Now we will continue on things to do in Boracay, Phillipines.
Enjoy the sunrise and sunset.
.
Ask anyone who has been to this island and they will surely tell you about Boracay’s breathtaking and extraordinary sunsets! It’s a view that willreally mark its spot in your heart and mind, that up to this day, I myself can still picture out the scenes in my mind and it makes me swell with happiness… with a tinge of melancholy (because I miss it a lot!)
Enjoy the sunrise and sunset.
.
Ask anyone who has been to this island and they will surely tell you about Boracay’s breathtaking and extraordinary sunsets! It’s a view that willreally mark its spot in your heart and mind, that up to this day, I myself can still picture out the scenes in my mind and it makes me swell with happiness… with a tinge of melancholy (because I miss it a lot!)
Feel free to pick your spot in any of the Boracay beaches to watch the sunsets (typically between 5 to 6PM), but I do highly recommend the view by the White Beach for this since the silhouette of the passing boats (or paraws) by the horizon perfectly adds to this spectacular display.
…But of course, don’t forget about the sunrise too! It is equally beautiful and it’s always a wonderful thing to welcome the new day by the beach in this way. So enjoy and savor this experience!
…But of course, don’t forget about the sunrise too! It is equally beautiful and it’s always a wonderful thing to welcome the new day by the beach in this way. So enjoy and savor this experience!
Indulge yourself with the local food.
One of the things that you have to understand about Boracay is that if you are not well-informed, you could end up finding all these typical western restaurants that hold no personality of the island’s cuisine. This is not to say that these western restaurants are no good — because they are — but if you really want to enjoy true Filipino fare and dishes, follow my advice and tips:
- Go to D’Talipapa – because a beach trip is NOT complete without seafood! For sure there are a lot of seafood restaurants in White Beach as an example, but if you want the true-blue way of eating like a local, drop by Station 2 to find D’Talipapa — a wet market that sells fresh seafood ingredients! Once you are done shopping for the food that you would like to eat, simply go to one of the nearby restaurants and have them cook it for you. (They have a wide range of cooking styles that you can choose from.)
- Go to Filipino Restaurants – and try local dishes! Other than gaining the chance to experience our hearty food, these are typically priced cheap too so it’s quite a steal. (Starting at Php 50 or $1+). For my favorites, try Smoke Resto at D’Mall, Plato D Boracay (also) at D’Mall, Mesa at Station 2, or Boracay Kitchen at Station 1.
- Try street food – To start, taste the local BBQ sticks, pork fat crackers (chicharon), balut (famous fertilized egg), and of course the Chorizo Burger! This is a favorite snack in this island. What is it? Well, it’s simply a sweeter version of grilled chorizo with sweet sauce in a bun… BUT the taste is something that everyone and you would go gaga for! (If you’re not a fan of sweet meat then this might not work for you, but it’s still worth a try).
- Take advantage of the fresh local fruits – what else but mangoes?! I promise you, we might just have the best mangoes that you will ever taste in your whole life! Other than this, indulge yourself with coconut juice that is freshly picked. And while we’re in the topic of drinks, take your time in enjoying all the kinds of fresh juice mixes that every establishment serves. If you want to try another favorite, go to Jonah’s Fruit Shake & Snack Bar at Station 1 because the drinks here are absolutely addictive! They are even served in such big quantities apart from being cheap; therefore, it’s going to be worth your money.
Try out the various water sports and activities!
Boracay can hold your attention for a looooong while given the array of activities that you can do. It may be a small island but it sure packs a LOT of fun! Aside from the island-hopping activity that I have already suggested at #1, try these water activities below to get the most out of your summer vacation:
- ★ Fly Fish Ride
I absolutely recommend this if you want to have a wild ride with your friends! Basically, you will be riding this HUGE inflatable that’s like a ‘flying fish’. It will be pulled by a speedboat that will abuse its power and speed, and you have to hang on to it (for dear life) as it tries to spin you around at the sea! You can even try to put a challenge among your friends, like who will fall off the most for example! If I can impart another advice, let your competitiveness slide for a bit and then let yourself get thrown off the ‘fly fish’. Why? Because it’s part of the fun! (There’s the milder alternative for this like a banana boat, but come on, go and inject some exhilaration to your vacation!)
- Snorkeling or Scuba Diving
Boracay is not not only beautiful above water but underwater too! You won’t see much of a ‘view’ in the shallow waters of White Beach but your snorkeling gear will be put to good use in the other beaches like Ilig-Iligan or Tambisaan. (Though if you want the full-blown snorkeling experience, you should rather head to Batangas or Palawan — which are other destinations in the Philippines). Nevertheless, if you’re more into diving, you will see more coral reefs in the deeper parts of the Boracay ocean. There are a lot of rental shops around and PADI-certified divers will only have to pay Php 1,600 ($35+) while beginners who have to take a course would have a cost of around Php 3,500 ($78+). - Marine Walk
This is an activity that lets you walk on the seabed as you wear a 30kg helmet to keep you down on the floor. This package that is customarily priced at Php 900 ($20+) comes with free compilations of your underwater photos + videos as well as few pieces of bread that you can feed to the fishes while you’re submerged. - ‘Mermaiding’
A new ‘thing’ that seemed to have popped up recently… I haven’t tried this for myself but it seems like it’s spearheaded by the ‘Philippine Mermaid Swimming Academy’. What happens is that you will be joining a ‘mermaid swimming’ course under a professional teacher as you wear a stretchable fabric mermaid tail. I don’t think this is my cup of tea but it could be yours! Besides, the exercise AND the photos that come with it are interesting perks! For more information about this, see their website here. - ★ Paraw Sailing
Paraw is a sail boat with two outriggers to keep it afloat on sea. This is a GREAT way to enjoy the waves and the view of Boracay with your friends and it is priced at only Php 1,000 ($22+) per person only. If I may add a tip, I suggest that you go sailing in a paraw at a time before or during sunset! It will be amazing! - ★ Parasail, Kiteboard, or Windsurf
A great way to enjoy the sea and the wind. If you’re not so skilled with kiteboarding or windsurfing, you can always go for parasailing — in this way, you will get to see Boracay from a vantage point so it’s a worthy experience in itself. But if you are skilled with the sport of kiteboarding and windsurfing, like I’ve mentioned in #1, go to Bulabog Beach since that’s where the ‘sporty’ community for this is found. - ★ Cliff Diving
I never leave Boracay without doing a cliff diving spree in the island and I suggest that you do the same! If you want the ultimate experience, I highly recommend signing up for the tour in Ariel’s Point. Priced at Php 1,600 ($36+) per person, it’s a deal that has a lot of ‘perks’. Apart from enjoying this special spot’s cliff diving platforms (with heights at 3 meters, 5 meters, 6 meters, 7 meters, and 13 meters) this cost lets you enjoy a roundtrip boat ride, unlimited drinks, BBQ lunch buffet, afternoon snacks, and full use of Ariel Point’s other services (canoes, kayaks, snorkeling gear, and floating raft). Ain’t that a steal?! - Zorb and Zipline
These are located in certain parts of the island and it’s one of those newer activities that have been on the rise for tourists lately. If you ask me, zorb sounds more fun than the zipline since it seems that the height isn’t as high (which is to be expected). - ATV Ride
Explore Boracay in a swanky ATV! Most of these trips go to Mt. Luho which is the highest peak in the island so it’s a chance for you to get an aerial-like view of it all as a whole. Renting these ATVs are said to cost Php 1,000 ($22+) per person.
Other Tips
- Avail a massage service – the stretch of White Beach is full of massage shops that are relatively cheap and it’s the perfect day-ender for you after all the arduous activities that you have been through.
- Get a henna tattoo – if you’re not into the real permanent tattoos but still into the idea of marking your body with some temporary ink, then a henna tattoo is the option for you! You will see a lot of beach-goers who have these marks on their body and if you find it cool enough, join the craze and display that art on your body. The beach is speckled with small stands of these henna artists so just take your pick, choose a design, and then flaunt it all for the rest of your stay.
- Marvel at professionally-made sandcastles or make one of your own – there was a time when White Beach had lots of magnificent sand art displayed every day, however the local government decided to minimize this activity for some reason. Anyhow, this practice is still there so just explore the length of White Beach and you’re bound to see one; or better yet, make your own!
- Do beach sports with your friends – there are shops that can rent you some but I suggest that you just bring your own volleyball, frisbee, or soccer ball to play with your friends.
- Go for a night swim – do you want to have the sea all to yourself? Then why not a night swim, right? Try it at least once!
» HOW TO GET TO BORACAY?
The best way to reach Boracay is to ride an airplane. There are various airlines that you can choose from: Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, or SEAIR among many others. As you inspect your options with these airlines, consider the fact that you have two routes to choose from in order to get to the island of Boracay:
- Caticlan Route
PRO: It’s the fastest connection to Boracay. After landing, you just need to reach the Caticlan Jetty Port that is a 3-minute tricycle ride away or a 10-minute walk. From this port, you just need to board another boat (total cost of Php 200 or $4+) that will take you to Boracay in just 15 minutes.
CON: Airfare is more expensive than that of Kalibo and since the airport size is small, it is limited to small aircrafts only and have more flight disruption problems due to a sunset flight limitation and weather sensitivity conditions. - Kalibo Route
PRO: As mentioned, airfare is cheaper and the larger aircrafts can land here since the airport is bigger (it’s an international airport). It helps to mention that it’s usually in this route that promo fares are typically applied so watch out for those!
CON: Travel time to Caticlan takes a while. After landing, you need to take either a bus or a van in order to get to Caticlan Jetty Port that is 1.5 to 2 hours away. After arriving in the port, you also have to take the 15-minute boat ride.
.
» WHERE TO STAY IN BORACAY?
Aside from the big luxury names like Boracay Regency, Discovery Shores, Shangri-La Hotel, etc. there are hundred of other accommodations that can fit smaller budgets so you shouldn’t worry if you have such. What I can give you as a tip in order to get the cheapest discounted rates (across ALL budget and luxurious stays) is to book online with Agoda! I have been using this website for years and it has never failed me. Seriously, you have to reap the benefits of this booking platform!
TIP: My choices for cheap accommodation hostels are MNL Beach Hostel Boracay and YB Hostel. If you don’t fancy hostels since you’re more of the affordable-resorts kind of person, you can always search through Agoda for more choices — filter your search by price, rating, reviews, stars, and more. As a standard too, remember that the accommodation choices in Boracay is sort of streamlined in a way that most of the accommodation in Station 1 are high-priced, Station 2 are medium-priced, and Station 3 are low-priced.
OVERALL
It should be apparent by now that Boracay is packed with a lot of activities and attractions that can attract every kind of traveler out there. Like I said, it may be a touristy place now, but its glory still remains especially if you know what to expect, what to do, when to go, and where to go — which you should perfectly know by now after reading this travel guide that I have put up for you!
So what are you waiting for…?
Start planning your perfect summer escapade to Boracay — go and have the BEST time of your life!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Like any responsible tourist and traveler, PLEASE mind your trash when you party and/or stay in Boracay. Don’t leave anything behind. Remember to dispose your trash properly and responsibly. There have been rising problems of irresponsible visitors over the years and I hope that you don’t become one of them. We really should respect nature more and continue to do our part in saving the environment. Please, and thank you!
It should be apparent by now that Boracay is packed with a lot of activities and attractions that can attract every kind of traveler out there. Like I said, it may be a touristy place now, but its glory still remains especially if you know what to expect, what to do, when to go, and where to go — which you should perfectly know by now after reading this travel guide that I have put up for you!
So what are you waiting for…?
Start planning your perfect summer escapade to Boracay — go and have the BEST time of your life!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Like any responsible tourist and traveler, PLEASE mind your trash when you party and/or stay in Boracay. Don’t leave anything behind. Remember to dispose your trash properly and responsibly. There have been rising problems of irresponsible visitors over the years and I hope that you don’t become one of them. We really should respect nature more and continue to do our part in saving the environment. Please, and thank you!