Hello guys! So this was my last travel hoorah for the year 2015. I did this trip just last month and I'm posting it a bit late today. I was on a long holiday rest and spent most of it with my family at home. It was totally refreshing! And speaking of refreshing, the word also suits the place that I'm going to feature in this post, BORACAY!
I'm really psyched to share my Boracay experiences with you. This trip was supposed to be in November but due to the recently held APEC Summit in Manila, the flight was cancelled and I had to have it re-booked. Came December, it was time for myself to see Boracay for the first time!
 |
| Kalibo International Airport |
HOW TO GET TO BORACAY ISLAND?
The flight that I took to get to Boracay Island was bound for Kalibo. The travel time from Manila to Kalibo took about forty-five minutes to an hour. The Kalibo International Airport is pretty small but very clean (almost empty lol). Just a little heads up though, you won't find any stores inside the airport as all the food stalls are situated outside. So if you're leaving Kalibo and planning to eat something while waiting for your boarding time, you may want to grab some snacks before you get inside.
Just outside the arrival area is a line of booths for air-conditioned vans which usually transport tourists going to Caticlan Jetty Port. It costs PHP 250.00 which includes the boat fee at the port. It would take you around an hour and a half to two hours of travel to get there.
Upon entrance at the Caticlan Jetty Port, you'll be asked to pay the terminal and environmental fees of PHP 100.00 and PHP 75.00 respectively. It'll take you about twenty to thirty minutes to get to Boracay Island.
Once you arrive at the Boracay port, you'll see a bunch of tricycles lined up nearby and you'll probably need to ride one to reach your chosen room accommodation.
TIP: Do some research and have your room accommodations reserved as early as possible to avoid stressing yourself out doing the walk-in thing especially during the peak season (October to May).
In my case, I asked the tricycle driver to take me to Coco Rimas St. Vincent Resort at Station 2. The tricycle driver charged me PHP 100.00 and it took around ten minutes to get there.
I got the annoying Diva, Carter with me so we took the room for two pax which costs PHP 1,200.00 per night. The room is pretty neat. It has a big flat screen television, air-condition, hot and cold shower and a free wi-fi connection at the common areas of the resort (The wi-fi connection is not that strong though, but it's okay for me as I won't be needing it. I came here to enjoy!). The best part is, it's just a two to three-minute walk to the beach!
You may check out Kaliboracay Trips' Facebook page or Olivero's Place Kalibo's website for other great deals on room accommodations or you may also reach them at the following contact details:
- Kalibo office: 036-268-3293
- John Kieffer Melana: 0917-515-9620
- John Philip Oliveros: 0998-568-0149
GREAT PLACES TO EAT YOUR HEART OUT!
There are a wide array of different restaurants to choose from at the beach front. However, for a guy like me who always looks at spending wisely, I found a couple of spots where you can definitely get your money's worth in making your tummies smiling from ear to ear!
 |
| Wet Market and D'Market at D'Talipapa |
I had my mind set to indulge in to some awesome seafood here in Boracay and D'Talipapa is definitely the place to be! It's in Station 2 which can be accessed via either the White Beach front (the alley between Taste of Moon Restaurant and Zucherro Cafe, or the small pathway beside Victory Diver's Resort) or the Main Road (between Boracay Holiday Resort and Hennan Lagoon Resort). Different restaurants that offer cooking services are located around its wet market.
 |
| Angel Wish Dish Cooking Service |
I was actually eyeing for Plato D'Boracay Cooking Service at first but the place was just jam-packed with people. I think it's a good indication that what they're offering might be great but I was already starving and thought that if I come squeezing myself into that crowd, I'll just find myself stressed out while waiting for my food until the next morning. LOL!
Good thing I found Angel Wish Dish Cooking Service! You can already have a good in-house meal (with rice) here that plays around PHP 150.00. You can also ask them to buy some fresh goods from the wet market nearby (or you can do it yourself) and have their cooking services for around PHP 300.00 or PHP 500.00 up all-in. The prices would depend on the type and volume of seafood that you want to have.
Just beside the wet market is D'Market which is another long alley where you can buy different Boracay souvenirs and "pasalubong" for your loved ones. D'Talipapa is just great that it gives almost everything to you all in one place!
 |
| Boracay Toilet Restaurant |
Another awesome food spot to go to is one with a very unique concept, the Boracay Toilet Restaurant located at Balabag Plaza, Station 1! For those persnickety people who easily lose their appetite when the idea of poop comes to mind or even when just trying to eat nearby a toilet, this restaurant might just change the way you look at these things.
I just love the idea of this place! Everything is very colorful and summer-ish making it pleasing to the eyes. Not only can people have good food but they can also have fun goofing and taking pictures around.
This concept restaurant offers quality Filipino Fusion food that is mostly for sharing. The price for the food ranges from PHP 50.00 to PHP 500.00. They even have this custom made wares. How cool is that?! They are also having these for sale playing around PHP 270.00 to PHP 890.00 per piece.
MAKING YOURSELF BUSY IN BORACAY
Aside from getting lazy lying on the sand and getting a tan, there are a bunch of things that you can do in Boracay. From parasailing to reverse bungee, Boracay can definitely give you the thrill that your heart desires!
 |
| SUP (Stand-up Paddle-boarding) |
The annoying diva and I were looking for activities that would keep us busy the whole day while not spending that much. SUP or Stand-Up Paddle-boarding is one good way to start your day. An hour of board rental costs PHP 400.00 per hour.
While strolling the white beach strip and looking for good activities, we bumped in to Sir Ronny from Shingley Tours and he offered us a fairly good deal! The deal consists of the thirty-minute helmet diving and a six-hour long island hopping activities (an hour of stay for every spot to visit) including a lunch buffet. All for the price of PHP 1,200.00! PHP 600.00 for the helmet diving and PHP 600.00 for the island hopping and lunch buffet which can be availed separately. Super awesome!
You can contact Sir Ronny of Shingley Tours at this mobile number: (+63) 929-610-4437. Shingley Tours' service tent is located somewhere in Station 3 alongside other similar businesses.
NOTE: I am not in any way affiliated with anyone at Shingley Tours. I'm placing Sir Ronny's contact number here with his permission to somehow provide useful information to my readers and at the same time, help him with his work. I learned that they can earn extra on commission basis by getting tourists to avail of their activity packages.
 |
| Helmet Diving |
To our excitement, we did not waste any time and started the activities right away. We were first sent to the helmet diving station for a brief orientation on the do's and don'ts while underwater. For safety, you will be accompanied by a professional diver who will also be taking your video and pictures. You'll get to take home a copy of it in a form of a CD afterwards. It was fun and refreshing walking and feeding the fish under the sea!
We were then sent back to the shore afterwards to wait for the other guests who availed of the island hopping activities. We didn't even wait for more than five minutes for the boat to cast off.
Our first stop was the Coral Garden where you get to snorkel or dive to see the beauty underwater. Well, I just got underwater a few minutes back so I decided to just stay on the boat and rest for a while. I saw a man sitting on his surfboard with a bunch of coconuts on it. He's having those coconuts for sale for PHP 40.00 each to people who are doing the island hopping activity. He was paddling his way towards our boat so I took the chance to buy one. Resting on the boat, enjoying the view and sipping on a fresh coconut juice... Fantastic!
 |
| Crystal Cove |
After the Coral Garden, we were supposed to visit the Crocodile Island but unfortunately, the boatman explained to us that the waves were too high and it was too risky to visit the place at the time. Well, everyone understood the situation and agreed. We don't want to be risking our safety for anything. So skipping the Crocodile Island, we were then sent to the Crystal Cove. There would be an entrance fee to the cove of PHP 200.00 which is excluded from the island hopping package deal.
You can absolutely feel the cool and refreshing wind whipping on your skin while enjoying the high and vast scenery of this place. It somewhat gives you a tribal feel as well because of its amazing man-made structures.
Lunch time! After enjoying our relaxing time at the Crystal Cove, our boatmen took us to Tabon Baybay which is an island nearby where tourist carts are waiting ashore which will then take us to their humble buffet lunch area. The food, I must say, was not bad at all! I actually enjoyed it, appreciated it even more with the peacefulness of the village.
 |
| Puka Beach |
Now, on to the last stop of the island hopping activity and actually my favorite site during this entire Boracay trip... Puka Beach!
The whole place is just so clean and serene! Clear waters, powdery white sand beach, green forest and rock formations and those little store huts selling fresh fruit shakes, it's just perfect!
We got back to Station 3 at around 4:00 PM. Just a great timing to wait for the sun to set at the Willy's Rock in Station 1. While strolling, my phone's battery died and we had to use the annoying diva's phone. Unfortunately, for some weird reason, the photos that we took from his phone were not saved. Sorry guys, no photos of Willy's Rock in this post. *sigh* Anyways, you should go check it out. Not only will you get to see The Virgin Mary's grotto but the spot is great for photo ops as well.
As the night approaches, you won't be having a hard time looking for a nice place to chill and enjoy with your family and friends. The beach strip from end to end is filled with different bars and restaurants to choose from. One thing though, live bands outdoors are allowed by the local government to run only until midnight so you won't be able to party on the beach till the break of dawn. LOL! Don't worry, I saw one indoor disco bar somewhere between station 3 or 4 (I'm not sure where exactly between the two) and maybe you can go there and enjoy till past midnight so there's that.
So there you have it guys! My last quick misadventure for 2015. Please key in the comments section below if you have any other Boracay experiences that you'd like to share with me and our readers. Below are some of the other photos that I had during this trip.
Thank you all for dropping by The Deksbook.
Cheers to a happy new year everyone!
37 comments
The Php 600 cost for a Boracay island hopping is already a steal. But the Php 600 for helmet diving is quite on the expensive side.
ReplyDeleteHi BoracayStories! Yeah, I thought so too. I did some prior research that stated helmet diving to cost PHP 300.00 but the source was dated few years back so I'm not really sure if this price still exists. We actaully spent hours hunting for lower prices for the helmet diving from station 1 to 4. Unfortunately, some were even offering it to us at PHP 700.00 to PHP 800.00 so we thought PHP 600.00 was the best deal that we could have at the time.
DeleteIf you have any information as to where to get a lower price for the helmet diving. I'd really appreciate it if you could put it here so we can share it with the readers. It would definitely help a lot for those who are planning to visit Boracay soon! :)
And yes, I was also quite happy with the deal we got for the island hopping. That was sweet! Hehe.
Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts! Happy new year! :)
I think this is a blog post sent from heaven! Im going to Boracay on the 9th of Feb and i still dont know the whereabouts, where to go and how to go. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteaikaloraine.com
I'm glad this helped. Have a fantastic time in Bora! :)
DeleteOooh I miss Boracay!!! Great photos!! Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteI miss it too... already haha! Thanks for dropping by Coi! :)
DeleteI really want to visit Boracay someday... never been there and it has always been on my bucket list! It's quite an expensive trip kasi so I need to save a lot haha
ReplyDeleteI know some people have an impression that Boracay is such an expensive place to travel to. Believe me, I was one of those before. But then I realized that you can actually enjoy this beach destination with a penny-pinching budget! Just plan things out well in advance and you'll soon be finding yourself laying down on the white sands of Boracay! :)
DeleteAs much as I want to go to Boracay, my heart is longing to visit beautiful and better beaches here in Cebu. Maybe someday, but not now.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can visit Boracay as well, the beaches are almost similar to those in Cebu. Especially when I saw Puka Beach, it actually reminded me of Sugar Beach of Bantayan, Island!
DeleteSince you've mentioned Cebu, ohhh I really want to revisit the gorgeous place! I'm actually a self-declared ampon ng Cebu lol! Looking forward to revisiting real soon!!! :)
I shall keep this bookmarked when I plan to go to bora again! :) Thanks so much for sharing! Super helpful!
ReplyDeleteGlad to be of help. Thank you Roselle! :)
DeleteReally planning to got to Boracay this year! Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome Frances! :)
DeleteThanks for giving me a tour of boracay! :) I remember seeing a toilet themed restaurant in one of my fave youtube channels (good Mythical Morning) in the US, but the food is as shitty as the theme(pardon the pun hehe)... Looks like Boracay Toilet is a way better execution of the said restaurant eh? YUMMY FOOD!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more Nicole! Even the name of their dishes are quite funny and they go with the theme as well, just they call sisig as "SHIT-sig" LOL!
DeleteThank you for Sharing, i wish i can visit boracay soon :") #IskolarAko
ReplyDeleteYou absolutely can if you really want to! Enjoy and have a safe trip by then if you do! :)
DeleteHeaven on earth! Looking at your photos makes me want to book a trip to Boracay the soonest!
ReplyDeleteThanks Migs and Alaine! Ohhh, I think it would be a perfect timing for the both of you since summer is fast approaching. :)
DeleteWow! Such wonderful post. Ang ganda ng mga photos :D
ReplyDeleteCheers! God Bless
http://estudyantetravels.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-small-birthday-celebration-at.html
Thanks Mac, I'm glad you liked the post and the photos. Cheers and God Bless you as well! :)
DeleteWe've been to Boracay last summer and the kids love to come back because they enjoyed the activities they had in Bora.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! The activities in bora are super fun! I kind of felt weird with my photos during the helmet diving activity though, I thought I was using a face-warped app or something. LOL!
DeleteHaven't been to Boracay but would love to be in this place considering a lot of adventures and water activities are here.
ReplyDeleteYes Mark! I'm sure you'll love it there! :)
DeleteMy last visit to Boracay was on 2011, but the water then has plenty of algae (?). We were warned by the locals that the lack of drainage and sewerage + the year long tourists is an environmental time bomb. I hope this issue has been resolved already
ReplyDeleteHi Sonnie! Yea, I also saw it on the news before. It brings me joy to share that when I visited, the waters was quite clear and there were only a few bunch of algae that I've spotted. It was so much better in Puka beach though, I can't even remember seeing algae in the area. It was so clean that I can't help myself but to just take the plunge and swim!
DeleteThis might be a very good indication that the local Government is taking their actions of recovery seriously. I hope Boracay becomes even better in the coming years! :)
Good to hear that :)
DeleteWow, how coincidental that I also recently went to Panay but skipped Boracay. It truly is a treasure for the Philippines, and I'm excited to go there... someday :)
ReplyDeleteYea! Hopefully soon, I'd be able to have my take in visiting Panay as well. I love your post about it! :)
DeleteSea view was very clear here. I love Boracay :D
ReplyDeleteIt sure is, thanks Oliver!
DeleteThat's amazing, I'll go to boracay soon. Thank you for beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kamar! I hope that you have a great time in Boracay! :)
DeleteBoracay is very attractive however it is just one of over 7000 Islands in the Philippines have. If you really want to enjoy a beach vacation in the Philippines, try going to a virgin island. No hotels, no bars, just you and your camping gear
ReplyDeleteI believe that would be depending on the person's preferences Martinez. But as for me, I would definitely love to do that! If I may share, I have done it the first time in Borawan, you may check it out here in this post:
Deletehttp://thedeksbook.blogspot.com/2015/02/borawan-sweet-survival-escape.html
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Martinez! I appreciate it. :)