World’s best it is. Boracay’s powdery sand is to die for, paired with the magnificent turquoise water of the beach. Who wouldn’t give in to the tempting beauty of this island? 📍White Beach
🇵🇭BORACAY ISLAND ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭
✈️🛳🚌 How to get to Boracay Island, Aklan:
⏺ Take a plane from Metro Manila to Kalibo or Caticlan (e.g. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia).
⏺ Ride a public boat from Caticlan Jetty Port to Cagban Port (travel time: less than 30 minutes depending on sea condition).
⏺ Charter a tricycle to get to your hotel.
🏄🏝🚴 Sites to Explore/Activities:
White Beach (Stations 1, 2 and 3)
Tambisaan Beach
Bulabog Beach
Diniwid Beach / Sinagpa Beach
Ilig-Iligan Beach
Puka Shell Beach / Yapak Beach
I was 15 years old, a graduating high school student, when I first set foot in Boracay. It was February if my memory serves me correctly. Aklan was the host of the National Schools Press Conference and I was one of MIMAROPA’s representatives for this journalism competition. The delegates of our region had a side trip to Boracay before the event which was held in Kalibo. 📍White BeachPassenger boats were still allowed to dock here at White Beach back in 2006. The moment I alighted off the boat, I was like, “So this is the famous Boracay?” It was a “so-so” and “okay” moment the first time I saw this place. Honestly, I felt nothing special. No spark at all. I’ve been traveling since I was 11, joining quiz bees and other competitions in different parts of the region but “traveling” never meant “wanderlust” and “adventure” for the curious kid in me. I only traveled because I needed to represent my school. Right at that instant in Boracay, it never crossed my mind that I would eventually appreciate nature’s beauty when I grew up.And guess what? I wasn’t able to swim during my first Boracay visit. The shoreline was full of green algae/moss since it’s February. I just couldn’t convince myself to take a dip.I started backpacking around the Philippines in 2011 but it was only in November 2015 when I got the chance to revisit the famed island.I was with my newfound friends who I met at an organized travel event in Gigantes. It was never part of the plan to visit Boracay but considering we got a rented van from Antique and the island is just a stone’s throw away from where we were, we decided to have a side trip to Boracay. It was already dark when we reached Station 2. Fortunately, we were able to find a hotel that could accommodate our group.I was already expecting it to be developed and crowded as it’s one of the most mainstream tourist destinations in the globe so I was no longer surprised with how it has become urbanized after all these years.The next morning, the majority of the gang already left for their flight back to Manila while the rest of us got one more day in Boracay. The truth is, I only spent most of my time sleeping inside the hotel room. I just decided to go out late in the afternoon to swim while waiting for the sunset here at White Beach.By April 2018, the Philippine government closed the island for rehabilitation due to environmental reasons. I was on a backpacking trip in Panay in May 2018 but because all tourists were prohibited to enter the island, I had to change my itinerary and visited Carabao Island instead which is just less than an hour away from Boracay. The resort island was then reopened to the public in October 2018.Fast forward to March 2019, my college buddy and I decided to visit our friend who is based in Kalibo. Our actual plan was to head straight to Roxas City but since our flight was early and the last trip of van going to Roxas leaves at 5:00 PM, we still got ample time to go to Boracay in the morning.It actually felt good to be back after more than three years. I sure did miss the familiar soothing breeze of White Beach plus the lively aura of the island.White Beach welcomed us with its glistening turquoise water and sand so fine that it feels like we’re stepping on concrete floor. Boracay’s beauty never fades. Classic, indeed.The three of us sat under the shade of trees facing the shore at Station 2 while in awe of the glowing tropical ambience. It was almost lunch time and the sunny weather that day produced these perfect beach photos.Because the month of March marks the onset of “summer” season in the country (since we’re a tropical country, we really don’t have four seasons as we only have wet and dry seasons; the months of March to May usually are the driest so “summer” here usually pertains to March to May), I was not really surprised to see White Beach crowded with tourists. Even in the middle of the day, there were a lot of people swimming under the harsh heat of the sun. Thankfully, Boracay’s White Beach runs for about four kilometers. It was relatively easy to find a spot with no people in my frames.White Beach is divided into three stations, all sharing the same coastline. In the past, these are actually boat stations where boats dock to drop off or pick up their passengers. But as the number of visitors increased, something has to be done to strictly regulate the tourism system. Imagine a beach crowded with a battalion of boats parked by its shore. So guests now are only allowed to disembark at the jetty port of Boracay serving the official entry/exit point in the island. But the division of White Beach into Stations 1 to 3 is still being used up until today. Visitors usually flock to Station 2 as it is the center of activities and parties where you will find the majority of establishments in the island. It is the busiest part of Boracay.My friend who was on the flight with me decided to take a dip since it was his first time in the island. He just couldn’t resist the idyllic quality of this paradise. My friends and I may have only stayed for about an hour but I was already satisfied with my shots.After all these years of being a backpacker, I finally got loads of photos here for my portfolio. The radiant beauty of the island really accentuates Insta-worthy profile photos like this. My apologies for bombarding this post with too much pictures of White Beach. I just couldn’t help myself but show the whole world how beautiful this beach is.We then had a quick lunch at McDonald’s in D’Mall before saying goodbye to the island. It was going be a long way back to Kalibo then Roxas City. I still never got the chance to see more of what the island has to offer. All I’m familiar with is White Beach. That’s why I promised myself that when I get back, I’d make sure to spend more time at the island to visit some of its beaches not frequented by most travelers.One of the most highly sought attractions in the island is not only its world-class beaches but also its world-famous sunset.I have only witnessed Boracay’s sunset once during my 2015 trip but I didn’t take any photos of it because it’s not really promising due to the overcast weather.I’ve been really hoping that I would finally be able to take some decent shots of the island’s sunset on my next visit.
⏰⏳ SAMPLE ITINERARY (Aklan):
DAY 1
7:00 AM ETA Caticlan Airport
7:30 AM ETD for Boracay
8:00 AM ETA Boracay
8:30 AM Early check-in
9:00 AM Beach hopping
12:00 PM Lunch
4:00 PM Free time / swimming
7:00 PM Dinner
DAY 2
11:00 AM Check-out
12:00 PM ETD for Caticlan Jetty Port
1:00 PM ETD for Unidos
2:00 PM Nabas Wind Farm and Pawa Hills
5:00 PM ETD for Kalibo
6:00 PM ETA Kalibo / check-in
DAY 3
6:00 AM Wake-up call / breakfast
7:00 AM ETD for Barangay Bay-ang, Batan
8:00 AM ETD for Pandan Hills
9:00 AM Pandan Hills
12:00 PM ETD for Kalibo
2:00 PM ETA Kalibo / lunch
3:00 PM ETD for Bakhawan Eco-Park
6:00 PM Head back to accommodation
DAY 4
6:00 AM Wake-up call
7:00 AM ETD for Kalibo Airport
9:00 AM ETD for Manila
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler exploring the province of Aklan): Php 8,000 – Php 10,000 (exclusive of airfare)
***Expenses may vary depending on the type of accommodation you will avail and personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the tricycle/motorcycle transfer rates.
By June 2019, only after a few months, my sister and I embarked on another memorable journey to this island paradise. It was the perfect opportunity to capture the spectacular sunset of Boracay. Aside from sunset photography, our agenda also included exploring the lesser-known beaches of the island. 📍Bulabog BeachIt was almost the start of rainy season but thank the gods they bestowed us the perfect sunny weather we needed in Boracay. We were supposed to travel with our parents but they bailed out due to their busy schedule. 📍Tambisaan BeachOkay, so before anything else, I have to come clean. I got a confession to make. The truth is, before I was able to explore the other beaches of this island aside from the famous White Beach, I love Boracay as much as I hate it. Yes, it’s always voted as one of the best islands in the world but I am just not into parties and whatnots which attract a huge percentage of tourists across the globe. All the stations of White Beach are way too crowded for my taste. I’ve had enough of that nuisance in Manila. I’d still choose the peaceful aura of Balabac or Dumaran in Palawan over the chaotic atmosphere at Boracay’s White Beach. But when I got to see these other beaches such as this one in the photo, it made me realize that I could enjoy the tranquil side of this island without the crowd. 📍Diniwid Beach / Sinagpa BeachOur flight to Kalibo was delayed for more than an hour but I was still hoping we could finish all the beaches to visit on my list. Even if it’s just the two of us, we hired a van that took us to Caticlan Jetty Port (they ran out of cars for hire that morning). 📍Bulabog BeachCaticlan was busy as usual, with tourists and locals entering the passenger terminal every minute. During my first visit in Boracay in 2006, I actually thought at first that Caticlan is the town proper of Malay. 📍Diniwid Beach / Sinagpa BeachWe arrived at D’Mall before lunch time and our guide took us to our hotel which is just within walking distance from White Beach. We prepped for our inland tour then took a peek at White Beach first. We then had our quick brunch at McDonald’s before setting off for our beach hopping trip. 📍Diniwid Beach / Sinagpa BeachWe decided to hire two guides, one motorcycle for each of us. I’ve read online that the roads en route to some of the beaches are steep and in bad condition especially during rainy season. Better be safe than sorry. 📍Tambisaan BeachOur first stop is this beach known as Tambisaan. I immediately noticed that we were the only tourists when we reached this place.A couple of local kids swimming were actually looking at us as if it’s their first time seeing visitors in this part of the island. I wouldn’t be surprised as the name of this beach probably doesn’t ring a bell even to tourists who have been to Boracay. Even I had only known the famous White Beach.The shoreline of the beach is actually quite long but it’s divided by this huge rock with coconut trees on my left. I didn’t take photos of the other side because it’s filled with loads of clutter such as seaweeds carried by the waves.Tambisaan Beach is a public beach open for everyone. I didn’t see cottages for rent since tourists usually don’t consider this beach as part of their itinerary. We stayed for a few more minutes before heading towards our next stop.We stopped by this portion of the second beach on our list to take photos as the coconut trees along the coast looked perfect for my frames. 📍Bulabog BeachIf you want to stay in a much quieter part of Boracay, you may consider the hotels facing this beach. The shoreline of Bulabog Beach extends for a few kilometers although the water here does not look as clean and inviting as that of White Beach.Just like Tambisaan Beach, Bulabog Beach was full of seaweeds during our visit. It actually didn’t disappoint me anymore. If there’s one thing I learned in all my years of traveling, you always cannot expect these natural attractions to look the same as their photos online. These pictures may have been taken on a different season. You may have visited a beach during the peak of southwest monsoon which produces waves carrying loads of dirt and seaweeds that depended on the direction of the monsoon winds. A specific picture of a beach on the internet may have been captured at 12:00 PM thus making the beach glisten as the sunrays bounce against the water yet you were able to see that same beach at 3:00 PM when the sunlight was already directional. Try visiting a waterfall after a typhoon and try seeing it amidst a dry spell. Or go swimming at the beach under an overcast weather. I wonder if your pictures will look lively if it’s not sunny. There are always a lot of factors to consider. That’s why I love traveling. It’s so unpredictable. Like they always say, you can’t always get what you want.Even if Bulabog Beach does not normally attract people who want to take a refreshing swim, the strong winds in this side of the island have made this beach popular among kitesurfers.We traveled through steep roads (and even muddy ones too since it rained the day before) to reach our next destination. We didn’t mind the rough motorcycle ride under the scorching sun as we were so excited to see this beach. 📍Diniwid Beach / Sinagpa BeachOur guides dropped us off by the entrance of a small alley where we walked a few hundred meters to reach Diniwid Beach.The tropical vibes of Diniwid welcomed us right away. Our bumpy ride was definitely worth it.There was a portion of the shore with green algae but it was negligible to be honest.Who wouldn’t want to take a swim here? I noticed a few foreigners enjoying the turquoise water while some of them were sunbathing.If you opt to spend some quiet time to yourself, you may consider visiting Diniwid Beach. It’s shoreline may be short but it really is a nice place to chill out without the nuisance and congested feels of White Beach as if you’re in a blockbuster movie due to the huge number of people.Just like the two beaches we first visited, this one is also open to the public and no one asked us for an entrance fee. But considering its small size, it actually felt like we were in an exclusive resort with our own private shore.We walked to the other side of Diniwid’s coastline with huge rocks dotting this part of the shore. Another nice spot to shoot some photos.Others call this place Sinagpa Beach as one hostel named Sinagpa is situated right here at Diniwid. There are also other hotels here where you may spend the night if you don’t want to book your accommodation near any of the stations along White Beach.Diniwid Beach actually shares the same coast with White Beach and is connected to Station 1 via a narrow pathway. You may take this route if you’re up for an adventure. Just make sure to cross when the tide is low as waves might be dangerous during high tide.We walked back to where our motorcycles were parked then drove a few kilometers to reach the other side of Boracay Island facing the province of Romblon. 📍Ilig-Iligan BeachThe rough waves here welcomed us but the aura of Ilig-Iligan Beach felt so calm. It seemed as if we got another private beach all to ourselves.I was not surprised that we were only less than five people enjoying the comforting breeze at this beach. The sand may not be as fine and the water may not be as calm as that of White Beach but the serenity of Ilig-Iligan is its most distinct feature.To be honest, I would have loved to spend the night at one of these lesser-known beaches but there are just a lot of things to consider. Our greatest hindrance would be the hassle to commute to get to the business center of the island such as White Beach where restaurants are. Aside from the distance of these beaches from the main road, another problem that we might encounter is the availability of motorcycles or tricycles here at the boondocks area of the island. Accessibility is definitely one of the reasons why I have reservations to stay in Boracay’s off-the-grid beaches.During our visit, I noticed the construction of a seemingly upscale boutique hotel facing this beach. I hope Ilig-Iligan Beach remains open to the public once the hotel is fully operational.A lot of us go on a vacation to relax and take a break from the fast-paced city life to escape from stress and chaos. Ilig-Iligan Beach is another place in Boracay you may want to consider if you’re not a fan of the hustle and bustle at White Beach.I checked the time and we were still quite early for our itinerary. We bid goodbye to Ilig-Iligan Beach and off we went to our last beach. Boy am I so glad that I included this inland tour in our itinerary.
📜✏️ Tips/Reminders:
📌Caticlan will serve as your jump-off point for Boracay Island and Nabas Wind Farm while Kalibo, which is an hour and a half away from Caticlan, will be your jump-off point for Bakhawan Eco-Park and Pandan Hills. You may plot Caticlan as your entry airport while Kalibo as your exit airport.
📌There are lots of travel agencies online offering tour and accommodation packages in Boracay. But make sure you book DOT-accredited hotels in advance since most of them especially beachfront ones are fully booked during long weekends and holidays.
📌Expect rain and rough sea condition during monsoon season (June-February).
📌Always observe the LNT principles.
☎️ Contacts:
📌Tricycle Driver in Kalibo: Kuya Rex (09388216786)
📌Motorcycle Driver/Tour Guide in Boracay: Kuya Niño (09158722855) – he offers inland/beach hopping tour.
I knew we were almost at our destination when we passed by a busy area of parked tricycles, eateries and souvenir stores. Our guides dropped us off near the small restaurants where they parked and decided to have their lunch. We walked towards an eatery a few meters from the shore where we took a breather and bought some drinks. The hot weather that day would really exhaust out the freshness in you. 📍Puka Shell Beach / Yapak BeachI’ve been hearing about Puka Beach for a few years now and some beachgoers prefer this place than White Beach because it’s not crowded. That’s why I was expecting a quiet one during our visit. Unfortunately, that was not the case. We walked closer to the shoreline and noticed a lot of tourists strolling and posing for photos. And judging from the number of stores that populated the area, it turns out that Puka Beach is no longer an off-the-beaten-track destination.Another thing I noticed here at Yapak Beach was the quality of the sand. It’s much coarser than the sand of the other beaches we visited because of crushed shells and corals.I think one of the best things we experienced during our beach hopping tour was the fact that all of the beaches we visited are open for everyone. From Tambisaan to Puka Beach, we didn’t pay any entrance fee at all. I never thought that seeing these beautiful slices of paradise is free.We actually didn’t stay that long at Puka Beach. We shot a few photos before heading back here at White Beach. Let’s save the best for last.I asked our guides to drop us off at Station 1. We paid and thanked them for our beach hopping experience. It may be short but we had so much fun. I could finally add these awesome beaches to my list.We rested for a while under the shade of trees while marveling at this beautiful view in front of us.By 3:00 PM, we decided to stroll along White Beach. We took some photos on our way to Station 2. We would have wanted to go back to our hotel first to rest but it was far from where we were and we would need to return here for sunset.We passed by a beachfront restaurant serving Mexican cuisines (my bad, I forgot its name) and decided to eat here while waiting for sundown. The place was also not picky when it comes to accepting customers because my sister and I were wet and full of sand from all the beachineering we did.By 4:30 PM, my sister went on ahead of me to the beach to swim. She was so excited since it was her first time in Boracay. The sun was still harsh on the skin so I killed time and waited at the second floor of the restaurant.I went down the restaurant to take a dip by 5:00 PM and waited for this breathtaking spectacle of Mum Nature. Another thing that I really love about White Beach is the lack of rocks and crushed corals when you swim. All you will feel on your feet is the fine soothing sand underneath.White Beach was getting crowded minute by minute as the sun was about to set. The boats of tourists who availed of paraw sailing were dotting the horizon from afar.It seemed as if Mum Nature was experimenting the hues from the color spectrum and finally decided to paint a masterpiece out of pink and indigo colors.Then suddenly, the elements within the dimming canvas in front of us started evolving again and shifted into another artistic work crafted by the sun and sky. It really was a surreal experience as if we were in a scene from a film created by Makoto Shinkai. We went back to our hotel at dusk then grabbed something for dinner after washing up.We bid goodbye to the island before lunch time on Day Two. Because we needed to be at the airport by 6:00 in the morning the next day, we opted to spend the night at a hotel in Caticlan. Right after checking in, we traveled to Malumpati Cold Spring in Pandan, Antique. Unfortunately, we were not able to try out river tubing at Bugang River because of the drought. It may already be June but the rains were not yet enough to fill the river sources.We were back at our hotel in Caticlan by 3:00 PM and we got nothing left to do. We were originally expecting that we would be spending the rest of our time that day in Malumpati. So what’s the best thing to do? Catch the sunset again at White Beach! There won’t be any problem at all since passenger boats still operate even at night.By 5:00 PM, we were already frolicking and swimming at Station 2 while waiting for this astonishing display of lights and colors fabricated by the sun and the heavens.One of the things I realized ever since I started traveling is that even if you go to the same place over and over again, it will always be a different experience every single time. I thank the multiverse for awarding us sunset photographs which were pretty much different from what we saw the previous day.Sunsets will always be my favorite color.
***For other destinations in Aklan and Panay, you may visit this link.
