17/04/2023
DIY Boracay Tour - Live like a local!
I have been living in Boracay since November 2017. Yes! everybody will say that I am very lucky to live in a paradise and wake up each morning sipping a cup of coffee by the beach. This may be the case but if you are a tourist on a tight budget, you may not be able to fully enjoy your trip in the island.
Arranging your trip to Boracay can be very stressful and booking the accommodations can be very tricky due to recent reports of scammers using the names of legitimate establishments. Online travel platforms such as Agoda, Booking. com, etc. are secured but refund process can take very long. Beach front hotels are also very expensive today due to increased demand from foreign tourists.
Food from restaurants along the beach can be very expensive and even prices of fast food chains are 20%-30% higher than of the city. If you have a tight budget, I would recommend to get an accommodation with kitchen in the rooms where you can cook and eat before you stroll around the island.
Here are my personal recommendations for a budget wise trip
1. Schedule your trip during lean season (June to August). Although these are rainy months, the beach is free from algae and can be picture perfect not to mention that the beach is less crowded for your Boracay Selfie.
2. Book your door to door transfer with Southwest Tours with this link. the rate is only P980 for a roundtrip transfer
https://www.klook.com/en-PH/activity/79826-boracay-value-airport-transfer/
3. Avail Bus card from southwest Tours. The bus can bring you around the island including Station 1 to 3, D'Mall (access to long beach), Bolabog Beach, Willy's Rock, Church, Robinson, Citymall, Oceanway Residences, Newcoast beach and Puka Beach. They offer 24H unlimited ride for only P180.00 via klook or you can get up to 72H unlimited card for only P390.00. With this, you will not need to pay for an arranged 3-hour land trip that costs P1,500.00
https://www.klook.com/en-PH/activity/76311-boracay-hop-on-hop-off-shuttle-service/?spm=Activity.SearchSuggest_LIST&clickId=92694db0cf&fbclid=IwAR00s1X2KRLpAJy88eKGvvQl9E_IZbkEJaW2RZXy2LoB5R8H9q-meLeB4a0
4. Dining out can cost you around P500.00 per person. You can book with us at Oceanway Residences where you have all the equipment you need to cook and eat. We have a big refrigerator, induction cooker, pool, WiFi, etc. and about 12mins walk from the beach.
5. If you want buy fresh catch in the morning, you can ride a bus and visit "Talipapa Bukid". Grocery items can also be bought from Savemore (Citymall) or Robinsons Mart (Station B). Boracay Minimart is also a cheaper option.
6. When strolling near D'Mall, you can also try Kolai Mangyan or Jaspers Restaurant. Jasper Restaurant is a "turo-turo" restaurant while Kolai Mangyan serves a fried chicken with quality similar to "Maxx's". They also serve Bulasing which is a combination of Bulalo and Sinigang. During wee hours, you can consider dining at McDonalds just outside D'Mall entrance.
7. You can also visit VHub Boracay near Paradise Garden Resort for your dinner while watching Fire Dance and Acoustic Band performers.
8. COFFEE!! Since I am a coffee addict, I have tried a lot of coffeeshops around the island.
Silong Cafe - This is a small shop along the mainroad where you can buy your Cafe Americano for only P80.00.
Real Coffee - This is my latest favorite during my lunch break. The shop is at 2nd floor where you can dine and sip your coffee facing the long beach. Their brewed coffee starts from P120.00.
I hope this post will help you with your upcoming Boracay Trip!
