Thank you Sleepoverbandit. I appreciate the reply. I’ll have a cold beer on the hot sand to you when I’m there. If I may bother you again or anyone out there with some info. I got a flight booked to Manila. Then nothing else yet. Is Manila the best place to land to make it to Borocay fast and cheaply? it seems there are many ways to get to borocay and from a couple of airports too. I heard you can fly and land right on Borocay? What would be the best itirinary to save time?(we only have 9 days off)I can still make modifications to my flight. I want to feel ready and have a good Idea of what to expect as far as getting there goes. And of course, do you recommand booking any transportation arrangements ahead of time aside from the airline ticket fromTaiwan to the Phillipines?
Cheers!
Manila is - for the most part - one huge traffic jam, so it’s best to go directly to your final destination. Luckily, the domestic airport is very close to the international airport, which makes transfering cheap and fast.
Given the time of year I would want to have a flight booked before I hit Manila. Ask your travel agent about the price.
guys…anyone who have been to Amanpulo in Philippines…you have to check it out. Amanpulo is not advertised as like palawan or boracay… because the place as for the moment is exclusive for the elite…but if you have saved much for your next trip, check it out!.. Time will come that these place will be accesible to all classes of tourist like boracay or palawa.
Especially considering that out in the provinces, a room in a guesthouse will run you around 1 or 2 dollars. That’s right - American dollars. There are loads of great beaches all over the Philippines. Borocay had better offer something really, really special to justify those kinds of prices in the PI, or go on my list of the overpriced and overrated touristavilles for newbies.
[quote=“Leo”]Thank you Sleepoverbandit. I appreciate the reply. I’ll have a cold beer on the hot sand to you when I’m there. If I may bother you again or anyone out there with some info. I got a flight booked to Manila. Then nothing else yet. Is Manila the best place to land to make it to Borocay fast and cheaply? it seems there are many ways to get to borocay and from a couple of airports too. I heard you can fly and land right on Borocay? What would be the best itirinary to save time?(we only have 9 days off)I can still make modifications to my flight. I want to feel ready and have a good Idea of what to expect as far as getting there goes. And of course, do you recommand booking any transportation arrangements ahead of time aside from the airline ticket fromTaiwan to the Phillipines?
Cheers![/quote]
Could not agree more with almas john. That time of the year u need to book in advance methinks. We went on a package and had everything prebooked. Saw an old post with a lot of replies go up in the forum re Boracay. Think it’s in reply to your request. Check it out for travel arrangements.
Manilla is a busy place and I think if you wander outside the airport there won’t be much to do or see besides holding your bag very tightly and getting back to the safe environs of the airport. Prebook and transfer from the international to the domestic airport. It is safer. U can also get to Boracay via Cebu. Check out boracayisland.org I found it very useful. they have maps and travel suggestions/alternatives.
I don’t know about landing on the island. As far as I know they were planning a landing strip when we were there (May 2004). We went from Manilla to Kalibo by air and then with a bus to Caticlan from where u catch the ferry to the island. Avoid the bus trip if you can and fly directly from Manilla to Caticlan. It might be more expensive but worth it. The bus trip takes you through poor villages and over narrow dirt roads and seem to take forever. All depends on the flight times really. I remember we had to take the bus because the flights were not readily available and did not work with our schedule.
You also wait for a quite a while on Manilla. Sometimes there are long transfer lines and you have to wait outside in the sun!!! We were lucky. We waited 30 minutes! And we were not there in peak season! So they make sure your dometic flight from Manilla never departs in less than about 3 hours coz they know you might still be stuck somewhere!!! i don’t know about Cebu but if you can I’ll check it out as an alternative. Go to Ceby and then fly from Cebu to Caticlan. Again check available flights.
So reading this I guess I would strongly recommend travel prebooking 
Also if u go during CNY, u might want to check accomm availability.
Glad to help and apologies for the manuscript
Thank you guys. Appreciate the helpful replies.
Cheers!
Nope, an airport would take up the entire island. You land on the island adjacent to it, from there it’s only a short trip by bus 'n boat to Boracay. Prepare some cash for the porters (at the airport, at the beach and when you get off the boat).
The catamaran or whatever kind of boat they use is the best part of the trip. Such clear water as your feet dangle over the edge in the water for the short trip across to Boracay. Then you wade your way on to the shore with your luggage. Feels like Fantasy Island or something else that I can’t remember…At least that is how it was about 8 years ago.
Great Frenchy restaurant run by a French guy on the beach. He makes excellent crepes, and then there is an excellent Italian polace run by an Italian guy. You sit there under the palm trees with your feet in the sand. Hmm…
If you go for Chinese New Year, watch out when you are speaking Chinese! I was talking about some white American girl who I thought couldn’t speak Chinese…opps…almost got smacked. She was trying on the last black bikini top and my girlfriend yelled from inside the dressing room to get it for her and I said, but some other girl just took it to put it on, but her breasts look too small for it. She yelled back something that I forgot…I was right though…hahaha…
Check out the bat cave and rent a dirt bike. All good fun. Watch your step in the cave though. Slippery with guano on the way down and a little dangerous. Watch out for the little boy guides that take you down then threaten to leave with the flashlight unless you pay them more money. Just threaten to smash their head in and they will give in…
Again, Thanks a lot. I’ma fan of dirt bikes and I love sailing. Now you’ve got me pumped! I’ll make sure to book ahead on the"get there" part but I’ll take my chances on accomodations. Spent CNY last year in Thailand on a busy Island and it was easy and cheaper to get a place as we got there.Rather than pre-booking. Anyone thinks it will not be the case on borocay, please post. Hobart wrote: “If you go for Chinese New Year, watch out when you are speaking Chinese!” I’m french, does that put me at risk??? Less than two months left…
Cheers!
One question if anyone knows: The 40 minutes boat ride to Borocay proper…How often does it run? Should I be concerned about being stuck overnight if I show up at the pier after a certain time?
Recharge your batteries in the Philippines.
A great and cheap way for you and your friends to stay on Boracay is to rent a native style house close to the beach. We rented a most beautiful and original home on a hill surrounded by lush vegetation and a view of the Pacific Ocean. People were helpful and friendly and the domestic staff made sure we had a peaceful holiday. They would shop and cook for us whenever we wanted. The small beach nearby was a dream come true. If you are interested in this kind of holiday and want more information you can contact the host Bobi at:
Prices are reasonable particularly when you realise that this house can accommodate upto eight people.
Sounds nice.
Is there a website or any photos?
It’s wonderful, Ive been there about 6 times, did my PADI instructor license there, stayed 5 weeks, awesome.
BTW, it’s not the Pacific you look at in Boracay, there too many islands between Boracay and the Pacific to see it. I believe it’s the Visaya … something
You forgot to mention how nice the sand is… been there only one but love it!
How much did you spend for that place?
Oh aside from boracay, I would recommend bohol, palawan, pogudpud, and siargao. There are many others but these are the ones on top of my list. (never been there but they’re on my list). 
Black. Pink. Brown. Orange. Can’t find the blue. Four bikinis should be enough for four days, yes?
Was told can only bring in 10,000 PHP. That’s not a lot. I’ll be bringing 15,000 PHP, plus some USD. Is Customs really strict about the amount of currency brought into the Philippines by a tourist?
Better be some eye candy there.
[quote=“FilChi”]You forgot to mention how nice the sand is… been there only one but love it!
How much did you spend for that place?
Oh aside from boracay, I would recommend bohol, palawan, pogudpud, and siargao. There are many others but these are the ones on top of my list. (never been there but they’re on my list). [/quote]
Sand? There is no sand on the beach, it’s coral debris … fine as powder sugar and white as … as what … as white … right?
What’s the visa deal with Boracay? Do Taiwanese need a visa? Or can they, and Americans, get a landing visa?
Taiwanese needed a visa back then, now I dont know (call the visa office) Europeans get 21 days visa free, Americans own the country …
Sometimes they want to see your return ticket at immigration
So, some frinds of us have booked a trip to Boracay, and are going to stay at Boracay Tropics Resort Hotel. WE have decided that we want to go as well, but the hotel looks so-so. 3-stars, small swimmingpool, not beach-side (5 mins. they say).
Anyone have any experience with this hotel?
Can we trust the 2 min, 3 min and 5 min distance to White Beach that they inform about? How come a beach front hotel still have 2-3 min. distance?
So, we looked around for a 4-5 star place on the beach with swimmingpool near Boat Station 2, and came up with:
Boracay Regency Beach Resort - 3 min walk to White Beach(?)
Red Coconut Resort - Station 1 or 2? 3 min walk…
Seraph Hotel
…and that’s about it.
Anyone have any experience with these hotels?
Any suggestions for other hotels meeting our criteria around Station 2?
We don’t care too much about the cost, so USD 150-250 per night for a family of 4 is easily acceptable. Less than that, and we start getting suspicious about the hotel standard (but of course, we will consider…)
We are looking forward to receive advice from you guys who already have been there, and seen the place.
And Merry Christmas to all of you!!
WTF?! Do you have any idea what the average costs in the Philippines are?! You can rent a cottage on the beach in the provinces for $5 - $10 a night. I know that Borocay is more expensive than other places, but there’s no reason to spend more than $30 a night for a hotel anywhere in the PI, even Manila, and that’s for a 5-star hotel. You are being ripped-off big time. This is not America. People like you who overspend only drive up prices for the rest of us. Don’t be responsible for overinflation.