Island Paradise of Boracay.

[ginapeterb]

Who has been to Boracay ? I think this is a topic to discuss experiences.

I was in Boracay from around 10th March - 16th March 2004.

The best way to get their is from Manila Domestic airport, we were in Ilo Ilo City at the time......so we didnt go that route...in fact to beat taking a van...we hired a taxi driver to drive us the 5 hour ride across the island from Ilo Ilo to Caticlan..........what a journey....my sore legs couldnt stand it......you need a rest on the way...if you do that.........the problem with the taxi ride is the enormous amount of chickens on the highway............and the constant pressing of the taxi drivers horn to clear them.........going via Kalibo........you should arrive about 5 hours later.........the quickest way is to fly......Sea Air.......Cebu Pacific......or Asian Spirit which operate light aircraft from Manila or Cebu to Caticlan airport.......good tip, get your preferred hotel to arrange a transfer from the airport with your gear to the jetty.

The great thing about Boracay is that their are only landing stations on the beach...no jetty...good tip, dont do what I did and take no notice of the advice given......I arrive with trousers on.....bad decision.....when you take the water taxi across...you have to wade in the last few metres........rolling uup trousers does not work !!! wear shorts, or change in the Loos or something......but wear shorts......porters will carry your gear for you......but getting down the boat ramp is tricky, especially when the wind is blowing...........hahahaha......you wil get wet........but great feeling wading in to the beach...then your porters will go to hotel with you, lovely white sandy beaches.. although too hot for us Brits during period of about 12.00-3.00pm.......lots to see and do......plenty of places to eat very cheaply.......nice at night...just right....although still boling hot... take a boat trip out to Crystal Caves.......and a visit to Fridays resort beach is a must, try and get the boatman to take you thee...and dive in the shallow water there........fantastic clear blue water for swimming......and go snorkelling...........absolutely fabulous......my filipina fiance would not come in.....bless her..she say its too deep.... but we British......we do anything........I jumped over the side...........thinking its only 2-3 metres. I thought wrong..... it was more like 7 metres......and down below a big abyss......hahahaha....well I was warned..........but I think at the time.I was trying to impress my filipina beauty.....hahahahahaha we all lvie and learn...........anyway Boracay is a must........try....Casar Pilar or Boracay Regency. or Nigi Nigi Noo Noo best of luck

Pete

[Admin]

You've been very busy on the forum. THANK YOU. I hope a few others will join in, as it's here to help everyone who visits, so don't be shy :P

[ginapeterb]

Yes lets get some more viewpoints on here...........Im going back to Boracay on 1st July 2004 I will be arriving by Cebu Pacific from Manila Domestic airport........I am staying at Casar Pilar........Gina and I have booked a cottage........speical rate is 2500 per night......sounds good to me........and the restaraunt is excellent......if anyone needs any help or advice.......I am happy to give my experiences....... Pete

[gmanalo]

Originally posted by ginapeterb@Jun 7 2004, 12:57 AM
Yes lets get some more viewpoints on here...........Im going *back to Boracay on 1st July 2004 I will be arriving by Cebu Pacific from Manila Domestic airport........I am staying at Casar Pilar........Gina and I have booked a cottage........speical rate is 2500 per night......sounds good to me........and the restaraunt is excellent......if anyone needs any help or advice.......I am happy to give my experiences....... Pete
Quoted post



Hi GinaPeterB,

Casa Pilar is real nice place I stayed there for 2 weeks about 1.5 yrs ago but the Talipapa burnt down last December and Casa is very very close to the Talipapa. I was in Boracay last March but I didn't have time to check out the extent of the damage. No more Talipapa Im afraid and also part of Casa Pilar might have been damaged by the fire. I will be in Boracay in June I will let you know how things are.

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by ginapeterb@Jun 6 2004, 11:57 PM
Yes lets get some more viewpoints on here...........Im going *back to Boracay on 1st July 2004 I will be arriving by Cebu Pacific from Manila Domestic airport........I am staying at Casar Pilar........Gina and I have booked a cottage........speical rate is 2500 per night......sounds good to me........and the restaraunt is excellent......if anyone needs any help or advice.......I am happy to give my experiences....... Pete
Quoted post



Hi Pete can you let me know how to book Casar Pilar as i am looking to book somewhere for my honeymoon and was looking some suggestions. Thanks............... John

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Sep 7 2005, 08:03 PM
Hi Pete can you let me know how to book Casar Pilar as i am looking to book somewhere for my honeymoon and was looking some suggestions. Thanks............... John
Quoted post



Casar Pilar can be found on most websites about Boracay, just do a google search and find Casar Pilar, give them a call, if its busy season, avoid holy week, its packed, Holy week is in March end sometime, just a quick call, and they dont ask for a deposit usually, just a name and your intended dates.

Nice place, restaraunt is great.

Pete

[jooms]

I have had 7 trips to Boracay in the 80's. First time paid 14 pesos per night for a hut. The last time paid 40 pesos. Inflation? Mahal? At the time there was no electricity and lights out at 11pm. One New Year I was on the basketball court opposite post office (is it still there?) at 12 pm wondering where the people had gone and why the music had stopped. Got my water from a bomba at the back of the hut and hot water for my Liptons every morning in a thermos flask. Took a stroll to the English bakery for bread ( at the time the only place where bread was not pandasal). Hung around on my hummock and had magic mushroom omlettes for lunch. I have not been back since. A friend advised me not not to bother. Nowadadays I keep away from tourism developments. Plenty of nice beaches in Philippines without commercial development. If you find a nice place - keep it to yourself otherwise it will end up Boracay. Sayang.
jan

[deepete]

We went to Boracay August 2004 and took 6 in-laws so we was a party of 10.Caught the sea cat from Batangas to Calipan,Mindoro, then hired van for a 4 hour drive down the island to the other port,Calacan i think.

Then caught a larger ship to Caticlan, refused to get on the first out of safety reasons, a real rust bucket, so had to wait 10 hours for the next. Finally a banka to Boracay, p------ down of rain and couldnt land at boat stations due to bad weather. Trycicles from other side of island through all the normal P.I. scenery of poverty and rubbish to the main strip.

It was nice but I think we was a bit jaded, didnt think it was worth all the effort. Biggest laugh was while we was out snorkelling near the bat cave some guy rowed out to us to collect a conservation tax of about 10 pesos per mask. Apparently he looks after the coral.

While we were having dinner at a cafe by the beachfront and Market street the waitress recommended Paco beach and also a restaurant there. she arranged for a boat to pick us up. No definate arrangement was made for the restaurant and while we was on the boat we decided to give paco beach a miss and went somewhere else. The boatmen were put out by this and said the restaurant was expecting us and had prepared and cooked food for us. Well I know the waitress was probably well intentioned but I dont like people to decide for me. We didnt give in and the boatmen were a laugh after a few beers. Avoided the waitress though as we didnt want to embarass her.

Had a nice breakfast at the English Bakery in the mornings, the in-laws loved a fry up but still had rice with it.

Couldnt take the boat trip home so we flew back to Manila, really enjoyed the flight, not to sure about the security though as the hostess took the pilots their coffee with the cabin door opening straight into the passenger cabin.

Conclusions: If your adventurous go by boat, otherwise fly, dont go during Monsoon, leave kids with the family and have a second honeymoon.

Next installment, when we were marooned on Hundred islands.

[Admin]

You went all the way to the Philippines to visit an English Bakery! :rolleyes:

[deepete]

crazy isnt it, half way around the world for a fry up, but we are all the same, my wife lives here yet misses her mongo and dried fish

[Eljohno]

Hi ,
i was wondering for those who have been to Boracay, did you book it through a travel Agent in the city you were staying in?

I am looking to go there for 3 nights maybe on one of the package deals and will be booking from Cebu, so if you know of any in Cebu that would be helpful.

Pete etc have added where they have been in Boracay but if anyone has been then let me know where you stayed and what i would expect to pay.

Thanks,
John

[walesrob]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 15 2006, 08:22 PM
Hi ,
i was wondering for those who have been to Boracay, did you book it through a travel Agent in the city you were staying in?

I am looking to go there for 3 nights maybe on one of the package deals and will be booking from Cebu, so if you know of any in Cebu that would be helpful.

Pete etc have added where they have been in Boracay but if anyone has been then let me know where you stayed and what i would expect to pay.

Thanks,
John
Quoted post


During our visit to Boracay, we didnt actually plan ANYTHING, it was total spur of the moment thing

We had returned back from Tacloban to Manila on a Monday afternoon, and as soon as we left the domestic airport we headed to Asian Spirit Office and got the next flight to Cactiklan. Luckily, while we were awaiting departure for the Asian Spirit, and having no hotel booked, we found a promotional leaflet in the departure lounge for Blue Mango Inn Click Here (http://www.bluemango.com.ph/). Elsa called them from the Domestic Airport, and they picked us up at Cactiklan airport 45 minutes later!

If its low season in Boracay, you really are better off getting a flight over there with Asian Spirit, SEAIR or even a small airline called Interisland Airways and just turning up and looking to see whats available, and there are plenty of places to stay. You will find the central part of Boracay more expensive, the more north or south, the cheaper, but its also much nicer - not so busy.

Theres a good tourist information centre who can provide a list of hotels or apartments for rent, located near Boat Station 2. If your looking for absolute luxury, Boracay Regency is the one (as Pete will testify), but theres plenty others much cheaper.

Try to book a hotel when your in the Philippines - it always works out cheaper then Expedia, etc, better still, just turn up and see whats available.

[walesrob]

Originally posted by admin@Oct 15 2005, 08:09 AM
You went all the way to the Philippines to visit an English Bakery! :rolleyes:
Quoted post


Aint that funny, we met the guy who runs that place when we were over there - his name is "Dave", very funny guy, and he's full of useful information about Boracay.

[deepete]

Originally posted by walesrob@Feb 15 2006, 10:39 PM
Aint that funny, we met the guy who runs that place when we were over there - his name is "Dave", very funny guy, and he's full of useful information about Boracay.
Quoted post



He was away in Caticlan finishing off his boat according to his wife when we were there.
I was dissapointed I couldnt get a cheese cake ( the one with iced coconut on top)or belgian bun (in a english bakery) while we was there

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by walesrob@Feb 15 2006, 09:36 PM
and having no hotel booked, we found a promotional leaflet in the departure lounge for Blue Mango Inn Click Here (http://www.bluemango.com.ph/). Elsa called them from the Domestic Airport, and they picked us up at Cactiklan airport 45 minutes later!

Quoted post


Hi Rob,
i went to the blue mango website but they were looking a username, although i was to see it through another site but it does not mention the cost. Do you remember what you paid?

John

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 15 2006, 11:25 PM
Hi Rob,
i went to the blue mango website but they were looking a username, although i was to see it through another site but it does not mention the cost. Do you remember what you paid?

John
Quoted post



Hi John, its a long time since anything went on this thread, I think I started it way back after March of 2004, If its your first time on Boracay John, get your wife to go to a local travel agent in Ozamis, or nearest major town and get it pre-booked, as the time when you go in April, my Gina just told me to tell you to pre-book, its holy week, the Island will be heaving with locals, everyone goes for holy week, depending on what you want to pay, you can get a nice room from around

P2500.00 to P3500.00, its lower at other times, but its still good value by our standards, but as you are going back you need to get it booked first, you can try looking on the Boracay page, however, let your wife organize it through a local tavel agent, she can also organize, transfers for you from Caticlan Jetty to the resort.

Also the Hotel will organize a van for you from Caticlan airstrip to the jetty, John, do this, its worth your while, you dont want to be arriving at Caticlan airstrip, and then p.....around outside looking for transport to the jetty, although its only 5 minutes by road, if you dont have transport, you will end up on a trike !

There are no Taxis from Caticlan airstrip to the Jetty terminal building, just be warned, hehehehe.

Rob has given you good advice, you really need to pre-book at this time of year, once you have pre-booked, your hotel also, will know of your arrival, at the jetty terminal building, your wife will speak to them and your banca should have come across for you, if they know the flight you are arriving on, your travel agent will organize the hotel to send there own banca ( motorized taxi boat) across to meet you, they will normally have a name card for you at the jetty, sometimes they are picking up several hotel guests, so you will be one of many in a party, the hotel normally knows your flight arrival.

From Cebu of course, your best route is to book an Asian Spirit package, it is usually a 19 seater (Rob remember this heheheheh) Dash 7, or 50 seater, both are nice flights, bit noisy, as they are twin turbo prop, but the landing at Caticlan is great, best scenery ever, as I have said previously John, try if you are travelling in Trousers, thats ok, you can slip into shorts at the terminal building, however, the toilets are...s....ty, so hold your breath.

Try and travel in shorts if you can and trainers, when you get to Boracay, you can wade in the final few yards, and the porter will carry your gear, try not to arrive with suitcases John, take a carry bag or backpack if you can, its easier to carry, they will carry your cases, but you look like your on a weekend to Acapulco, if you show up with a case, ( oh look at the foreigners) heheheh on tour.

The Boracay Regency hotel is very nice, the Casar Pilar and Nigi Nigi Noos Noos beach resorts are also very nice, Rob has spoken about the Blue Mango where he stayed, there are numerous accomodations along the beach, you should get in somewhere, if you pre-book first, there are times of year, when you can just show up on the Island and find somewhere, the time you are going is not one of them.

There are lots of things to do on Boracay, ask Rob he should know, he and his wife are stars on my Boracay Page (http://www.british-filipino.com/boracaypage3.html) banana boating, wind surfing, jet ski's hmmmmm John that is a must, but more importantly, of course the snorkelling, there is a guy that we always meet up with called Blash, a Filipino, who runs a boat out of the island, he is normally hanging around the beach at Casar Pilar, you can always just leave his name at Reception, dont worry, he will find you, once the word goes out, he will take you out to Crystal Cove, (Rob and Elsa again, seen you at Crystal Cove), then to Crocodile Island, very nice, the banca just edges up the beach, and hangs in the water, they will go to sleep, you can swim and snorkel on your own, the Island is uninhabited, but strangely, you can buy ice cream there, what else is there ? swimming swimming and swimming, hehehehe, and also a beach massage, P250.00 1 hour of relaxation, or get the ladies, to go back to your room, and do it, very nice at the end of the day, come on John the possibilities are endless, and of course there is always eating !!

In the evenings, you can go down to Nigi Nigi Noos Noos, and have a laugh with Shaun, if he is around, he is a Chelsea Supporter, and his wife Maria, dont know if they are still there, he always says he is going back to London, dont know if he ever did, he likes to get p.....every night.

I cant think of anything else, Rob...AndyPaul, Deepete, Pauldo, Keith ?? anything to add ?

[Eljohno]

Pete,
thanks for your reply, now i am even more excited about going :BouncyHappy:

I look forward to meeting the Chelsea supporter although he will have the upper hand as i support Liverpool Fc...

I was going to go for 3 nights from the 7th as i thought then i would miss Holy Week..

John

[walesrob]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 15 2006, 11:25 PM
Hi Rob,
i went to the blue mango website but they were looking a username, although i was to see it through another site but it does not mention the cost. Do you remember what you paid?

John
Quoted post


I think it was about 55$ / night, but this was mid-season, I think its $10/night difference either way for low or high season. Elsa tells me she paid 10,500 peso for 3 nights/4 days, breakfast included.

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by walesrob@Feb 16 2006, 01:19 PM
I think it was about 55$ / night, but this was mid-season, I think its $10/night difference either way for low or high season. Elsa tells me she paid 10,500 peso for 3 nights/4 days, breakfast included.
Quoted post


Hi Rob,
was that 10,500 each or for the both of you?




John

[walesrob]

Originally posted by Eljohno@Feb 16 2006, 02:06 PM
Hi Rob,
was that 10,500 each or for the both of you?
John
Quoted post


For both.

Blue Mango also give you a free bottle of water everyday, allow free use of beach towels and free internet access either using your own wireless laptop or you can use their own computer.

[Eljohno]

Originally posted by walesrob@Feb 16 2006, 05:06 PM
For both.

Blue Mango also give you a free bottle of water everyday, allow free use of beach towels and free internet access either using your own wireless laptop or you can use their own computer.
Quoted post



Hi Rob i must admit i am already very impressed with the guy who runs the Blue Mango as he has been great replying to my emails and as i have already booked a room he is arranging my flights so that i can just pick the tickets up at the airport.

[scotsfiancee]

Better to stay in Pearl of the Pacific,Mandala Spa and Boracay Regency pretty nice not too busy on the beach front unlike this Red Coconut beach Resort we had stayed in last April, a busy place it only takes 3-5 minutes to walk there D MALL

[francesca]

We took Superferry Manila- Catiklan for 2,830 pesos suite accomodation for two persons and 15 hours ride.Suite room with cable tv, ref, coffee and tea and a terrace to view the sea.Arrived Dumaguit, took a shuttle bus offered by Superferry, for an hour and half ride to Catiklan.
Paid 52 pesos environment fee and 19.50 pesos for boat ride .Catiklan - Boracay 15 mins ride.
Paid 100 pesos for tricycle to the resort.

We took Casa Camilla, the room is very nice but the sorroundings smells humid and damp.3,500 pesos /night for two persons with kitchen.
We changed room to Coral Beach Resort, near the Blue Mango. Room with kitchen is 2,000/night, beachfront and very quiet as it is 20 mins walk to the market called Talipapa.

Coral beach resorthas 4rooms up, and three rooms down, with terrace,is very clean, buidling materials are not rubbish,cable tv, wifi connection range from Blue Mango, hehe, they clean our rooms everyday, with ref, kitchen, rice cooker and utensils upon request.

I This resort do not have a website, we take this as we walk in.I have her yahoo address if you want to book a room.

There's Andoks grilled chicken, market for veges and fruits,mall for souvenirs, bathing suits for 250 pesos. Some restaurants has "Eat all you can" for 185 pesos or 395 pesos. Boracay regency seems 5 star hotel. We look around, some are 3000 pesos but small and some up to 7,000 pesos but too noisy bec the actions are within the area.

We cook our meals everyday, we can save money by cooking our own meals. We are 6 staying for a week and going back to Manila is via MBRS boat 15 hours ride again for 670 pesos per person, bunk bed acomodation. MBBRs do not have suite acomodation on August, they are using small ferries only. Trips from Catiklan is on Thursday and Sundays only.

Today, its sunny after three days storm :bigcry: . weather is 25°.

Less people/tourists on August. Best way to be here, do not book. "Walk in" is advisable, resorts are not fully booked and you can choose beachfront on the cheap. Theres 1000 pesos, room only.Or a cottage for 800 pesos.
We took the 2000 pesos because its huge, around 100 sqm, beachfront with ref and kitchen, dry and clean.With wifi from Blue Mango, but shhh dont tell!:)

My website about Boracay:http://francescainfrance.blogspot.com/