Puerto Galera returns to its roots via heritage fest
MENTION Puerto Galera and immediately the images of fine sand beaches, tranquil coves and lush underwater marine life come into mind. But beyond these beguiling tropical images that lure beach bums, this resort town is a treasure trove of culture and heritage which makes it a unique getaway.
This checkered past comes alive in the De Galera Festival on May 9-13, making this merry summer month more sizzling. Now on its fifth edition, the festivity is anchored on the rediscovery of the town’s roots and its rich maritime tradition.
Literally meaning “port of galleons,” the town was so called by Spanish navigators because of the safe moorings it provided their ships against storms. No other place in the archipelago can provide a series of coves, with shimmering shores and rich underwater life to boot.
A variety of sporting events, beach games, entertainment shows, a beauty pageant and a street dance tilt punctuate the festival.
Dance presentations on May 10 will depict the town’s beginnings and cultural roots—the people’s way of life as fisherfolk, farmers, shipbuilders, sailors, and tribal inhabitants.
The fun continues with sporting events on May 11, and the grand parade, a beach bikini tilt and reggae night on May 12.
Festivities conclude on May 13 with a fluvial procession carrying the image of the Virgin Marry around the picturesque bay as part of the town’s patronal fiesta of the Our Lady of Fatima.
De Galera might not be as magnificent as the more established festivals in the country, but the town’s quaint charm and the people’s welcoming nature make the festivity another good reason to visit and linger a little bit longer in this laid back hideaway.
Because of its innate charm, Puerto Galera was named by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as a “Man and Biosphere Reserve” in the 1970s, while the bay was declared “One of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World” by a Paris-based Unesco-sanctioned organization in 2005.
The award was given because of its natural beauty, diverse marine life, rich cultural heritage and vital economic contribution. The Bay is sanctuary to 152 coral species and 19 mangrove species in the country, and nine out of the world’s 16 seagrass species, making it a beach hotspot and diving haven.
The town also boasts of the alluring cascades of Tamaraw and Talipanan waterfalls, the Mangyan Iraya indigenous village, and the Excavation Museum which houses centuries-old jars and implements unearthed from sunken galleons.