Boracay Island Travel Tips

Boracay is the main beach and tourist destination in Philippines. It is a small beautiful tropical island featuring superb white sandy beaches.

White Beach is actually ranked as one of THE most beautiful beaches in Asia and in the entire world! It is a busy beach with dozens of bars, restaurants and dive shops but if you walk for ten minutes away from the crowds, you will find secret sandy coves all for yourself.

Boracay is also famous for its raving nightlife with clubs and bars where you can party till dawn. Scuba diving is also possible. It is not the best spot in the Phillipines but it is still interesting. It is also a good place to learn diving and get your Padi Open Water for a fair price.

In this page you will find practical information to plan a scuba diving trip to Boracay Island:

Where to stay?

I usually use this website to book in advance my hotels in Boracay Island as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because it's free to cancel and change the dates.

You can find all levels of accommodation in Boracay depending on what you are looking for, from very basic bungalows for budget travellers to luxurious beach resorts and hotels. Most of the accommodation is located along the superb White Beach. Several resorts are also located in hidden peaceful beaches if you prefer to avoid the crowds a bit ;-).

The prices vary depending on the season. They can even double during high season and especially fro Christmas, New year, Chinese New Year and the Easter Week. During these periods it is best to book in advance.

During low season, it is possible to negotiate and to get really nice rooms for a cheap rate!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wandering_angel/1004882905/

Activities and excursions in Boracay Island

Boracay is a very popular beach destination so you will find a wide range of activities to keep you entertained while not in the water. You can for example:

• Learn Kiteboarding, Skimboarding or Windsurfing
• Try Cliff Diving or Parasailing
• Hire a Motorbike and ride around the Island
• Enjoy a Horseriding tour on the beach
• Enjoy and relax on isolated beaches
• Go on a Snorkelling day tour

Best time to visit Boracay Island

Tourist Season and Weather

There are 2 seasons in the Philippines:

• The Dry Season runs from December to June. Air temperature is about 25°C during the Winter months and increase sharply from March to June with 35°C heat at times! During this period, the sea is very calm on White Beach and perfect for swimming while the other side of the Island has large waves. This therefore makes it the high season.

• The Wet Season is between July to November. During this period the hunmidity is very high and there are frequent but short heavy rains. The air temperature is about 29°C during the wet season. During this period, White Beach has big waves and wind making swimming unpossible. This is the low season.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gep/462383841/

Health and Safety

If you are planning an upcoming dive trip or travelling to Boracay Island, it is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance for scuba diving, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it (because accidents do happen!). I recommend this diving insurance as they offer worldwide coverage and focus on providing scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Where is Boracay Island located in the world?

Boracay Island is located 310km South of Manila and just a few in the Visayas region.

See the map below.

Boracay Map

 

How to get to Boracay Island?

It is quite easy to get there. You have several options:

Plane:

There are 2 airports to get there:

• Godofredo P. Ramos Airport (note: also called Caticlan Airport). It is the closest airport but only small aircrafts can land there. The companies serving this destination are Cebu Pacific Air and Air Philippines. Flights are available from Manila, Cebu and Clark. From the airport you will need to go to Caticlan Jetty Port by tricycle or walk for about 10min. From there you take a boat for 10min to reach the Island.
• Kalibo International Airport. This is a bigger airport suitable for bigger airplanes. It is possible to fly here from Manila, Taipei, Shanghai and Seoul. Companies are Zest Airways, China Airline, Cebu Pacific Air and Air Philippines. It is located further away from Caticlan jetty port than Caticlan aiport and you will have to take a bus for 1h30min to reach it and take the boat to Boracay Island.

• Mini-Van: A cheaper option to go from Manila to Boracay is to book a mini-bus. It will take about 12 hours and cost around P1200. You can book this through travel agencies in Manila.

Getting Around

Boracay Island is only 10km long and 1km wide so you can easily get around by tricycles or by walking. It is also possible to rent scooters and bicycles. You can take boat day trips to visit isolated fine beaches.

Boracay Island Photos

Scuba diving

You will find all information about sea life, best time to visit, top dive spots, etc. in our review: Boracay Island Diving