BORACAY is one of the universally renowned beaches found in the Philippines! Celebrities, both local and international, have expressed an interesting penchant towards the beauty of the island. Hollywood celebs like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and the countless faces of local showbiz have added a commercial fuss on top of its long stretch of sugar-like white-sand beach.
Some local tourists even wish to be here in an anticipation to bump into a celebrity in one of their night outs or in their beach strolls (so me. LOL.)
Just by the mere mention of the word "Boracay", the thoughts of summer escapades might be looming your head right now. While you have that particular travel destination in mind, this is not the actual bottleneck; it's the budget!
Boracay, unfortunately for you, is teemed with luxurious resorts, restaurants, and bars where everything and everyone tend to blatantly swank while you feel the whole place is a highway robbery! You are not alone. It's a common dilemma most local tourists have especially for those who are traveling on a budget. Well, read on...
You absolutely don't need to go broke when in Boracay. This is contrary to what I thought of when I was still planing my seemingly luxurious getaway; really, it wasn't as expensive as I expected.
There were a lot of tipid (budget-friendly) tips that have gone wrong during that trip. Here are FIVE things I learned to have that 'tipid' dream Boracay vacation from a certified 'kuripot'.
1. Don't be an Impulsive Reserve-err
While it is true that having reservations prior to your trip is a whole lot more convenient than having none, reservations without thorough research can baffle the excitement. In my case, because I was looking for a budget-friendly accommodation, I eagerly reserved a cheap (way cheaper than you think it is. LOL) apartment that can house 3-5 guests in 3 days. I was overjoyed that the apartment, according to its description, is really near Station 1 only to find out that it was situated in the urban residential area of Boracay. The road gets really muddy during the rainy season. *sigh
Luckily, one of my friends took note of a tour assistant's contact number we met in the port. We immediately booked at St. Vincent Cottages (Coco Rimas) based on the suggestion of the tour assistant. We didn't get our money back from the apartment we booked first but we didn't regret transferring to St. Vincent. The money we paid for was worth it. It wasn't a luxurious accommodation; there was no wifi to begin with but we didn't mind. We didn't come there to just virtually surf anyway.
LOCATION ----> The hotel is situated between Stations 2 and 3 just a few blocks away from La Carmela de Boracay. It is a walking distance from the White Beach Path.
FEATURES----> The room we got was fully air-conditioned; there was a spacious bathroom/toilet, a balcony, a small dining area and a personal refrigerator. One more feature that helped me lessen my expenses for food was the common kitchen area where guests could freely cook! Awesome. *kiss
2. Dine at fast food chains and talipapa.
As I packed my stuff I was unconsciously packing my worries, too. Worries about how much will I spend for my meals in 3 days! Imagining the fancy restaurants with lavishing menu makes me want to suddenly go on a diet! LOL.
Worrying about where to dine should never be an issue in Bora. There are countless of restaurants including fast food chains with affordable meals. Mcdonalds, Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Andok's, to name a few, are all in there!
Preparing your own meal also saves you money but going out to those places I mentioned and visiting the malls and talipapa are more worthwhile compared to getting stuck in the dirty kitchen. *burp
3. Inquire, befriend, and haggle.
There were a lot of tipid (budget-friendly) tips that have gone wrong during that trip. Here are FIVE things I learned to have that 'tipid' dream Boracay vacation from a certified 'kuripot'.
1. Don't be an Impulsive Reserve-err
While it is true that having reservations prior to your trip is a whole lot more convenient than having none, reservations without thorough research can baffle the excitement. In my case, because I was looking for a budget-friendly accommodation, I eagerly reserved a cheap (way cheaper than you think it is. LOL) apartment that can house 3-5 guests in 3 days. I was overjoyed that the apartment, according to its description, is really near Station 1 only to find out that it was situated in the urban residential area of Boracay. The road gets really muddy during the rainy season. *sigh
Luckily, one of my friends took note of a tour assistant's contact number we met in the port. We immediately booked at St. Vincent Cottages (Coco Rimas) based on the suggestion of the tour assistant. We didn't get our money back from the apartment we booked first but we didn't regret transferring to St. Vincent. The money we paid for was worth it. It wasn't a luxurious accommodation; there was no wifi to begin with but we didn't mind. We didn't come there to just virtually surf anyway.
LOCATION ----> The hotel is situated between Stations 2 and 3 just a few blocks away from La Carmela de Boracay. It is a walking distance from the White Beach Path.
FEATURES----> The room we got was fully air-conditioned; there was a spacious bathroom/toilet, a balcony, a small dining area and a personal refrigerator. One more feature that helped me lessen my expenses for food was the common kitchen area where guests could freely cook! Awesome. *kiss
2. Dine at fast food chains and talipapa.
As I packed my stuff I was unconsciously packing my worries, too. Worries about how much will I spend for my meals in 3 days! Imagining the fancy restaurants with lavishing menu makes me want to suddenly go on a diet! LOL.
Worrying about where to dine should never be an issue in Bora. There are countless of restaurants including fast food chains with affordable meals. Mcdonalds, Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Andok's, to name a few, are all in there!
Preparing your own meal also saves you money but going out to those places I mentioned and visiting the malls and talipapa are more worthwhile compared to getting stuck in the dirty kitchen. *burp
3. Inquire, befriend, and haggle.
Water sports or beach activities in Bora are quite costly but there are some activities that are reasonably priced and worth the try.
For group activities, banana boating and island hopping are recommended. Aside from these do not cost that much, it can certainly strengthen your bond with your friends or family in an exciting and literally breathtaking way.
The staff of the hotel we stayed at recommended someone to help us find cheaper island hopping and water activity packages. Yes, we even haggled but first, be friendly and nice when trying to bargain with them. *wink
4. Travel with a group.
Traveling alone could have a lot of benefits; however, it may be costlier than being in a group. When in Bora, if you come in groups, you pay lesser individually with:
If you are a budget-conscious traveler, planning ahead is a must. This will save you time and resources during your vacation. Don't rush.The best things are worth the wait. *woah!
For group activities, banana boating and island hopping are recommended. Aside from these do not cost that much, it can certainly strengthen your bond with your friends or family in an exciting and literally breathtaking way.
The staff of the hotel we stayed at recommended someone to help us find cheaper island hopping and water activity packages. Yes, we even haggled but first, be friendly and nice when trying to bargain with them. *wink
4. Travel with a group.
Traveling alone could have a lot of benefits; however, it may be costlier than being in a group. When in Bora, if you come in groups, you pay lesser individually with:
- Accommodation - because you share rooms and only add extra beds
- Water Activities - priced as a group package such as banana boat ride, island hopping, and flyfishing. If you're alone, it's either you wait for other guests to join you or pay the full price.
- Group Promo Flight- will let you save on your airfare *Aja!
5. Get that promo flight.
If you're not from Boracay island, you need to take advantage of promo fares that are offered months or even a year before the travel date. Search. They are all over the internet. I would also recommend downloading an airline's mobile app to keep yourself posted on the latest promotions.If you are a budget-conscious traveler, planning ahead is a must. This will save you time and resources during your vacation. Don't rush.The best things are worth the wait. *woah!
Here are the expenses we incurred individually excluding food and souvenirs.
- Promo Flight (Cebu Pac) - P750 to/fro
- Airport Terminal Fee - P200
- Caticlan Airport to hotel - P250 (includes boat fare and transpo from airport to port, then port to hotel)
- Evironmental Fee - P75
- Ferry Terminal Fee - P100
- Caticlan to Kalibo Airport Van for hire - P175
- Taxi Fare (from my house to airport) - P100 to/fro | we were in groups
- First Apartment Reservation - P 970 per person | total: P3,890.97 for one room with four guests
- Second Accommodation - P1,100 per person
- Water Activities (per person rate)
- Island Hopping - P600 with lunch buffet
- Helmet Dive - P650
- Banana Boat - P250
- Other Activities that are wort the try with reasonable prices:
- Customized Sand Castle (photo opp)
- Braids
- Tattoo
- Nightlife / Clubbing
- Swimming
Till our next laag!
XOXO,
Travelsome Chic
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