What to see and do in Boracay, Philippines? Boracay is a small Philippine island with a beautiful sandy beach and lots of tourists. Here are our top tips on what to see and do in Boracay.
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Boracay in the Philippines
Boracay is the place for those who want to experience a tropical sandy beach with hanging palm trees, and who appreciate that there are plenty of restaurants, bars, shops and activities for tourists.
A few years ago, the island closed for six months due to over-tourism and environmental degradation. When the island reopened, a lot of improvements had been made and some of the things that stand out are that all trikes are powered by electricity and that visitors pay an environmental fee.
Boracay is located just north of Panay Island in the Western Visayas of the Philippines.
What can you do in Boracay?
So what is there to see and do in Boracay? Holiday life in Boracay is partly about 'doing nothing', but there are also plenty of activities and excursions to choose from. We've put together a list of our top tips here.
1. Hang out on White Beach
The one thing you won't want to miss in Boracay is hanging out on the four kilometres of White Beach. This is where 'everything happens' so to speak, whether you want to sunbathe and swim, go on boat trips or hang out in restaurants and bars.
The beach is not only long but also incredibly beautiful with fine-grained soft sand and tall palm trees, which often overhang the beach.
The beach is divided into three sections: Station 1 (in the far north, with the most luxurious resorts), Station 2 (in the centre) and Station 3 (in the far south, with budget options). The centre is the busiest, while the north and south are slightly quieter.
2. snorkelling or diving
Snorkelling and diving are popular in Boracay. You can join special diving tours, or go snorkelling on island hopping tours. You can also snorkel at various beaches, such as Tambisaan Beach.
3. kayaking or SUP
If you walk along White Beach, you'll find plenty of places where you can hire a kayak or SUP (Stand Up Paddle Board). The kayaks are transparent and it is extremely popular to rent them for a short time to get photos of yourself. The guys who rent the kayaks are happy to come along and act as photographers ...
4. Take selfies on the beach
Taking selfies, or letting someone else take a photo of you, must be one of those by far the most common things to do in Boracay. Many tourists bring selfie sticks and tripods, and there's plenty of posing on the beach, in kayaks and on SUP boards.
5. Try paragliding by boat
Another common activity on Boracay is parasailing behind a boat. When walking on White Beach you can see all the time people floating in the air under colourful balloons.
6. Sailing at sunset
Boracay is home to traditional Filipino sailboats (paraw), which are uncommon elsewhere in the Philippines. The boats have two sails, and you can embark on a trip at any time of the day.
However, the most popular thing to do is to head out just before sunset for a 'sunset sail'.
By the way, sunsets on Boracay can be incredibly beautiful, whether from a sailboat or the beach.
7. shopping
If you want a break from sun and sea, you can go shopping. Boracay has everything from simple markets to modern indoor shops. For example, you can check out D'Mall, an outdoor mall at Station 2. Here you'll find mostly holiday shopping items such as clothes, jewellery, bags, hats, beach toys and gifts.
You'll also find restaurants, bars, cafes and places selling ice cream, waffles, fruit juices, milk tea and all sorts of other things. The food can be Japanese, Korean, Italian, Greek or American, and we even saw a sign saying "No cow on ice".
8. Eat well at Café Maruja
Of the places where we ate, we can primarily recommend Café Maruja, which is located relatively far south on White Beach. This place has a wonderfully lovely interior, and in addition, they serve good and nicely prepared food with a twist, as well as beautiful drinks.
10. Party all night
Are you a party animal, or maybe you just like sitting up at night with a drink in your hand? Then there is something to do in Boracay for you! At White Beach there are lots of bars, as well as some places where you can dance the night away.
11. Explore the island by moped or etrike
Boracay is probably for many equal to White Beach, but the fact is that there is more to discover. We chose to rent a moped for a day, to look around. Renting a moped in the Philippines usually (2023) costs 500 pesos (about 100 kronor) for 24 hours.
In Boracay it cost four times as much for a third of the time, which of course says little about how Boracay is different from the rest of the country. But it was interesting to look around. When you leave the big beach, you are met with everyday Filipino life with simple housing and countless sari sari shops (neighbourhood shops).
A cheaper and more common way to get around is to catch an etrike, to go from A to B. There is also a hop on hop off bus.
12. Relax on Puka Beach
One of the places you can go to is Puka Beach, which is located at the northern end of Boracay. We had read that this would be a quieter and more secluded beach, and it was, but there were still a lot of both tourists and vendors. Above all, the locals had built many nice sculptures, of sand or branches, with which you could take pictures and leave a tip.
There are also some simple small shops and eateries.
The beach is not as impressive as White Beach, but still beautiful and very relaxed. While we were here, it suddenly started to rain and we found a simple little restaurant under a tarpaulin.
13. Discovering the Boracay Newcoast
Another interesting area to discover is the part of the island known as 'Boracay Newcoast'. This is an area in the north, filled with big fancy hotels. It was a special feeling to come here, because the place is... so different towards White Beach. It's much more rigid, and many places don't even seem to have opened yet, because in some places it was completely empty.
We would not choose to live in this part of Boracay, but it was still interesting to come here and see it. There are also some nice beaches, such as Ilig-Iligan Beach. You can also see the beautiful natural sight of Cujo's Keyhole.
14. Take it easy on Tambisaan Beach
During our carpet tour in Boracay, we also went to Tambisaan Beach, which is located in the south. This is a really relaxed and quiet beach, where you can sunbathe and swim in peace and quiet.
There's a jetty out among some rock formations and you can look out towards islands such as Crocodile Island. Snorkelling is also said to be good here.
15. Take a boat trip to different islands.
Another thing you can do in Boracay is to join island hopping, which is a boat trip to different islands. During these tours you can visit Magic Island, Crocodile Island and Crystal Cove Beach, for example.
More to see and do in Boracay
There is of course more to see and do in Boracay than our suggestions. Below you'll find a few more tips.
- Banana boat is for those who want to go on the water at high speed.
- Helicopter ride is possible for those who wish to do so.
- Jet Ski is another activity for those who like high speeds.
- Lugutan Mangrove Park showcases mangroves.
- Massage is offered by lots of different spas, as soon as you start walking along the beach.
- Mount Luho is the highest point on Boracay, for those who want to climb and get a great view.
- Windsurfing and kite surfing are water activities that you can also try.
Where to stay in Boracay?
There are lots of different hotels on Boracay, in all different price ranges. We stayed at a place called Cocoloco Resort. This is a super cosy place at Station 3. There is a nice relaxed restaurant, where we had breakfast every day and sometimes had a beer or dinner.
The rooms are just behind, a little bit from the beach, surrounded by greenery. It was incredibly quiet and nice, and we liked the place a lot. The only objection (that we can think of) is that the place is far south on White Beach, which means it's quite a walk to get to Station 2 and Station 3.
What about the room? Super good in every way! A little short on wardrobe space perhaps, but good air conditioning and a fresh bathroom.
Getting to and from Boracay
To get to Boracay, you must (usually) first go to Caticlan in Malay, at the northern end of the island of Panay. From here you can then take a boat to Boracay. The boats go just all the time and the boat trip takes 15 minutes. Before you can go, you have to queue a bit to buy a ticket and pay an environmental fee.
More to see and do in the neighbourhood
Near Caticlan you can visit Ariel's Point, if you like jumping off high cliffs. If you want to go a bit further, we can recommend visits to beautiful Coron or nice Puerto Galera on Mindoro. For even more tips for the Philippines, click on the image below.
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More tips for things to do in Boracay?
Have you been to Boracay? How was your experience? Do you have any other good tips on what to see and do in Boracay?
frequently asked questions about Boracay
How to travel to Boracay?
You can get to Boracay by travelling to Caticlan, via flight from Manila or Cebuor by ferry. From Caticlan, you travel on by boat to Boracay, which takes about 15 minutes.
What do you do in Boracay?
There is plenty to do in Boracay in the Philippines. If you're tired of sunbathing and swimming, you can go snorkelling, scuba diving, try paragliding by boat or join boat trips to different islands.
Where to stay in Boracay?
There are many different hotels in Boracay, in different price ranges. Many people want to stay at White Beach, and if you want a lot of hustle and bustle, you'll want to stay around Station 2. Station 1 has the most luxurious hotels and Station 3 has more budget-friendly options.
Facts about Boracay
- Country: Philippines
- Region: Western Visayas
- Provins: Aklan
- Municipality: Malay
- District (barangay): Balabag, Manoc-Manoc and Yapak.
- Location: Boracay is located just north of Panay Island in the Western Visayas of the Philippines.
- Size: The island is 7 kilometres long and up to 2 kilometres wide.
- Population: More than 37 000 (2020)
- Industries: Tourism
GOOD TO KNOW
- Payment: You'll need cash on the island, although you can pay by card in fine restaurants and hotels. There are ATMs, but be aware that a fee is charged for withdrawals.
- Getting around: It is always easy to take an etrike for different routes on the island. There is also a hop on hop off bus and the possibility to rent a moped or bicycle.
Getting to Boracay
- Flight: You can fly to Caticlan Airport (Godofredo P. Ramos Airport). From here you can take a tricycle and then a boat, a short distance, to get to Boracay.
- Boat: Boats continuously ply the route between Boracay and Caticlan Jetty Port.
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Ditte says:
Have such great memories from here. We stayed down south on White Beach and in a luxurious yet informal hotel at Station One; FRIDAY'S. We stayed at the Marriott at Manila airport and flew over to Katiklaan, 45 minutes. From there bus to Caticlan and it was the hotel's boat that picked us up here.
Know that we sailed at sunset, rented a boat at the hotel - also sailed some daytime. There was also some snorkelling. Took us around the island in different rounds and it worked fine. And just as you write, it is an island to mostly relax on. Know that we ate a lot of lobster and other seafood. .
A nice trip we made during the years we lived in Beijing.
Thank you for your tips.
03 May 2023 - 13:06
Helena says:
Glad you have great memories from Boracay!!! It really sounds like you had a great trip!
03 May 2023 - 20:52
BP says:
Boracay seems to be a somewhat "segregated" island with its stations. So you know from the start where you prefer to stay and what to expect.
The pictures from the beach with the boats and the sunset are amazing. Had a good laugh at the KFC sail. So Kentucky Fried Chicken has found its way to Boracay;-)
03 May 2023 - 19:24
Helena says:
The KFC seal was not the nicest, haha. And yes, very possible that there was a KFC on the island ... 😉.
03 May 2023 - 20:56