Boracay Guide
Boracay is, probably, the most well-known island in the Philippines. It’s not hard to understand, as it boasts what is probably the best beach in the country. White Beach is a huge strip of powdery sand bathed by calm, crystal-clear waters. The boom in tourism in recent decades has led to the appearance of lots of resorts on its shore, with their pros and cons.
If what you are looking for on your trip through the Philippines is a good beach with all the amenities and nightlife, this is your place! In this Boracay Guide you will find everything you need to enjoy what is recognized as the best beach in Asia.
Home to the Ati tribe for centuries, it was in the 70s when Boracay started to become known. What started as a secret among backpackers spread all over the world in a matter of years, and tourism development didn’t take long to arrive. From small hostels, it went to large resorts that welcome tourists from all over the world, although fundamentally from China and South Korea. However, this uncontrolled boom ended up taking its toll on the island and it was completely closed for 6 months in 2018, after the president of the Philippines called it a “cesspool”.
Although it is now open, work continues in Boracay and many rules have been imposed to try to mitigate the effects of tourism on nature. For example, eating and drinking on the beach is not allowed, nor are umbrellas or sunbeds or the use of single-use plastics. And, although you will still find nightlife, it is far from being what was once considered “the Ibiza of Asia”.
With all that, Boracay is a perfect destination for those who want to enjoy spectacular beaches without the need for island hopping and also have an incredible hotel and restaurant offer. The island is an ideal place for activities such as kitesurfing, boat trips, or all kinds of parasailing style water activities. In this Boracay Guide, you will find everything you need to get the most out of it.
THINGS TO DO IN BORACAY
Although White Beach is the undisputed queen of this list of things to do in Boracay, don’t miss the other beaches and activities that we recommend in this Boracay Guide:
- Beaches of Boracay: you not only have White Beach (divided into 3 “Stations”), but you also have other fabulous ones like Bulabog Beach, Puka Shell Beach, or Diniwid Beach.
- Island hopping: although not comparable to those of Palawan, in Boracay you can take a ride in a paraw (traditional boats) and snorkel at Crocodile Island or even get close to the beautiful Carabao Island.
- Kitesurfing: we couldn’t leave it out of this Boracay Guide, since the island is one of the paradises for lovers of this sport. From November to March is the best time.
- Partying: it’s not what it used to be, but in Boracay you even have a pub crawl, that is, a tour with a group of people from bar to bar. Meet other travelers and enjoy the Filipino night.
- Eat well: with tourism came a huge gastronomic offer of all kinds and in Boracay you have everything from small street food stalls to high-level restaurants. Don’t forget to visit D’Talipapa, a market where you choose the goods and how you want them cooked.
- Sunsets: okay, this can be done all over the Philippines, but the sunsets on White Beach are worthy of mention in this Boracay Guide. It is a show you cannot miss.
- Luxury: if there is a place to treat yourself, that is Boracay. The island has some of the best resorts in the Philippines and offers activities such as a helicopter ride.
- Adventure sports: diving, ziplining, parasailing, quad biking… Even mermaid courses!
You’ve seen that there’s plenty to do around here, right? This Boracay Guide is just a summary, you can see it all developed in:
HOW TO GET TO BORACAY
Due to its tourism development, it won’t be too hard to get to Boracay. Although there is no airport on the island itself, you do have one very close by, on neighboring Panay. Caticlan Airport (IATA: MPH) receives flights from many Philippine airports, mainly from Cebu, Clark, and Manila. Particularly interesting is the route from El Nido to Caticlan by Air Swift, which we talk about in detail in How to go from El Nido to Boracay. Since flights to this airfield are usually somewhat expensive, you also have the possibility of flying to Kalibo Airport, located a couple of hours away, and taking a bus or transfer to Caticlan. This latter airport receives flights from Taiwan, South Korea, and China.
Once in Caticlan, you will have to go to the port and take one of the frequent boats that go to Boracay. These operate 24 hours a day. We have given you some clues in this Boracay Guide, but you have all the information in:
STAY IN BORACAY
We have already told you that in Boracay you have amazing huge hotels, but, if you don’t want to spend so much money, don’t worry because you will also find hostels for backpackers and mid-range accommodations. Our advice is to look for hotels in the Station 3 area, which has a more relaxed atmosphere.
On the other hand, with the closure of Boracay in 2018, an obligation was imposed to have a confirmed reservation on the island in one of the authorized hotels. These are the ones that meet environmental standards and other parameters to operate. You will have to show the reservation at the port. We tell you the best ones in:
TIPS FOR VISITING BORACAY
- BEST TIME TO VISIT BORACAY: from November to May is the dry season in Boracay and, therefore, it is when you will see White Beach at its most beautiful. It is at this time when the water is less rough and also more crystalline. Within these months, being a very touristy island, we advise you to avoid Christmas, Chinese New Year, and Easter. Not only will you find many more people, but prices go up a lot.
- HOW MANY DAYS TO SPEND IN BORACAY: although with 2 days you could already visit the main points of interest in this Boracay Guide, since you have come to discover the paradisiacal beaches, we advise you to spend at least 3 full days.
- MONEY IN BORACAY: you don’t have to worry about the money issue, as you are going to have plenty of ATMs and exchange places. However, keep in mind that ATMs charge a fee. To minimize commissions, we recommend reading Money in the Philippines and Best debit card for traveling to the Philippines.
- INTERNET IN BORACAY: although it seems we will never say that the internet works well in the Philippines, the truth is that Boracay is one of the best places for speed (not counting Cebu and Manila). Even so, since Wi-Fi networks are never reliable, we advise you to bring your SIM card.
- GETTING AROUND BORACAY: if you have little time on the island and want to cover a lot, it may be interesting to rent a motorbike, but we warn you that it is not easy to find them and that, if there are any, they are quite expensive.
- GREEN ALGAE IN BORACAY: we recommend checking recent photos of Boracay on Instagram, especially if you visit between March and May. In the Filipino summer, it sometimes happens that White Beach gets full of green algae. In addition, sewage discharges and pollution have made this happen more frequently.
- FLYING A DRONE IN BORACAY: due to the proximity to Caticlan airport, flying a drone for personal use is not allowed. Before, you could ask for a permit, but now it seems it is not feasible.
- SHOPPING IN BORACAY: you won’t lack options of all kinds, but most shops are concentrated in D’Mall. Here you have everything from simple souvenir shops to places with glamour.
- HEALTH: Whether it’s Boracay or any other destination in the Philippines, we always recommend, from our own experience, playing it safe and traveling protected. In this article, we tell you which is the best travel insurance for the Philippines with surfing coverage and we give you a 5% discount on its price.