Archive for July 2018

PARADISE!!!!!! Word, I always say whenever I remember Aninuan Beach.

Third time in Puerto Galera but I never miss the chance of visiting my favorite beach here. I first came across Aninuan Beach in June 2017, the first time I went to Puerto Galera. Aninuan Beach is the nearest beach when we stayed at Amihan Del Sol during that time. During my first visit here, I didn’t get the chance to swim here since the waves were huge and we’re 2 girls alone in the beach who doesn’t know how to swim. I got the chance swim here on my 2^nd visit which was in October 2017 and good thing that the waves were calm. Went back at Puerto Galera again last June 2018 and I told myself that I need to be back here since we’re staying longer.

Went here during our 2^nd day at around 3pm and it’s the perfect time to be here! Going to Aninuan Beach can be a little tricky especially if you’re unfamiliar to the place. The entrance is located at the highway with rope as the landmark. Not sure of the parking available but since we rode a motor bike going here, we parked it near the entrance. It’s safe though! Then we entered the forest going to the beach. Just follow your heart and instinct when going to this place for the first time. haha And then you’ll hear the waves and enter the Aninuan Beach.

It’s the perfect time when we went there. The sun was up and the beauty of Aninuan beach was so majestic! Same as the last time, there weren’t much people around except a group of foreigners and Filipino tour guides who didn’t really mind us plus some local passerby. So basically, we have this paradise all to ourselves!

Aninuan Beach has a very nice view of the other sea plus a mountain view on the other side.

I like that there’s usually few or no people here but you must swim at your own risk since there’s no one to look after you around. The view was great during our visit though the waves were high and washing us back at the shore. Not sure if it’s because of the wind since it was raining very hard a week prior going here.

We stayed here for about 30 minutes or so. Took some photos and chill a little bit behind a small bush together with the foreigners who were on picnic during that time. They even offer us some shots under the heat of the sun! haha

You can watch my Puerto Galera vlogs on my Youtube channel below:

By the way, I don’t recommend staying here after sunset since there’s not much people around and you still need to walk again in the forest just to get to the highway. No electricity or lights in the area/beach. But overall, I highly recommend visiting Aninuan Beach when you visit Puerto Galera.

OTHER LINKS:
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/puerto-galera-2018.html
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-stay-in-puerto-galera-squares.html
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-eat-in-puerto-galera-badladz.html
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-go-in-puerto-galera-aninuan.html

http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-go-in-puerto-galera-white.html

Last June 18-20, 2018, I went back to Puerto Galera for a vacation. Been here twice last year and this time I chose a different resort/accommodation for this trip.

Looking for a new and affordable accommodation in Puerto Galera, I came across the Squares Beachfront Apartments in Booking.com. I was kind of hesitant to book here at first since it is located at the other side of Puerto Galera, exactly at Small Tabinay Poblacion. Meaning, it’s a little bit far from the famous White Beach plus the view here is different as well. (Already went to Amihan Del Sol during my first trip here and Casa Mia on my 2^nd one).

How To Get Here:

Coming from Muelle Port, we rode a tricycle going here. Please don’t be fooled by the some of the tricycle drivers like the one I encounter. I know that they there are pricing higher than usual to tourists but I was so tired to bargain/refuse that’s why I rode the Php50/person ride going to Squares. But it’s just Php20-30 per trip. The travel time is 5-10 minutes coming from Muelle Port.

We entered a residential area going to the apartment. Then we were welcomed with the huge door at the Squares Beachfront Apartments.

Just a tip before going to a place you are unfamiliar: Do a research. I searched Squares Beachfront Apartments on Google Map to familiarize how the resort would look like and the route to get there.

Since we came here during June and it’s already a lean season, there were few guests around, mostly the elderly. The place is quiet and far from the party life in the White beach so it’s a perfect place to unwind and just relax. And the place is huge! It looks like I was transported to Greek days because of its white and blue interiors.

We check in at their café/bar area. They asked for my name and ID then paid for the remaining balance. Then they assisted us to our room at the 2^nd floor.

The room is huge and seems like a home! Well there are called “Apartments” for a reason. Let me share with you the accommodation we got.

We got the Deluxe Room which is priced for Php2000/night. No breakfast included. Additional of Php250 if with free breakfast. Though they only served 2 breakfast which the Filipino Breakfast (Php150) and American Breakfast (Php250).

Since I don’t have a credit card, I booked thru text and paid via Palawan Express. Though you can also pay at LBC.

Sala/Living Area – With cable TV, Electric Fan

Kitchenette – Ref, microwave, Electric Kettle, Stove, Toaster, Rice Cooker, kitchenware (spoon, fork, knife, mug, glasses, pans)

Washing Machine

Small Dining area

Veranda/Terrace – with tables and chairs, with sampayan and sipit

Room (55 m2) – Queen Size bed, Aircon, towels, linens, pillows, 2 lamps, Closet, Vanity area with mirror, private bathroom, Tissue, bidet, shower

All the rooms have a garden view and is beachfront. They have a huge garden area which I fail to take a photo. You can also grill for free at the garden area.

They also have a café/bar area and even a library!

Home away from home. I really love the extra huge spaces of the room plus the beachfront view from our terrace. The view from the shore is also great too! The beach in front is swimmable even for children. During our visit here, there was only little waves. It’s a little bit rocky, sands are not that white compared to the White Beach or Aninuan Beach but it’s okay.

If you forgot something, Squares has a mini store wherein you can buy your needs. Or there is a store near the resort.

By the way, they only serve breakfast meals (Filipino Breakfast – Php150, American Breakfast – Php250). We ordered their American Breakfast during our 2^nd day. The meal is okay and the serving was just enough.

Though you can dine at the nearby resort called, Badladz Beach Resort. Price range from Php150-500.

In case you want to explore Puerto Galera, I suggest renting a motor bike from the neighborhood. There’s one house in the area that offers motor bike rental for Php400/overnight. It’s called Iron Cross though I forgot to take a photo. You just must surrender your ID and pay them. Since I’m a bit familiar with some place is Puerto Galera, we chose to rent a motor bike instead. I think motor bike is one of the mode of transportation in Puerto Galera and I’ve seen a lot of foreigners riding a motor bike. If unsure, you can ride a tricycle which is located on the highway.

White Beach and Aninuan Beach are 15-20 minutes away from Squares. Market is just 5 minutes away.

Squares Beachfront Apartments.

The like that the place is quiet and it’s a great place to relax. If you’re not going elsewhere, this place is already good for a stay-cation.

Would you believe that I washed some of my dirty clothes on our 2^nd night! They even have a dryer! It’s great since I won’t have to bring wet clothes back. They even have a sampayan and sipit on the terrace.

Place has a Wi-Fi though I only have 1 bar of WIFI that time. It’s good for browsing and uploading but not streaming or watching videos. Though it’s okay since I’m not there to watch, right? Also, no worries with the cellular signal.

Overall, I really had a great time staying here. Though I feel bad for not being able to maximize our stay on the resort/apartment itself. I wish we can extend our stay during that time but I’m planning to come back here maybe this year or next year. Will stay longer for sure! I want to thank Ms. Rose Warren for being so accommodating to my text messages and the staff of Squares which are very friendly.

You can watch my Puerto Galera Vlogs on my Youtube Channel below:

Squares Beachfront Apartments

Located at: 577 Small Tabinay Puerto Galera Oriental Mindoro Philippines

Contact number: 0995 380 9680 (Ms. Rose Warren)

OTHER LINKS:
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/puerto-galera-2018.html
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-stay-in-puerto-galera-squares.html
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-eat-in-puerto-galera-badladz.html
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-go-in-puerto-galera-aninuan.html

http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-go-in-puerto-galera-white.html

I love familiarity and that’s why I’ve always go back to the places I’ve been to like Puerto Galera. Puerto Galera is one nearest place one can go to if you want to see a white sand beach. I’ve been here twice LAST YEAR but it was always a quick one. I promised myself to go back here for longer vacation this year.

We booked our trip last June 18-20, 2018 and I love going to the beach during June since I always avoid travelling during peak seasons. It’s always easier to travel during lean season and there’s less crowded during these times.

The Trip. And Some Changes.

Same as always. We rode a Batangas Pier route bus at the Araneta Bus Port in Cubao and personally chose the Goldstar Bus (the other one is the Alps) since it has a CR inside. The ticket price is Php175 and an additional of Php10 for the Busport Facility Fee. This is new since I didn’t pay for a busport fee during my 2 trips last year. Though what I like about riding here is that they always start their trip on time whether it is full or not. It was a Monday morning and I was expecting heavy traffic during that time. But luckily, the trip was faster than expected. It’s 2 hours travel time and we arrived at the Batangas Pier at around 10am.

Fearing that we might be too early to ride a banca, good thing that the next trip was at 11am. Haha We bought our tickets at the Minolo Shipping Lines going to Muelle Port. As far as I know, there are 3 ports in Puerto Galera: White Beach Port, Muelle Port and Sabang. Contact your resort to know the port you’re going to.

Currently, they have a new policy which you can only buy the One-way ticket unlike before that you can already buy the Two-way ticket. According to them, it was something related to their shuttle and the schedules of the banca. Also, this time, you need to pay the Terminal Fee at a separate lane unlike before that you can already pay the terminal fee at Minolo Shipping Lines. The One-way ticket is Php250 plus Php30 Terminal Fee.

This time, they gave a specific time of arrival of the banca unlike before that they just told us to wait without giving any time. We waited at Gate 3 and good thing that they have TV on the terminals now. They also have Wi-Fi now though it’s only good for 20 minutes.

Travel time from Batangas Port to Muelle is around 45 minutes. There are parts of the trip which are bumpy though most of the time I was just asleep. Haha I remembered being so scared during my first ride at the banca but then got used to it eventually.

The Muelle Port is a little bit different now compared to last year. Once you dock at the port, all passengers must walk to the left side until you reach a tent where you will need to pay for the Environmental Fee (Php50). Before, you can already see the shuttle and tricycles waiting but now, all the shuttle and tricycles are parked on the left side/near the market. Since our resort/apartment is located at the other side of Puerto Galera, there’s no free shuttle going there. Though usually, MSL provides free shuttle like what I experienced last year. No worries since our resort/apartment is near the Muelle Port. Since I’m already too tired, I agreed to the tricycle fee of Php50/person going to our resort. That’s overpriced I know since the usual tricycle fee is Php20-30 per trip only!! The resort was only 5-10 minutes from Muelle Port.

Squares Beachfront Apartments.

Looking for a new and affordable accommodation in Puerto Galera, I came across the Squares Beachfront Apartments in Booking.com. I was kind of hesitant to book here at first since it is located at the other side of Puerto Galera, exactly at Small Tabinay Poblacion. Meaning, it’s a little bit far from the famous White Beach plus the view here is different as well. (Already went to Amihan Del Sol during my first trip here and Casa Mia on my 2^nd one). Good thing, I booked here since the place is serene and I felt like I was transported to the Greek days. The place is huge with garden and of course, beach front!

Our room was perfect as it has everything on it! The bed, kitchen, dining rea, sala and veranda. Won’t discuss the room that much here since I’ll be making a separate blog post on the room/accommodation on my next post.

Lunch at Badladz Beach Resort.

By the way, we arrived here at exactly 1pm and rested until 3pm. Since they don’t serve meals except breakfast, we had our late lunch at Badladz Beach Resort which is the resort beside them. I’ll be making a separate review about this on the next blog post. Review HERE.

After our late lunch, we immediately went to the market to buy stuff. It’s 5-10 minutes away from Squares going to the market. We rode a tricycle for Php 20/trip. The find it amusing that their grocery is filled with imported ones since there are a lot of foreigners already living in Puerto Galera. Yay!

After going to the market, I had a chance to chill at the veranda and just watch the sunset while listening to my current favorite song. I slept early since I haven’t slept yet. Though I suddenly woke up at around 12md and surprised to see a sky full of stars. I’m always fascinated with stars and had a great time relaxing by just looking at the midnight sky. Stargazing by the veranda.

2nd Day.

During our 2^nd day, we decided to try their American Breakfast. Servings were just okay though.

We also rented a motor bike since we saw one near Squares. It’s along the neighborhood and you can immediately see the only house who has a lot of motorbikes on their garage. The name of the place/house is Iron Cross Scooter Rentals. I just submitted my ID to them and paid Php400/overnight. Since I'm a bit familiar with the place, we opted to rent a motor bike to easily access the place without worrying about the time and budget. We also went back to the market to buy again since it’s cheaper to cook meals instead.

Of course, took some photos during my spare time.

At around 3pm, we rode a motor bike going to Aninuan Beach. It’s a little bit far from Squares and took us 15-20 minutes. I’m proud to say that I can easily remember places so I relied on my guts going to Aninuan Beach. If unfamiliar, you can ride a tricycle instead or use Waze.

Aninuan Beach.

Aninuan Beach in Puerto Galera will always be my favorite beach here ever! Been here twice and based on my experience, there’s always less people here or sometimes even no one is here. This time, there is 1 group of foreigner and Filipino tour guide on the place. But no worries since I didn’t mind them.

So far, this is the best view I ever had at Aninuan!! It was sunny and I perfectly see the majestic blue sea of Aninuan Beach. Though honestly, I didn’t swim here due to the HUGE waves which is throwing me back to the shore.

White Beach.

Then we went at the famous White Beach since I want to experience the sunset viewing here. What we did here was to walk from one side going to the end side of the shore just to experience it. The waves near the end of the shore is huge and it’s not swimmable. As much as I want to swim at the White Beach, I didn’t swim again because the wind was making me cold. So I decided to just watch the sunset by the beach instead.

Casa Mia

We ate our dinner at Casa Mia Ristorante Italiano White Beach. I’ve been here last year and I really love Italian foods. Please the view here is so nice! Imagine having dinner with the sound of the waves and Italian music as your background. Yaaas!

Going back at our resort from White Beach is a little scary for me since it’s my first time riding a motorbike on the highway! I was praying the entire time! haha At the resort, I had the time watch the TV (since I haven’t watched the TV for a long time) plus just chill again by the veranda. Also, I tried using the washing machine on our apartment!

Last Day.

I was planning to wake up early the next day but of course, didn’t happen. In the morning, I decided to wash my clothes to lessen my laundry back at home. Haha Yes, I did ¾ of my laundry at Puerto Galera! 😊

The check-out time at Squares Beachfront Apartments was at 12nn and they were kind enough to call a tricycle to fetch us. We paid Php20 only going to Muelle Port. Paid for another Php250 for the ticket going to Batangas Pier and Php10 Exit Terminal Fee. There was a boat already waiting for passengers. Travel time back to Batangas Pier is 45 minutes.

From Batangas Pier, we rode a Goldstar Bus again going to Cubao/Kamias (I prefer to ride this bus though there’s a lot of different bus like Alps, Jam Liner, DLTB, etc.). We waited for an hour before it took off. Travel time was from 3pm – 7:30pm since it’s really traffic in Edsa during these times.

The Experience.

Booked a 3d2n at Puerto Galera but didn’t expect that still, it wasn’t enough. We were planning to go to different places in Puerto plus a day to just really relax but we didn’t have that much time. Going to the market and cooking took most of the time during this trip though it’s okay since it’s much cheaper to cook than to buy. Maybe next time I should have book 4 days instead! Haha

Puerto Galera is my quick getaway place if I want to go to a decent beach near Manila plus I think it’s affordable and worth it to go here. I personally, LOVE the Squares Beachfront Apartments since it’s a home away from home. The accommodation they provided is perfect since everything is there. It’s huge and the place itself is good for a staycation.

As I always say, there’s still a lot of things I want to do here so hopefully I can come back again this year or maybe next year. 😊

You can watch for my Youtube video below:

Expenses:

Bus from Cubao (Araneta Bus Port) to Batangas Pier via Goldstar Bus – Php175

Araneta Bus Port Facility Fee – Php10

From Batangas Pier going to Muelle Port via MSL – Php250

Batangas Port Terminal Fee – Php30

Tricycle going to Squares – Php50/person (though it should be around Php20-30/trip only!!)

From Squares tricycle going to the market – Php20

Rented a motorbike from Iron Cross/overnight – Php400

Gas – Php50 or 100?

From Muelle Port to Batangas Pier (MSL) – Php250

Exit Terminal Fee – Php10

Bus from Batangas Pier to Cubao/Kamias via Goldstar – Php175

OTHER LINKS:
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/puerto-galera-2018.html
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-stay-in-puerto-galera-squares.html
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-eat-in-puerto-galera-badladz.html
http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-go-in-puerto-galera-aninuan.html

http://pinkislovebynix.blogspot.com/2018/07/where-to-go-in-puerto-galera-white.html

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