Guide to Boracay: How to Get There

Boracay Map

Boracay is undeniably one of the world's best beaches.  The powdery white sand of Boracay is one of it's kind.  First and foremost, you'd like to know how to get there:

Option1: By Plane via Caticlan Airport (now Godofredo P. Ramos National Airport)

The most convenient way to get to Boracay is to land by smaller planes in Caticlan Airport.  Caticlan Airport is an island across Boracay.  As of this date, there is no airport in Boracay Island.

From Caticlan Airport Take the 5 minute tricycle ride (fare: P40/person) or 20 minute walk to Caticlan Tabon jetty port.   

Option2: By Plane via Kalibo Airport

Next nearest airport is Kalibo Airport.  Bigger planes land here.   

From Kalibo Airport, ride a shuttle van (fare: P150.00, travel time about 1.5 hours) or public bus (Ceres Liner, GM Bus, Southwest Tours, Star Express and 7107 Island Tours) to take you to Caticlan Tabon Jetty Port. 

• Whether you arrive from Kalibo Airport or Caticlan Airport, you head to Caticlan's Tabon Jetty Port:

1. At the jetty port, pay for terminal fee (Rate: P50.00/head) and environmental fee (Rate: P70/head)
   
2. Take the Ferry/Fast Craft (fare: P30.00/head) or outrigger boat (fare: P15.00/head) to Cagban Jetty Port (about 15 minutes travel time) in Boracay Island
3. At Cagban jetty port in Boracay Island, take a tricycle to your beach resort or accommodations. (fare: P100/trike or P25/head if shared)  Shared trikes only stop along the main road, if your resort is on the beachfront or side roads, I suggest you don't share a trike to drop you off at your doorstep.

These airlines fly from Manila, Cebu, Clark to Caticlan or Kalibo:

1. Cebu Pacific www.cebupacificair.com
2. Airphil Express  http://www.airphilexpress.com/ or via Philippine Airlines
3. Zest Airways http://www.zestair.com.ph/
4. SEAIR http://www.flyseair.com 

Airfare can range from P2,500 to P10,000 roundtrip, so do watch out for promo fares.  Strangely, outgoing flights are normally more expensive than incoming flights.


Boracay can also be reached by landtrip from Iloilo to Caticlan Tabon jetty port and if you're on a budget and has time to spare, it can be reached via RORO (roll-on roll-off vessels) from Manila.  My blogsy friend Tutubi can give you more information on that.

Have fun in the sun and sand :)


Coming up:


Where to stay in Boracay
Where to eat in Boracay
What to do in Boracay

Diving in Dumaguete

We went on a 4-hour landtrip then on a roll on roll off (RORO) at Santander, the Southern tip of Cebu, for a diving trip to Dumaguete. I was excited to use my newly purchased Aladin Prime dive computer.

Day 1, dive 1 & 2: Dive Dauin [74ft, 66mins] and Masaplod [57ft, 66mins]

L-R: leaffish, mating crabs, frogfish, clownfish, blue-spotted stingray, pufferfish, sea turtle, pipefish, scorpionfish

Danao, Bohol: Eco Adventure Tourism - EAT Danao

A visit to Bohol with no Tarsiers, no Chocolate Hills, no loboc river cruise...
We got news about this place from RCTV (local TV lifestyle channel) and Cebu Pacific's Oct-Nov 2007 issue of Smile Magazine. I wasn't so eager about the trip since I've already had an awesome exhausting experience trekking in Batad Rice Terraces and spelunking at Sagada in Northern Luzon in 2006. But I can't allow myself to miss the fun while my friends are enjoying it... so I went along.

Wahig River

Surfing in Siargao and Island Hopping in Bucas Grande

Along with my travel buddies and new recruits, we finally set foot in Siargao in November 2009, more than two years after "siargao daw".
A series of typhoon came a week before our trip.  Luckily when the day came, the skies began to clear up.  Thank God for sunny days.

With a charm of its own, Siargao has remained rustic and provincial inspite of the increasing number of tourist coming in.  Probably, the influx is still not enough, peak surfing season does not last longer than three months and there seemed to be no other sustainable development in the area.


HOW TO GET THERE:

• From Cebu to Siargao Island:  

Cebu Pacific fly MON/FRI departing CEBU at 10:40am and returning from SIARGAO at 11:50am. There are connecting Cebu Pacific flights from MANILA so please check website for further details on departure times from Manila to connect with the CEBU flight to SIARGAO. You can purchase e-tickets on-line.
Be aware there is a check-in luggage limit of 15kg for this flight and excess luggage is charged at PHP100/kg. If you are bringing surfboards you need to check the box for Sport Equipment and pay an extra PHP1,000 each way.

• From Manila to Siargao via Surigao or Cebu:

Cebu Pacific have flights from Manila via Cebu to Siargao island on MON & FRI as per above and this is the easiest way to get to the island. You will have a transit time in Cebu but can request for your baggage to be checked all the way through to Siargao.

Air Phil Express fly daily from MANILA to SURIGAO City and you can book online through www.philippineairlines.com Flights currently depart at 09:40am from Manila and 11:20am from Surigao City. It's a tight connection to make the last ferry that departs Surigao pier at 12 noon to Siargao island so if you miss the boat you will either have to stay overnight in Surigao or we can assist with organising a private pump boat to bring you to the island.

• By Boat:

There is also the overnight boat option from Cebu to Surigao City with Cokaliong Shipping Lines.
The ferry departs Cebu at 7pm daily except for Sundays. From Surigao City to Cebu there is no ferry on Mondays.

Van transfer from Sayak airport on Siargao to Cloud 9 takes about 45 minutes.
Van transfer from Dapa pier on Siargao to Cloud 9 takes about 30 minutes.

WHERE TO STAY:

If you wish to do nothing else but surf, you can stay along the shore of Cloud 9.  However, we opted to stay in General Luna since most restaurants are here.  General Luna is about 10 minutes away by motorbike to Cloud 9.

• Accommodation near Cloud 9:

Ocean 101 Beach Resort
http://www.ocean101cloud9.com/
Cloud 9, Gen. Luna, Siargao Island
Surigao del Norte, Philippines
Mobile: (63) 910 8480893 / (63) 919 8268837
Email: michael@ocean101cloud9.com
Rate: $16 to $32 per room

Patrick's on Cloud 9
http://www.patricksoncloud9.com/

Gen. Luna, Surigao Del Norte 8419, Philippines 

If you have any questions prior to your reservation you may call or text us
Mobile : (63) 920 402-4356 - Elizabeth speaks English, Tagalog and Visyan

(63) 929-345-5566 – Andreas speaks English and German

(63) 920-892-9727 – Front Desk – speaks English and Visyan

EMAIL: info@patrickonthebeach.com

Rate: P1,200 to 1,700 per room

Sagana Surf Resort
http://www.cloud9surf.com/

Email: sagana@cloud9surf.com

Phone : +63 (0) 919 8095769 Gerry Degan

Rate: P3,300/person/night

Accomodation at General Luna town proper:

Cherinicole Beach Resort
http://cherinicolebeachresort.com/
Email: info@cherinicolebeachresort.com
cherinicole_ph@yahoo.com
Mobile: +63-918-244-4407 or +63-928-609-8963
Rate: P1,000 to 2,500/room

Patrick's on the Beach
http://patrickonthebeach.com
EMAIL: info@patrickonthebeach.com
PHONE:  (+63) 9184816483 / (+63) 9204024356

Cabuntog Lodge (Beach Resort)
government run by Mayor Cecilia Rusillon / Ms. Miriam Podadera & Mr Vic Solloso
Mobile: +639193632507 
Rates:

3 Deluxe AC Cottages (4 pax / cott)	Php 1,650 / cott (Php 200/extra)
2 non-AC Cottages (2 pax / cott)	Php 880 / cott (Php 150 / extra)
1 AC Log Cabin for 10 pax	Php 2,500/ cott (Php 200/ extra)
1 AC Log Cabin for 20 pax	Php 5,000/ cott (Php 200/ extra)
20 non-AC rooms with beds (Bunkhouse)	Php 165/pax

• Luxury boutique resorts:

Kalinaw Resort
http://www.kalinawresort.com/
Rate: P7900 to 14400/room

Dedon Island Resort
an island resort.
http://www.dedonisland.com/
Email: home@dedonisland.com

Day 1:  Arriving in Siargao

aerial view of siargao

Zipline in Cebu and around the Philippines

There has been much hullabaloo about the hostage crisis, I wasn't around to see the live stream, so it might not have struck me as much as it did to others, I was off to some place more peaceful. Nevertheless, it was shameful and it definitely put a slump on Philippines' tourism.


Anyway, what's up Philippines? Aside from the soaring index of the stock market (I have yet to sell my stocks, is it time?) I'm getting feeds from facebook and here on google, about the ziplines hanging up around the Philippines. Is this a craze? If it is, I am so out! I haven't tried one in my entire life, and that's so sad. My cousins are coming over two weeks from now and they are bugging me to go on one, why not!?

What Happens in Boracay Stays in Boracay

No electricity, no night life, no fancy resort but simply a long stretch of fine white sands and sand bars and clear seawater,  this was Boracay twenty years ago.

I've heard so much how Bora has turned into a commercialized touristy area since, seemingly nice and sad reality.  I arrived in Bora greeted by no less than it's lovely sunset, i could not help but lift my flipflops and stroll on it's fine white sands barefoot.  Yes, 20 years later, I am happy to see the sand remained white and fine, thank God!