BORACAY + Travel hacks + Tipid Tips + Budget

This blog is the second port of Panay Island Adventure Series. If you missed to read the first part, click HERE.  👈

Another Boracay blog is HERE.  👈

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So my wife and I reached Caticlan Jetty port around 8 am from Batangas port via RORO. Our plan was to do a quick side trip to Boracay island before travelling to Iloilo after lunch. We were lucky, because we have someone with us who showed us another way to reach Boracay cheaper from Caticlan.

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Fun Tip 1.The main port in Caticlan serves the bulk of tourists who are travelling to Boracay. Each tourist pays terminal fee P 100, environmental fee  P 75 and boat fare P 25. But the operation automatically  shifted to Tabon port during monsoon season (habagat) and you only pay P 25 boat fare to reach Boracay island. 

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We hired a trycycle from Caticlan port for a quick 10-minute ride to Tabon port. Paid P 25 for a boat ride to Boracay Island each person. After a 20 minutes boat ride to Boracay, we hired another trycycle in Boracay to DMall in another side of Boracay for P 120.

Most of the commercial establishments and activities are located in the western portion of the island. While the eastern part of Boracay is calm during this time the western part experience strong winds during habagat season.

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Fun Tip 2. If you don't mind bringing heavy bags with you, try to buy your supplies while in the mainland before going to Boracay. Because things can be very expensive in the island. You can eat at any restaurants before travelling to Boracay.  

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We change to our swim clothes beside the beach. We don't need to check in to hotel because we did not intend to stay longer in Boracay. After a quick dip in the sea and several selfies, I accompanied my wife to the Starbucks cafe to buy his Starbucks mug collection.

In 2018, Boracay was closed for 6 months as part of governments effort to rehabilitate the island. Today much has improved, most especially the road networks in Boracay. Gone are the sea side structures that did not comply with the policies in the Island and I think those things are much needed relief to make the island sustainable.

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Fun Tip 3. Be a responsible tourist. “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.”

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We did not find a public shower facilities in DMall. But we managed to find someone hospitable enough to allow us to get a shower and change our clothes.

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You can enjoy Boracay in one day actually because of efficient transportation avaibale from the mainland. . But for those who want to enjoy the powdery sand and whatever Boracay has to offer, extended stay in the island is highly recommended.

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Budget for Boracay half day Tour:

P 50                                  Trycycle to Tabon Port
P 25                                  Boat Fare to Tambisan Port
P 120                                Trycycle from Tambisaan Port to DMall

P 120                                Trycycle back to Tambisaan Port
P  25                                 Boat fare back to Tabon Port
P 50                                  Trycycle to Caticlan
P 50                                  Tip to the house where we had a shower. Salamat guid!

P 440.00                           Total Expenses

See. No drinks and food in expenses in Boracay. 👍😀

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Fun Tip 4. Travel like locals. And of course you know what I mean.

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For more photos scroll, scroll down please. 

My wife also got a henna tattoo from the roadside artist in Boracay. 

rehabilitated roads in Boracay

ASPIN taking a breather

the famous white beach of Boracay

Travelling to Panay Island from Batangas via RORO

One of the options to travel to Panay Island from Luzon is by travelling via RORO from Batangas City. It may not be the best option for a 10 hour trip from Batangas port for those who are sea sick, but once you reached the Caticlan Port in the Island of Panay, you will have the convenient way to reach the scenic island of Boracay.

Few years ago, I travel the same Batangas-Caticlan route with a Calapan-Roxas land trip and another ferry to Caticlan. It was a back breaking trip because I had to transfer many times along the way. 

 Starlite Ferry Schedule 

2GO Ferry Schedule

Batangas port serves several RORO destination in Visayas regions loading big cargo trucks full of local cargo and passengers buses from Cubao and Alabang terminals in Manila. 

First thing first, please check the weather before travelling. The sea can be rough if there is a bad weather. Chances are authorities may not allow the vessel to leave the port and you may get stuck waiting for the weather to clear.

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You can book and pay tickets online or you can get your tickets at the terminal. 

My wife and I manage to get a one way ticket via MV Saint Anthony de Padua, a RORO vessel to Caticlan port from Batangas ticket office and paid P 1,310.00 for a tourist economy class, one day before we travel.  Batangas port can be pretty chaotic during the long holidays and receives a deluge of travellers from Luzon to Visayas provinces.

These are the room rates and fare:

Super Value Class. Non AC. Common toilet and bath. Double deck beds.              

P 1,250.00 inclusive of 12% VAT

Tourist Class. Common toilet and bath. Double deck beds.                                       

P 1,350.00 inclusive of 12% VAT 

Cabin for 4                                                                                 

P 1,930.00 inclusive of 12% VAT

Cabin for 6                                                                                  

P 1,930.00 inclusive of 12% VAT

Suite room for 2                                                                          

P 5,111.00 inclusive of 12% VAT

For complete fare rate, booking and schedules you can access the website:

https://travel.2go.com.ph/ 

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After a thorough security checks in the terminal and paid terminal the fee, we reached the waiting area for boarding. I think everything was smooth because my wife and I chose to travel in July which is not a high season. But before boarding the vessel, men and women were asked to form a separate line for final body screen and the security personnel deployed bomb sniffing dogs. It was a little inconvenience to endure but for the security purpose it was OK.  

Double Decks beds at Tourist Sections

At Tourist Section, they give free bed linen and one pillow case for free. Just give a valid ID for deposit which you can also collect after returning the next day.  

It was a pleasant travel 10 hour overnight travel for me to Caticlan Port. First, because the weather was good, which was my utmost concern. Second, the vessel have manage the boarding of the passengers very well. 

There are many facilities available on board the vessel. There is a small chapel, a restaurant that serves wide selections of meals and drinks, a bar with live band that also serves beers and snacks and a small lobby with cafeteria where you can order coffee and snacks.  

They also serve a FREE breakfast of tuna flakes and rice. To be honest, it taste blunt. But still good to fill the empty stomach. They also serve arroz caldo and there are other hot and cold drinks available on board.

We reached Caticlan port, in the island of Panay around 8 am the next day.

And while leaving the RORO vessel, I paused and looked behind me. I saw the white beach of Boracay and smile. I walked again to go to my next destination.  

More photos:

State Rooms

on board bar with live bands on the roof deck

this is the on board Resturant

the Famous BORACAY Island

  

Tuna flakes and rice breakfast

Simply Stunning BORACAY

Conde Nast Traveller, an award-winning travel magazine, hailed Boracay as the top island destination in the world for 2016. The magazine described the island as "itty-bitty" island. I don't exactly know what it means by that. But to those who have been to Boracay, you will definitely be amazed by its white and powdery sand beaches and nightlife.

Boracay is originally home to the Ati or Aetas. Boracay probably derives its name from the local word borac "which means white cotton with characteristics close to the color and texture of Boracay's white and sugary and powdery sand."

We visited Boracay in July of this year. We visited before as a family but this time we were making it special because we were celebrating 12 years of blissful marriage with my wife and we stayed overnight in the island.

I was born in the province of Antique which is about 2 hours away from the town of Malay, the jump off point to the Island of Boracay. I was lucky to be one of the people who experienced Boracay in the late 1980's when Boracay was probably just starting to get famous. There were less people who were traveling to the island back then. There was no electricity in the island. Fresh drinking water was transported by boat from the main island of Malay. Tourist boats ferrying people sailed only at the daytime because probably of limited navigational equipment and radio communications. 

I relished the moment when we stayed in the "Kubo" and "Payag" to eat our packed lunch because there were few restaurants back then. 

But today Boracay has transformed into and world class tourist island with many tourism related facilities that lined the whole stretch of beach front to cater to the still growing number of tourist that visit the island. You can do snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, parasailing, kiteboarding etc.  Not to mention the awesome nightlife activities. There are many nightlife venues to choose from. Some bars have fenced the small portion of the beach to showcase stage shows and fire shows, and live bands. 

Big brands like Andoks, McDonalds and StarBucks have set up business also. Of course, they have to go where there are lots of people. It is pure business. But Boracay has become too crowded and even walking along the beach road during peak hours is very slow because hundreds or even thousand of people walking altogether. Our hired tricycle from the Boracay port had to to make several detour to avoid traffic jams along the main road going to Station 2 or D Mall, for example.

HOW TO GO TO BORACAY

There are several ways to reach Boracay:

1. Via the RORO (roll on roll off). There are number buses of plying the Cubao-Visayas route via Batangas port-Calapan port in Mindoro-Roxas port in Mindoro and Caticlan port all the way to Iloilo or Antique. At the Caticlan port you can get to the ticket to Boracay Island. Travel time from Cubao to Caticlan port which includes two boat transfers is approximately 13 hours and total fare is about 1,200 pesos

2. Fly Directly to Caticlan. Godofredo P. Ramos Airport in Caticlan is the most convenient way to reach Boracay. Skyjet Airlines is operating daily flights from Manila to Caticlan airport or please check your local airlines and ticketing office which airlines is flying to this airport.   

3. Fly to Kalibo Airport. Kalibo is the capital of the province of Aklan. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Asia are local airlines that serve several flights from Manila and vice versa. There are also available international flights to nearby Asian cities.

Hand painted shirts 

white and powdery sand of Boracay

WHERE TO STAY IN BORACAY

There are several hotels in Boracay. Its just a matter of choosing which one will fit your budget. I knew the rate is cheaper if the accommodation is far from the beach. For us, we chose to stay at Villa Simprosa Resort because of its location close to the beach. Amenities are basic and ok. There was a small fridge and TV.  We settled nicely with 5 people including 2 kids.  

WHERE TO EAT IN BORACAY

Where to eat and what to eat is never a problem in Boracay. There several fancy restaurants you can choose from and have several choices also. Price wise ...... hmmmm its quite expensive to dine in Boracay since mostly it caters to local and foreign tourists. But would not hurt budget a bit if you can bring packed foods, instant noodles or several bottles of beer from the mainland, for example.  

Sunset in Boracay

WHAT YOU NEED TO PAY

Beside the accommodation and food, you need to pay the following at the Caticlan port jetty:

Pumpboat P 25, Environmental fee P 75, Terminal fee P 100, total of P 200 per person. From Boracay port you need to pay the ff: pump boat 25 and terminal fee P 100, total of P 125 per person. Terminal fee is waived for children below 5 years old. For Aklan residents with valid ID's who travel to Boracay, they have separate lane and only pay boat fare.

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Development is inevitable. But I hope people in Boracay will embrace change without destroying its natural beauty and charm.