Mindoro
We say “Mindoro”, we mean – “Puerto Galera”, a world-famous diving resort with unreal underwater life (more about which you should read in this material – ” Diving in Mindoro “). There are more than 50 dive sites for athletes of various levels, several yacht clubs and, in addition, strip bars that are extremely uncharacteristic for the Philippines. In a word, paradise.
Note: according to allcitypopulation, the population of Philippines is 111 million (2021).
The season on the island lasts from November to June, in July-October typhoons sometimes bring rain, wind and storm, lasting two to three days.
The island itself (translated as “Gold Mine”), divided by mountains into two provinces, Western and Eastern Mindoro, is famous for the Aninuan Falls, the Apo Reef Marine Park, Mount Alcon, Tamarro Falls and Lake Nauhan.
How to get to Mindoro
The seventh largest island in the Philippine archipelago, Mindoro lies south of Luzon, near the capital Manila. What makes the island a special attraction in the eyes of tourists. Beach lovers are especially interested in the northern coast of Mindoro, while the rest of it is popular only with lovers of eco-tourism and ethnography: the life of the islanders is very colorful and original.
Arriving at Manila International Airport, you can take a taxi to the Pasay bus station, from where the bus will take you to Batangas (about 1.5-2 hours), a coastal city, moreover, it will come directly to the port. Taking a ticket at the box office, you can take the ferry to Puerto Galera, the center of the tourist life of Mindoro Island, in about an hour.
Weather on Mindoro
On the island of Mindoro, the monsoonal climate, the wet and dry seasons are pronounced here. The wet season lasts from May to September, and the dry season, favorable for a beach holiday, from October to April. The best time to visit this wonderful island is from early December to late April, during which time no more than 200 mm of precipitation falls. The average annual temperature on the island is kept at around 27 degrees, but in the mountainous regions it is much cooler than in the plains.
The beaches of Mindoro
The best beaches for swimming are White Beach and Tamaraw Beach, for diving – Sabang Beach. The most calm and deserted beach is Laguna Beach. All beaches can be easily reached on foot from Puerto Galera.
Attractions and attractions in Mindoro
The main wealth and the main attraction of the Philippine archipelago are its natural resources: beaches, coral reefs, jungles and their diverse wildlife. All this can be found on the island of Mindoro. Tourists are especially attracted by such natural attractions as Puerto Galera Underwater National Park, Aninuan Falls, Apo Reef Marine Park, Mount Alcon (2695 m), Tamarro Falls and Lake Naujan. Excursions to them can be bought at almost any tourist office.
Active entertainment: diving, sunset cruises, excursions to waterfalls, jungle trips, trekking, golf, disco bars, strip bars.
Cockfights are also popular with tourists; they are cruel but attract many spectators.
Negros
Negros Island is the right option for those who want peace and privacy without losing access to city entertainment. There are excellent opportunities for snorkeling, a large selection of nature excursions, beaches of coarse dark volcanic sand and luxurious tropical gardens.
Negros is the fifth largest island in the Philippine archipelago. They say that the island got its name because of the mountain range that occupies most of the island: dark, almost black rocks, overgrown with tropical forests, look very picturesque and make the panorama of the island unforgettable.
How to get there
Bacolod City has its own airport, which takes about 1 hour from Manila and 30 minutes from Cebu. For lovers of sea travel, you can offer to get here by sea. Of course, it will take much longer: 3-7 hours from Seba (depending on the type of boat) and 20 hours from Manila.
Weather in Negros
The climate on the island is subequatorial, monsoonal, with 1600–2000 mm of precipitation per year. The average air temperature is approximately the same for all seasons and ranges from 25 to 28 degrees. In general, we can talk about a climate favorable for recreation, but it is still better to come here during the dry season, from December to May. The period from July to November is considered rainy, but there are almost no long rains here.
Cities and resorts of Negros
The main city of the island is Bacolod, in the Philippines it is called the “city of smiles”. Every year it hosts the “Smiling Mask Festival” (Masskara Festival). In addition, the city is considered the cleanest in the Philippines. Bacolod is a port city, one of the largest in the country and very modern. It is hard to imagine now that only a hundred and fifty years ago Bacolod was a poor fishing village, unremarkable in any way.
The second largest city – Dumaguete is famous for the fact that it is here that a lot of entertainment is concentrated: discos, night bars, excellent shopping conditions, sports grounds, spa centers, golf courses, tennis courts saturate the rest here with unforgettable vivid impressions.
Entertainment and attractions of Negros
There are many waterfalls in the mountains of Negros, the most beautiful is Casaroro, which is located within walking distance from Dumaguete. The water here collapses from a height of more than 36 meters, while making a terrible noise. Despite the fact that the water is very cold, almost every tourist strives to plunge into it. A walk to the waterfall is associated with the contemplation of the surrounding beauties, among which you can see funny monkeys and other animals.
In the eastern part of the island, among the untouched tropical forests, two very similar lakes are hidden – Danao and Balinsasayo. They were formed in the craters of ancient volcanoes, their walls are reflected in the frozen surface of the water, and thickets of mangrove trees and many tropical butterflies make the picture stunningly beautiful, almost unreal.
To top it off, we can say that Negros was the last island that the Allies liberated, so it was in the local mountains that the Japanese hid huge reserves of gold. Locals will gladly (and for a very reasonable fee) tell you exactly where the treasures are hidden and even, possibly, provide you with a map (for an additional fee).
Leisure
The shores of the island are washed by three seas at once: Visayan and Sibuyan – in the north, and Sulu – in the south. The underwater world of all three seas is diverse and unique, so diving here can be done endlessly. The island is of volcanic origin and, as a result, is rich in thermal springs and small natural thermal reservoirs. The mountain range of a large area attracts speleologists to the island, who are happy to explore the local caves, and climbers. Well, the presence of a large number of mountain rivers attracts lovers of canoeing here.
Popular activities: snorkeling, diving and other water sports, canoeing on lakes, golf, excursions to waterfalls, national market, marine laboratory, hot springs, mountain trekking, caving, whale and dolphin watching.
