Boracay, Aklan, Philippines
We know traveling is very stressful for everybody, but we want to make sure that everyone gets across the world safely. So if there are any questions please feel free to ask. It's a long journey but this section is meant to break it down.
The trip consists of 3 legs:
1. Flight to Manila
2. Flight from Manila to Caticlan
3. Car + Boat from Caticlan to Boracay
Flight To Manila
Our go-to airline of choice is Philippine Airlines, since they are the only airline that offers direct flights from New York to Manila. The flight is still long (~16 hours), but the overall time traveling is significantly shorter because you avoid long layovers. I don't know what the options are outside of NY so out of state people might need to do some research on your own.
If you don't mind making a pit-stop along the way, or are hoping to save a little money, there are definitely other airlines you can take. Our alternate is normally Korean Airlines. The flight is pleasant overall and most stopovers are at Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea. There are worst places to spend an unusually long layover, since their largest airport boasts lounge chairs with privacy screens, casino, and golf course.
Manila to Caticlan
Unfortunately the trip does not end after landing in Manila. Boracay is a separate island which means one more short flight (~an hour). You will most likely land in Caticlan at Godofredo P. Ramos Airport. However, the island does have one more airport in Kalibo. Avoid landing here if you can since it adds at very long car ride to your overall trip.
You want to make sure you have a significant layover time in Manila (3+ hours preferably), since Ninoy Aquino Airport requires you to jump a bunch of hoops to reach your connection. You have to get through customs, get your bags from the carousel, take a bus to reach your Domestic terminal, check your bags back in, and go through security. This is just the minimum bar any delays from your previous flight. So please be mindful and plan ahead.
Caticlan to Boracay
The final part of the trip requires a short car ride (~5 minutes) from the airport to Caticlan Jetty Port, followed by a boat ride to the island (~20 minutes).
If you landed in Godofredo P. Ramos airport, the Jetty is just down the road. The trip from there to your hotel should only be about an hour.
Depending on where you booked your hotel you might not have to worry about this step. Some, if not most, hotels in Boracay offer transport from the Caticlan airport all the way to your hotel.
If your hotel does not offer this then you're going to want to book a transport ahead of time. You can flag down transport when you land, but to avoid being overcharged it is just quicker and safer to book ahead.
Don't worry though, if your hotel doesn't offer transport there are tables of people set up in Caticlan airport of offering transportation services to your hotel. Just walk up to one of them and set it up and you'll be good.
Boracay is a pretty small and most of the activity is focused around the beach area on the western side of island. The main beach is broken down into 3 stations: Station 3 is the southern-most and Station 1 is the northern-most. They are all close and because the island is small you can walk between them easily. We would walk from Station 1 down to Station 3 occasionally and that takes about 30 minutes. Beachside are various shops, restaurants, and bars. Between those are alleys and small roads that lead to the main road. You will recognize this road as the one you travel to get you to and from the port. The main road also has a number of shops, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.
Station 1 is more quiet because it has less shops and therefore less people. It is also the Station where the wedding venue is located (The Lind). This tends to have the more bougie hotels. Station 2 is probably the busiest, since this is where most of the shops, restaurants, and bars are. This is also where tourists gather for tour pick ups since it is the location of a makeshift dock. Located in this station is also a popular "mall" called D-Mall. Because of that it can get crowded at certain times. Station 3 is basically Station 2 but slightly less populated and obviously a little further from the popular areas. However Station 3 also has some great places to eat and some good bars too. So take this all into consideration when you’re planning where to stay.
It’s easy to walk wherever you want to go on the main beach area. However it gets very hot during the day and there isn’t a lot of shade to hide under. If you would rather hitch a ride, the main road has plenty of tricycles that go back and forth between the stations transporting people around. Flag one down and tell them where you are going, they are cheap (~100 pesos which is $2; keep in mind this is aslo the price to hire the ride to yourself, most normally charge way less but pack on multiple passengers).
Some Important Things You'll Want to Know Before Going
• You should probably exchange a little money before you leave. The Philippines currency is the peso (not the same as Mexican peso) and all of the vendors use it. The rate is usually $1 = 50 pesos but it fluctuates. There are many places in Boracay where you can exchange your USD for pesos. But if you want to be able to buy anything on your way over there, give tipes, or set up a transport, you’re going to need to exchange money beforehand. To give you an example, Krystal and I recently went and spent about $600 combined for 7 days there (food, drinks, transport, and 1 boat cruise). You might need more if you plan to do excursions.
• PLEASE do your research before booking a hotel. The Philippines is a bit cheaper than the US but they do have very different living standards. You could end up in a hotel that has no AC, is a closet, or has a hole for a toilet. Read reviews, compare prices, and make sure your hotel has all the things you need before booking. We picked a hotel that was ~$220/night (way overpriced) because we thought we were getting something nice and the place was a disappointment. Don’t stay at Estacio Uno. You can get nice places much cheaper there ($150/night) or even cheaper than that if you’re willing to part with some things.
• Tipping. It’s not really a thing in the Philippines, however Boracay sometimes expects it. If you’re sitting for food or drinks make sure to check your bill for “service charge”, that’s them charging you tip. Some places will and some places won’t so keep an eye out for it. When you’re on your way to Boracay there will be many nice people trying to help you carry your bags or help you onto the ferry, stuff like that. Those people expect a tip for their services and will ask if you don’t. If you take a tricycle down the road you probably don’t need to tip them. But the guy driving you from the jetty to your hotel with all your bags probably will expect one.
• DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Bottled water (don’t drink the tap water). The sun is extremely strong and hanging out in it without being hydrated is killer. Hotels usually provide you with daily water. We usually stop at one of the grocery stores and get a giant bottle for the room but you’ll need some throughout the day. It’s rare to find a place on the beach that sells water that isn’t a sit-down restaurant. But if you walk off the beach towards the main road you can find a grocery store or 7-11 like place that will sell you 1 liter of water for 50 pesos ($1), do that. I drank more than 2 liters of water daily last trip to give you an example.
• Think about renting an international phone. Your US phone won’t work there and yes there’s WiFi but it’s very spotty, even inside some of the hotels. We will be renting one in case anyone needs to contact us. It’s not necessary, you can get away without one, but if you want to be able to communicate with others then maybe rent one. There’s a lot of websites that will let you do this.
• Sunscreen: bring it. That sun is strong. The first time I was here I had sunburn in 5 minutes. I know I’m white but Boracay is not the place to test you melanin. Do yourself a favor, bring some sunscreen with you and apply often.
• Umbrellas. Have I mentioned how strong the sun is yet? Some people walk around with umbrellas to keep the sun off of them. It works pretty well, maybe bring one or buy one when you get there.