As of July 2022, the Philippines is divided into three main regions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The country has 18 administrative regions, including the National Capital Region (NCR), the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). These regions are further divided into 81 provinces and 117 cities, with the capital located in Metro Manila.
In 2022, the population of the Philippines was about 110 million. Over 85% of the population is of Malay descent, and the major ethnic groups include the Tagalog, Ilocano, Pampango, Visayan, and Bicolano peoples. There are also minority groups and foreign descendants, such as Chinese, Arabs, Indians, Spaniards, and Americans.
The country covers an area of about 300,000 square kilometers, roughly the same size as the Guangxi region in China. Eleven major islands, including Luzon, Mindanao, and Samar, account for 96% of the country’s total land area, and the Philippines has over 7,000 islands in total. If you’re into islands, beaches, the ocean, tropical vibes, and plenty of sunshine, the islands of the Philippines are perfect for you!
The Philippines has a tropical monsoon climate, meaning it’s hot, humid, and rainy, with a lot of typhoons. The average yearly temperature is about 27°C (81°F). The best time to visit is from November to April, during the dry season.
Boracay: Let’s Talk About the Downsides First
First, the famous White Beach (S1-S3) has a bit of a green algae problem. There’s about a 2-meter-wide strip of algae right along the shore, but it tends to disappear a little when the tide comes in around noon. Local tourism newspapers have reported that Boracay’s environmental efforts haven’t been great, which has led to algae growth at White Beach. Thankfully, other beaches on the island are still fine. But honestly, even with the algae, White Beach is still incredibly beautiful!
Second, there’s the constant push from locals trying to sell you day tours, parasailing trips, and so on. It gets a little annoying after a while. The tourism newspaper even mentioned that this kind of behavior is causing fewer tourists to visit the island. When you’re on vacation, you just want to relax and unwind, but it can be frustrating when you’re constantly asked if you want to join some activity.
Third, there are no direct flights to Boracay. I’ll talk more about flights later, but if there were direct flights, it would make everything so much easier!
Now for the Good Stuff About Boracay
After this trip, I can say without a doubt that I’ve completely fallen in love with the islands of the Philippines!
Scenery: We absolutely love tropical islands. Walking barefoot on that soft, powdery white sand is a dream, and the ocean changes color throughout the day. Whether it’s early morning, noon, or sunset, the views are stunning and will leave you feeling so refreshed. After just one day here, you’ll feel like all your stress has melted away—it’s incredibly relaxing.
Climate: In March, the weather in Boracay is perfect. It can get a bit hot if you’re standing under the midday sun, but other than that, it’s super comfortable. At night, we even slept with the windows open and didn’t need the air conditioning—it was so cool that we even needed a light blanket. The humidity is also nice and dry, so your skin feels great. Honestly, I don’t know how a beach can have such comfortable weather, but it does! Plus, there’s no strong fishy smell from the sea. The climate is just perfect.
Accommodation: Boracay is a great island for a vacation, with everything from luxury hotels to budget-friendly guesthouses. At first, we stayed in a guesthouse while exploring the island, and later on, we stayed two nights at a four-star resort. Both experiences were great!
Food: Boracay is a pretty small island, only about a third the size of Macau, so small that they can’t even find space to build an airport. Most of the restaurants are concentrated around D-Mall and White Beach (S1-S3). If you go to S3, where there are fewer people, the prices are more affordable, while in S1, where it’s more crowded, the prices tend to be higher. Although the island is small, there are plenty of restaurants to discover, and finding your favorite spots is part of the fun of traveling!
Transportation: The main mode of transport on the island is the “tricycle” (Dudu). You just flag one down going in your direction, tell the driver where you want to go, and they’ll quote you a price—usually around 30 pesos per person. Agree on the price and hop on! Sometimes it can get a bit crowded. Boracay also has a bus system, but the first time you ride, you’ll need to pay 100 pesos, with 50 pesos for the card itself and 50 pesos for the fare. Whether you ride one stop or all of them, it’s a flat rate of 50 pesos. The bus only runs on one route, but you can also get passes for a day, a week, or even a month, though tourists usually don’t use them.
You can also rent motorbikes or bicycles, which I think is a great way to get around the island if you enjoy driving. Just make sure to wear sunscreen!
Arriving and Departing from Boracay
Arrival:

When you land at Caticlan Airport, you’ll need to head to the Caticlan Jetty Port to catch the boat to Boracay. After leaving the airport, just walk straight ahead. If you’re unsure, ask someone for directions. You’ll see a bunch of tricycles (motorized rickshaws) parked nearby. The cost is 150 pesos per tricycle, which can carry two people.
Once you arrive at the Caticlan Jetty Port (the port where you board the boat to Boracay), you’ll need to make payments at several windows, starting from window #1. Don’t worry about taking your time. There are three fees to pay:
- Environmental fee: 300 pesos per person (600 pesos for two people)
- Island entry fee: 150 pesos per person (300 pesos for two people)
- Boat ticket: 50 pesos per person (100 pesos for two people)
In total, you’ll pay 1,150 pesos for two people, which breaks down to 575 pesos per person. Once you have all your receipts, just follow the signs and board the boat to the Boracay Jetty Port.
When you arrive at the Boracay Jetty Port, you’ll see a lot of tricycles (called DUDU locally). Ask the drivers if they can take you to your hotel and how much it will cost. I paid 30 pesos per person, which turned out to be a great deal after checking online guides. A price between 30 and 100 pesos per person is normal, so ask around for the best price.


Departure:
Leaving Boracay follows a similar process. First, take a tricycle to the Boracay Jetty Port. However, this time they’ll require you to purchase both the boat ticket and the ride from the opposite port (Caticlan Jetty Port) to the airport together. The total cost for the tricycle ride back to the airport is 200 pesos (compared to 150 pesos when arriving). One tricycle can carry two people.
The boat ticket costs 60 pesos per person, and there’s also a departure fee of 150 pesos per person, totaling 300 pesos for two people.
So, for two people, the total cost for departing is 620 pesos, or 310 pesos per person.
When you exit the airport, gather at the outdoor meeting point if you’ve arranged for a bus to the jetty port—there should be someone there to guide you. I didn’t try this method, so I’m not entirely sure how it works. If you go the DIY route, it’ll save you about half the money, plus there’s the added benefit of not having to wait around for group transportation. With the DIY method, you can take a tricycle and head straight to your destination, whereas with the bus service, you have to wait for the bus to fill up before it departs.
You’ll also be warmly welcomed by the staff! “Aklan” refers to the Province of Aklan. Aklan Province, located in the northwest of Panay Island, is one of the oldest provinces in the Philippines. It covers an area of 1,800 square kilometers and has a population of about 450,000 people.
Aklan is known for its rich tourism resources, with beautiful islands and vibrant indigenous festivals attracting many visitors. Among its attractions, Boracay Island is the most famous. The province is also well-known for its handcrafted products and textiles, which are quite popular among tourists.
Boracay: Located in Aklan Province, Boracay is celebrated as one of the best beaches in the world and a famous vacation destination. The numerous restaurants and bars along White Beach’s main street make Boracay a social hotspot, while its powdery soft sand and crystal-clear blue waters make it a perfect place for a relaxing getaway.


Kamusta Boutique Hotel
The value for money and location were the best parts of my stay, though there were some downsides too.
The most lasting impression I had was the excellent service! The staff was incredibly responsive and helpful. This small hotel has fewer than 10 rooms spread across the second and third floors. I chose it mainly because of its affordable price—only $30 per night during Boracay’s peak season. Its location is also super convenient: a 5-minute walk to D-Mall and just 3 minutes to White Beach’s S-1 station. Plus, they offer free cancellation, which was great since I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make this trip at first.
If it’s your first time in Boracay and you plan to spend your days out exploring instead of relaxing at the hotel, this place is perfect. However, if you’re looking for a resort to chill in, this might not be the best choice because it lacks amenities—no pool, no ocean view, and not much public space.
There’s also a laundry shop just 10 meters away where you can wash up to 10 kg of clothes for about 280 pesos. A couple of minor issues were the hot water not being hot enough and the water pressure being a bit low, but the staff was quick to address these problems. We later realized that water pressure can be an issue across Boracay, as we stayed at a resort afterward, and the water pressure on the second floor there wasn’t great either.
When we checked out, the staff was incredibly helpful, carrying our luggage downstairs and even helping us find a tricycle (dudu) to our next destination. During our 4-night stay, we really felt the friendliness of the staff, the Filipino people, and the locals of Boracay. Plus, the island’s stunningly beautiful beaches made us fall in love with Boracay even more. I definitely plan to return in the future when I get the chance.

Budget Mart
Address: Boracay Hwy Central, Malay, Aklan, Philippines
In my opinion, this is the best supermarket near White Beach. It’s spacious, has a wide variety of products, and some of the alcohol is surprisingly cheap. The supermarket is guarded by three armed security personnel, but there’s no need to worry—when I visited Cebu last time, the security guards were armed too, and some even carried shotguns or AK.


Sunset at Boracay’s S1 Beach
Highly recommended—it’s absolutely stunning! We arrived just in time to catch the sunset, and it was perfect.


White Beach
Located on the western side of the island, White Beach stretches from south to north for 4 kilometers. It was formed by crushed coral, creating a smooth and gentle shoreline. The sand is pure white and incredibly fine, and even under the blazing midday sun, it stays cool underfoot.
White Beach is indeed stunning and the main reason Boracay is famous worldwide. By night, it transforms into a massive 4-kilometer-long bar, with lights and music giving it a lively, vibrant atmosphere. Many people who come to Boracay for vacation don’t bother with sightseeing or activities—they just spend their days and nights lounging at White Beach.



White Beach Path
Find yourself a beachfront hotel here, and every day you can enjoy the stunning ocean views of White Beach, play in the sand, swim in the sea, and pick your favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In the evenings, grab a drink at a bar—it’s the perfect way to relax for a few days!
The busiest area is between S1 and S2, where you’ll find a lot of people, while S3 is a bit quieter. Some bars offer great deals, like unlimited cocktails for an hour at just 300 pesos!




HALO MANGO
Highly recommended! It’s a perfect combination of mango ice cream and fresh mango chunks. This place is super popular, and the taste is amazing!


Willy’s Rock
Located on S1 Beach, this is one of the island’s most famous landmarks and a popular spot for photos—definitely worth a visit if you’re passing by.
Willy’s Rock is the most famous rock formation on Boracay Island. It stands in the sea, and the locals have placed a statue of the Virgin Mary on top, hence the name “Willy’s Rock.”




Coco Mama
Just like HALO MANGO, Coco Mama is another ice cream and dessert chain. Personally, I don’t think it’s as good as HALO. We ordered two scoops for 220 pesos and chose the mixed flavors, which included coconut and pandan (the green one). It didn’t taste particularly special—just something we wanted to try since we hadn’t had it before. The coconut ice cream was pretty good, and the coconut meat and mango chunks were nice, but overall, it felt a bit pricey.


Cycling Around Boracay
If you enjoy exercise and tracking your route, renting a bicycle to explore the island is a really pleasant experience. Boracay is quite small—the distance from one end of the island to the other is just a little over 5 kilometers, so a round trip is about 10 kilometers. It’s not too tiring to cycle, but the roads are narrow, so you need to be careful.
For detailed pricing, refer to the table below. The pricing system might seem a bit odd, but in general, I think renting a bike for 2 to 4 hours is enough to explore the island and have some fun. The cost is usually around 400 to 600 pesos.

HOP ON HOP OFF Bus
The HOP ON HOP OFF bus is the only bus company on Boracay, and it runs a single route that covers the entire island. We had to figure it out ourselves by asking the hotel staff and confirming with the female employee shown in the picture. The fare is 50 pesos, and you can ride as many stops as you want. However, the first time you ride, you’ll need to pay 100 pesos per person, since 50 pesos is a non-refundable card fee. After you have the card, each ride costs 50 pesos.
Compared to the DUDU tricycle, which usually costs 30 pesos, the bus may not seem like a great deal. However, with the DUDU, you often need to negotiate the price and check the route. For example, I doubt you can get to the jetty port for just 30 pesos, so the bus is probably the better choice. Plus, if it’s raining heavily, you’ll stay dry on the bus, whereas you’d get soaked in a DUDU.
The bus also offers unlimited rides for a day or multiple days. A one-day unlimited pass costs 250 pesos, but it’s hard to get your money’s worth unless you ride it a lot. If you’re heading to Puka Beach at the far end of Boracay, I recommend taking this bus on the way back—that’s what we did!

Puka Beach
Puka Beach is even more beautiful than White Beach (and no green algae!), but the sand isn’t as soft and fine as White Beach’s. Because it’s located in the more remote northern part of the island, there’s no commercial street nearby, and it’s much less crowded. There are only a few restaurants around. It’s a great spot for sunbathing and relaxing in the sea breeze. However, if you’re looking for a place with more dining, entertainment, and activities, White Beach is definitely the better option!




JARDIN Mediterranean Restaurant
This restaurant was recommended in the local tourism newspaper, and it seems to be a fairly new place. The atmosphere is great, the service is super friendly, and the food is fantastic! They offer a buy-one-get-one-free deal on cocktails and beer. They also serve complimentary bread with garlic mayo, which is delicious—and you can get free refills.
We tried the Mango Margarita, which had a light alcohol content and tasted like a sweet mango slushie—really good! For the appetizer, we had callos, a tomato-based stew with tender beef tripe and chickpeas. The sauce reminded me of the tomato beans you get with an English breakfast, and the flavor was excellent.
For the main course, we ordered Bifteki, which is basically a Greek hamburger steak stuffed with cheese. It was a bit salty, but since the rice didn’t come with any sauce, the combination worked out perfectly. The salad was a Greek-style mix of papaya, onions, and other fruits and veggies. Overall, I thought it was really good!






Boracay Sunset Cruise
This cruise includes a boat ride, music, light meals, drinks, a 3-meter-high jump into the sea, snorkeling, a sunset at sea, and even a disco—all for just $12 per person! At first, I was worried it might be a tourist trap, but it turned out to be a super fun 150 minutes! The light meal included pasta and pizza, which were average, but the ham, sausages, and cheese were really good! They offered beer, cocktails, some kind of fruity wine, and sangria (which was similar to red wine but sweeter). Portions were limited, but there was enough for everyone, and there were even drinks left over by the end!
The boat had around 60-70 people on board. The 3-meter sea jump looked intimidating at first, and many people were a bit scared, but once you take the plunge, you realize it doesn’t hurt at all! After that, people kept jumping, even trying to pose in mid-air. After completing the 3-meter jump, I’m now tempted to try the 10-meter cliff jump in Boracay!
Fewer people went snorkeling, as the sea jump was just too much fun—even young kids were jumping by the end! And the disco at the end really got the whole crowd hyped! For this price and the overall experience, it’s definitely worth doing!
As for the sunset, I’ve seen stunning sunsets before in Phu Quoc and Cebu, so this one didn’t surprise me much, but it was still gorgeous to see the sunset from the sea!
Note: Different service providers offer different boats, and I noticed some looked even more fun, so it’s worth asking around for options.
The activity says to meet at 4 PM, but we like to arrive early. We showed up at 3:10, strolled along the beach to enjoy the sea breeze, and by the time we reached the pier, there were already several groups of people gathered.






After the sunset, around 6:10 PM, the staff will call everyone to gather on the lower deck to start the party!


Then it’s time to head back, and the sea silhouette at this time looks amazing. By 6:30 PM, we were back at the pier, so it really was a 2.5-hour trip. As we disembarked, the staff had a tip jar in hand to see if anyone wanted to leave a tip. The service was excellent, and we got a great deal on the sunset cruise, so we gladly tipped them. Many other tourists did too—it was a really happy experience!
HENANN Seafood Buffet
The price is 1,049 pesos per person, with an additional 250 pesos for unlimited drinks, so it comes to 1,299 pesos per person. We spent three and a half hours there, drank eight glasses of red wine, watched a chef flash mob, and were even invited to join in for the second round of dancing—it was an amazing experience!
To be honest, though, the seafood wasn’t that great, and the dishes were pretty much what you’d expect from a regular buffet. But the atmosphere was fantastic, and the price made it worth it!






Fairways & Bluewater Four-Star Resort
Highly recommended! Fairways & Bluewater is a four-star resort that exceeded our expectations! It was just $52 per night, including a buffet breakfast. The rooms were spacious and very clean. The resort has excellent facilities, including a gym, a private beach, and two large swimming pools—plus several smaller ones! There are also two restaurants. The resort is massive, probably taking up about 20-30% of the size of Boracay itself. There are multiple golf courses, and to get around the resort, you need to use the shuttle bus. This morning, we walked from our room to the main lobby for breakfast, and it was a 1.5-kilometer walk!
This resort is the kind of place where you don’t even need to leave—it has everything. There are over 100 staff members, and no matter where you go, they always greet you with a smile. The service is excellent, and it really makes you feel at home. For example, we called for some water bottles at night but forgot to take down the “Do Not Disturb” sign. The staff didn’t even ring the doorbell; they called the front desk to notify us instead. Only when we received the call did we realize what had happened!
The buffet breakfast isn’t huge in terms of variety, but the food was decent. I had four cups of coffee and five glasses of orange juice! If you were to order this quantity in a restaurant outside of the resort, it would cost at least $15. The resort has two infinity pools that are perfect for photos, plus a private beach where you can sunbathe, swim, watch the sunset, and relax to music. It’s the perfect vacation vibe! The other guests at the resort were very friendly too—everyone greeted each other with a smile.
During our two-day stay, we tried both of the resort’s restaurants, and the food was decent. The prices were similar to those at restaurants outside the resort. Our room was also close to the main gate, and just across from the entrance is the largest supermarket on Boracay, Save More. Nearby, there are also chain restaurants like Jollibee.
The only downside is that you’re mostly confined to the resort. The furthest you can go is to the shopping center across the main entrance to visit the supermarket. Also, checking in and out took about 30 minutes, which felt a bit inefficient. Plus, you can only do it at the main lobby building, which is far from many of the rooms, so you’ll need to use the shuttle bus, which can take some time.









Leaving Boracay
At window #1, pay the departure fee (exit fee), which is 150 pesos per person. Then at window #2, purchase the boat ticket along with the tricycle ride for 160 pesos per person. At window #3, proceed to the gate to have your boat ticket checked.
