Tips around Boracay

 

 

Dos and Don’ts in Boracay

 

Do

·       Diving is extremely popular around Boracay. The waters surrounding Boracay have excellent sites for beginners and experienced divers alike. The waters are packed with vibrant fish and reefs, wreck sites, caves and canyons. There are 30+ great dive sites within 30 minutes of Boracay, and 30 quality dive shops on the island. Diving is year round, although the best diving is considered to be January to June. PADI introductory courses are 2,500-3,000 PhP, and PADI open water certification courses are 10,000-12,500 PhP. Other courses available are advanced open water, advanced plus, rescue through dive master, as well as drift diving, night diving, cave diving, deep diving, and wreck diving… just to name a few!

 

·       Kiteboarding is one of the most popular watersports on Boracay, with a growing community devoted to this extreme sport. During the high season, Bulabog Beach is transformed into Asia’s best kiteboarding beach, due to the unique wave breaking reefs and ideal wind situations. There are numerous competitions and events here as well. The kiteboarding scene that has sprung from these conditions is rapidly increasing in popularity, and people are coming here from all over the world. Introductory courses are 3,000 PhP for a one day introductory course, and 7,500 PhP for a two day full course. Equipment rentals then are available at any of the ten shops along the beach, and are very reasonably priced. A good collection of new and used equipment is also available for purchase.

 

·       Sailing Getting out into the waters around Boracay is beautiful way to see the island. The Paraw is a simple sailboat that will cost you 350-500 PhP an hour, depending on your negotiating skills. It will take you around the island, where you can stop off at many of Boracay’s 12 beaches for a swim, snorkel or picnic. Many of these beaches are deserted, some accessable only by boat. The Paraw will come with an experienced captain, some snorkel gear, and is definitely the best way to get out and enjoy the sunset. The best way to get a boat is to approach the sailors directly on the beach and avoid the vendor’s commissions. Ahoy!

 

·       Spa and Massage There are many ways to treat yourself to a relaxing spa or massage on Boracay. For the budget traveller, there are many independent women that will walk down the beach and offer massages right on the sand. (300 PhP). There are also numerous massage stations on the footpath (350 PhP). There are some hotels that have massage houses on the beach that also offer quality massages (350-400 PhP). If you are looking for a spa, then there are some Spa’s such as Caesar’s on the main road (800 PhP), Madarin Hotel Station 1 White Beach including facials and bodywraps (1,500 PhP+/Hour), Surfside Yasuragi Spa Station 3 directly on the beach - massage, and wet and dry saunas (from 1,000 PhP+) as well as Danaru Spa near Bulabog Beach (1,500 PhP/2.5Hour). For the Royal Treatment, see the Mandala Spa (3,000-10,000 PhP).

 

·       Parasailing is one of the more unique ways to see White Beach is by parasail while being pulled by a motorboat. The view from 100+ meters in the air is spectacular. It takes a minute or two of ascent to get to that height, and you remain there for ten to fifteen exhilarating minutes. Parasail rides are usually done a safe distance of about a kilometer out from White Beach. You can get these rides through Diamond Watersports Station 1, Mandarin Hotel Station 2, or Seraph Hotel Station 2 to name a few. Rides typically cost 1,800 to 2,500 PhP per person.

 

·       Speedboats & Jet skis can be rented at various places around the island. The Speedboats come with a guide who will drive the boat, or once you are out at sea, let you drive. The speedboats cost 3,000 PhP/hour, but drinks and beers are provided. Jet Skis are also available. They are parked out on floating rafts away from the crowds. A boat will ferry you out to the raft, where you can rent them for 2,500 PhP/half hour. Jet Skis are most fun when you have a few friends also out with you. Ride responsibly!

 

·       Helicopter Adventures and rides are available from the Boracay Heliport near Cagban Port. The helicopter is a R44 Raven - for three passengers plus the pilot. They have Caticlan to Boracay transfer service (2,750 PhP/person), as well as White Beach tours (3,500 PhP/person), and Island Tours (5,300 PhP/person). They also have inter-island tours, sunset tours, and charter flights. Captain Jack is an experienced pilot, and an air tour of Boracay is a great experience. Phone 036-288-4356.

 

·       Skimboarding has come to Boracay in a big way. Skimboarding is a clean and cheap sport, and has become popular along White Beach. The locals teach visitors the basics. It’s fun and easy to learn, but takes time and practice to master. It makes for a fun afternoon, and is great exercise. You can rent skimboards for 200 PhP per hour, and they will show you how to use it. There are skimboard shops all down White Beach. Some good guys operate the shops in front of Red Coconut Hotel Station 2, and in front of True Home Hotel Station 1.

 

·       Horseback Riding - located at Station 1 behind the main road. Boracay Horse Stables (800PhP/Hour)

 

·       Golf - Fairways and Bluewater 18 hole first class golf course

 

·       Henna Tatoo is available all over White Beach. The artists are quite skilled, and are reasonably priced.

 

·       Banana Boat Ride - 200 PhP per person, 4 riders or more.

 

·       Kingfisher’s Farm - behind boat station 3 near Bulabog Beach. You can fish for your lunch in a very relaxing environment. The staff will grill up your catch.

 

·       Tennis - There are tennis courts at Tirol & Tirol Resort central White Beach Station 2.

 

·       Wallclimbing - In the center of D’Mall, or at Patio Pacific Resort.

 

·       Ultimate Frisbee - There are afternoon games on White Beach that you can join in.

 

·       Manicure/Pedicure - There are a few places in D’Mall, or shops along White Beach. There are also women walking up and down the beach that offer nail treatments at a reasonable price while you lounge on the beach.

 

·       Shopping - D’Mall (upscale) or D’Talipapa (local) markets, or anywhere along White Beach. Best deals are further from the White Beach footpath, and it pays to negotiate. They will give you a “special price” that is really your starting point for bargaining.

 

·       Bat Caves - Located at the northern tip of Boracay. Rent a trike for <150 PhP/Hour. A local kid will take you into the caves for a small tip. Can add in a stop at Puka Shell Beach for a good afternoon.

 

·       Gym - There are gyms at Seraph, Patio Pacific, Boracay Holiday and the Regency. This includes use of their swimming pool (150 PhP+)

 

·       Butterfly Gardens - There are butteryfly gardens at the entrance to the golf course. A good stop if you are mountain biking or ATVing in the northern part of the island.

 

·       ATV /Offroad buggies - can be rented on a hourly basis to cruise around the northern part of the island. They are available at several shops north of station 1. Can be arranged through the Seraph Hotel or Mandarin Hotel at Station 2, or Diamond Watersports Station 1.

 

·       Bulabog Beach - Most tourists stay on White Beach, but it is only a ten minute walk to Boracay’s secondary tourism beach. To get there, take one of the roads heading East from behind D’Mall. Excellent for sunrises and water sports in high season.

 

Don’t

 

·       Don’t leave valuables on the beach when swimming. Boracay is a pretty safe place for tourists, but there are always bad apples. Don’t flash around large quantities of cash.

 

·       Don’t get angry or argue. Loss of face is something to be avoided in Asia, the Philippines is no exception. The Filipinos are a friendly and hospitable people. Smile. You’re on vacation.

 

·       Don’t drink the tap water. While the water quality in Boracay is getting better, it’s still best not to drink it. Larger hotels have their own purification systems, and the ice is also made from purified water.

 

·       Don’t be too quick to meet up with someone for an encounter. Some have been known to ask for money for services, and others simply to rob you. Know that there are very attractive girls that are actually boys. Having said that, Boracay is a seductive and romantic place and there are many encounters that are just good fun. Be smart.

 

·       Don’t do drugs here. The Philippines have very strict laws and are enforced. While it may be possible for foreigners to pay a heavy fine / bribe, this is not assured, and happens less as of late. In any case, the drug scene in Boracay is minimal at best, and this should not be an issue. There are undercover police officers offering marijuana.

 

·       Don’t overstay your visa. The Philippines actually have quite favorable extension rules; visit the Bureau of Immigration early for extensions. (located behind D’Mall on the main road)

 

 

PRICES IN BORACAY

 

One of the extra advantages of Boracay Island is the very reasonable prices of food and beverages, for example a full breakfast is offered by most restaurants for less than P 200 ($4), a 3 - 4 course meal for P 300 - 500 ($7 - 10) and the internationally acclaimed San Miguel beer cost only P 40 ($0.75) - so dining on a Boracay beach, under the stars, followed by a bar-hopping evening will only place a small dent in your pocket. Every night on the island can be a Boracay party night.

Boracay is expensive by Philippines standards but not by western ones. Comparing Boracay prices to other destinations in the Philippines is a bit redundant though, unless you are comparing like for like. I don’t know of any other island in this country which offers the same things as Boracay does all together in the one place; watersports, diving, dining, scenery, spas, shopping etc. It isn’t just greed which keeps the prices high though. Businesses have to pay extremely high electricity and water bills for example.

BORACAY WARNINGS AND DANGERS

Boracay is relatively safe, but follow some basic rules to ensure your stay is as hassle free as possible:

• Drink bottled water.
• Apply plenty of sunblock.
• Keep a close eye on valuables when out and about.
• Bag snatchings are relatively rare in Boracay and are not limited to one specific area. Whether you are in the mall or on the beach, never leave your possessions unattended. Thieves target people who may have had a bit too much to drink and are not aware of their belongings. Be warned!

ACCOMODATION

·       Boracay’s White Beach.A number of accommodation types are scattered all over the island, ranging from luxurious hotel types to budget, spartan rooms. Guests can also choose according to location–Station 3 is where most of the cheaper lodgings are located, while Station 2 is meant for those who want to be within close proximity of the bars. Station 1, meanwhile, is where you can find the more isolated accommodations, offering peace and quiet to those looking for a respite from the usual action-packed Boracay night scene. These are usually for the more upscale vacationers.

ABOUT HOTELS IN BORACAY

·       The thing about most hotels in Boracay is that you should choose yours based on your level of crowd and noise tolerance during the peak times.  Station I is where people go to see and be seen. It’s also where most of the live music and commercial setups take place, full of promos and exhibits. So basically if you’re between the ages of 15-30 and single, you’ll probably prefer Station I.

·       Slightly older married couples or parents with children would be better off staying in Station 2 or 3.  It’s much quieter on this side of the strip and is far less commercialized. This is where you can argue that Boracay, as a whole, is not 100% about a wild party or commercialized atmosphere.

·       Station 2 and 3 are also where you’ll find the less expensive hotels and resorts. Basically the rates are 100-300% higher in Station I during the peak season vs. the low season. In contrast, the range mostly of hotel/resort rooms go for is roughly 40-100% more during the peak season for resorts in Station 2 and 3.

·       Boracay is the site of a world-class 18-hole par 72 golf course designed by Graham Marsh. In addition, Boracay now has in excess of 350 beach resorts with more than 2,000 rooms ranging in quality from five-star to budget accommodations, so tourists are sure to find whatever they are looking for.

·       Boracay also offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs that bop until morning.

·       When paying for hotels where credit cards are accepted, be forewarned that a service charge of six percent or more is added, presumably as payment for the convenience. You will also find that most hotels add 10 percent service charge plus 10 percent government tax to your bill.

·       A final word on hotels before you go: Consider whether you would really want air conditioning, cable television, or a room mini-bar. After all you are on a tropical island communing with nature, and there are plenty of nice, comfortable rooms with a ceiling or floor fan. In fact, some hotels (for example, Nigi Nigi Nu Noos “e” Nu Nu Noos) feature rooms without telephone and television as a matter of policy so as to enhance the feeling of “getting away from it all.” Jony’s Beach Resort, on the other hand, is set amidst palm trees and greenery that give it an atmosphere of privacy.

 

Boracay information Center

 

·      Boracay WI-FI Broadband Internet Access

·      
Globelines, Innove Communications, Inc.’s brand for residential and business customers, brings wireless broadband Internet access to one of the country’s top travel destination by foreign and Filipino tourists – Boracay Island.

Globelines Broadband, Innove’s breakthrough business, now powers the entire island and enables its tourists and locals to get high-speed Internet connection while enjoying the beautiful beaches of Boracay.

 

 

Recently KCTN had launched its Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) high-speed Internet access service in the island of Boracay. Now, over ten (10) Hotspots were activated in less than five months from its soft launching and continuously growing. This includes the premier resort/hotel such as FRIDAYS & NIGI NIGI Beach Resorts. There were a lot of PRIVATE Networks that enjoys our Prepaid WI-FI Access which give business opportunity over their existing Cable Internet broadband connection. So what are you waiting for, call us now and be one of the largest Wireless Internet Access in the Island Paradise, Boracay.

 

Launched on August 8, 2000, Meridian Telecoms, Inc., is the Philippines' first and only Internet Telecommunications Company that offers broadband wireless data connectivity to Philippine businesses. To provide business solutions at broadband speeds. Meridian has built a nationwide packet-switched data backbone that will provide fast, easy Internet and Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity from any point in the Philippines to any other point in the country.

 

Typically, Airborne Access uses a 1mbps broadband connection at our locations. The speed you may experience, however, will depend on the number of users at the location other than you. We have measured our average download speeds at roughly 560kbps per user and bursts up to 1mbps per user.

 

Introducing SMART BRO . The revolutionary high-speed broadband internet service of Smart, the leader in wireless innovation. SMART BRO brings broadband internet into your home by using the nationwide cellular network of Smart to wirelessly connect your computer to the Internet! So now you can surf the Net at broadband speed even if you're beyond the reach of a phone line.

 

Products of Boracay

The Island also serves excellent products that you would love to buy. Visitors actually craving to buy souveinirs for remembrance. There are crafts made naturally by the natives of Boracay such as beads, malong, the famous poca shells, lamp shades, wind chimes, etc.

Great menu of dishes they cater would really water your mouth. You canot resist the native Filipino dishes that are served with styles. Foreigners came from all over the world can enjoy also their own foods because the island also served foreign dishes like Italian, Brazilian, Indian, European, American, etc.