Boracay
If you have seen Boracay from posters and postcards, it probably has an image of an island paradise to you. However, Boracay has became way too commercialized in recent years due to its popularity, and moved down my “must-go” destinations. Imagine wanting a quiet romantic time, yet from the time you set foot on this island, you will be bugged by thousands of vendors who will pester you non stop to make a purchase, especially so, if you are a foreigner. Gone too are the idyllic beach hotels, and are promptly replaced by international hotel resorts franchises.
However, if you love the beach, the sea, and sun, hanging out in the crowd, and over commercialization, huge selection of international cuisines, wild nightlife, 24 7 (well almost …) partying, then Boracay will make a perfect vacation for you.
Boracay is famous for its long white sandy beaches, and is also a popular outlet for water sports activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing etc. Other than the sandy beaches, Boracay is well known for the nightlife and party scene. There are numerous bars and clubs along the whole stretch of beach, mostly located at station 2 of Boracay. Spas are also readily at most places; you can even find freelance masseurs “patrolling” the beaches!
Best Time to Visit
Refer to this article: Best time to go visit Boracay
Where to Stay
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Hotels on Boracay are sectioned off into 3 stations.
Station 1: BIG commercialized beach front resorts and hotels, and where you find the BEST white sand beach on the island. Prices are generally high, and abundance of food selection available. The northern Station 1 area is quiet and peaceful, but it can get a bit noisy and crowded near Cocomangas, Club Paraw and Beachcomber.
Station 2: Mid-Range accommodation – this is the area where most bars congregate. There’s never a shortage of activities, events and fun in this area. The clubbing scene of Boracay!
Station 3: Good budget accommodations for backpackers are located. Considered a chill out location with lots of foreigners – place can get real noisy and near the market.
I suggest Dave’s Straw Hat Inn for its value for money. It even has higher standard of services and facilities than many higher priced resorts. Located in a relatively quiet area, but not without places to eat, drink and to socialize. A pedicab or tricycle means that it is 5 minutes away from all the party areas. Sand quality might be slightly worse than Station one tho’, but nevertheless, still a gorgeous beach.
Orchids Resort is also a good choice for budget.
Marzon Resort is a good selection for beachfront choices.
Boracay Nightlife
The nightlife scene on Boracay is just as important as the famous Puka Shell beach, you will never find a shortage of places to party with numerous bars and clubs located along the whole stretch of the beach. Here are some of the highlights:
Club Paraw – Mostly local crowd. A simple, no fuss place to hang out with good music.
Cocomangas – Has been the most happening bar for many years. Bouncers make sure of the right crowd gets in!
Gulli’s island – Very popular with the “City” crowd.
Juice – Seems like a place with lots of expats. Mainly house music.
Hey Jude: The most “wannabee” and “never-will-be” bar in Boracay. Good to hang around to see and be seen but very plastic, no soul. If you are a social mountaineer this is the place to be in. Expect to pay as much as P 800 beach entrance fee to get in on some special nights! Dress code for guys: no shirts allowed. The bigger your six-pack the better to show it off.
Beachcomber – no soul, bland but also good for social climbers and mountaineers. Good house music though.
Summer Place – good vibe, no fuss, good eclectic music, good eclectic crowd.
Tides Roofbar – For the Manila city social mountaineers club, this is considered like the Mount Everest of the club scene! Kilimanjaro ambiance assured at all times!
My To Do List:
- Waste time on the Puka Shell Beach
- Take a pedicab around the island
- Sail around the island with Red Pirates
- Snorkel at Baling Hai Beach
- Go shopping at the Talipapa market
- See tribal music performances at bars and clubs
Stay Away:
- From expensive international cuisines, overpriced!
- From arriving in a ship during wet seasons – rough sea! Take a plane instead.
- From Station 3 accommodations IF you expect a romantic getaway.
How to get there
My recommendation for a first-timer would be to fly via either SEAir or Asian Spirit from Manila to Caticlan. Less convenient but using larger and perhaps more familiar-seeming jet aircraft (also perhaps less costly — especially with advance booking) would be to travel via Philippine Airlies or Cebu Pacific from Manila to Kalibo, and thence onwards to Caticlan via tourist bus or hired van.
I normally fly the fastest route. Manila to Caticlan via SEair w/c has a 35min flight or Asian Spirit 55min flight. Both airline uses prop engine hesitated at first but i’m used to it since my first time in 1996 (i normally book thru Asian spirit & choose their 4 prop plane). Landing in Caticlan you’d take a short 5min ride to the jetty port and then a 15min boat ride to Boracay…from the port in boracay you get a trike to your resort. the whole trip once you take off from manila should take +-2hrs to your resort room ;)
The other route manila to kalibo uses the bigger airlines like Philippine Airline, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines. Difference w/ this route is you add another +-1.5hour landride from kalibo to caticlan jetty port
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Hi,
Nice page, helpful info, but certainly I found it unfair to suggest that station 3 accommodation is not romantic. I always find it much more romantic than the noisy station 2 where all the party people go.
If you go south of station 3 (Angol), there are several nice, cosy guesthouses like Dave’s, Blue Mango, Island Jewel Inn etc which are clean and have all mod-cons. There are also slightly more upmarket resorts like Villa Camilla, 3-5-7 and Surfside.
It is a misconception that a place has to be super expensive to have a romantic atmosphere.
This quiet, clean location is ideal for romantic vacationers, away from most of the crowds and vendors.
It’s just the stretch from the boat station to the tourist center I would avoid.
Regards,
Aimee
hey can you help me with the coordination of going to boracay. Ill be coming from singapore. ok Ill be taking cebu air.. to manila/cebu (which is reccomanded) from there will drop to Seair/asian spirit to carticlan. from there.. how do i get a boat ride over? can we just get a tix there or?
thanks in advance!
You’ll have to update your website with some of the info provided. Philippine Airlines (which I used) now offers PAL Express which fly directly to Caticlan from Terminal 3 (domestic terminal in Manila). T3 is a world class airport situated where the old Villamor Airbase was. PAL Express flies directly to Caticlan which is the closest acess to Boracay. If you arrange with Boracay Regency the Hotel picks you up at Caticlan and arranges for your Boat ride to the island and also arranges for your boat ride back to the airport. I find Boracay the best place for a vacation, and less expensive than any other Beach Resorts in US and Asia.
Thinking about going to Boracay in July. I understand that the weather may be less than perfect, but on those days that are fine, what are the conditions like at White beach? Is it OK to swim or is the water too rough/dirty Etc? Also what is the beach itself like for sun bathing? During this monsoon season, what is Bulabog Beach and other beaches like? I’d be interested in hearing from anyone with some personal experience. Thanks in advance.
Hey Appleton,
Yap, July is probably not the BEST time to go to Boracay, but the truth is that there’s never a bad time to the place. The water might be a little choppy for swimming, but you will still find many people enjoying their dip in the swallow waters. If it ain’t raining on the day, it will definitely be great for sun bathing!
The White Beach facing south would be a little rougher because of the South Swell, while Bulabog Beach would be quieter. However, since Boracay’s White Beach faces the mainland of Panay- it wouldn’t be half as bad as you think. Boracay’s beaches are really good swimming beaches. I had been to a lot of beaches in the Philippines who claim that that they are better than Boracay- but it is not – well, I guess, there is more people in Boracay at certain times of the year especially during long weekends and hollidays and most of the summer but I was not able to find any place with sand finer, and with gentle sloping bottom, and not with steep drops. The waters are swimmable even during the roughest months. The major annoyance is the fickle weather around this time and would be prone to intermittent downpours – but that says to a lot of Philippine beaches anyway. I went to Boracay in August, October, March, May, April, May, January months- the wettest would usually be around August or July. I like Boracay whatever the naysayers say. :)
Yes, there are numerous vendors who try to sell you items, boat-rides, etc., but I find that a polite “No” is all it takes to deter them. It is maybe frustrating that one has to do it so often, I’ll agree. It certainly doesn’t spoil my experience of Boracay.
I would suggest that the island’s council regulates the activities of street vendors in such a way to allow them to continue operating, (especially where they might be offering a service, and not counterfeit goods), but in a controlled, and responsible manner.
Please don’t put people off visiting the island.
Thinking of going to Boracay for 1 month over christmas / new year, maybe 15 dec to 15 jan… anyone can tell me if there are places to rent privately for one month? Cheers, Helena
Hi Helena,
Will try to check on it. Thanks!
Ryan
Hi Helena,
Sorry for the delayed reply, my contact in Boracay took too long. Here is what she recommended for monthly rents- Windpia, (In Bulabog Area), look for Normeth Preglo, Phone Number is – +63.36.2886043.
Hope that works for you!
Ryan
hi Ryan you say that Boracay has slipped down you order of top destinations, i have been there last year and i agree with you but i will go again, i am looking for that Boracay vibe good beach’s, shopping for her and romantic and flying time of about an hour from Manila [maybe we should still go to boracay LoL],,,
Hi Stuart,
Well, Boracay is still unabashedly probably the Philippines crown jewel when it comes to tourism and although that title is being seriously challenged by a lot of fast rising destinations in the country, Boracay though remains to be beaten. The island has the established tourist infrastructure, and still has the basically one of the finest sand quality we have ever seen in the Philippines or around the world. It’s long stretch of white sand beach (and the shallow waters with the beach gently sloping off is extremely favorable to families with kids). Boracay will host the 2014 Asian Beach Games which is more than apropos- after all, Boracay IS the best Asian Beach.
Good luck with your next trip, I know Boracay is a very difficult place to leave. The place just have that vibe that pulls you right back in. :)
Cheers!
Ryan
DOT installs new Virgin Mary statue at Willy’s Rock (now called Boracay Rock)
Quote:
The Department of Tourism (DOT) installed a new grotto and image of the Virgin Mary at Willy’s Rock on Thursday afternoon due to the clamor of residents and tourists to restore it.
The original image was removed by the owner of Willy’s Beach Resort after her family converted to the Born Again faith. The rock protruding along the wide expanse of the white sand beach was named Willy’s Rock since the owner reportedly rented it from the Malay local government.
In an earlier interview with Panay News, Socorro Ruchanie “Bebot” Gadon said she will replace the image with a tablet with the inscription of Exodus 20:1-5.
Gadon’s move gained the ire of the Catholic Church here that vowed to restore the image of Virgin Mary at the rock.
The Malay Sangguniang Bayan declared the rock as government property. This paved the way for the reconstruction of the grotto and the installation of a new image of the Virgin Mary.
Malay Vice Mayor John Yap carried the image since he donated it.
Around 3,500 Catholic faithful, residents and tourists witnessed the ceremonial re-enthronement of the two foot statue.
The rock was also renamed into Boracay Rock.
DOT officials vowed to promote it and its new name around the world.
Boracay parish priest Fr. Maglore Placer said tourists could now again take pictures of the rock with the Virgin Mary’s grotto.
The rock is considered a landmark the Boracay and is the most photographed scene.
Source: Panaynews
TRAVEL ADVISORY- Where NOT to stay while in Boracay – Boracay West Cove Resort – Manny Pacquiao’s Resort over Boracay’s last remaining coral reefs. A clear and blatant violation of our environmental laws. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS RESORT. DO NOT SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTALLY DESTRUCTIVE TOURISM.