Travel Pinas: Boracay Travel Guide

Though I love to travel, Boracay is really not on the top of my list. I expected Boracay as a crowded place that you cannot enjoy much its island side but when we got there my jaw dropped and all I can say is WOW!.

Front Beach of the Hotel

Most of the travelers

are choosing the flight to Kalibo because it is cheaper than Caticlan and they also have direct flight from/to Incheon, Pusan, Taipei and other nearest countries so don’t be surprised if you will see a lot of Koreans and Taiwanese in Boracay.

In Manila Domestic Airport you will pay the terminal fee for 200php.

When we arrived at Caticlan we rode a tricycle for 100php and it includes the Boat fare of 25php.

In Caticlan Jetty Terminal port you have to pay 100php for terminal fee and 75php for environmental fee. It was just a 10 minute boat ride, before we know it we are already in the island. Since it’s our first time at the place and we don’t know where exactly our hotel is, we rode again a tricycle for 100php (it is the fixed rate so if you want to pay cheaper you can ask the other tourists if they want to share a ride with you)

We stayed in La Carmela de Boracay Hotel located in Station 2 but it’s not that far in D’mall where the restaurants and shops were located and besides it’s really nice to walk along the beach. We booked the hotel last mid of August at the Travel Mart Fair in SMX Mall of Asia. They offered discounted rate (since it is off-peak season) and one free night, we will stay for 3 nights so we just paid 2 nights and it all includes breakfast. For the accommodation we paid 3,400 for 4 days and 3 nights, not bad since they really have a good service in La Carmela. Their breakfast was just plated but you can avail the buffet and you will just pay for 100php. (Their breakfast buffet was our favorite of all).

There are loads of tour guides offering different activities but you should not agree on the published price on their leaflets, you can bargain the price until you had an agreed price. On our case we have chosen 6 activities which are Para sailing, Helmet Diving with CD that includes underwater pictures and videos, Island Hopping, Jetski, ATV and Zorb. You can have these activities for the range of 5,000 – 6,000php and that’s for two pax the only expensive activities are island hopping because you have to rent the boat and jetski as always. And thank God we didn’t choose the Fly Fish because a group of 4 girls that supposedly our tour mate in island hopping had an accident because of the activity, one of them had bone dislocation so they need to rush in Kalibo for treatment, and the worst part is, it’s their first day in Boracay and fly fish was their first activity.

Para Sailing – it is absolutely amazing because you’re just like flying.

Helmet Diving – you will have a brief lesson before the activity, they will teach you the different hand signs underwater and techniques how to overcome the air pressure while you are diving. It’s quite hard at first but I told myself that I need to do this and when I touched down the floor it doesn’t hurt anymore we stayed there for 30mins while feeding the fishes. We even saw Nemo and his father on their natural habitat hehe.

Island Hopping – our tour guide pick us up on the helmet diving site for the island hopping, we stopped at a certain area and went snorkeling. (Good thing we brought our snorkeling equipment). It is great to see the underwater with live corals and full of different fishes, you’re like watching HD and 3D video there.

Jetski – it’s my first time to ride a jetski and I feel so sporty that moment haha

There are lots of eat all you restaurants that ranges to 250 – 540php per pax but if you are on a budget trip Andok’s Chicken are everywhere on the island even siomai and shawarma.

Aside from the activities natives also offers hair braid, massage, customized souvenir items, and a lot more, but then again, don’t hesitate to bargain the price, you will notice on their signage the prices were not published because they give higher prices especially to foreigners.

On our third day we went for ATV and Zorb. It is located somewhere in other side of the island and it is called Dreamland. It was like a mini amusement park that offers ATV and Zorb. We rode the ATV for an hour; we trailed the way to a mini Zoo and the sight-seeing place where you can see the whole island from the top.

Since it is our last night on the island we went clubbing with our friend and his girlfriend that we just bumped in on our 2^nd day in Bora, coincidentally we are staying at the same hotel.

Our first plan is to visit Guilly’s island since it is the only bar that we know but when we got there are only few people inside and we saw the bar across them that was called Cocomangas and the crowd was so wild.

Observing the place we noticed their alcohol challenge, you need to finish by yourself the different alcohol mixes and if you succeeded it will be free and your name will be posted on the wall of fame with the date you accomplished and you’re country that’s why their tagline is “STAND FOR YOUR COUNTRY” but if you will not be able to finish, the drinks costs 1,280php.

Guilly’s Island and Cocomangas were not the only clubs that you can find there, in fact, there are lots of them, others requires entrance fee while others have consumable amount.

On our 4^th day we packed our things and prepare for our flight back to Manila. Our flight time is 12:35 pm.

We left the island at 10:00am and we are scared of not making it on time. We rode a tricycle to the port and a man offered a package for 200php per head that will include our boat fare and a shuttle fare up to Kalibo but you still need to pay the terminal fee of 100. We were supposed to ride a shuttle that is still empty, we told the driver that our flight is 12.35pm so he kindly endorsed us to another shuttle that is leaving that time.

We were so thankful of the driver of the shuttle because he really cares for his passengers, since he knows that we are almost late he drove as fast as he can and just lucky in deed, we arrived on time. The passengers were all boarded and we are the last two on the list.

(by the way, the terminal fee in Kalibo airport was just 40php)

We have accomplished our mission of finding Ababu Boracay hehe in case of Shawarma rice they don't have the same quality like the Ababu Katipunan because it is not really roasted but then the price is cheaper, 99php for every meal