Voted the best island in the
world by Travel + Leisure magazine in 2012, Boracay remains a top tourist
destination in Philippines
Here
are some tips and tricks to make the most out of your Boracay beach holiday
from a first-timer's recent visit to the island:
Getting
there
The most direct way of getting to Boracay from Malaysia would be to take AirAsia's daily
flights to Kalibo in the Filipino province
of Aklan
From
Kalibo, there's still another two-hour bus ride to Caticlan and 10-minute ferry
ride before you reach the island proper. It may sound like a tedious trip but
for me, Boracay was worth every minute of it.
Travel tip #1: It's likely that you'll be
spending the whole day travelling so make sure you're comfortably dressed. If
you're the sort who doesn't travel well, I find that neck pillows and soft toys
are particularly helpful and relaxing.
Travel tip #2: For transportation, Southwest Tours arranges door-to-door trips to and from
the airport and hotel. With the bus, ferry and transport to the hotel sorted,
you won't have to worry about not reaching your destination.
Travel tip #3: Seeing as the trip to and from
Boracay would take up two whole days, consider extending your trip to get the
most out of your holiday.
Once you've arrived and settled in, it's time to get to the beach! The main strip on Boracay is called the
With crystal clear waters and the finest sand your
feet have ever touched, you can choose to simply chill out or take part in any
of the water activities available. There will be locals around the beach
offering anything from snorkelling, parasailing, banana boat rides, kayaking
and more.
Travel tip #1: White Beach
Travel
tip #2: White Beach
For something a little more
exciting, take a day trip to go cliff-diving at Ariel's Point. Located on the
mainland, it's about a half hour's ride from Boracay. The trip includes a BBQ
buffet lunch, snacks and unlimited drinks (beer!) which they start handing out
on the boat!
The
main attraction at Ariel's Point would have to be their dive boards, placed at
varying heights from three metres up to 15 metres. Remember to take in the
gorgeous view before diving in!
Other
activities include kayaking and snorkelling.
Travel tip: Make a booking online and head to
Ariel's House on Station 1 to register before the trip. The boat departs at
11.15am and returns at 5pm.
Eat
With a variety of cuisines and restaurants to choose from in Boracay, you'll be completely spoilt for choice.
With a variety of cuisines and restaurants to choose from in Boracay, you'll be completely spoilt for choice.
It's
seafood central at D'Talipapa! – The Malaysian Insider pic, December 9, 2015.For a
breakfast or teatime snack, Real Coffee offers delicious sandwiches and hot
drinks. They are particularly famous for their dense and buttery calamansi
muffins which are infused with the tangy flavours of the lime. Their
tiki-inspired interior just adds to the holiday feeling!
Once
the sun sets, the White
Beach
And
what's a beach holiday without some seafood? For the freshest catch, head to
D'Talipapa where you can pick your meal straight out of the tanks. There's
everything from lobsters to sea urchins and all sorts of clams! Take your haul
to any of the nearby restaurants to cook up a glorious seafood feast!
Travel tip: D'Talipapa can be quite an
expensive place so put your bargaining skills to good use.
