A colorful nudibranch posing for a shot

If there is one thing that you should not miss in Puerto Galera, it is the rich and wealthy marine ecosystem of the island. Most visitors of Puerto Galera are attracted to the excellent scuba diving classes provided by a number of dive shops in the area.

Dive sites of Puerto Galera feature a large variety of small sea life with an occasional shark or turtle. Several sites are drift dives and often turn into strong current dives with the best diving for coral and small life at 20m or 60 feet. Listed below are some of the famous dive sites in Puerto Galera that many scuba diving enthusiasts will surely love.

• Marcus Cave

The Marcus Cave dive site is a cave that is as almost as big as half a soccer field and you will have more than enough room to explore the cave wall. Descending, you will encounter sea fans and whip corals. There are plenty of sweetlips hanging around as well as several tuna species. Within the Marcus Cave itself, you will find a giant gorgonian fan that hangs suspended from the cave ceiling. You can also find tree corals and keep your eyes open for white tip reef sharks. The minimum depth of this dive site is 40 meters and the maximum depth is 60 meters, and is done as a Trimix dive. Technical divers only!

• Fish Bowl

Fish Bowl is one of Puerto Galera’s deepest dive sites. The site has a spectacular combination of depths, currents and big fish. It is home to whitetip reef sharks, sweetlips, rainbow runners, schools of Tuna and Jacks, patrolling hammerheads and graceful manta rays.

• Horse Head Reef

Covering an area with an average depth of 35m, the site is home to beautiful corals and abundant sea life. The site takes its name from one of the rock formations that resemble a horse’s head and there are numerous rock formations that make the topography of the site really interesting.

• Sabang Wrecks

Sabang Wrecks have 3 wrecks -2 wooden, 1 steel, vary in depth between 16 and 20 m. It has abundance of sea life and a great site for day and night dives. Lion Fish, Scorpion Fish, Morays, Harlequin Ghost Pipefish, Mantis Shrimps, and Frogfish are common sights.

• Sabang Point

Sabang Point is one of the most photographed sites, having an abundance of beautiful and colorful sea life. The site has a depth of 24m with stony corals, soft corals, many fish and unusual invertebrates such as the large Cuttlefish and Octopus. There are presence of Sweetlips, Parrotfish, Surgeon fish, and turtles too.

• Monkey Beach

Deep Monkey Beach is one of the best diving spots in Puerto Galera. This coral slope 18m/60ft down is home to a diverse marine of eco-system. Colorful small coral heads with crinoids, nudibranchs and plenty of small reef fish can be seen here. The beach is series of walls, overhangs, ridges and spectacular cliff-like formations that step off to deep water in this area. Common to the area are giant gorgonian fans, basket sponges, soft tree corals and fields high whip corals along with a great diversity of fish life.

• Ernies Cave

Ernies Cave has 2 caves, one at 21m and another at 27m. Expect to see shoals of Unicorn fish, Fusiliers, Snappers, Surgeon Fish, and at the deeper side are some very attractive Gorgonian Fans. There are abundant soft corals, small snapper, sweetlips and small fauna.

• Hole in the Wall

Without a doubt, Hole in the Wall is a world class dive site. Situated at Escarceo Point, this dive is usually performed as an 18m profile, allowing for the currents to drop you into 9m of well-lit water, with fields of table corals as good as anywhere in the world. You descend several stepped drop-offs, each about 3m and reach The Hole at about 13m. The Hole is about 1.5m wide covered with multi-colored sponges and crinoids. This site is renowned for the big fish that like to play in the current here. Schools of Jacks, Giant Trevallies, Sweet Lips can all be seen just above the Hole in the Wall when the current is right.

• The Hill

The Hills is a 12m site good for beginners’ divers. Beautiful corals with colorful marine life can be seen here including mandarin fish, nudibranchs, octopus, and cuttlefish.

• Manila Channel

Like the Hill, Manila Channel is filled with masses of small reef fish. Divers will discover sized groupers hiding in the small walls and overhangs. Descend into the shallow water at 3 meters; one will be on top of beautiful coral reefs.

• Coral Garden

With a maximum depth of only 10m, Coral Garden is a great beginner’s dive that is perfect for people doing their Try Scuba Dive. Fields of Table Corals and colorful reef heads sit atop a white sandy bottom, and vibrantly colored reef fish can be found in huge numbers.

• Laguna Point

With depths ranging from 3-18m, Laguna Point is teeming with healthy marine life. One will see masses of small reef fish such as angel fish, trigger fish, and surgeon fish, whilst Scorpion fish and Lion Fish surrounded with colorful and staghorn corals. There were also families of clown fish and shrimp, and different species of anemones.

• Dugon Wall

Dugon Wall is a great dive site to experience lots of colorful and abundance of reef species. Rising to 12m, the site is good for macro photography where beautiful nudibranchs can be seen. The wreck of a twin hull catamaran sits in 27m of water at the bottom of the wall and has become an artificial reef.

• West Escarceo

Expect to see very large Table Coral and Boulder coral in the shallow water with masses of small reef fish. The Canyons or Hole In The Wall, and just be hanging amongst the schools of Tuna and Fusiliers. Lots to be seen are on above the reef.

• Kilima Steps

Kilima Steps is also a great dive site that has abundance of sea life. Expect to see lots of hard and soft corals, Surgeonfish, Batfish and Tuna with a Mushroom of corals and Basket sponges as you ascend to the shallower depths. There are Spotted Boxfish, Porcupine Pufferfish, Parrotfish and sometimes turtles too.

• Sinandigan Wall

A vertical wall with all manner of coral and at least 7 different varieties of nudibranch, goes down from 10m to 30m, and then becomes more of a slope. Expect to see Lizardfish, Moorish Idols, Zebra Lionfish,Stone fish, and Powder-blue and Ring-tailed Surgeonfish.

• Turtle Rock

Following the slope down from Sinandigan Wall, Turtle Rock is find a giant rock with an abundance of sea life, Sweetlips, Snapper, Gorgonians, Sea whips, Giant Tuna, as well as schoals of Barracuda, Jacks, and Rainbow Runners. White Tip Reef Sharks and turtles are also known to make appearances here. This site is considered as a technical dive site with a depth of 45m.

• Coral Cove

Coral Cave is a sloping reef that ends in a small wall at 20 meters that one will find countless of nudibranchs, whip coral, sea fans, puffer fish and very often cuttle fish. The wall and its overhangs is home to some blue and black ribbon eels, juvenile emperor fish, pipefish of all varieties, urangutan crabs hiding in bubble coral, flamboyant cuttlefish and frog fish. Banded seasnakes are common here, as are blue spotted sting rays on the adjacent sandy bottom. Pygmy Seahorses can also be found here throughout the year.

• The Boulders

The Boulders is covered with different shaped and sized boulders creating swim-troughs and caves and lots of hiding places for marine life. This is where the thorny sea horse can be seen at 28-30 meters, the one that doesn’t need a magnifying glass to be seen unlike its pygmy counterpart.

• Dry Dock

The Dry Dock is a large steel and plywood construction which was originally designed to lift small boats out of the water. It was sunk in 1998 to create a man-made reef. The dock lies on a sandy bottom next to a small coral reef. It is home to many different species of marine life such as sweetlips, snapper, batfish, surgeonfish, pipefish and many more. There is also a giant barracuda residing here, and blue spotted rays are often spotted on the sandy bottom.

• Alma Jane

Alma Jane is a steel cargo ship measuring over 30m in length that sunk in 2003. Sits upright in 30m, Alma Jane today provides a perfect artificial reef that is home to beautiful and colorful marine life.

• Canyons

Canyons is anadvanced dive that requires a good dive guide to allow for the currents to sweep you into position. Large schoals of snapper, emperors, sweetlips, barracuda, jacks, trevally and occasional sharks make this an exciting dive. The dive ends at a 1.5m anchor embedded in the coral where the group can gather before being swept off to the safety stop in the current.

• Shark Cave

Shark Cave is usually visited at the beginning of a multilevel dive to the Pink Wall or as a stop on the way to The Canyons.  This site is at 27m and is a favorite spot for white-tip reef sharks. Also, expect to see Blue Spotted Sting Rays, Moray Eels and Octopus.

• Atol

Rising from 33m to 20m, this large rock has several small crevices on the bottom side where Reef Sharks and Stingrays can be found. On the other side, the rock overhangs making it a great place to explore with a flashlight with many eels, Lionfish, Nudibranches and Octopus in residence. A large Grouper is also sometimes seen along with the occasional larger pelagic fish.

• Verde Island

Considered by many to be the best of Puerto Galera’s dive sites, Verde Island is a vertical reef home to Gorgonian Fans, Sea Snakes, Frogfish and some large pelagic schools. Currents can be tricky but this site is worth to visit.

• Japanese Wreck

Jap Wreck is an engine block and propeller shaft, remains of WWII Japanese patrol boat. Two very large Moray Eels are resident, along with 30+ Sweetlips. A large orange Stonefish is also hidden among the engine along with a wealth of small invertebrates.

• Sweetlip Corner

This site descent to 40m sandy bottom and is home to sweetlips, triggerfish and different species of surgeonfish swarm along the reef. Along the face of the wall there are some small caves and overhangs with gorgonian fans of all varieties. The cave is actually is a cavern with a tunnel running through it that brings you back to the reef. There are also some big moray eels living in the crevices along the wall.

• Joshua's Wall

Discovered and named by John Bennett, after his son. Joshua's wall runs from south to north and is about 400m east of the Escarceo light house. Starting at 64m and drop's to 78m. It is a facinating sight contrasting the dark rock face, against the clear white sand road, which runs the walls length at it's base. This site should only be dived during the flood tide. Vizibility tends to be around ten meters, the surface wash-off tends to make the site dark.

Dive Shops in Puerto Galera

Here are some of the dive shops in Puerto Galera that offers dive trips with a reasonable price. They include a single tank dive, rental of equipment, boat and dive guide. Prices for a single dive are around $26~$32 (Php1000~1500).

• South Sea Divers (Sabang Beach)

Founded in 1983, it is one of the first dive shops in the area. Owner sky is very inviting and will answer any diving or even give you cool anecdotes about life in Sabang. The atmosphere truly adds to your vacation. Proper shop with everything you could want and all the gear you may need. Learn to dive or just go on a fun dive. Tech courses offered as well at very reasonable rates.

• Blue Ribbon Dive Resort (Small Lalaguna Beach)

Quite a new establishment (May 2010), Blue Ribbon Dive Resort started as a small dive shop then a year later took over the neighboring Sunsplash Resort. They offer some very good value dive packages, and have a team of very friendly yet professional staff. Recently being upgraded to a 5 Star PADI dive resort (December 2011), the gear is very well maintained, and they also off 'Floro-Diving', night diving with a blue light, which special goggles that show the fluorescence underwater. They are very camera-friendly, and you can enjoy finding critters that make Puerto Galera famous. They offer all PADI courses up to Assistant Instructor, with all the specialties. Their restaurant offers live music every night, a themed buffet every night, including Indian, Mexican, Thai and Seafood. The mixed fruit shake here is also amazing. They are located on the tranquil beach of Small Lalaguna, only a 5 minute walk from the nightlife in Sabang.

• Big La Laguna Beach Resorts

Big La Laguna Beach Resorts is an operation comprised of 2 separate resorts in the stunningly beautiful bay of Big La Laguna. The resorts are Campbell's Beach Resort and Scandi Divers Resort. Both resorts offer a wide variety of rooms to suit all budgets; from cozy beachfront rooms, to 3-bedroom suites, and everything in between. The rooms are all clean and comfortable, and most of them are beachfront. Scandi Dive Resort has a very professional dive center, with very experienced staff and friendly staff. Aside from fun dives, they do dive courses from introductory classes up to expert levels. The location of these resorts is what really makes them special; Big La Laguna Bay is very quiet and peaceful, with a pristine beach and some of the best views in Puerto Galera. It's a great place for swimming, snorkeling and relaxing on the beach. Be sure to visit Scandi's Skybar, which has a large terrace upstairs. Perfect for enjoying the sunsets while enjoying a cocktail or two!

• Frontier Scuba (West Sabang Beach)

Run by Rick Kirkham, one of the most experienced instructors in the Philippines! This 5-Star Instructor Training Center is one the busiest dive centers. They offer complete packages with guided diving, transfers, accommodation and meals. The attached restaurant Hemingway's is consistently voted the best restaurant in Puerto Galera. They offer the complete range of recreational dive courses from Discover Scuba (experience a dive), PADI Open Water, PADI Divemaster and SDI Instructor courses. TDI technical diver and instructor courses are offered up to Advanced Wreck and Advanced Trimix. Nitrox, trimix, sodasorb and rebreather tanks are available to rent.

• Badladz Adventure Divers (next to Muelle Pier)

Badladz Adventure Divers is a small dive shop, operated by very friendly Instructors. They offer all PADI courses from beginner intro dives right through to Assistant Instructor at very reasonable prices with group discounts and multiple day diving discounts. Also available are snorkelling trips, kayak rental and Beach BBQ's.

If you are planning to visit Puerto Galera and spend overnight or days in this beautiful island paradise, here are some of the near accommodations that you may check into.

• Utopia Resort & Spa - Palangan, Palangan, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines 5203
• Mermaid Resort - Sabang Beach Puerto Galera, Sabang, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines 5203
• The Manor at Puerto Galera - Brgy Sto Nino, Sto. Nino, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines
• Waimea Luxury Houses - El Galleon Dive Resort Annex - Small La Laguna Beach, Sabang, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines
• El Galleon Dive Resort with Asia Divers - Small La Laguna Beach, Sabang, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines
• Sunset at Aninuan Beach Resort - Aninuan, Puerto Galera, Aninuan, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines
• Marco Vincent Dive Resort - Oriental Mindoro, White Beach, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines 5203
• Redsun Dive Resort - Small Lalaguna, Sabang, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines
• Sabang Oasis Resort - Sabang Beach Central, Oriental Mindoro, Sabang, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines 5203
• Dolphinbay Beachfront & Dive Resort - Barangay Palangan, Puerto Galera, Palangan, Puerto Galera / Mindoro, Philippines 5203

Venture to Oriental Mindoro!

Oriental Mindoro can be reached through land and sea transport. From Manila, take the Batangas-Laguna-Tayabas (BLTB), Tritran, and other Batangas-bound buses to the Batangas City pier. From there, take the super ferry boats bound for Calapan, which has several trips per day, or those bound for Puerto Galera. A roll-on-roll-off (RO-RO) ferry is convenient for those wishing to take their private vehicles.

In Mindoro Oriental, a number of jeepneys ply the capital from the neighboring towns and to the interior.