Staying at one of the many Puerto Galera resorts, I’ve had a bunch of interesting adventures.
Where am I staying?
Right now, I’m in one of the most popular budget Puerto Galera resorts, Badladz Adventure Resort, working on my laptop in their Mexican restaurant. To my right is Puerto Galera bay, voted “Most Beautiful Bay in the World” in 2004. Today, the surface of the water is smooth and glassy and in the distance, coconut trees sway in the soft, aromatic breeze.
One of the reasons people love Badladz is the incredible food. We’re in the Philippines so you’d expect Filipino food, right? Well, Badladz have Filipino food but they also have Mexican. And the Badladz Mexican food isn’t just any ol’ Mexican; it’s absolutely delectable. From cheesy, heart-stoppping wet burittos to crunchy Mexican pancakes, tasty food is a-plenty here.
The rooms are simple, clean and comfortable. For the hot, humid nights, I turn on the air-conditioner or fan. When I need a shower, I have the option of hot water but because of the heat, I opt for cold water almost every time. One way to know when you’re in tropics is to feel your clothes – if they’re damp with sweat, you’re probably in the tropics.
In the area around this Puerto Galera resort, small and large adventures abound.
After taking a quick walk along the esplanade, I come to an intersection. To my left is the road and to my right is the pier. Straight ahead are a variety of vendors selling sunglasses, I Love Puerto Galera t-shirts and an assortment of goods, from junk to jewels.
A ten minute walk in one direction takes me to Sandbar, the closest beach. It begins with an exciting walk along a typical Asian road where nobody follows the rules. Then, a dirt path through the tropical bush leads me to the beach. In fact, it’s more a sandbar than beach, because if the sea-level rose a few meters, the sandbar or “beach” would disappear and a new island would be created.
Heading in the other direction from the best of the Puerto Galera resorts, the road goes through the “downtown” area. Filipino policemen attempt to direct traffic, more vendors hawk their wares and traffic bustles up and down the street in a fury. Downtown, you can find pharmacies, hairdressers and shops to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. One thing that is fascinating about the Philippines is the sheer variety of crazy vehicles that find their way onto the roads. Some of these vehicles aren’t even registered and instead, display a sign on their number plate reading “Can Be Registered” or something similar.
Whenever I want to party, I catch a motorcycle to Sabang, the main nightlife destination. When I feel like going to bed, I catch a motorcycle back to Badladz. In my opinion, this is one of the things that makes Badladz one of the best Puerto Galera resorts. Rather than being squashed in with all the other tourists, you get to stay in peaceful, relaxed surroundings with no “doof-doof” coming from any clubs.
Ahh… the sun is about to set over the harbor. I love this place.