Spending Summer in Boracay Island

Since last January, I’ve been saving like crazy for my 2017 summer travel goal which was to tour the whole southern part of Cebu. But all of my plans were cancelled (for a while I hope) after receiving a message from my aunt. If you have read my about page, you will likely know that I pretty much suck when it comes to planning, unless ofcourse it’s about traveling, haha. So yep, she asked me to find some affordable destination this summer good for 5 person (and obviously, I’m #5) and draft an itinerary.

I would have love to go to Ilocos but after some numerous bomb and earthquake scares in Manila, I decided to skip it for now. I’ve been dying to go to Palawan but it stretched outside my aunt’s budget. I’ve seen a lot of promos offered online for Boracay travelers, and since it’s been in the top destination this summer, I decided to check all of our options.

Boracay Island is known for its powdered-like white sand and lively night life. I’m not very much fond of beaches like I do with waterfalls, but I do see myself enjoying white-sand beaches once in a while especially if I’m stressed out. Boracay wasn’t in my top list even with its high popularity so it was really a surprise that I decided spending summer in Boracay Island.

I regarded it before as extravagant and crowded (which really is true) but I was able to find some ways to make our stay in Boracay within our budget range (but failed miserably when it comes to food, haha I’m really unstoppable when it comes to food lol).

How to get there?

Boracay Island is located off the northwestern coast of Aklan. If you’re coming from Manila or any part of the Philippines, flying is going to be the best option.

There are actually two airports to serve Boracay-bound passengers along with its pros and cons:

Kalibo – farther and requires around 2 hours travel time but fares are much cheaper.
Caticlan – closer but fares are way more expensive.

Since I’m aiming for a budget travel, we chose through Kalibo. This was based from our personal experience where we were able to save a lot, so if you don’t mind to take a little adventure, you may want to follow the following:

We arrived pretty late in the evening so we decided to spend the night at Kalibo. So from Kalibo Airport, we hired unmetered taxi-type vehicle to take us to our hotel which cost us Php100 overall.
The next day, after our breakfast, we hired a tricycle to take us to their V-hire terminal that is bound to Caticlan, which only costs us Php8 each. And V-hires going to Caticlan will only cost you Php100 per person.
Upon arrival at Caticlan jetty port, proceed to the booths near the entrance to the building and settle the terminal fee (Php100), environmental fee (P75) and fare (Php25).

Tip: Make sure to get a motorized bangka ticket and not ferry since it’s way cheaper than what they offer which is Php75 each.

Inside the port building, register your name and proceed to the Passenger waiting area and wait for boarding announcement.
Board the boat or ferry going to the island.
You will dock at Tambisaan Port and there are tricycles waiting there that can take you to your hotel. You can take a non-special trip where you will be riding with other passengers for Php25 each, or a special trip where you can enjoy the tricycle on your own for Php100 to Php120.

If you’re coming from Caticlan airport, you can check our this video by Adam John of Boracay TV below:

Where to stay?

Boracay is divided into three stations, 1 where most of the expensive hotels are located and 3 where budget conscious travelers goes. If you feel like relaxing in a 4 or 5 star hotels, you can absolutely see a lot of them at station 1, but if you’re not choosy and you’re willing to let go of the aircon and other amenities, you will be surprised by the number of options to choose from.

For our 3 days 2 nights stay in Boracay, we decided to stay at Morning Beach Resort. It was a pretty descent deal plus they offer some water sports and airport transfer. I’ll be posting my review soon about the hotel and will update this post as soon as possible.

For my travel, I always rely with Agoda and TravelBook for my online booking. Both of them offers pretty affordable deals plus it’s very convenient too.

Where to eat?

Most beachfront and hotel restaurants are very costly so I’ve searched some cheap yet yummy restos that is within our budget. For budget traveler, your best bet are the turo-turo carinderias along the man road and inner alleys where you can have a decent meal for only Php60.

One popular food place is D’Talipapa, where you can shop for fresh ingredients and have one of the surrounding eateries prepare them the way you like it for a fee. If you’re a seafood lover, you should never miss this place.

You can check out more food options here > Boracay’s 15 Best Must-Eat Budget Restaurants

What to do in Boracay?

I’ve only been to some few beaches before so imagine my excitement when I saw numerous exciting water sports you can try in Boracay. Aside from water sports, Boracay can definitely keep you busy and boredom will never be an option.

Here’s some of the most common Boracay attractions that you may want to consider:

Island Hopping
Parasailing
ATV ride
Scuba diving
Mermaid lesson
Paraw sailing
Standup paddling
Cliff diving
Sunset watching
Partying
Food tripping

You can find other options here > 15 Exciting Things To Do In Boracay

Sample Itinerary

Unfortunately, because of some business matter, we weren’t able to follow my itinerary and skipped some activities. Too bad! So for sample itinerary and complete budget breakdown, you can check out this article by lakadpilipinas where I’ve got my inspiration from. Most of the price where accurate except the entrance fee at Mt. Luho View Deck which is now Php120 each. And in order to save more, you can ride a habal-habal for only Php100 good for two person.

Travel Tips and Infos:

Traveling in Boracay is quite expensive so you’ve got to practice the art of haggling. Do a little research and make sure to read some reviews.
If you’re planning to go on an island hopping, the booths for group island hopping are located at station 1 and 3.
If you’re in a really tight budget, you can stay away from arranged airport transfers as you can save more if you DIY, just follow my tips above.
Boracay is a very crowded place because of its universal popularity, so if you want a little peaceful travel, it is advisable to go there during off-peak season (June-October). Plus, hotel accommodations and water activities were much cheaper during those dates.
If you don’t have any plan on staying long at Puka Beach, I suggest not to go there and just avail group island hopping which is being offered for only Php500 per person with lunch excluding entrance fees in the beach front as Puka Beach is the last destination of the tour.

My experience?

It was my first time in Boracay and I was really surprised with the white sand. Looking with all the photos in the internet, I thought it’s no different with other white beaches, but dang! The instant I landed barefoot in the sand, my oh my! I feel like I was stepping on a baby powder. Now I understand what’s the fuss is all about.

Boracay is undeniably crowded and I’m not just speaking about the tourists but with all the establishments too. Also I am living in a big city for the past 8 years that’s why I was a bit surprised with how small the roads in the Boracay was considering that it’s the most visited destination in the whole Philippines. So traffic once in a while should be considered especially if you’re riding 3-4 wheeled vehicles.

Even with the itinerary not followed complete, our overall Boracay experience was worth it.