DIY: Boracay Island
Philippines

Boracay will always have a special place in my heart as it was the place where I spent my 18th birthday not so long ago. Haha!

Now I am back, for the third time and it’s for work. It is my first time to be working on the beach. It’s when work  no longer seems work when you are in a relaxing island and being hugged by the ocean breeze. I felt no stress at all. Thanks to the company for bringing us in the island.

Since I stayed here for a month, I have noticed that, compared to Boracay back then (2004), it is now really crowded and commercialized. But Boracay will always be Boracay. I  just hope tourists start to care for the island and have a respect for the locals, too.

I did this trip with my team at work. I lived like a local-act like a local, ate like a local, partied like a local. But you know I am with the team, sometimes I go solo, sometimes I join them partying..their style. I am more of a just-chilling-on-a-reggae bar type of person. But I am in Boracay, it is better to experience with a group!

Boracay is known as a party island aside from being famous for its long white sand beaches. But there’s more than that. Let me share to you some of the activities you can try while in the island.

Let’s go!

How to get to Boracay Island:

From Manila, book a flight to either Kalibo or Caticlan.

From Kalibo:

Once landed in Kalibo Airport, you will need to ride a van/bus going to Caticlan Port. It will take an hour from Kalibo to Caticlan Port. From Caticlan Port, take a ferry ride to Boracay Island. It will take 15 minutes to get there. You will be dropping off at station 3. From there, you can ride a tricycle to take you to your the stations.

From Catican Port, ride a ferry boat to take you to Boracay Island.

Things to do in Boracay Island

There are a bunch of activities that you can try during your stay in Boracay. I am not really into beach activities but I have tried para-sailing and banana boat. I have visited Mt. Luho and did helmet diving, too.

Aside from swimming, beach bumming and partying, you can also try the following activities:

1. Para-sailing (1000 for 30 minutes/pax)
2. Wind Surfing (3000-6000/hour/lesson)
3. Stand-up Paddle (SUP)
4. Sail(Paraw)/Kayak
5. Scuba Diving (16-21000/course)
6. Helmet Diving (300/pax for 20 minutes)
7. Island Hopping (1500/boat)
8. Snorkeling
9. Trek Mt. Luho via motorcycle or ATV (ATV-300/30 minutes/pax)
10. Drive around the town via motorbike (200-600/pax for an hour or more)
11. Visit Motag  Living Museum
12. Check out TAMBISAAN Beach.

You can find cheaper rates of water activities in Bolabog Beach, the other side of the white sand. I suggest that you check them out!

Reminder: Always be kind to locals. They are your friends on the Island. 🙂

Here are some suggested places to stay in Boracay:
(These are mid-ranged resorts/hotels-particularly for flashpackers and backpackers.)

1. Eclipse Beach Resort  (beach front, Stn. 2)
2. Giulius Boracay Italian Resort 
3. 8 Colors Boracay (formerly Villa Paula Beach Resort)
4. Villa Rhazel Resort (beach front, Stn. 2)      
5. Boracay Uptown (beach front, Stn 2)

Below are photos of me and my team during our stay in Boracay.

Helmet Diving

Chill after dive at 7 Stones Boracay, Bolabog.

And then party at Juice Bar after!

Boracay is indeed a party island!

If you want some good reggae music, with live bands, go to Bombom Bar in Station 2 or at Treehouse in Station 3.

And then if you want some time alone to maybe read a book or sun bathe without that much of a crowd compared to the White Beach, go to Puka Beach. It has the perfect view of the sunset, too. It is only a 15-minute trike ride from the central. You may ride a tricycle to bring you there for 20Php per pax.

Below photos were taken last 2012. I get to visit Tambisaan Beach which has the lesser crowd. It’s the other side of Boracay. I get to hang with the little local girls, too. Behind the commercialized and touristy White Beach, you will have a real look at the local’s real life. To get there, just ride a tricycle and tell the driver to drop you off in Tambisaan Beach. Fare/pax is 20 pesos.

View from Mt. Luho..

Photos below were taken in Station 1, Boracay. I like it there as it has lesser crowd and more quiet.

I’ll surely be coming back to Boracay. Not just for it’s beautiful beaches but for the people I get to be friends with in the island!

Hope you’ll enjoy your trip to Boracay like we did! Remember to always care for the place and the people you are into.  🙂