Get a henna tattoo in Boracay

The crowning glory of Philippine beaches, Boracay and its white beach and crazy view of the stunning sunset, continue to reign among the hearts of sun loving tourists and local visitors. This jewel off the tip of the Panay Island is a world recognized natural treasure with its 9 kilometer expanse of natural beauty. Off shore are the greatest views of the coast where colorful triangles hover as sailboats roam around the breadth of the sea. Down below are interesting corals, and small swimming creatures that tickle your feet as the crystalline sand fill your toes. Huge rocks slapped by the splashing waters look like mermaid hangouts in the middle of the water. Through the fascinating views, the waters also swarm with wind surfers, and boaters among others. Ashore are bare backed people in their bikinis trying to get that perfect tan. Great big sand castles are common views, along the palm tree lined shore. Throughout the beach walk are laden shacks filled with native accessories, crafts and many other souvenir items. Tattoo artists stand by as you pass, luring you to get a distinctive Boracay henna or a tight braid.

Further up are lines and lines of gourmet restaurants serving all sorts of cuisine from international origins. In between are small shacks offering local tastes and delicacies. Fresh seafood hauled straight from the water and cooked before your eyes is just among the unique tastes in the beach.

Buy a kilo of fresh lobsters for P750 (about $17)

More souvenir shops line the area called D’Mall, the shopping hub along the beach. Through the alleys are numerous resorts and hotels catering to the different tastes of the visitors.

Aside from the great beach activities (beach volley, wind surfing, wall climbing, etc.), other entertainment opportunities await visitors as the musical local artists serenade you with their unique type of music, while other street entertainers paint your faces with a smile.

Ati-atihan festival

The festivities are not held in Boracay but if you’re already in the area, you might as well make the stop to visit the mainland town of Kalibo, Aklan for the annual Ati-Atihan Festival. Boracay also offers its own version of the festivities through street dancing and other events organized specifically for that weekend.

Asian Windsurfing Tour

If you’re a big fan of windsurfing, you shouldn’t miss the Asian Windsurfing Tour which organizes six windsurfing events on the island. The event is held every January to take advantage of the strong winds that are brought by the northeast monsoon.

Butterfly Garden

Children will surely find a visit to the Butterfly Garden in Boracay an interesting experience. The garden was opened to the public in April 2005 and is home to rare species of tropical butterflies as well as to a wide assortment of trees and plants native to the region. Being this close to nature is an amazing experience that you simply have to try before leaving the island.

Barangay Yapak

And while on the subject of nature, take your trip to the northern part of the island to Barangay Yapak where you will find a special breed of bats that are called the Flying Fox. Make sure to take the time to see them now because the creatures are quite rare as they always fall prey to poachers in spite of the attempts of conservationists to protect them.

The most popular way of travelling to Boracay is by air. Flights from Manila and Cebu going to Caticlan and nearby Kalibo are provided every day. Most of these flights are also synchronized with the boat transfers from Caticlan to the island so you getting there is no rocket science. But if you want to explore other options of travelling, you can always go by land and by boat.

Ro-Ro

Ro-Ro (Roll-on, Roll-off) is a nautical highway that was developed to connect all the major islands of the Philippines. The country is an archipelago so the government thought of a way to make transportation of goods from the north to the south and vice versa easier. This has also provided an option for adventurous travellers to try a different way of getting to Boracay.

When you go by Ro-Ro, expect to use buses and ferries to travel to Boracay. Philtranco buses offer trips to Caticlan from Manila. You just need to head for their terminal at the Ali Mall located in Cubao Quezon City or at the Ali Mall located in Pasay City. Buses leave several times daily and during peak season, the company adds more trips according to demand. The fare will set you back by P700 for non air-conditioned buses and about P850 for air-conditioned ones. This is inclusive of ferry rides that you will take along the way.

The bus will take the more scenic route to Boracay. From Cubao, you will travel to Batangas where the bus will be transported by ferry to Calapan, Mindoro. From there, the bus will go along the island and then board another Ferry from Roxas going to Caticlan.

Travel time for the whole journey is about 14 hours. It is a different albeit quite exhausting experience so make sure to travel with a buddy or a group so you don’t feel too bored along the way.

1. Diving – Surrounded by the sea, Boracay is home to many diving spots that allow you to explore the fascinating marine life of the island. You can also request for lessons and rent your gear from Boracay Scuba if you want to.
2. Watersports – Parasailing, kiteboarding, and skimboarding are among the favorite watersports of locals and visitors.
3. Sports in the inland areas – Take a break from the beach and go hiking at the highest point of the island, which is Mt. Luho. You can also enjoy activities like horseback riding and tours around the island.
4. Beach sports – If water not your cup of tea, you can still enjoy fun under the sun at the beach with activities like frisbee, beach volleyball, and beach soccer. The best thing about them is that you won’t have to equip yourself with any special gear anymore to enjoy playing.
5. Tattoo – Decorate your body with one or more henna tattoos in different designs. Don’t worry – it’s painless and temporary.
6. Massage – Some resorts and beaches offer massages on the beach, like the one in Waling-Waling where you can lie under the cozy cabanas and get a rejuvenating and relaxing rubdown.
7. Watch fire dancers – Head to Hey Jude to see the fire dancers. Enjoy the show an experience some culture.
8. Watch the sunset – Boracay sunsets are some of the most beautiful in the world, so be sure you don’t miss it.
9. Boracay nightlife – You won’t run out of choices – from neighborhood bars to high-end clubs. There are dance parties and live performances (sometimes free) all year round.

First things first: Getting to Boracay can be cheaper if you do not choose air travel. If you are adventurous and have much time to spare (i.e. 18 hours), taking the nautical route should be a good choice to get to the island. Take off from the port in Batangas in Luzon for a cheap way to get to Boracay. The route is also scenic since the ship passes along several provinces, allowing you to enjoy your trip. If you must insist on traveling by air, book a flight going to Kalibo via Cebu Pacific. Upon arrival, ride an air-conditioned van that heads off to Caticlan, which stands 15 minutes by boat away from Boracay itself. Upon getting to the port of Boracay, simply ride a multicab and head over to your preferred accommodation.

Affordable yet high quality accommodations can be found in the different stations of Boracay, and they are close to the beach by means of riding a tricycle or even by foot. You can also choose to go to Boracay during off-seasons when the accommodation rates of options by the beach are lower than during peak-seasons. It also helps if you travel in a group since lodgings become more affordable for all of you.

Where should you go?

Boracay does not run out of venues to enjoy barhopping, clubbing, drinking, karaoke, dancing, and other entertainment options that offer varying ambiances to match any budget or idea of what enjoyable evening is supposed to be. Several bars line Boracay Beach and play a large role in heating up the nightlife of the island. In fact, many restaurants and bars are closed during the daytime and only open as soon as the sun goes down (and stays open until the first traces of sunrise appear). These venues tend to get crowded in the weekend, especially during peak seasons. You can expect some of the bars to charge you an entrance fee. If you want a more laid-back time, choose to visit Boracay during weekdays when the crowds are smaller. Non-peak seasons let you enjoy a quieter nightlife, allowing you to enjoy a more relaxed evening alone, with your family, friends, or with a special someone.

Barhopping lets you experience everything that Boracay’s nightlife has to offer. If you want the fun without the price tag, then just enjoy free live performances in the beach. You can watch live bands, cultural dances, ethnic shows, and others. During peak seasons. You can catch major live performances of popular celebrities, bands, and performers from Manila coming over for small concerts to promote their latest work.

First class beach resorts in Boracay are located mostly along its finest beaches. These resorts add an extra lap of luxury to the already irresistible offer of Boracay’s pristine white beaches. Some additional amenities you can enjoy by staying at a first class hotel in Boracay are free shuttle services around the island, a private beach, and Internet service. These beach resorts usually charge between P5000 to P20000 for a three day, two night stay.

Now, if you don’t have that much cash to burn on accommodations, there are several less expensive hotels that you can choose from. You might have to sacrifice beach front locations and several luxurious amenities by choosing these hotels, but they are nonetheless clean and efficient. Rates for a three day, two night stay in these hotels usually start at P3,000.

For budget travellers, the island also offers much cheaper accommodations. Locals residing in the island usually offer rooms in their houses to visitors who are interested in renting transient space. Rates of transient rooms are by far lower than those offered by resorts, but you shouldn’t expect the luxury and comfort of the latter either. These transient houses, however, are the best option if you want to experience authentic island living as most of them are traditional nipa hut accommodations.

Now if you plan to stay in the island beyond the usually three day, two night vacations, it is best to book an apartment or other long term housing facility in the island. In general, the farther away an apartment is from the beach, the cheaper its rates are.

Then again, whatever kind of accommodation you choose to use for your stay in Boracay, you can expect the same brand of warm hospitality that the island, and the whole country, is well known for.

If you’re going to areas outside the White Beach, public transport in the island comes in the form of tricycles. These are motorcycles that have sidecars attached to them where the passengers are supposed to sit. The fare ranges from five pesos to twenty pesos depending on how many people are hiring the ride. If you’re going to charter a tricycle for an hour, you may have to shell out 150 pesos.

You can also rent bicycles. Some resorts rent them out to their guests at about 50 pesos per hour. This is another way to get around the island and exercise at the same time. You just need to be careful on the road. Bikes are supposed to run on the right side of the road. Tricycle drivers tend to navigate through the main roads like maniacs so make sure to stay out of their way.

There are also resorts that can help you arrange for motorcycle rentals. But take note that driving manners and the road conditions may be different from those in your country. You will also need an international driver’s license to be able to rent a motorcycle. Rentals can cost about 150 pesos an hour.

The whole island of Boracay, which only measures nine kilometres long and one kilometre wide, is packed with an intoxicating mix of bars, restaurants, discos, and other afterhours venues. The beaches themselves are transformed to tropical party venues after the sun kissed the water at sunset.

Boracay bars are on top of the list when it comes to nightlife and entertainment in the island. These bars are open from sunset till sunrise, with their parties usually spilling out to the beaches. Given the wide variety of Boracay bars, you are sure to find a place with music, food, and a crowd that suits your taste.  Bar hopping is also a popular practice and is recommended if you want take a sampling of everything.

Live performances by the beach are another staple in Boracay. Live band performances, ethnic shows, cultural dances, and a variety of other shows are staged every night near and on the island’s beaches.  During peak seasons, these live performances usually include major shows featuring popular celebrities and performers from Manila, the country’s capital city.

Nightlife in Boracay, however, is not all loud and crowded. The island also has several night life venues where quiet and intimate is the name of the game. D’Mall, the main shopping district in Boracay, is lined with several international restaurants and quiet shops. There are also classical piano and guitar shows held nightly by the beaches. These spots are perfect for a moment of solitude and romantic dinners under the stars.

There are lots of ways to get to Boracay. If you have a lot of time to spare, and I mean, 18 hours of travel time, you can use the Ro-Ro nautical highway from the Batangas port. This is by far the cheapest way to get to the island. It’s also taking a scenic route because you’ll get to pass by several provinces to get there.

Otherwise, you might as well head for the airport and book a flight to Kalibo. Cebu Pacific offers some of the cheapest airfares to Kalibo. From there, you can ride an air conditioned van to Caticlan which is 15 minutes from the island of Boracay. At the Caticlan Port, expect to pay Php100 per person to cover terminal, environmental and boat fees. From the Boracay Port, you can hire a multicab which can fit 11 people if you’re travelling in a group. Each multicab will set you back by Php250.

There are lots of accommodation options available in the island depending on your budget. If you want cheap lodgings, don’t hope to get one by the beach. Opt for something near the beach and just walk or ride a tricycle to get there. If you’re going on a low season, then you’re in luck because this is when the rates are relatively lower. It’s also better if you travel with a group because lodgings are cheaper then. Finally, don’t talk to middlemen. Go directly to the hotel staff if you want to get better rates. Fixers are usually working on commission, after all.