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- Destinations
- Asia
- Philippines
- Puerto Galera
Puerto Galera
Puerto Galera on the island of Mindoro consists of several towns
and beach resorts, that have melded together on a protruding piece
of land shaped like a whale's tale to form the Philippines'
fifth-largest urban area. The Spanish traders used the natural
harbour created from the land formation as a refuge in the 16th
Century, hence the name, which means 'Port of Galleons'. Puerto
Galera was declared a protected area by a UNESCO programme back in
the 1970s. This put the area on the tourist map and helped with the
resurgence of interest in its marine life and coral reefs, which
had been suffering because of dynamite fishing. Puerto Galera is
now one of the most sought-after scuba diving locations in the
world, and the island of Mindoro also offers some richly rewarding
hiking trails. There are more than 30 dive sites within 10 minutes
of the three main beaches; deep trenches and vibrantly colourful
reefs characterise the waters, along with numerous wrecks, a shark
cave and a shelf with a 164ft (50m) drop-off.
Information & Facts
Language
The official language of the Philippines is Filipino, but
English is widely spoken. Tagalog is the most predominant of the
many dialects or local languages spoken throughout the
islands.
Money
The currency of the Philippines is the Peso (PHP), which is
divided into 100 centavos. Major credit cards are widely accepted
in the cities and tourist destinations. Banks do not always accept
travellers cheques, but a receipt of purchase is useful. ATMs are
available in the major cities. US dollars are widely accepted in
Manila and other tourist areas and are the easiest currency to
exchange; otherwise Euros and Pounds Sterling can also be exchanged
in banks and hotels. Banks open from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday,
but their ATMs are open 24 hours. It is best to carry pesos when
travelling outside of major centres.
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