The Gay Seas of Puerto Galera
By Frolic Tan Lopez

GAY PARADISE. Every year, less and less people (read: gay people) are said to be going to Puerto Galera. This, however, doesn't make it any less fun - as more and more still discover and rediscover not just its white sands, but its (and the visiting) boys, bys, boys...

Yes, it has beaches (particularly White Beach and Sabang) – with sand not as fine as the sugar-like attributes of Boracay’s, or as peculiar as the dead coral-colored pink pebbles of Sorsogon’s, or the as fascinating as the dark-as-the-night gravel of the habagat-shaped coastlines of Batanes’, among others.  But, yes, it has beaches.

Yes, it’s waters are, well, refreshing – way beyond, say, Batangas’ (including the likes of Matabungcay, et cetera), and Digos’, but, admittedly, not even close to, say, Coron’s or Panglao’s.  But, yes, its waters are fair enough (they can get itchy, but not as itchy as Boracay’s during the peak seasons).

Yes, it has dive spots, which were, in fact, recently cited by some international survey as among the best of the world’s bests – though, in truth, Bohol’s may offer more variations (of coral formations, marine life, et cetera), and Palawan’s may offer more still largely untouched marine wonders.  But, yes, it has world-class dive spots.

Yes, it has numerous inland (natural) attractions – better than Boracay Island, I suppose, and getting closer to Palawan, with numerous mountain trails for trekkers, hard-to-reach falls and springs (alternatives to the salty sea waters), et cetera.  But, yes, it can ALMOST be said that there is something for everyone when there.

And, yes, it throbs (no pun intended – though we’ll get to THAT throbbing later…) as it parties – not as tacky as Boracay (though just as over-eagerly presented by such excessively commercial sponsors as Globe and San Miguel Beer, among others), or as picky as Alona Beach, of course.  But, yes, it definitely knows how to hold parties.

Having said these, Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro is, for the gay guy, a mini-MUST VISIT – though, right at the onset, not much should be expected from it for it to be truly enjoyed.

WHEN TO GO THERE

Two words: Holy Week.  Oh, okay, okay, since it is not that far from Metro Manila (bus ride of over an hour from Taft corner Gil Puyat Ave. to Batangas Pier, and another hour or two of ferry ride from the pier to White Beach), it can be accessed anytime – and many actually do, with weekends (or whenever wanting to leave Metro Manila’s hustle and bustle) approach.  But, in all honesty – for gay guys, at least – Puerto Galera truly becomes alive (some call it the gay Mecca) only during Holly Week.

Why?  Maybe because it’s when (just about) everybody gets a long, long break from life’s neck-breaking speed, i.e. schools and works are at a break as the (predominantly Christian) country wants to pay respects to the dying Christ by taking a long break (supposedly) to mourn the assign and prepare for the resurrection – though people (at least the young ones), of course, are really not into mourning in these days, with partying more the mood in these times when most can get away from workloads to have some fun, at least.

So forget other relatively long breaks (e.g. long weekends such as the Halloween which tends to be also long, since it includes the All Souls’ Day, All Saints’ Day, as well as the weekends closest to these days – at least usually), since, in my experience at least, they tend to be dead as, well, BED Bar on a Wednesday, or a much-hyped Circuit Asia Party that may have people attending, though nothing tends to happen when they are already there.

WHAT TO DO WHERE

Unlike Boracay, where, when people party, taking a dip in the much-publicized ”crystal clear waters that reflect the sky” is, more often than not, neglected, swimming in Puerto Galera is actually a necessity – particularly in the afternoons, right around the sunset, when almost everybody is out to: 1) swim, of course; 2) play games, e.g. Chinese garter, flying kites, et cetera; 3) perve, of course (while wearing the nicest – if not skimpiest – of swimwears to be perved at, too) – there are other activities that can be done (in fact, must be done) while in Puerto Galera, including:

• Shop at the talipapa.  While the board shorts aren’t exactly Quiksilver or Billabong, they do sell well-designed ones (with the fake logos, too) from as less as P80 to only P120.  of course, other finds are one-of-a-kind bracelets, anklets, chokers, et cetera; crocheted two-piece swimwear (somebody’s lola went blind for these) for women; P25 sombreros; and, for the stingy, 3-for-P5 friendship bands as pasalubong (they also come for free when you buy board shorts), among others.
  
  
• Try the kebab.  Costing from over P100 to just under P200, depending on whether you order pork, chicken or beef, these barbecued favorites have (as the garapon glasses are in Boracay’s Coco Manga’s) become Puerto Galera’s trademark.  So, when there, try at least once – and do it in one of those rooftop restos, where the view is nice (try to eat before 7.00pm, though, since, especially during the Holy Week, everything is busy, busy, busy.
  
  
• Watch the shows.  While there are fashion shows, band performances, et cetera, among the most popular events is the annual search for Miss Gay Puerto Galera, a beauty pageant of no-so-beautiful cross dressers, transgenders, transvestites, et cetera – nothing serious, but all just for fun, so be there (usually Maundy Thursday, from 10.00pm, venue TBA) to laugh while cheering the LGBT community’s diversity.
  
  
• Drink Mindoro Sling.  This is on offer (with others, such as the caffeinated Moomba) verywhere, but is best drank in the (gay) nipa huts that hold the everynight parties.  Yes, it can be tiresome drinking this – someone has to look after the pitcher to give the shots (annoying for the holder, who’ll end up dancing with a pitcher, while everybody’s just flirting sans looking like a server), but this is Puerto Galera’s equalizer, so try.
  
  
• Visit the landmarks.  Here, this means the Jurassic Park, as well as the Batuhan (when facing White Beach’s waters, that’s to the bushes in the extreme right, and to the rocky formations in extreme left, respectively).  What happens there?  One word: Sex, which is why over time Puerto Galera got the “sin island” tag – so, now, moralists will raise arms (as if only gay guys do it in uerto Galera, with popular actors, actresses and models doing it there, too; and as if it doesn’t happen in supposedly clean-cut “straight” Boracay, Luneta or anywhere else!), but more open-minded individuals (e.g. us) will realize that, yes, people ought to be given space to express their identity, whatever that may be, else the lack of space becomes a form of discrimination.  And, oh, this is where the THROBBING happens in Puerto Galera…
  
  
• Island hop.  There are beaches around Puerto Galera that are definitely nicer (or worse) than White Beach or Sabang, so try to check them out (book a bangka from P1,200 – which would be cheaper when divided among friends).  Careful of itchies, though, since they have all these creatures that bite in the water.
  
  
• Dance the night away – and pick up, or get picked up.  There are parties from Good Wednesday to Easter Sunday, with the bests taking place on Friday and Saturday, of course, when shows, events, et cetera are also scheduled.  No matter the events, though, the nipa clubs have thumping music competing against each other (and they’re not even five feet away from each other) for dancing, so, wherever you turn, you have whatever music to choose from to dance, dance, dance…

And no matter what happens, always look good – you’ll never know when you can or will be picked up.  If this can’t be done (i.e. you aren’t pretty enough, just always smile – after a pitcher of Mindoro Sling or Moomba, you are bound to ALMOST look peculiarly pretty to, I am sure, get some lay somewhere).

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