Travel: Boracay Island, Philippines

Boracay is a tropical island about an hour’s flight from Manila in the Philippines. Its long white sand beaches rival the best beaches of more popular destinations such as the Caribbean, the South Pacific as well as neighbouring Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Facilities are available to suit different levels of activity. For those wanting to just lounge around and take in some rays, beach-front hotels usually have lounge chairs set up just a few steps away from the hotel entrances. Facilities for the usual water sports activities such as sailing, wind surfing, snorkeling, diving and jet skiing are also widely available for those in search of more active pursuits. The fun in Boracay also doesn’t end when the sun sets. Boracay nightlife is pulsating with many bars and restaurants serving food, drink and fun until the very late evening.

[edit] Understand

Map of Boracay

 

Areas

White Beach is divided into five areas from

• Area 1— Boracay Terraces (north) to Willy’s Rock
• Area 2— From Willy’s Rock to Red Coconut Resort
• Area 3— From Red Coconut to Boat Station 2
• Area 4— From Boat Station 2 to Station 3
• Area 5 — From Boat Station 3 to Angol Point

In every station, there are two lifeguards on foot patrolling equipped with whistle, life buoy and hand-held radio. The boat station 2 is the lifeguard and rescue command center.

Climate

During the dry season (Nov-Apr), also known as Amihan, White Beach is calm and very suitable for swimming, etc. The other side of the island has large winds and waves making it suitable for wind surfing, wave running, etc. During the rainy season (Jun-Oct), also known as Habagat, this is reversed, with a risk of typhoons. White Beach often gets large winds and waves which sometimes makes it unsuitable for swimming. Current weather conditions can be found at boracayweatherstation.com

Boracay Beach Live Cameras

Boracay Island visualization can only go so far through pictures. See an array of Boracay Beach Cameras to actually see what Boracay looks like and to actually see the weather, what to expect and more. Live Boracay cameras boost tourism and promotes Filipino pride. See the beauty that is Boracay[2], Philippines in your own eyes.

• Boracay Beach Live – Boracay Camera located at Red Coconut Beach Front Resort with a 12 Mega Pixel, High Definition, Wide Angle Lens Camera which live streams – no delays 24 hours A day.

• Ariel’s House Boracay Beach Camera – Boracay camera is located at Ariel’s Bar which is beach front boat station 1 with a 30 second camera refresh rate.

• Nigi Nigi Too Boracay Beach Camera. Boracay Camera located at Nigi Nigi Too Beach Front Resort beach front boat station 1 with a refresh rate of approximately every 5 seconds.

Get in

Whether you go by plane or by boat, the port of entry for Boracay Island is the small town of Caticlan on the mainland. Outrigger boats or “bancas” leave every few minutes from Caticlan’s jetty port. The short boat trip to Boracay’s jetty port at Cagban costs 20 Pesos. Tourists have to pay a terminal fee of 50 Pesos and an environmental fee of 75 pesos. Tricycles are available at Cagban to bring passengers to their hotels. Tricycle fare is from P20 per pax up to P150 per trip depending where your resort is.

From Cagban Port to Station 1, the most that you should pay is P25 per head. That is, if you don’t mind sharing the tricycle with other tourists. If you don’t want to rent the tricycle and allow the driver to pick up other passengers along the way, say you just want the “Individual” price and not “Special”

By plane

There are two airports located near to the island of Boracay.

• Caticlan or Godofredo P. Ramos Airport (IATA: MPH) (ICAO: RPVE) – Only small body aircrafts could land in this airport. Airlines with flights to and from Caticlan are South East Asian Airlines(SEAIR)[3], Cebu Pacific Air[4] and Air Philippines[5] from Manila, Cebu and Clark. From the Caticlan airport, you can either take a tricycle (PhP 40.00) or walk (10 minutes) to Caticlan Jetty Port. You can’t take more than 15 kg luggage, when flying here.

• Kalibo International Airport (IATA: KLO) (ICAO: RPVK) – Compared to Caticlan’s airport, the runway is able to hold aircrafts such as Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 however it is farther from Caticlan’s jetty port which is 90 minutes away. Cebu Pacific Air, China Airlines[6], Philippine Airlines[7], and Zest Airways[8] connects Kalibo to Manila, Taipei, Shanghai and Seoul. Now budget carrier Philippines AirAsia connects from Clark/Angeles City in central Luzon to Kalibo with daily return flights. There are minivans, vans, coasters and buses that serve travellers between Kalibo International Aiport and Caticlan Jetty Port. Be sure to ask if your ticket includes a ferry to Boracay (₱200 for a van and ferry, ₱300 for more comfortable bus), and how much the additional environmental taxes will be (a total of ₱125 on top of your tickets).

Note that if your flight connects in Manila, you will be charged an airport tax of ₱200 in cash between flights. When you leave Manila on an international flight (upon departure) you will be charged ₱750.

By road and ferry (RoRo)

The “Nautical Highway” is a combination of overland highways and roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) vessels that allow you to bring your vehicle up to Panay Island [9] and visit key cities like Kalibo. Taking your car all the way to Boracay, though, is not possible. Public transport also operates on the same route, and is the most cost-effective way of traveling between Manila and Boracay. Assuming good connections, the total journey time is around 12 hours.

The easiest way of arranging this is to book a van in Manila by contacting private operators such as Angel Star (02 783-0886 c/o Abner) and Gope (02 732-6891 c/o Cesar). This will enable you to book a straight trip from Manila to Caticlan at the cost of P1200, more or less. Their group operates several passenger vans which can load 10-14 or 15-18 persons. You book the trip exclusively or share with fellow travellers. The Van leaves at 9PM daily from Manila, travelling through Batangas-Calapan-Roxas (arrives Roxas at 5AM or 6AM) to catch the 8AM or 10AM ferry/boat to Caticlan, where you are expected to arrive between noon to 2PM. Before proceeding to Boracay Island though, be sure to get your return ticket (Roxas-Manila) at the Caticlan Ferry Terminal (inquire about the updated schedule from the staff of the van operators). Take an early dinner before boarding the van and bring water and something to eat while on travel. Riding a van gives you a more relaxed pace to Caticlan because you wouldn’t have to stop in many sub-destinations which lengthen your trip and therefore can be truly tiresome.

The more challenging (but slightly cheaper) do-it-yourself version goes as follows:

The easiest way would be to book a straight trip that allows you to purchase just one ticket from Cubao terminal to Caticlan Port. The cost is between 1000-1200 pesos.

But if you really want to save money, you can also commute from Cubao bus terminal station (near Alimall). There is really no difference except for the fact that you need to purchase ticket/s in every stop.

Cubao-Batangas Best leave between 7pm-8pm so you arrive in Batangas Port before 10pm.

Batangas-Calapan the trip takes 2 hours via cargo ship or an hour to one hour and a half via supercat. Do not purchase tickets for the Calapan to Roxas Van as this can either be a scam or you end up squeezed in one van along with several other passengers with tickets.

Calapan-Roxas Takes about 4 hours. Make sure you leave early so you arrive before 4am. In the morning, the ship to Caticlan usually leaves at 2am and 4am and the next trip wont be until 10am. The 10am trip usually leaves late.

This is the best time to leave travel via Cubao to Roxas. You arrive in Caticlan at 8am and you are left to enjoy the rest of your day in Boracay.

You can also start your journey with Philtranco, Alps, Dimple, Ceres, Rodastco coaches which leave at regular intervals throughout the day from Cubao, serving the Manila-Caticlan route for P1,200.00. Rodastco also offers a door-to-door service with pick ups anywhere in Metro Manila. The contact numbers for trip booking are +63 2-7326891 or +63 917-3820426, or +63 919-3820426.

Get around

Boracay sandcastle

• Most visitors opt for motorized tricycles, which act as the island’s taxis and make up most of its traffic. Rides are inexpensive, usually no more than PhP 100 for individual (per tricycle, not shared with other people) ride to any point on the island, and can be found almost anywhere along the main road. As the tricycle seats are (in)conveniently located right above the vehicle exhausts, there can be a little pollution however – bring a handkerchief if you tend to be easily bothered by this sort of thing.

• Short rides on busy routes, say from D’Mall to Station 3 or from Station 1 to Station 3, are a standard rate of 20 pesos per passenger, but expect the tricycle driver to ask for 40 pesos or more if you look like a foreigner. Long rides, like Puka beach to D’Mall, should cost around P40. Drivers waiting near beaches, hotels, etc. generally ask higher price like P150-200, even if you’re alone. May worth bargaining if there are a few people with you and you want an individual ride – otherwise, batter catch a passing-by tricycle on the main road.

• Scooters provide the best flexibility at a reasonable price. The downside is having to deal with island traffic which can be unnerving for visitors unused to the aggressive tricycle drivers.

• Mountain bikes are also available for rent at several locations along White Beach, which is off limits to motorized vehicles.

• To explore around the island, rent a native sailboat (paraw) or motorized outrigger (banca) and visit the many beaches of Boracay.

See

Willy’s Rock, White Beach, Boracay

Puka Beach

• White Beach – This is what most people are here for. Not only is it a lovely stretch of powdery white sand against azure water, it’s also the commercial center of the island. The long beach is divided into three sections, Station 1, Station 2, and Station 3. Station 1 is the northernmost and has the widest beachfront, where prime hotels and resorts are located. Accommodations are pricier, but quality is generally the best as well. Station 2 is the commercial and geographical center of white beach. This is the center of it all for for shopping, eating, partying, and etc. That said, the beach here is also the most crowded, and the area the nosiest. Station 3 is the southernmost section; quieter than station 2, it is the least developed, and also the lowest priced. All of White Beach from the northernmost tip of Station 1 to the southernmost of Station 3 (~4km) is open to the public, so one can relax and/or swim wherever they like, regardless of hotel location.

• Puka Beach – A quiet stretch of white sand along the northern tip of the island, Puka Beach is an image of what most people expect on a tropical island: white sand, azure water, and relatively empty. This is where locals gather the small puka shells for some of the jewelry that is sold on the island so expect the sand to be more coarse than on White Beach. The water tends to be a little rougher on this side of the island but it is much quieter. Similarly, there are fewer services — there are only a couple of restaurants, but you likely won’t have a problem getting a cold drink or an ice cream as there are a few vendors that patrol the beach. The main road in Boracay terminates at Puka Beach therefore you’ll be able to hire a tricycle to get there in less than 10-15 minutes from central White Beach. Make sure you arrange a pickup if it is a quiet day and no tricycles are hanging around the beach. Most people experience Puka as one of their sailboat or banca stops during a day trip. This is a good spot for a picnic, but be sure to bring your trash home with you.

• Baling Hai Beach – This is a quiet little cove just north of Diniwid Beach, where you can enjoy swimming, snorkeling and dining in a relaxed, peaceful environment. There are some fantastic views from the clifftop restaurant. Baling Hai is often included as a stop-off on an island boat tour.

• Bulabog Beach – Come there on a windy days to see kiteboarders doing high jumps and crazy tricks.

• The Bat Cave. One will see in several tour guides and maps of Boracay something called the Bat Cave, which houses many small insectivorous bats (the larger fruit bats roost in the trees on the hillside above Punta Bunga Beach), and locals will be more than happy to accompany you there for a fee, or “tip”. The cave is on the western-end of the island and down several dirt roads. The guide will then take you on a short hike through the forest to the mouth of a cave, which drops down at a very steep angle. The mouth of the cave is littered with large boulders, and is extremely difficult to enter and walk down. There is no visible path, no handrail, and the stones are extremely slippery with slime and bat guano, as well as extremely dangerous, since the cave is at such an extreme angle. Also, the air inside the cave is very warm and humid, and in addition to the amount of guano, is very difficult to breathe. Additionally, several snakes live inside the cave. Caution should be taken by those visiting and entering the cave. There are bats in the cave, but down at the bottom of it in the dark, and unless you have a flashlight or are there at dusk, you won’t see them. The ceiling of the cave is interesting, however, with multiple, small stalactites. Just nearby, you can find another cave, called “crystal” cave which has a lot of stalactites and a hole on the opposite site of the entrance, from which you can watch out to the sea if you dare to climb up to it. You will have to pay 50P entry-fee to visit both caves on behalf of the family that owns the land, in addition to paying your guide. Visiting both caves can cost up to 2500P for the guide, but this is the “rich tourist price”, so try to bargain if you like.

Do

Cliff Diving at Ariel’s Point

Fire Dancing

Scuba diving

For those interested in Scuba Diving and Diving Packages, there are literally dozens of Dive Centres along the White Beach; it is a good place to learn or to improve your skills. Cost is typically $33 per dive which includes hire of all equipment.The dive centres operate a cartel and have agreed standard prices amongst themselves so prices will be the same at all centres. There are 25-30 dive sites within 10-15 minutes speed boat ride from the beach, suitable for beginners up to advanced level. Dives range from ‘Angol Point’ (10m), through ‘Crocodile Island’ (22-25m), a straightforward wall dive, up to ‘Yapak’- a deep wall dive suitable for only the most experienced divers due to strong currents, although there is the possibility of seeing sharks and stingrays.

Boat tours

Boat trip on a sunset

The best way to see the beauty of Boracay and its various beaches is by Paraw (native outrigger sailboat). You will be constantly asked if you want to take a boat trip, as there are literally dozens of companies offering this service. It is better to go with a reputable and established group such as Allen Fun Tours (motorized banca boat tours) or Red Pirates (paraw sailing) to ensure your safety and avoid being overcharged.

Kiteboarding

Kites on Bulabog beach

Boracay’s Bulabog beach is known as the best kitesurf destination in Asia. The season runs from November through to April with onshore winds varying between 12-30 knots. Small lagoon (2km wide) is protected from waves with coral reef. Water becomes almost flat on a low tide, making it easy to start learning kitesurfing and continue with freestyle tricks. Because of its nice conditions, spot becomes overcrowded with riders in high season. Serious disadvantage is sewage pollution of lagoon, so smell from water and infections from even small injuries are common.

• Freestyle Academy Kitesurfing School, Bulabog Beach, ☎ 09155593080 (info@freestyle-boracay.com), [10]. Kitesurfing School owned by local hero Ken Nacor, offers lessons from beginner to advanced. All instructors are IKO-certified.  
• Isla Kiteboarding school, Bulabog Beach, ☎ +63362885352 (info@islakitesurfing.com), [11]. Offers courses from beginners to advanced level. All instructors are IKO-certified  
• Pinas Kite Boarding, Bulabog Beach, ☎ 09182574658, [12]. Locally owned kite-boarding shop, offers courses from level 1 to 3. All instructors are IKO-certified.  

Skimboarding

Skimboarding in Boracay has been a new fun sport for kids and entertainment for older for people for several years. It is a welcome new attraction and a pleasure to watch. Skimboards are available for rent at several places along White Beach. But be sure to hire an expert to teach you to do the skills, 1-hour lesson from a local rider is usually around 300 peso.