I have a couple of personal observations about Puerto Galera. First, White Beach is the most popular beach in Puerto Galera among Filipinos, while Sabang Beach, our featured destination for tonight, is most popular among foreigners. Second, this makes White Beach the Malate of Puerto Galera while Sabang Beach is Galera’s equivalent of Ermita in Manila1. Agree?
I actually find foreigners’ affinity with Sabang Beach quite puzzling. I have never stepped foot on Sabang Beach and I probably won’t since Sabang Beach is hardly a beach at all! As can be seen from the satellite imagery in Google Maps, there is no expansive stretch of sandy shore that’s present in White Beach. Additionally obvious from the satellite image is the presence of rocky corals in the water making swimming somewhat unsafe unlike in White Beach. These things make Sabang Beach boring in my book.
Photo by JC (CC-BY-SA-1.0)
Then again, the nightlife in Sabang Beach, I heard, is livelier than in White Beach with numerous bars and restaurants packing this tiny district. I suppose there are also a lot of girlie bars? Hehehe. Moreover, if you’re into scuba diving, Sabang Beach is a better base of operations since it’s near all the nice diving spots of Puerto Galera; White Beach is too remote to be a popular scuba headquarters.
As evidence of Sabang’s popularity among non-Filipinos, the Wikitravel page on Sabang is quite extensive whereas White Beach’s page doesn’t exist at all2!
1 Malate and Ermita are the two most cosmopolitan districts of Manila, both with a vibrant nightlife.
2 Wikitravel is like a Wikipedia-style travel guide; unlike Wikipedia which has an active Filipino editor community, Wikitravel doesn’t and so foreigners are the active contributors on that site.
Download KML file (for Google Earth)
4 people have responsed to “Sabang Beach, Puerto Galera”
About the beach in sabang….why would someone want beach and swimming? Perhaps children or those with the same level of maturity.
Sabang is one huge prostitute town, only 2 of the 11 clubs there are not go-go bars. They range from pretty young to late 20’s
@meat, you’d be surprised at how many people would go to the beach to swim, children or adults alike. It’s not often that people from Manila go to the beach and swimming is a large part of the seashore experience.
Regarding prostitution in Sabang? No comment.
Sabang’s popularity among foreign tourists sustains itself. If you know other foreign tourists like it there, then it is probably a safe bet.
As for diving, you almost need a diving instructors certificate to hold a conversation in Sabang.
The night life is long and lively, and it is possible to find a night club where there is a dance floor for the customers to dance on. Though it is not easy.
@James, thanks for that bit of info.