Puerto Galera.
Two of us, five days, one rented motorbike and no tour package. From Silang to Balatero in the rain, then falls, a lighthouse most visitors skip and the bats of Muelle Bay. Here's the full story, the day-by-day route and all ₱17,433 we spent, so you can copy it and skip our mistakes.
- Route
- Silang to Batangas Port to Balatero
- Nights
- 4
- Travelers
- 2 (me and a friend)
- Getting around
- Rented motorbike
- Spent
- ₱17,433 for two (~₱8,700 each)
A DIY Puerto Galera trip from Cavite: no package, one motorbike, and the honest gastos for two.
Our most expensive mistake happened before we even saw the sea. There's no direct ride from Tagaytay to Batangas Port, and we couldn't find one, so we paid ₱1,700 for a hired ride. That single leg cost more than two nights at our second hotel.
That's the honest version of this trip. No tour package, no printed itinerary. Just me, a friend, a rough list of places, and five days in Puerto Galera in September.
Day 1: rain, a boat and a bowl of lomi
We left Silang by jeep, crossed from Batangas Port to Balatero, and paid ₱1,663 for two at the port counter. Outside peak season, the counter beats the online price.
Then it poured. All day. We had work to finish anyway, so we stayed in at Casa Luntian near White Beach and ordered lomi and mami for ₱195. On a cold, wet night, that was exactly right.
Day 2: the motorbike changes everything
The caretakers rented us a motorbike for ₱1,500 for the stay, and even let us drop it off at Balatero on the way home. If you take only one tip from this post, take this one: rent the bike.
Breakfast was at a carinderia, and the mustasa there turned out to be the best thing we ate all trip. Then Tamaraw Falls, where we paid ₱50 for the falls' "human drone" video, the mangroves, Aplaya Beach, and a free swim at our ₱688 hostel's pool.
Day 3: bats the size of cats
We woke up so early that breakfast was ice cream from 7-Eleven, then caught the sunrise at White Beach.
Muelle Bay is where the trip got good. It sits beside schools and a church, so the food and pasalubong are cheap. Walk to the very end and look up: the trees are full of bats, some of them as big as cats.
Ponderosa was rainy, but even in the clouds you can see all of Puerto. The owners told us it used to take overnight guests, but since the pandemic only the café runs. ₱100 got the two of us in, plus ₱200 of coffee.
Day 4: a lighthouse almost nobody visits
We spotted Escarceo Point Lighthouse on the map, five minutes from Sabang, and rode up. From the top you see all of Puerto's waters, for free, and most tourists never go.
Back at Tamaraw Falls for round two, it was just the two of us, like we'd rented the whole place. A little scary in the drizzle with a strong current, but the water was so fresh.
Not every moment was a highlight. The night out felt awkward for me: in most bars, women wait at the tables and you can pay to sit with one. As part of the LGBTQ community, that wasn't my scene, so we just had our drinks. And I lost ₱500 by the hostel pool. A month later, the CCTV still hadn't been checked. Keep your things close, even at the hotel.
Day 5: pasalubong and the long way home
We spent ₱1,650 on pasalubong at the port, para happy ang family, then took the boat back and a bus home through Palico, with turon and siomai rice at the terminal because we were starving.
Was it worth it?
Yes. ₱17,433 for two, about ₱8,700 each, for five days, and most of it went to boats, rooms and the bike. Skip the Tagaytay route, rent the motorbike, eat at carinderias, and don't miss the lighthouse or the Muelle Bay bats.
The full route, every stop and every peso are below. The vlog is on my YouTube channel.
Day by day.
- Day 1
Fri, Sep 4, 2026
Silang to Batangas Port, the boat, and a very rainy first night
Silang, Tagaytay, Batangas Port, then White Beach
Getting around · Jeep, a hired ride from Tagaytay, boat, tricycle
Stay · Casa Luntian (₱970)
- Litlit to Premiere Mall, Silang, then Tagaytay terminal₱110
Tagaytay, Cavite
Easy start. Grab a siopao at the terminal if you're already hungry (we were).
- Tagaytay to Batangas Port₱1,700
Batangas Port, Batangas City
Our biggest mistake. There's no direct ride from Tagaytay to the port, and we couldn't find one, so we paid for a ride. Cheaper: go to Tanauan, take an ALPS or DLTB bus to Batangas Grand Terminal, then a jeep to the port. Coming from Manila, buses go straight to Batangas.
- Lunch at Batangas Port₱299
Batangas Port, Batangas City
The 99 silog stall is great. Skip the macaroni salad at the fast food counter.
- Boat to Balatero Port₱1,663 for two
Balatero Port, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Outside peak season, don't buy online. It's cheaper at the port counters. Plus ₱180 terminal fee and ₱200 environmental fee for the two of us.
- Tricycle to White Beach, check in at Casa Luntian₱140
White Beach, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
It poured all day. We had to work anyway, so we stayed in.
- The 10L water was overkill for two people. We ate and drank out all week.
What we'll spend
- Litlit to Premiere, Premiere to Tagaytay
- ₱110
- Siopao at the Tagaytay terminal
- ₱25
- Tagaytay to Batangas Port
- ₱1,700
- Salad, tapsilog and a drink at the port
- ₱299
- Boat, Batangas to Balatero (two)
- ₱1,663
- Terminal fee and environmental fee (two)
- ₱380
- Tricycle to White Beach
- ₱140
- Casa Luntian, 1 night
- ₱970
- 10L water
- ₱125
- Lomi and mami
- ₱195
₱5,607 for two
- Day 2
Sat, Sep 5, 2026
Motorbike day: falls, mangroves and Aplaya
White Beach, Tamaraw Falls, Poblacion, Sabang
Getting around · Rented motorbike (₱1,500, drop-off at Balatero)
Stay · V Hostel Galera (₱688 for two)
- Breakfast at a carinderia₱275
White Beach, Puerto Galera
The mustasa was the best thing we ate all trip. Bakery choco crinkles dipped in 7-Eleven coffee after.
- Tamaraw Falls₱50 video
Tamaraw Falls, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
We paid ₱50 for the 'human drone' video. We came back on Day 4 to actually swim.
- Sabang, then the V Hostel pool₱10 parking
Sabang, Puerto Galera
Free pool access at V Hostel, so we swam when we got back.
What we'll spend
- Bakery bread
- ₱65
- Carinderia breakfast
- ₱210
- Coffee at 7-Eleven
- ₱93
- Motorbike rental
- ₱1,500
- V Hostel Galera, 1 night
- ₱688
- Tamaraw Falls video
- ₱50
- Mangrove Conservation
- ₱100
- Lunch in Poblacion
- ₱240
- Parking in Sabang
- ₱10
₱2,956 for two
- Day 3
Sun, Sep 6, 2026
Sunrise, Muelle Bay's bats, and Ponderosa in the rain
Poblacion, White Beach, Muelle Bay, Ponderosa, Sabang
Getting around · Rented motorbike
Stay · V Hostel Galera (₱688 for two)
- Muelle Bay₱218 merienda
Muelle Bay, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Cheap pasalubong and food here because it sits beside schools and the church. The big boat is the famous photo spot. Walk to the very end: the trees are full of bats, some as big as cats.
- Ponderosa₱100 entrance + ₱200 consumable
Ponderosa, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Entrance for two includes parking; the café consumable got us two coffees. Even in the rain you can see all of Puerto. The owners told us it used to take overnight guests, but since the pandemic only the café is open.
What we'll spend
- Ice cream and breakfast at 7-Eleven
- ₱295
- Gas at Petron
- ₱100
- Drink at KKopo, burger and fries, siomai (Muelle Bay)
- ₱218
- V Hostel Galera, 1 night
- ₱688
- Ponderosa entrance (two, with parking)
- ₱100
- Ponderosa café consumable
- ₱200
- Cheese sticks, lunch, sopas, siomai in Sabang
- ₱270
₱1,871 for two
- Day 4
Mon, Sep 7, 2026
The lighthouse, Secret Bay, round two at the falls, and a night out
Poblacion, Sabang, Escarceo, White Beach, Tamaraw Falls
Getting around · Rented motorbike
Stay · V Hostel Galera
- Breakfast in Poblacion₱195
Poblacion, Puerto Galera
The owners loved that I was vlogging and added me on Facebook. Shout out po!
- Tamaraw Falls, round two₱100
Tamaraw Falls, Puerto Galera
Just the two of us, like we rented the whole falls. A bit scary in the drizzle with the strong current, but the water is so fresh.
- Night out₱880
Puerto Galera
Heads up: in most bars, the moment you open the door, women are waiting at the tables. You order food and can table someone for about ₱400. As part of the LGBTQ community it was a bit awkward for me. We just drank.
- I lost ₱500 near the hostel pool after buying barbecue. The CCTV still hadn't been checked a month later. Keep your things close, even at the hotel.
What we'll spend
- Pandesal and breakfast in Poblacion
- ₱195
- Parking (Sabang, White Beach)
- ₱30
- Puto and ice cream in Sabang
- ₱174
- Souvenirs at White Beach
- ₱790
- Tamaraw Falls entrance
- ₱100
- Barbecue
- ₱100
- Money lost by the pool
- ₱500
- Drinks at 7-Eleven and two bars
- ₱880
- ATM fee and load
- ₱418
₱3,187 for two
- Day 5
Tue, Sep 8, 2026
Pasalubong and the long way home
Balatero, Batangas Port, Palico, Silang
Getting around · Boat, then bus
- Pasalubong at the port₱1,650
Balatero Port, Puerto Galera
Cheap here too. We bought a lot of food, para happy family.
- Batangas Port to Palico, then home to Litlit₱854
Palico, Batangas
Turon and siomai rice at the Palico terminal, because we were starving.
What we'll spend
- Breakfast
- ₱260
- Pasalubong
- ₱1,650
- Boat, Balatero to Batangas (two)
- ₱1,048
- Batangas Port to Palico
- ₱500
- Turon and siomai rice
- ₱170
- Palico to Litlit, Silang
- ₱184
₱3,812 for two
Who we booked with.
Casa Luntian, White Beach area
₱970 a night on Booking.com, and the caretakers are very kind. They rented us a motorbike for ₱1,500 and let us drop it off at Balatero Port on the way home. Message them directly to book.
V Hostel Galera, Santo Niño
₱688 a night for two, the cheapest hotel we found in the area, with free pool access.
Ideas we might add.
My tips
- Skip the Tagaytay route to Batangas PortSaves ₱1,000+
No direct ride. Go through Tanauan (bus to Batangas Grand Terminal, then jeep), or straight from Manila by bus.
- Buy boat tickets at the port
Outside peak season the counter price beats online.
- Rent a motorbike~₱1,500 for the stay
It gets you everywhere: falls, lighthouse, Sabang, Muelle. Ask if you can drop it off at Balatero on the way home.
- Eat at carinderias and in Sabang
Cheap and good. Order the mustasa.
- Don't buy 10L of water for two
You'll eat and drink out anyway.
- See the Escarceo Point Lighthouse and the Muelle Bay bats
Both free, and most visitors miss them.
- Watch your things at night
Even at the hotel.
What it really cost.
Every peso we spent, day by day, for the two of us. The ₱2,000 for editing the vlog is not included.
- Transport, port fees, boat, stay, food₱5,607
- Motorbike, stay, food, fees₱2,956
- Stay, food, gas, Ponderosa₱1,871
- Food, souvenirs, falls, drinks, lost cash₱3,187
- Pasalubong, boat, bus, food₱3,812
Plus ₱2,000 for the vlog edit, ₱19,433 in all.
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