Boracay is an island that was made for touring. Whether you are an active type, or prefer lounging on the beach and sampling fine cuisine, you cannot get bored on Boracay and will find something to enjoy on the many available Boracay daytrips.
Thanks to TBEX and Philippines Tourism for hosting me on a post conference tour of Boracay Island. All opinions are my own.
During our stay on Boracay Island, it seemed like adventure was waiting around every corner. Parasailing, ziplining, ATV adventures, horseback riding, kite-sailing, scuba, snorkeling and still… we’d barely scratched the surface of all there was to do on this technicolor blue, nature-kissed island.
In order to make the most of our short visit, on our second day we set off on a one day adventure sailing to multiple locations. Several companies offer tours similar to this one, which was arranged for us through the Philippines Tourism department and a local tour company. When you arrive on the island, you can visit one of the tour offices in Station one or easily arrange a similar private tour through your own hotel. These private tours are pretty affordable – less than $100 per person including all the activities and lunch.
We were picked up on White Beach and escorted to our (motorized) private outrigger boat for the day, where we rode in comfort. Everyone was provided with a lifejacket, towel and bottled water was also available. I’d packed extra cold bottled water from the hotel in my own “stay cool” bottle. I consumed it all so if you want to bring your own, it’s likely a good idea! You might want to check whether you will be provided with a towel as well.
Gear you’ll want for touring on Boracay:
Note: Some of the following items contain ebay affiliate links. I have personally purchased all of these items, and found them to be extremely useful, which is why I am sharing with!
- You will be wet and in and out of the water all day long. Consider bringing a “drybag” for your camera gear and anything else you want to protect. You can pick them up on the island too. Vendors sell these along the beachfront and they are very handy! I use these at home when kayaking.
- Bring your GoPro and a floating pole! It was born for these photo ops.
- Here is a double walled water bottle similar to the one I always travel with. It’s amazing how long drinks stay ice cold in these. 12 hours or longer, I have found.
- A waterproof case for your phone is also very handy here – I prefer the type you can wear around your neck like this one, when I am on a boat or anywhere I don’t want to drop my phone.
- Bring good waterproof sunscreen and bug repellant (consider a combo formula) and consider a rashguard and possibly swim capris to cover your bum and backs of your knees while you snorkel, as the sun is fierce.
- I wish I had bought some of this hydrochic daywear/swimwear before my trip to Boracay as I was throwing on my shorts, taking off my shorts, throwing on my rashguard and taking it off (rinse and repeat) all day long. I would have been comfortable swimming, snorkeling, eating and hiking (no chub rub!) in these swim capris and a rashguard/bikini top combo and it would have saved me a lot of annoying costume changes.
- Speaking of snorkels… we were provided with one on our tour but communal snorkels always kind of give me the willies and I am intrigued by these full face snorkels that I saw many tourists using on Boracay. These snorkels provide you with a much better view and you are able to breathe through both your mouth and nose more naturally. There’s even a handy GoPro camera mount on the model I linked to. You can’t really dive with them but if you are ok with that, check them out! This is on my holiday “want” list!
Here are the highlights and some photos from our day trip:
Crystal Cove: An island believed to be enchanted by fairies. Here you can hike the perimeter which includes a series of treehouse like perches and lookouts, picnic areas, and access to clear water filled caverns.
Aaron’s Island: Across from Crystal Cove – this is where you can try Cliff jumping if you are brave enough! Jump from a series of platforms from 5 to 15 meters high. I was very impressed by fellow family travel blogger Mridula of Travel Tales from India – she didn’t hesitate or work her way up – she just went for it and took the plunge from the highest platform! Mridula is my hero.
Puka Beach: This beach is made up of fragments of shell and coral and is famous for shell collecting and being the inspiration for “pukka” (shell) necklaces.
It’s also a great spot to swim and snorkel and somewhat family friendly with the easy availability of lounges, floats, kayaks and snorkeling gear. There are some colorful souvenirs available here, including frog leather purses (we passed) and watersnake bracelets (we bought). We returned to Puka beach on another day to collect shells and snorkel some more.
Watch for hundreds of giant bats clustered in the trees in the hills close by to Puka. You won’t believe their size if you see them stretch their wings or fly! They are the mascot of the nearby Shangri La hotel and quite harmless to humans. In fact they help keep the mosquito population down so we love them! Go bats!
Helmet Diving: This is an activity where you can don a pressurized helmet and walk the sea floor, some 20-30 feet down, feeding the fishes. It’s an alternative to scuba, that doesn’t require much skill or training or special equipment to enjoy. I did not partake but I enjoyed watching friends who reported it was a lot of fun. See my video for a little underwater footage, shot from above!
Our tour included a stop for lunch where we were treated to a rather lavish rustic seafood buffet. Piles and piles of freshly prepared crab and prawns, grilled meat and sausage and pancit noodles.
As we pulled into the restaurant we were swarmed by kayakers selling coconuts and also several little kids climbing on the outrigger supports to perform tricks. You should know they are looking for coins as a reward for their daring performances.
It was a little stressful for me, as a parent as it was clearly not a safe activity with so many boats passing by! I’d rather give them some change to swim back to shore and NOT do flips.
Back at Station One, your day of adventure doesn’t have to end after your tour does. Grab some snacks, pack your gear back up in your wet bag, and then sail into the sunset aboard a paraw.
The iconic paraw is best described as an outrigger sailboat with hammocklike seats on either side. They move pretty fast and are the perfect perch for watching the sun go down, while being rocked and splashed by the warm tropical waters. This was probably my sons’ favorite activity on the island.
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Loved the post, brought back so many memories. And once again thank you so much for the video! Otherwise I would come home tell folks I went cliff jumping and they will be like hmm. Not anymore, even my parents-in-law told me it was awesome to see me jump! Hopefully we will meet somewhere again!
I hope we meet up again too Mridula! Any chance I will see you in Israel!?