# Mindoro

Mindoro Island is an unspoiled island that's within easy reach from Manila. The town of Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro province is a popular tourist destination with many beach and entertainment facilities.

## Towns

* 13.5120.9541671 Puerto Galera - Once a wild west style backpacker destination, now with considerable development toward more upmarket tourism. It is famous mainly for two things — excellent diving and many girly bars — both of which are concentrated in Sabang. The city itself has some hotels, dive companies and other tourist facilities, but most visitors stay in one of two suburbs:
       Sabang, lively but somewhat sleazy; it sometimes feels as if half of the population is working girls. Sabang is also the dive center of northern Mindoro.
       White Beach, exactly what its name suggests, with excellent swimming, and somewhat less wild than Sabang.
    There are ferries from Batangas City to Puerto Galera.
* 13.435833121.0191672 San Teodoro - Next to Baco, the other town along the (scenic) route from Calapan to Puerto Galera. San Teodoro is known for its waterfalls, but otherwise, there is nothing to do in this town either.
* 13.358394121.0976643 Baco - This is one of the two towns along the road from Calapan (the administrative capital) to Puerto Galera. Baco proper houses about 500 people and a series of shops and schools. Despite what Google maps tells you, Baco is on the Western Nautical Highway and not at the beach. Baco is a nice and friendly town, and a good place to buy some groceries but it has nothing of interest to tourists.
* 13.414121.184 Calapan - The capital with all disadvantages that come with that. The town has a cosy centre, but since nobody does anything about any form of pollution, the air smells always of exhaust fumes and the river and its banks are essentially of plastic bags. The center of town is formed by The City Plaza that holds a stage, a playing field, and the obligatory statue for Rizal, and the public market and city market just at the other side of the San Augustin Aguinaldo bridge. Most restaurants (albeit all of the Jollibee, Inasal, and Chow King style; nothing of western quality) are at the west side of the city market. Calapan has absolutely nothing that is of any interest for tourists. There are ferries from Batangas City to Calapan.
* 12.35275121.067615 San Jose - San Jose is an economic hub of Mindoro's western half despite not being the provincial capital, a distinction of the town of Mamburao. San Jose is a hub town; its airport is served by Cebu Pacific five times weekly.
* 12.583333121.56 Roxas (Mindoro) a stopover town on your way to San Jose town, it has ferries to Romblon and to Caticlan on Panay Island.

## Other destinations

* 13.766667120.27 Lubang group of islands - Off to the northwest of Mindoro, and included in Mindoro Occidental province. These are relatively isolated — one Japanese soldier held out in the jungle of Lubang from the end of the Pacific War in 1945 until 1974 — but have some fine beaches and dive sites and are now seeing some tourism and development.

## Understand

Mindoro has two administrative halves. The north-east part is called Oriental Mindoro; the south-west part is called Occidental Mindoro. The boundary of the two provinces roughly follows the mountain range that bisects the island from southeast to northwest.
All towns of any significance are at or near the coast. On Oriental Mindoro you find, driving from the far north-west to the deep south-east, the following towns: Puerto Galera; San Teodoro; Baco; Calapan; Naujan; Victoria; Socorro (of the road: Pola); Pinamalayan; Roxas; Mansalay; Bulalacao. After Bulalacao the road continues to Occidental Mindoro where San Jose is the main town.
The original inhabitants of Mindoro were the people now known as Mangyan. They once held the whole island and were quite populous and prosperous, but today there are only a few hundred thousand left, mostly as isolated highland tribes. Locals are called Mindoreños (or Mindoreñas), and are mostly of Batangas heritage.

## Talk

Mindoro is a Tagalog-speaking area, with the varieties spoken here generally the same as in the provinces of Batangas, Quezon, and Marinduque, but the most commonly encountered variety spoken throughout the island is the Batangas dialect.
There are also indigenous languages spoken in the island, many endangered to near extinct; some of those are Hanuno'o, with 14,000 native speakers, and Iraya (not to be confused with the Visayan language Karay-a), with 10,000.

## Get in

Mindoro is an island in the Philippine archipelago known for its beaches, nature reserves, and diving opportunities. Puerto Galera, on the northern coast, is famous for its marine-rich bays and is a popular tourist destination. As of March 2025, no special permits are required for visiting, but booking accommodation in advance is recommended, especially during peak season (December–April).

### By air

San Jose Airport (SJI) in Occidental Mindoro is the main gateway for travelers flying to the island. Cebu Pacific operates direct flights from Manila, with a flight time of approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. Fares start at around $100, though prices may vary depending on demand and booking time.

### By auto transport and ferry

Travelers can reach Mindoro via a combination of bus and ferry from Manila. Buses to Batangas Port depart from PITX and Buendia terminals, with a travel time of approximately 3 hours. The fare is around ₱300. From Batangas, multiple ferry options connect to different parts of Mindoro.

#### Private transfer

For a more comfortable and direct journey, travelers can opt for a private transfer. Taxis and private vans are available from Manila to Batangas Port, offering a flexible departure time and a more convenient travel experience. The journey takes approximately 2.5 to 3.5 hours, depending on traffic. Prices start at around PHP ₱5000, but costs may vary based on vehicle type and negotiation with the driver.

#### Combined bus and ferry ticket

Si-Kat operates a combined transport service from Manila to Puerto Galera via Batangas. This option includes a bus ride from Manila to Batangas Port, followed by a ferry transfer to Puerto Galera. The total cost is ₱1550.

#### Ferries from Batangas

* Puerto Galera: Regular ferries take between 1 to 2.5 hours, depending on the vessel, with fares around ₱600. For a faster but costlier alternative, private water taxis are available, taking about 1 hour at a cost of ₱15000 per boat (6–8 passengers).
* Calapan (Oriental Mindoro): Travel time is 2 to 3 hours, with fares around ₱600. This route is preferred for travelers heading to the eastern side of the island and serves as an alternative for reaching Puerto Galera, especially for late-night arrivals when direct ferries are unavailable.

### From Boracay

Travelers can reach Mindoro from Boracay via a vehicle ferry service. The journey takes approximately 5 hours, with fares starting at ₱1600. Ferry schedules may vary, so it is advisable to check availability in advance, especially during peak travel seasons.

### From Coron

Travelers can reach Mindoro from Coron via ferry services connecting to San Jose in Occidental Mindoro. These connections operate on an irregular basis, typically around twice a week. Schedules are subject to change, so it is recommended to confirm availability with local operators in advance. Travel times and fares can vary depending on weather conditions and service providers.

### Transportation on Mindoro

Tricycles: The main mode of transport in towns. Jeepneys: Operate between towns, with schedules depending on passenger demand. Ferries: Schedules may change due to weather conditions. Verify updates before departure. Water taxi: A fast but expensive option (~₱15500 per boat for 6–8 people). Ideal for groups or those who value time.

### Practical information

Currency: Carry Philippine pesos for transportation and services, as card payments may not always be available. Connectivity: Mobile signal is stable in most areas but may be weak in remote locations. Consider buying a local SIM card for better coverage. Puerto Galera is ideal for snorkeling and underwater photography.

## Get around

There is a coastal highway that rings the island and connects all the main towns. Most of it is a good road by the standards of provincial areas of the Philippines, well-paved and with good signs for both routes and hazards. By the standards of more developed places it is not great, narrow and often quite hilly and winding. Passing is quite dangerous on much of it and there are quite a few slow vehicles.
There are jeepney and bus services between most of the main towns; the jeepneys are usually cheaper and the buses more comfortable.

## Go next

The easiest place to reach is Batangas City, accessible by ferry from either Puerto Galera or Calapan. From there, anywhere on Luzon can be reached by road. Both Batangas and Calapan also have ferries to other places; see the city articles for details.