ACTIVITIES
Dining
Dining on the island is an exciting activity. Boracay's beachfront is lined with restaurants with a culinary fare as diverse as the nationalities of its visitors. Australian, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Thai - all side by side with the native cuisine. The flavours are so different that you'd be missing out if you don't venture beyond the food you're used to.
Night Entertainment
While most people come to this tropical island to simply relax and commune with nature, a great number are also here for the nightlife. There are plenty of bars and clubs to visit. Listed are some of the famous hangouts on the island.
Bom Bom - the bar is named after the sound of drums. Bom Bom plays aboriginal, reggae, African, Caribbean and Philippine music. The bar itself is small but customers can sit on the wooden and bamboo seats scattered across both sides of the white beach pathway.
Club Paraw - a beachfront party place with a simple and creative design of native roof/ceiling and known for playing a mix of raggae, R&B, house and hip hop music 'til the wee hours of the morning.
Cocomangas - One of the oldest and famous bar on the island. Cocomangas is frequented mostly by the locals and tourists and is known for the "Still Standing After 15" mixed shots of liquor.
Hey Jude - the bar is named after its owner, Jude. Hey Jude attracts a mixed crowd of Manila party people, tourists and expats. They play dance, lounge and chillout music and is famous for its beach parties and events, sponsored by the likes of Slinky and Big Fish.
Juice - the bar is located in a busy area along Station 2 and plays mostly R&B and dance music. There are comfy cushions and beanbags outside to sit on and a nice friendly crowd of people.
Guillys - it's the perfect beachfront hangout. Live DJ's and bands. Buckets of beer and a great view of the famous Bora sunset.
Summer Place - the bar attracts mostly European crowd with a mix of locals. It's a large native style place facing the beach and plays a good variety of music.
Relaxation
Massage - There are plenty of skilled masseurs on the island. You can have a relaxing massage right by the beach, in the privacy of your room or for a more luxurious treat visit the numerous Spa centers. Highly recommended is the Mandala Spa.
Sunbathing - Some visitors prefer to bask in the sun, lie under the shade of coconut tree watching the different activities on the beach or reading a book. It is worthwhile remembering to protect oneself with sun-block as the sand and sea can reflect the burning rays of the sun.
Sunset Viewing - Watching Boracay's spectacular sunset on the White Beach would be one of the highlights of your Boracay experience.
Shopping
The island's shopping mecca is D'Mall located at Station 2. You can find anything from beauty products, swimwears, kinky underwears, home decors to souvenirs, gadgets, hand made jewelries and toys. There is also a grocery/department store along the street entrance to D'Mall for all your shopping needs.
Sightseeing
Any trip to Boracay is not complete without a boat trip around the Island, exploring nearby coves and island hide-aways on-board a banka (outrigger boat). The "banka" can be rented out by the day at a reasonable price.
Boracay Rock - It is a fascinating natural formation and is located off the east coast beach. The small island is undercut by the sea and the top overhangs the recessed base. Between Boracay Rock and Little Boracay Rock, shells, coral and starfish abound, making it a favorite fossicking spot for the local residents.
Caves - There are several caves on Boracay. One worth visiting is the Bat Cave on the northeastern tip with bats having wingspans of up to four feet.
Diniwid Beach - The peaceful beach is only 200 meters long and a short walk from the north end of White Beach along the Fairways and Bluewater Road. Those who venture the trek are rewarded with one of the best views of the island from a platform rock.
Gateway Arch - This large arch at the tip of Bulaboc Point is the gateway to Boracay's exclusive development, Fairways and Bluewater Leisure Resort. The small, concrete quay, just beyond the rock arch, affords spectacular views of the island's scenic east coast from Lapuz-Lapuz Point to Boracay Island's Southeastern tip, a distance of six kilometers. The Gateway Arch is easily accessible by tricycle or motor scooter.
Live Coral Beds - On the southern end of White Beach, past the beach rocks, is a large coral shelf that has countless varieties of living coral in a myriad of shapes and sizes, including many examples of colorful brain coral. The shelf is exposed above the water level at low tide.
Manoc-Manoc - A typical Philippine provincial village which is home to more than half of the local population and offers visitors a glimpse of the traditional Philippine way of life.
Puka Beach - It is named after the rare Puka Shell and is the second longest in the island which covers half of the northern tip of the island. The sand is a contrast to White Beach, yellow and less fine in texture. The beach is 800 meters long and has an abundance of small shells and tiny white coral amulets, which are suitable for necklace pendants. To fully appreciate the scenery, motorized outrigger trips are recommended.
Sports (land)
Beach Volleyball - The fine white sands make beach volleyball most inviting. Beach volleyball and other beach sports have become quite popular with annual tournaments being held to promote both the sport and the island.
Golf - A world-class 18-hole scenic golf course is located on the Island. For avid golfers, arrangements to play and equipment rental can be made (a one-day-membership plus green fees and caddy will cost you around US$ 50-70.
Horse Riding - Take out one of the locally bred horses and ride through a cool coconut grove on the island. Ride solo or accompanied by one of the stables' expert guides and discover the island's natural beauty. The best time for riding is early morning or late afternoon, when you can avoid the noonday sun.
Motorcycling - For the more adventurous traveler, exploring Boracay's terrain on a motorbike can be a lot of fun. Special tours that offer visitors a feel of Borcay countryside are available. There are many places where you could rent a motorbike on an hourly or daily basis.
Mountain Biking - Boracay is extremely scenic, with many challenging and varied routes around the island, some 25 kilometers long. Most of the routes are on loose dirt roads and steep climbs up to lookout points that give spectacular views across clear, blue waters to the distant islands.
Tennis - There are two good quality courts next to Nigi Nigi with flood lights for cooler evening games.
Sports (water)
Diving - The rich marine life around Boracay makes for interesting dives. Dive trips for the experienced divers and lessons for the newcomers are offered by many dive centers on the island, from which the most basic, up to the very latest, state-of-the-art diving and snorkeling gear can also be rented.
Fishing - Try your luck and hook the big one!
Kayaking - The clear, blue waters are ideal for the novice. The rocky coastline and deserted sandy beaches can be reached within one and a half hour paddle. For the experienced and adventurous kayakers, Boracay can be circumnavigated in a day, a distance of approximately 20 kilometers.
Windsurfing - Boracay is now considered Asia's best boardsailing destination and if windsurfing or kiting is your fancy, Boracay is the place for it. There are international competitions around the month of February every year. You will find many windsurfing schools on Boracay. Equipment can be rented at reasonable cost.
Other water sports - Jet ski, banana boat, water ski, wakeboard, kneeboard and speedboard can be rented on various rental shops on the island.