fees. The more secured one of course has higher cost than the other. But still reasonable as I've heard.
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| I know what we're gonna do today! |
I chose Minolo Shipping Lines as it gained better comments around the web than its rivals. True enough, their boats look well maintained than other passenger boats docked in Batangas Port.
We chose a seat in the center, hoping that there wouldn't be another throwing up scene. The boys are excited and scared at the same time. Good thing, the boat was smooth sailing and the boys slept all the way to Muelle like they were being rocked to sleep, and they really were. Travel time: 1 hour.
4. From Muelle, we hired a smaller boat to take us to Coco Beach. Travel time: 15 minutes. Boat rental: P250.
If you're going to White Beach, you also get off in Muelle and ride a shuttle van for P50/person or ride your hotel's free shuttle.
Going Home From Puerto Galera
There are available boats always in Coco Beach if it's time for you to go home. Just ask the boatmen and they are ready to take you to Muelle. Again, from Muelle, you need to take the boat going to Batangas Port. MSL boats leave Muelle Port every hour so it wouldn't be hard for you to catch any. The last trip going to Batangas is 3:00pm. Secure your ticket from the dilapidated yellow building for the same price of P230 each.
Be on the look out for dolphins swimming around in Batangas-Mindoro sea. We saw two groups of dolphins and it's an added experience. :D
In Batangas Port, there are lots of buses that go to Sto. Tomas Batangas, Turbina, Alabang, Magallanes, LRT Buendia and Cubao. There are also vans going to Cavite and Sta. Rosa, Balibago.
We were to take the van going back to Balibago Complex but after 20 minutes, we can't wait any longer. Anyway, what are the odds that there will be lots of passengers from Mindoro going to Sta. Rosa at that time? In summer months maybe. So when we saw that the bus going to Alabang is about to leave, we left the van and got in the bus. We're still not sure how to travel from Turbina to Sta. Rosa, so we paid the ticket going to Alabang (P130 each person). But when some passengers got off in Turbina, we saw the terminal going to Sta. Rosa just beside the road. Maybe next time, (wow next time!) we'll take the Turbina route from Batangas.
Sorry, this post is too long already. Standby for more of my posts about our Coco Beach vacation.
Enjoy! :D
Check out the next day adventure:
Coco Beach: Day 1
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