What to do in Boracay Island Philippines in 3 days

Looking for what to do in Boracay Island Philippines in 3 days? We have you covered! We first visited Boracay Island 15 years ago and just went back for our second trip, and it was just as good as we remember! This is what to do in Boracay Island Philippines in 3 days!

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What is Boracay famous for?

Boracay Island is famous for its white powder sand beaches, crystal clear blue waters and vibrant atmosphere. This whole island is beautiful but the beaches are just gorgeous and some of the absolute best we have been to. It is constantly rated on the ‘best beaches lists’ and we agree with that!

What is the best month to go to Boracay?

November to April is the best time to go to Boracay Island Philippines, we visited in February and had the most perfect weather. Clear blue skies and perfect temperatures, the water was lovely and not too warm!

Seaweed in Boracay Philippines (Lumot Season)

One thing to note is that there is a seaweed season when Boracays beaches do get affected by green algae. This is called ‘lumot’, and spreads during warmer months due to nutrient runoff and rising sea temperatures. It is generally harmless and just looks unpleasant. To avoid this algae, the best months are between June and January and also November. In February we experienced some of the lumot but it wasn’t terrible, there were clear patches and places where it wasn’t thick so you could choose where to swim around this, and further out where we swam the water was clear.

How long to spend in Boracay Philippines?

We spent 3 days at Boracay Island Philippines, but could easily have spent a week. There is a lot to do and you also need time to just relax and enjoy the beach. I think 3 days in Boracay is a minimum. The beauty of Boracay is that you can do as little or as much as you want!

Where to stay in Boracay

There are a couple of very popular hotels:

Shangri-La Boracay – super exclusive and a little away from the main areas on a stunning cliff location. The service is impeccable as is the comfort and quality. There is a free shuttle and the overall hotel is very elegant.

COAST Boracay – beautiful hotel right on White Beach, excellent breakfast, really popular.

Henann Palm Beach Resort – There are a few Henann properties on Boracay, this one is at Station 2 on the beach. They are really well regarded and include a great breakfast. They also run a beach BBQ which is excellent.

We stayed at The Feliz Hotel and it was perfect for us. The price was great (booking early is always better) and the comfort of the rooms was excellent. The design was so beautiful reflecting the Spanish influence of the Philippines. The breakfast was plentiful and well prepared and the roof top pool and happy hour was a must. Each day we would return to our room to find cute notes from our housekeeping staff. We highly recommend the Feliz Hotel as the perfect place to stay at Boracay Island Philippines.

How to get to Boracay

Airport in Boracay

There is no airport in Boracay, the closest and best to fly in to is Caticlan airport which is called Godofredo P. Ramos Airport.

Airport transfer Caticlan to Boracay

From here you can book a shared shuttle to the pier, take a ferry boat and then another shuttle and you will get to your accommodation in Boracay Island Philippines! It is actually a really simple process and booking ahead takes the hassle out if it. This is the transfer we recommend to Boracay, there are tons of reviews for it and it went pretty smoothly. When walking out of the airport you just find the window booth to check in at and the staff will take you from there. As is usual for Boracay booking everything before you arrive will make it more seemless and less confusing while actually there.

Airport Transfer Kalibo to Boracay

You can also fly in to Kalibo which is a bit further away and will require a longer transfer time, check out this Kalibo Airport to Boracay transfer.

Alternatively you can just turn up and wing it, booking each shuttle and boat as you arrive. It is more time consuming trying to compare the options on the spot but it is possible.

How to get around Boracay Island Philippines

You can hire a car, take a tuk tuk or do a land tour to get around and see the island. There are lots of tours you can do also that really showcase the best of the island and usually include some great activities (more on this below). Alternatively there is a hop on hop off bus that you can take around the island, buy your discounted tickets here.

What to do in Boracay (and lots of free options!)

There are loads of things to do in Boracay, it can be hard to choose what to spend you time on. We definitely enjoyed this beautiful location, here is what to do in Boracay Island Philippines.

#1 Enjoy all the beaches

There is the most famous beach on Boracay, White Beach but there are lot more to see as well. White Beach is where you will find Station 1, 2 and 3. This is where most people will stay and the beach out the front is a huge drawcard. Think perfect sand and water, truly stunning. The beaches are free which is a lovely bonus! The other beaches that you should check out are:

Puka Shell Beach – pretty beach with coral/shell sand and coconut palm, good for snorkelling & a restaurant is nearby.

Diniwid Beach – Quiest beach with nice white sand and some shopping and dining.

Bulabog Beach – this beach is a little windy and is a good place for kitesurfing & windsurfing, with lessons & rentals.

Punta Bunga Beach – a nice beach with a coral reef wall good for snorkeling. There is a restaurant with a bar here as well.

Ilig – Iligan Beach – lovely quiet beach with perfect sand and clear blue water.

#2 Willy’s Rock

Located on Station 1 this rocky outcrop is accessible to walk to at low tide. There is a statue of the Virgin Mary here and usually a long line of people waiting for photos.

#3 Mount Luho

Hike to the top of this mountain on Boracay Island to the observation deck with beautiful views of the island and ocean.

#4 D’Mall Boracay

The buzzing heart of Boracay Islands White Beach. This is where we stayed and it made the perfect base. Located right next to the beach and filled with loads of food options and shops. This is a hive of activity especially in the evening.

#5 Motag Living Museum

This museum has hands-on demonstrations of traditional farming techniques, crafting, folk customs and games. It is interactive and a unique museum. Cost is 700php per adult with family pricing also available. There are tours you can take to see Motag Living Museum and they are really well organised.

#6 Fire Dancing

The fire dancing on the beach and at restaurants is really not to be missed. You will see the dancers performing outside of the hotels and restaurants while people are eating meals, if you stop to watch throw a little php in when they bring their tip box around, they really train hard for these shows. You can also buy a seat at Fire Dancing Show at Red Coconut Beach Hotel if you want to witness it up close, you can also purchase a meal there if you want.

#7 Water sports

There is a buffet of water sports to choose from at Boracay, the most popular are: a discover scuba diving class, helmet diving experience, crystal kayak photo-op experience, Island Hopping Boat Tour with Crystal Cove Entry, jet ski experience, sunset cruise on a party yacht or on a traditional paraw boat! There are lots of vendors selling these tours so having them pre-booked can make it easier to decide.

#8 Land based tours

These are the tours that we recommend, again like the water sports there are a heap of them so this list is only those that are really well reviewed and cover different things. When you are there and trying to choose between vendors it can feel really overwhelming, take your time here to check them out and decide which suits, booking online makes it easier to relax when you are there. The tours we recommend are: a Boracay Island Hopping with Lunch+ Atv Mainland Adventure, Banana Boat Ride, Dualtron E-Scooter Ride, a Parasailing, Island Hopping, ATV Ride and Kawa Bath tour, Land Tour Photoshoot Experience and Island Hopping Boat Tour with Crystal Cove Entry

#9 Sunset on the beach

This is one of the best times of the day! You will find everyone out on the beach watching sunset, you can do it from a restaurant having cocktails, on the beach with your feet in the sand or from the water taking a sunset cruise on a traditional paraw boat or a party boat. Whatever ways you choose make sure you don’t miss sunset, the colours lit up the sky differently each night we were there!

#10 Wellness

There are alot of spas and wellness activities in Boracay which is also a really nice way to spend an hour or two! You can check out the options and reviews at these spas: Upperhouse Spa Experience at The District Boracay – 8000 people have booked this, there are options to choose from and it is a lovely clean environment, Sound Healing Experience by Tirta Spa Boracay – promote happiness with this experience!, Luna Spa Experience – enjoy a relaxing massage, foot wash and welcome drinks. Again there are a lot of vendors selling massages and offering prices but by seeing reviews and pricing you can make your decision a little less stressful.

#11 Cocktails

There are a lot of good cocktail bars and restaurants on Boracay beach and we tried a few! We ended up loving our Feliz Hotel rooftop pool bar, it had the cheapest cocktails during happy hour. There are tons of options though you can try a different one each night. We also tried Mayas, Balicay,

#12 Relax on the beach

Now you have found your favourite beach, head there with a book. Our favourite place was Station 2 in front of Shakey’s. There was a couple of gorgeous palm trees to shade us and it was close to the mango shakes! The water was pretty clean here, with only a little seaweed.

#13 Go Shopping

There are tons of shops along the beach and in DMall to buy souviners, crochet tops, bags, tshirts and hats. Stop in and support one or two of the sellers, they are open everyday. Down toward Station 3 there is a huge shopping complex you can check out also.

#14 Buy Pearls

This seemed completely wild to me, buy pearls as a thing to do? But it is! Boracay is known to be a place to buy pearls and there are lots to choose from. Check out a store called Pick A Pearl Boracay which stocks not only high quality pieces but has a fun activity where you choose an oyster to be opened and what ever the pearls are in there, they are yours.
We also purchased from this seller on the beach, he has real pearls (not all on the beach are) and can tell you all about the grading system. His stall has a certificate of authenticity and he can offer a good price. I purchased a bracelet and necklace from him.

Where to eat-

There are a lot of great food options and we even found some vouchers that gives you extra value! Check out everything you should try in Boracay!

Nonie’s Restaurant in Boracay – this one is really popular, you can try local dishes here and there is a Nonies discount voucher to purchase for extra value.

Little Taj in Boracay – super popular Indian food this one was always busy! Check out their voucher here to purchase for more value.

Smoke Resto – we loved this one, eating here almost every day. Lots of local food and lovely people.

Muchos in Boracay – enjoy some delicious Latin American food on the beachfront! Purchase this Muchos in Boracay discount voucher for extra value.

Kasbar Boracay – great Moroccan & Mediterranean food in a beachfront location, you can purchase this Kasbar discount voucher to get extra value too.

Say Hi Fruit Shake & Milk Tea – we loved this little shack for its excellent mango shakes! I had to have one everyday and am missing them terribly!

Coco Mama – super popular coconut icecream spot! Located in DMall, there is also a Mango Mama and Ube Mama!

Finally you can’t come to Boracay and not try Androk’s chicken! It is an institution.

That’s it! This is an island that we really fell in love with and can’t wait to come back. The Philippine beaches, culture and people are all so wonderful we hope to return soon!

Are You Booking a Trip Soon? These are the sites we trust!

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1. Book Your Flights

We will always check and book through Booking or Trip.com they have great deals!

2. Book Your Accommodations

We always check Booking.com, Expedia, Klook and Trip.com. They all have great deals and sometimes are better in different continents, for example we almost used Trip and Klook exclusively in Asia and Booking.com always in Europe!

3. Buy your E-sim!

E-sims have changed the game in communication while travelling. They are cheap and easy to use, we never go without them. Our current favourite is Yesim!

4. Book Your Tours & Experiences

I usually use and recommend Get Your Guide, Klook and Viator to book tours and activities. They also have shuttle options to and from airports which is great. I love the real reviews you can check and we have never had a problem with them!

5. Book Your Rental Car

Self-driving is my favourite way to explore most destinations, we use Rental Cars.

6. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a must, Mike travelled for years without it but now we see that was a little crazy! We feel so much better knowing we have a backstop for cancelled flights, delayed luggage, sickness on the road and wouldn’t be without it! Safety Wing is great, especially for frequent travellers.

7. Airport Lounge Access is a must!

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