The trip started the afternoon after my shift ended. We took a 1-hr and 5 minute airplane ride from Manila to Kalibo courtesy of a promo fare by Air Asia.
In Kalibo, I immediately checked in to one of the inn’s – Ati-Atihan County Inn. I hailed a 100-peso tricycle just because it was raining but it could have been cheaper if I took one from the main road, which is only 2 minutes away from the airport. They say the fare is only 18 pesos.
I thought the city was very interesting but I used the time to relax and prepare for an early morning trip to Caticlan the next day. I barely saw an eatery or restaurant that was open 24 hours. I had to buy noodles from a convenience store when I got hungry in the wee hours in the morning. A 100-peso budget per meal is doable for a 900 peso stay in the hotel. You can also find cheaper alternatives thru traveler’s inns scattered around the area but I chose this because of its proximity to a favorite – Jollibee. 😂
I took the 6AM trip from the Ceres Terminal to Caticlan which was only 107 pesos; compared to the van from the airport which would cost 1000 pesos! Absurd, right? The trike to the terminal was only 24 pesos.
After the almost two-hour trip, I went directly to the port where I had to buy tickets. There were terminal, environmental, and boat fees to pay which was about 200 pesos in total. It only took less than one hour to get to the other port.
From there, I took a 150-peso trike to Mad Monkeys. It’s a well-known hostel in Cambodia that finally opened in Boracay. It houses many people from different countries and it’s fun when you get to mingle with them when the hostel throws a party.
Day 1 was all about discovering routes, the beach, and rates for activities. September is an off-peak season so I did not bother book anything in advance except for my accommodation. Based on my own research, it’s a lot cheaper when I purchase it when I’m actually on the island.
The first stop was in D’Mall to buy some essentials and to get our first taste of Boracay food courtesy of the Jeepney stop. Meals would cost about 200-300 pesos across all restaurants. The more expensive ones are 400 and up but of course the ambience is great! There are also eateries within the island that would serve silog meals for less than 100 pesos.
We also walked to get some Jonah’s fruit shake for 100 pesos, and got inked with henna for 100-200 pesos. Day 1 was also best to take photos in the island! We ended the night in a fun concept restaurant – the Boracay Toilet – and some fire poi dancing for free!
Day 2 was reserved for a 6-hour island hopping tour which we got for 450 pesos per person. We got to go to Puka Beach, Crocodile and that other island for snorkeling, cliff diving, and the Crystal Cove. The tour also included a gorgeous buffet where I enjoyed the crunchy shrimps and steamed fish among others.
Breakfast, by the way, was at Real Coffee, home of the famous calamansi muffins for 60 pesos.
For the rest of the day, we ate by the shore for dinner and for some stargazing. Restaurants were serving buy one get one drinks, so why not?!
You had a choice to participate in the pub crawl where they tour you in different party scenes but the introvert in me preferred doing it on my own. I chose my own places to go and made sure I had the best view. There are a lot of choices in Boracay so make sure you look at their menu and go with one that you like. I preferred pizza that night.
The last day was for catching the sunrise. I woke up too early to spend some time in the beach. There were only a few people and we had the best sunrise ever! It was also perfect for an early morning dip.
Lunch was served courtesy of D’Talipapa where we got lobsters and shrimps. Make sure you haggle as they charge super high! I got mine for about 600 pesos including a quarter kilo of pork. You can have them cooked in D’Plato, which is a stone throw away from the market, and they charge per kilo for cooking. I only spent 250 pesos but boy was it worth it to down some garlic butter shrimps and lobster, and grilled pork!
The market is also the best place to buy pasalubong and souvenirs because it’s cheaper, and even “gears” like waterproof cases and selfie sticks.
After brunch, we packed and took a trike to the port and bus to Kalibo just in time for the flight back to Manila. I miss the island life and I cannot wait to go back and discover more!
Don’t be afraid to go there on a budget. It adds excitement to the trip and the best feeling is when you realize you know how to budget. Tip is to research ahead and create an itinerary to drive dull days away!
Take a quick view of my trip here: https://vimeo.com/183696086
dear mister pitiful 