
Puerto
Galera is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro,
Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 21,925
people in 4,424 households. It is the northwesternmost municipality
in Oriental Mindoro.
Puerto
Galera is only three and a half hours away from Manila first by bus
to the port at Batangas City and then by boat. Tourists can also take
the tourist service called the Sikat, from the City State Tower Hotel
in Manila from the Batangas City port to Puerto Galera or Sabang Beach,
Mindoro.
Puerto
Galera, one of the oldest Spanish settlements in the Philippines, was
founded in 1572, becoming the first provincial capital on Mindoro Island.
It is situated on the northern peninsula of the island, approximately
160 km from Manila. As early as the 10th century, Chinese, Malay and
Indonesian merchants were already doing business with local traders,
and Puerto Galera is where the replenished their provisions.
Mindoro
Island is separated from Luzon by the Verde Island Passage. Waters are
flushed by the current of the South China Sea, resulting in strong currents
of up to 6 knots. This makes the area well known for its spectacular,
exhilarating drift dives. The Verde Island Passage is very deep so clear
water is very common to the dive sites of Puerto Galera, along with
a fantastic variety of underwater flora and fauna.
The
diversity of hard and soft corals, along with hundreds of species of
tropical fish life makes Puerto Galera one of the most popular dive
destinations in the Philippines. The 5 km foreshore of world class dive
sites is a protected area and marine sanctuary. Visibility varies from
10m/30ft to 30m/100ft, sometimes even better depending on water temperature,
current strength and wind direction. The best diving conditions are
usually from April to September, as water temperature reaches 29 C,
the seas are at their calmest and visibility is at its clearest. In
December, water temperature can drop to as low as 22 C on the deeper
dives due to thermo clines caused by upwelling of clear, cooler water.
However, conditions remain good enough for year round diving.
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