A Not-So Crowded Boracay

THREE OF TWELVE:

Lately, my partner has been so busy with work and it was pretty obvious that she needed a break. And since it was her birth month and Holy Week came early in March, it was but timely to treat her somewhere.

We decided to go to Boracay the weekend before Holy Week. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been to Boracay. Many people say it is overrated or is no longer the same as it used to be. So what? We still went anyway and we did not regret one bit. As much as I don’t like my skin getting burnt, I would hardly say no whenever someone asks or invites me to go to the beach.

Boracay is a small island a few distance off the northwest tip of Panay Island, Aklan in Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Aside from the white sand beaches, one thing good about it is its accessibility. There is no need for long hours of land travel, no bumpy roads, and no uncomfortable rides.

✈️ How to get there

There are many ways to reach the island – by land, by sea, or by air. There are two airports in Aklan. You can either choose to pass through Kalibo Airport or Caticlan Airport.

Caticlan

If you’re planning to go in by air, try booking your flight to Caticlan Airport because it’s nearer. From Caticlan Airport, you can either walk (10-15 minutes) or ride a tricycle from the terminal to the jetty port.

Although nearer, Caticlan Airport has fewer flight frequencies because of its Sunset Limitation. Sunset limitation refers to an airport’s lack of night capacity due to insufficient runway lighting.

KALIBO

On the other hand, Kalibo Airport is an hour or so away from the jetty port. It can accommodate night flights and is built to hold more passengers. To reach the jetty port, you can take a van or a bus. Although farther, transportation is not a major problem because there are plenty of land arrangement options in Kalibo.

We booked a flight to Kalibo instead of Caticlan since it was cheaper by the time we decided to push through with our trip. We had our flight around ten in the evening. With the usual delays and stuff, we arrived in Kalibo past eleven.

When we arrived at the airport, we directly booked the airport-jetty-hotel transfer package to save us time. The booking stalls are located right outside the airport terminal. We arrived in Boracay at around 1AM and decided to sleep the remaining hours before the sun rises again and before we indulge ourselves with what the island could offer.

The Island

Boracay is known for its very long stretch of white sand beach which has three sections or stations:

Station 1 is the northernmost section. It has the widest beachfront and has the best (and most expensive) resorts and hotels.

Station 2 is at the center. People come here to eat, shop, and party. It has cheaper resorts and hotels. If you are on a budget, this station has a lot to offer.

Station 3 is the southernmost section. It’s quieter compared to Station 2. All the water activities can be found here.

We stayed at my friend’s usual go-to-place in Station 2. It’s not a fancy hotel or resort. It’s somewhat like a B&B. It was quite decent and clean and only a few steps from the beach. I cannot remember its name since there was no signage visible.

We thought of doing all the water acitivities during the first day so we can just bum and enjoy the beach for the remaining days. We walked around to look for great deals for parasailing and flying fish. I suggest you go directly to the operators for cheaper deals. They are located at Station 3.

Usually the packages you get through local guides appear to be more expensive because they’ll be given cuts from the operators.

We first did parasailing in the morning, then flying fish and stand up paddle in the afternoon. We did not go island hopping since all we wanted to do was to relax and chill.

The following days were purely beach bumming and food tripping. Of course we did not miss visiting Two Seasons Resort for their Oyster Sisig and Four Cheese Pizza.

Also, we went to Puka Beach. We hailed a tricycle to bring us to Puka for 150 pesos.

We spent most of our time by the beach (eat – drink – sleep – swim repeat). It was a fun weekend for all of us. The timing was perfect. We were there before the official start of summer. Tourists started flocking in right after we left the island.

We sure had an amazing weekend but then again we had to go home because we have jobs and other responsibilities.

How I wish I could just travel (or bum) all the time.

💰 Summary of Expenses

Per Person

Air Fare (Return) 1,983.12

Transfer Package (Return) 1,000.00

Accommodation (3 Nights) 1,750.00

Parasailing 1,000.00

Fly Fish 600.00

Paddle Board 100.00

Transpo (Entire Trip) 300.00

Food (Entire Trip) 2,000.00

Total Expenses 8,733.12

I hope this can help you plan your future trip to Boracay. Feel free to leave comments or message via e-mail if you have any questions. If you like this article and want to see or know more about my trips and tips, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.