Boracay has been one of the popular getaways and a must-visit place in the central Philippines. It showcases unique white sand beach experience and lively nightlife at long-stretch of the beach. Here is my Boracay travel guide over a Prettig weekend. It is my second-time visit to Boracay and glad to be back. The first time I went here was hot summer back in 2015 with my fambam. This time is a little off-peak and it is a quick trip with friends.
Our itinerary is easy and no need for too much preparation. The basics like airfare, transfers, and hotel were booked earlier and all in promos.
Airfare: The tickets that I got is not the all-time low fare but a good deal promo in CebuPacific Air which is around P2200 with routes Manila-Caticlan and Kalibo-Manila.
Tip #1: Always check promos near or during holidays and subscribe to airlines newsletter or promo alerts.
Transfers: Also, this was purchased in Travel Sale Fair Year 3 at Southwest Travel & Tours. I chose to purchase the transfers ahead to avoid any inconvenience and avoid long lines at the jetty port. It includes round trip transfers to hotel and airport, terminal fee, and environmental fee for P2000 good for 2 adults.
Hotel: We booked in Residencia Boracay Hotel – Station 1 for another good deal. So, we got a deluxe triple room for 3 days and 2 nights stay including breakfast at P8200 which was originally offered at P13400. This was also purchased at Travel Sale Fair Year 3 held in World Trade Center. It is my second-year visit to this fair and I always spotted a great deal and huge discounts. The hotel is decent, clean, and the staffs are accommodating.
Tip #2: Travel Sale Fair offers very good airfare and hotel deals, travel packages and promos. It is partnered with Trendsetters for fashion grabs and travel essentials.
Activities: Beach bumming is our main activity. Staying at the shore, playing the sand and viewing the sunset were the precious moments.
We arrived the hotel by afternoon, we took our late lunch to another hotel and grabbed the famous Jonah’s Fruitshake. Never leave the white beach without trying out this refreshment. Our top picks were Mango Melon, Mango Banana, and Chocolate Banana.
For the rest of our first day, we just stayed by the beach, get the most of the golden hour, the sunset and the night with beer and chips.
Tip #3: Catch the sunset by the shore from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm to get the best view.
The second day was packed with activities. We rented a private boat for 6 pax including the lunch. Our first stop is the must-visit Puka Beach. The sand is not as fine as the White Beach’s but its blue-green water complemented well with its own loose brown-yellowish sand.
Tip #4: Try to bargain and find the best offer for different acitivities. Mostly are found between station 1 and station 2 near the Astoria hotel.
The next activity is the cliff jumping at Magic Island. We paid Php150 per head as entrance fee. As a support to the adventurous souls, we witnessed and captured their jumping stunts. One of our friends, Jet, braved the highest cliff which is 10 meters above sea level. While the others, Jay conquered the 7 meters twice and Homer from 5 meters high.
Back in 2015, I jumped off the 5 meters high cliff and never tried this time because the waves were raging down there. Instead, I took the chance to capture on the other beautiful side of the island which is truly magical.
We ended our island hopping activity with snorkeling. The wind and waves during this season are raving in the middle of the sea. But, we were still able to view the corals and other sea creatures from the clear blue water.
Of course, we wanted to get mesmerized by the most-adored sunset in Boracay, hence, we did not skip the Paraw Sailing. This is the best activity before the day ends.
During the second night, we stayed by the shore, dipped into the surprisingly a little warm sea water and explored the D-Mall.
The third day was just sunrise capturing and enjoying our breakfast at the hotel. We had to leave early because our return flight is by noon in Kalibo which is 2-3 hours away from the white beach.
Now, I understand why people keep on coming back to this place. Aside from its natural beauty, it is fun, relaxing and far from the stressful city.
Disclaimer: The site and author are not affiliated, associated, authorized, sponsored by, or in any way officially connected with Residencia Beach Hotel, Cebu Pacific Air, Southwest Travel and Tours and other mentioned companies or events. All images are original. This is served as a guide or reference only.