El Galleon Beach Resort

You come here for a straightforward combination: a beach resort in Puerto Galera, a proper restaurant by the water, a pool, a spa and a choice of ways to spend the hours when you are not underwater. El Galleon Beach Resort is family-friendly, but it also suits divers travelling as a couple when one of you wants a quiet afternoon and the other has plans involving fins.

The resort has 30 rooms and a practical, unpretentious character. Air conditioning, a fan, free WiFi and outdoor spaces give you the basics that matter when the day has been hot, salty and active. English is spoken by the hotel team, along with Swedish, German, Tagalog, Mandarin and Cantonese, so you can expect to be understood without resorting to hand signals worthy of a difficult buddy briefing.

The address is Small Lalaguna Beach, Sabang, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. The resort sits directly on Small La Laguna Beach, with views towards Sabang Bay and the Verde Island Passage. You can swim and snorkel in the water in front of the property, which saves the usual discussion about where to leave your towel and whether the beach is actually the beach.

Sabang Beach is a two-minute walk away, while Big La Laguna Beach is about 400 metres from the resort. Coco Beach is roughly 1.5 miles away by the mapped road distance, and Encenada Beach about 2 miles. You also have nearby places to eat and drink, including The Verandah Restaurant about 400 feet away and Hemingways Bistrot about 150 feet away.

Ninoy Aquino International Airport is 138 km away. The journey from Manila is therefore part of the trip rather than a quick hop across town; private door-to-door transfers are available on request.

The room choice matters here because the categories are designed for different kinds of stay. If you are travelling as a couple and want the setting to do some of the talking, the Double or Twin Room with Sea View gives you the bay from the room. The Superior Double or Twin Room with Terrace is the more obvious pick when having your own outdoor corner matters more than looking straight at the water.

For a family or a group of four, the Quadruple Room has one double bed and two single beds. That is the sensible arrangement when you want everyone under one roof rather than dividing the evening into separate rooms and comparing notes by message. Families can also use the family-room arrangements, while the pool-access option keeps the water close enough to watch from the window.

Air conditioning helps you cool down after a day in tropical heat, and the fan gives you another way to keep air moving at night. Rooms have balconies, terraces or pool views depending on the category, as well as a minibar, kettle with tea and coffee, safe, linen and a private bathroom with hot water. Daily housekeeping, towels, a shower and free toiletries keep the practical side uncomplicated. The rooms are non-smoking, and free WiFi reaches the rooms.

Arthur’s Restaurant is the main table, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and set directly by the sea. The menu crosses international, local, French and seafood cooking, so you can keep things simple with homemade pasta or calamari, or order something more substantial after a full day in the water. Moules gratinées, seafood platters and steak béarnaise sit alongside French dishes such as coq au vin, fish quenelles, quiche Lorraine and pot-au-feu.

The cooking is led by French chef Antoine, with seafood and land-based dishes sharing the menu. That gives you more range than the usual resort short list of fried food and a sandwich doing overtime. Outdoor seating keeps the view part of the meal, particularly useful when the main decision of the evening is whether to order dessert or another drink.

There are two named bars. The Point Bar is the livelier option, between Sabang and Small La Laguna Beach, with signature cocktails, music, drinks and the resort’s menu. Morning Brew Cafe is the quieter coffee stop, serving speciality coffee, beer and wine with a beach view. The property also hosts themed dinner nights and happy hour, and special-diet menus are available on request.

The outdoor pool sits beside the poolside cottages, close enough for you to keep an eye on the water from selected rooms. Around it, the resort provides sun loungers, a sun terrace, garden areas and outdoor furniture. It is a useful arrangement for a non-diving day, or for the member of your party who has sensibly decided that one activity is enough.

La Palm Spa covers the recovery side of the programme with massage, aromatherapy, Thai massage and Swedish massage. Spa facilities include a steam room, foot bath, body treatments, body scrubs, body wraps, facials and beauty services, with couples’ massage also available. Yoga classes are offered, and the resort has a fitness centre.

Away from the pool and spa, you can choose walking tours, hiking, golf within 3 km, cycling, kayaking, sailing, fishing and boat excursions. Cultural outings include the Puerto Galera museum, the Mangyan village and Tukuran River. There are also more energetic options such as ziplining, mountain biking, paintball, karting and the Hash House Harriers running and walking group. Children are welcome, with activities aimed at keeping younger guests occupied.

Check-in runs from 13:00 to 21:00, and you need to tell the resort your expected arrival time in advance. Check-out is by 11:30. Private and express check-in and check-out are available, which can be useful when your arrival follows a long transfer or your departure starts early.

Airport transfers can be arranged as a private door-to-door service on request. The resort also offers a shuttle service, a tour desk and laundry. Free WiFi is available throughout the property, and a safe is available for valuables. There is no on-site parking, so arriving by car is not the simple option here.

Children of all ages are welcome. Children aged five and over are charged as adults, extra beds can be requested subject to availability, and cots are not available. Pets are not allowed. Payment before arrival by bank transfer is required, with instructions provided after booking.

El Galleon and its diving operation use solar panels for the jetty, dive platform, Barrel Bar and Point Bar facilities. Five rooms already run on solar power, with a plan to extend this across the resort, while high-consumption appliances are being changed to inverter models.

The property operates a water and wastewater treatment system designed to prevent liquid discharge into the surrounding environment. Reusable water bottles are used in the rooms, restaurant and dive shop, and part of the refill revenue supports Project AWARE. Used cooking oil is reused for table lighting in the evening, and paper straws are available on request.

The diving operation runs monthly Dive Against Debris activities and reports the findings for policy work. Neutral buoyancy is taught from the start of diving courses, and care is taken with chemicals used during boat repairs and repainting. Educational programmes also work with local schools on environmental impact.