An island paradise with white powdery sand and a crystal clear water as described by most local and foreign tourists that set foot in Boracay. Hearing those good critics burned my desire to conquer and enjoy the island firsthand. An island paradise where firsthand experiences betide.Be with me as I track that travel, down memory lane.
Photo Credit: Joseph Bacalso Films and Stills
Boracay is one of the 7,107 islands in the Philippines way back my college days. But as per National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), that is not the case anymore; the counting now raised to 7,641 and it's quite a lot to travel.
The island is located in the Western Visayas region, part of the municipality of Malay in the province of Aklan. Travelling to Boracay was so smooth for us since there’s a direct flight from Cebu City to Caticlan and from Caticlan to Boracay. When in Caticlan, we took a short ride going to Malay where the jetty sailing boat to Boracay is located. The ride took us for less than 15 minutes. As we set foot on the island, tour operators flocked by offering different tour package activities -- from parasailing, helmet diving, atv ride, banana boat ride, cycling etc. etc. We stumbled one of the tour operators that has the cheapest offer package. The offer consists of 5 activities for only P2,500.00 -- the best offer ever and below is the list of activities that is included in the package. Note that the amount be stated below is the peak season prices.
PARASAILING
Photo Credit: Joseph Bacalso Films and Stills
♥ If it’s a peak season, parasailing costs P2,500.00 per person
♥ If you’re on solo, P2,000.00 if you have a partner.
There’s a speed boat transfer to the location and it’s a fun ride since it was my first speed boat ride. Here's the link of our speed boat ride
Life vests are available and safety orientations on parasailing equipments as well as the do’s and don’ts.
HELMET DIVING
Photo Credit: Joseph Bacalso Films and Stills
♥ The cost of this activity is P1,500.00 per person that is inclusive of speed boat ride to the site.
♥ Helmet dive equipment and souvenir pictures underwater with one of the coordinators of our tour operator.
♥ It’s an up close and personal underwater adventure where you get the chance to set foot on a 10 feet deep sandy seabed, see coral reefs and feed the marvelous fishes with bits of bread.
♥A speedboat will take you to the raft in the middle of the sea where a short orientation be given like the helmet dive equipment, hand signals, and the do’s and don’ts.
♥ It’s a 10 minute diving adventure together with a professional diver master from Professional Association of Scuba Instructors (PADI) that will assist or guide you during the duration of whole adventure. Non-divers can definitely do this activity for as long as you follow the rules and regulations of diving and be cautious enough with the do’s and don’ts.
ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) RIDE
Photo Credit: Joseph Bacalso Films and Stills
♥ This is a per unit rental that is good for 1 person for P1,250.00 with helmet.
♥ Best for people who loves tough rides on a curvy, deep slopes and an uphill paths while trailing the rough forest of the island, then this one is for you. It’s an hour ATV circuit ride, with a helmet of course
♥ Best time to do this activity is on a sunny day.
BANANA BOAT RIDE
Photo Credit: Joseph Bacalso Films and Stills
♥ A 15 minute ride for P300.00 per person for a minimum of 5 persons in a boat.
♥ Inclusions of lifevests.
♥This inflatable banana boat is tagged on a speed boat that will give you a fantastic splash with a life vest on – which is a must before getting wet and wild
SKY CYCLING
Photo Credit: Joseph Bacalso Films and Stills
♥ A 15 feet high from the ground winding railways with a side-by-side sky cycles.
♥ It’s a 15 minutes ride that can be found in Happy Dreamland Theme park in Boracay.
♥ The fee is P90.00 per person per ride. It’s a fun ride with bunch of friends specially those who are afraid of heights. It’s fun hearing people screaming and wondering at the same time if they scream because of their fear of height or because of the screeching sound from the winding trails. Hearing the screeches is quite scary thou, but the best thing to do is not mind the sound and don’t look down, just enjoy the view and you’re good to go.
TRICK ART MUSEUM
Photo Credit: Joseph Bacalso Films and Stills
♥ Just within the Happy Dreamland park, you can visit the trick art museum. Not well maintained thou but since you’re in the vicinity, might as well grab the opportunity to take a peek rather than not at all.
Those were the breakdown of the P2,500.00 tour package that we got. It’s best to travel to Boracay during off-season where travel rate is low, thus tour package prices are much lesser compared to a regular price rate and tour operators will have their best deals just so they can sell off.
Here's a video to summarize all the rides we enjoyed.
Video Credit: Joseph Bacalso Films and Stills
There are ample activities that you can do while in the island which unfortunately we haven’t tried since we had this trip 3 years ago. Below are some of the added day activities that may boost your adrenal glands.
Note: All photos for added activities below are credited to https://www.myboracayguide.com
ISLAND HOPPING TOUR
♥ 1,400 PHP per head rate
♥ Good for 16 people
♥ Can stay for 5 hours
♥ A pump boat with guide or boatman and snorkeling gears
♥ Will cruise on the island coasts to the virgin like spot of Puka Beach where you can have the sea all by yourself for an hour and continue sailing on to explore other wonders like limestone cliffs, hidden and hollow coves and the flourishing reefs of the neighboring islet.
♥ A sumptuous lunch feast awaits you at the Mainland Panay after an hour of snorkeling.
♥ Next stop is the Magic Island, where a 10 meter high jumping off cliffs awaits to those who wants to satiate their adrenaline rush.
♥ Sail back to Boracay while marveling the sunset.
MAINLAND ADVENTURE
♥ 1,900 PHP per head rate
♥ Transportation (round trip)
♥ Entrance Fees
♥ Riverside fire
♥ River lounging
♥ BBQ lunch
♥ Tuba tasting (a free taste of traditional coconut wine)
♥The trip starts at 10AM and ends until the sun set.
♥ There is an assistance from your hotel’s tour guide to Budget Mart
2 choices for add ons:
Base Camp Packages
♥ 400 PHP per hut per night for group Hostel overnight stay
♥ 1,500 PHP jeep rental good for 2 persons
♥ 300 PHP per bike for mountain bike rentals
♥ 600 PHP for Honda110 cc motorcycle rental and 800 PHP for Honda XR 200cc
Guided Tours per person
♥ 300 PHP for River Trekking and Wild River Tubing (seasonal)
♥ 500 PHP for Motag Living Museum and Ocean Kayaking
♥ 600 PHP for Cave Tour
♥ 1,000 for Waterfalls Tour
MERMAID LESSON
♥ 2,000 PHP per person with a minimum of 2 persons per class
♥ 1,000 PHP for 30 minutes Mermaid photoshoot
♥ 1,000 required deposit just so the tail is damage it will just be deducted from the deposit
♥ Best time to go is on sunny days
♥ Ideal for kids from 7 years old and above, as well as for the kids at heart
♥ 90 minutes of introduction Mermaid Swim
♥ 3 hours for Advance Mermaiding Course
♥ 3 and a half to 4 hours Scuba Mermaid and 30 minutes Mermaid photo-op
♥ 1 certified Mermaid Instructor and 1 tour guide
♥ Inclusions of Mermaid Tail, snorkeling and scuba gears are optional
CABLE CAR AND ZIPLINE
♥ 1,300 PHP per head with an inclusions of:
♥ One ride of Cable Car with safety gear
♥ One round ride of a rocketed down 70 meters high Zipline in Superman position with safety gear
♥ One tour guide that will accompany you from the resort to the activity area.
REVERSE BUNGY
♥ 1,600 PHP per head minimum of 2 heads with an inclusions of:
♥ One round of Reverse Bungy skyrocket ride; 60 meter above sea level with an adrenaline speed of 200kph.
♥ Safety gear and harness
♥ One tour guide will accompany you to the location.
There are still other activities that you can choose from. You can visit this site My Boracay Guide for more Boracay activities.
People in the island never sleeps. After a long day under the sun and watching the sun goes down, stroll the island from the Station where your accommodation at going to Station 1. Boracay is best explored both day and night. Day time is best for all water, sky and land activities. Night time is chilling time -- sit back, eat, drink dance and sing your heart out loud. It’s the best break out from the city’s hustle and bustle. Best for “me time” as well. It's a different transformation during the night. Fire dance everywhere, resto bars, the amazing dancing chefs, star gazing or just simply take a walk by the seashore.
Strolling from Station 3 to Station 1
A bottle of beer at Epic Boracay
Boracay is an island that never sleeps. From daylight to dusk, the shore never gets run out of people. Always leave traces in the sand and take with you the memories and experiences firsthand.
#Boracay_Island #Memory_Lane # Beach #Travel_PH #Nature #Memories
