One of the main reasons why I wanted to come to the Philippines was for Borocay as it was somewhere I wanted to go for a family holiday a few years ago.
When speaking to people in other locations they were shocked I was going to Borocay as they said it was too ‘touristy’ and ‘westernised’ (albeit it was I mean there was a Starbucks on the beach and a lot of Western luxuries) but I am so glad I went. There is a lot to do and I met the most amazing people (which certainly helped increase how much I loved this place) so I would certainly recommend.
Where to stay:
Frendz hostel
This is honestly one of the best hostels I stayed at, it was the perfect mix of social and chill. The rooms were really nice and had a/c (which for me was a luxury). What I loved was that they had a restaurant there so everyone ate breakfast and dinner together there every morning which was more social. Also every night there is a theme for dinner which is subsidised (e.g 60 pesos/£1 for a taco) and twice a week there’s free pasta night. These nights meant most people ate together in the hostel making it more social.
They also had happy hour every night from 6-8pm where beers were 60 pesos (£1) and cocktails were 100 pesos (£1.70) and there were activities such as beer pong and drink jenga.
I absolutely loved this hostel and the staff were super friendly (remembering me and my order every day) and would recommend it in a heartbeat.
It was literally a 2 minute walk to White beach which is beautiful. It gets very busy (especially during sunsets however the sunsets I saw in Borocay are some of the best I have ever seen) and is quite touristy (there is a McDonalds and Starbucks on the beach) however it is a lovely beach.
Mad monkey:
This is a well known chain in Southeast Asia so most people go there because they know it. I visited here one night and it was very social and loud (this one is more party than its El Nido counterpart where I stayed for 2 nights) so definitely go there if you want a party vibe (a lot of people stayed there a few nights then came to frendz as it was more chill). They also have a boat tour which is very alcohol based and ‘party’ style (I heard a lot of stories which ranged from fun to outright dangerous) but if you want that vibe then definitely stay there and try the boat trip (however frendz also offer one which has alcohol and is fun but less extreme).
Things to do:
Island hopping tours
I did one that the Frendz hostel were linked with and it was so much fun. It was the perfect itinerary which included cliff jumping, playing volleyball and lazing in a river in rubber rings. There was alcohol but there was no pressure to get really drunk plus the food was amazing.
It also had many people from the hostel on it so was a good way to meet people and I ended up spending a few days with 2 people I met on the trip who were staying at frendz.
Iligan beach
This was probably my favourite day in Borocay. Me and 3 people got a tricycle (for around 250 pesos) to the beach and rented snorkels after hearing how amazing the beach was and I was honestly blown away. I had never snorkelled before (this was the start of many hours spent snorkelling in the Philippines) and it was breathtaking. The beach is also beautiful and we spent about 2 hours just swimming, exploring and chilling in a cave we found.
Puka shell beach
We went here the next day and it was a disappointment in comparison. A lot of people recommend this beach but it wasn’t amazing. We rented snorkels and I would not recommend doing so. Maybe we were in the wrong bit of the beach but there was honestly nothing to see. However if you are in Borocay for a while and want to try a new beach it is pretty (but the sand is quite rough).
Get a massage and pedicure:
Like most of Southeast Asia these treatments are cheap and definitely worth making the most of. One day I got a massage for 250 pesos (£4ish) and a pedicure for 100 pesos (£1.70). Prices do vary and these are probably the cheapest prices (they were close to my hostel which is why I went there) so be prepared to pay more (especially if you’re going to a spa on the beach as their prices were much much higher).
How to get there:
We got a flight to Caticlan airport but you can get a boat from Manila which takes longer.
When you land in Caticlan in order to get to Borocay island you have to get a tricycle, ferry and van plus pay an environmental fee when getting the ferry.
I would recommend walking a few metres outside the airport as there are some people who organise all of these for you for a set fee and it worked out cheaper to do it in a ‘bundle deal’ (400 pesos per person to get to Frendz).
If you get a taxi and the ferry fee organised at Borocay airport it works out to be more expensive (as it doesn’t include the environmental fee or the taxi to your accommodation in Borocay).
If you have any questions about Borocay don’t hesitate to ask. If you go I am so jealous and hope you have the best time!!
- Jess xx
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