Boracay Island
A long weekend trip
📌 By Jakub Mikula | August 07, 2022
Boracay Island has recently fully reopened following the reopening of the Philippines, which had been largely closed due to the pandemic. With an overnight flight from Singapore to Manila and an early morning flight from Manila to Caticlan, I could enjoy the whole weekend without losing a day to travel.
Upon landing in Caticlan, I first noticed the large, impressive wind turbines lined up along the mountainous ridge. Some of them were hidden high in a thick layer of clouds.
As soon as we arrived and entered a small arrival-hall building, I was immediately approached by taxi services that “helped me” get a transportation ticket from the airport to Boracay Island (including the ferry ticket and any additional tourist fees). After waiting for a few more passengers going the same way, the minivan soon took off through the narrow streets and reached the ferry terminal in about 10 minutes. Despite the heavy sea traffic with passengers arriving on and departing from the island, the waters near the jetty were surprisingly clean.
When I arrived on the island and passed through the registration booth, I took a tricycle directly to my hotel.
On my first day, I took a long walk along the west coast beach, watching various sports activities, sipping an ice-cold drink, or simply sitting under a palm tree and admiring the fine quality of the beach sand.
On the second day, I took a full-day island-hopping tour in a small group of other travellers. The tour took us around the east coast of the island, with short stopovers at some beautiful beaches, after which we passed Crocodile Island and took a short break at the Crystal Cove Island Resort, which is full of nice trails and caves where you can swim.
As I returned to the hotel, tired after the full-day tour, I took an easy evening stroll along the beach. The sunset that day was amazing.
Overall, the island exceeded all of my expectations. I came here with almost no planning (and a bit concerned about what to do), only to realize that you do not need to plan much to get the full experience. Water activities, island hopping, and tricycle tours are all ready at your doorstep.
With sand of such fine quality, and waters so clear that you can gaze meters deep and admire the world below, it is difficult to find a place that compares. And of course, the nightlife. There is something for everyone here. And everything is in the same area. It takes only a few steps to go from a loud night bar to standing on the beach under a palm tree, where the sound of the waves drowns out everything else. With so much to offer, it is no wonder the island has often been labeled as one of the best in the world.
The only downside of this place is the crowd. Over the years, the island has become so popular that it is nearly impossible to find a quiet, secluded spot unless you stay at one of the more expensive private resorts.
Nevertheless, with so much going on here, I am looking forward to visiting again and indulging in all the water sports activities that I missed.
If you plan to visit this place, I would definitely recommend staying in a hotel near the beach ;)
