Wanting to go to Boracay for a vacation but on a tight budget? Worry no more ‘cuz it’s definitely possible! In fact, that’s what my friends and I did! Since we have several plans this year, we all agreed to travel on a budget. We all need to save for our upcoming trips, plus our shopping expenditures. Hehe! Though, it doesn’t mean that going to Boracay on a limited budget equates to discomfort and to goodbye fun. This is our V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N so we made sure that our Boracay trip would be ultimately fun and relaxing. Here are some tips on how to stick on your limited budget. * Note that prices indicated below may change or vary. *

First and foremost, determine how you want to reach the island. There are only two ways, either by sea or by air. Traveling by sea through RORO (roll-on roll-off) is the cheapest, though it can definitely be exhausting. The trip from Manila to Caticlan will take about 12 hours or more. This can be very tiring especially for those who are not used to long trips. On the other hand, getting to Boracay through airplane is way more comfortable as you can reach Caticlan airport in about 1-2 hours. There are a number of airlines to choose from, such as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air, and Sea Air. What’s even better is that you can get your airfare tickets really cheap if they have promos or if you book your flights months before your planned vacation. If you are lucky, you can even get an airfare as low as the cost of traveling by RORO. Therefore, be updated and regularly check online promotions of these airlines. TIP: opt for weekdays, especially Tuesdays and Thursdays, for your departure and arrival dates as rates usually come out cheaper. As for our Boracay vacation, our Zest Air tickets only cost Php 3,600 each, including taxes- really cheap considering it’s peak season.

Next, look for a place to stay. You do not need to stay in a really classy hotel just to be comfortable. My friends and I chose Island Nook for our accommodations. It’s way, way cheaper than staying in Two Seasons, Discovery Shores, The Tides, and of course Shangri-La just to name a few. Well, Island Nook may not have the swimming pool, jacuzzi, and some of their other amenities; but we will surely feel like we are in a first class room with their Wi-fi, Samsung flat screen HDTV, I-Pod dock/ room speakers, hot and cold showers, air condition, etc. We’re in Boracay so who needs the jacuzzi or pool when all we need is the beach! 🙂 And since Island Nook is quite new, we are definite to have a relaxing stay at Boracay. Oh, and the best part is it’s not far from the beach. It’s just near D’Mall. Okay, to entice you even more to choose budget accommodations instead of going to hotels, even tourists and some Filipino celebs check in at Island Nook! Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh! It goes to show that even them don’t find it necessary to stay in some classy hotels. Just enjoy the company of friends and the beach. For more information about Island Nook, click here.

Well, these two are the main drivers of costs when going to Boracay. If you’re able to get the transportation and the accommodation quite cheap, then you’re on track on your budget Boracay vacation. There are charges that you can’t get away, though, such as airport terminal fee, tricycle fee going to Jetty Port, boat fare to Cagban Port, environmental fee, terminal port fee in Cagban, and tricyle fee again going to D’Mall. Then, when you’re leaving the island, you again have to pay the following: tricyle to Cagban, boat fare back to Jetty Port, terminal fee in Cagban, and terminal fee in Caticlan airport. Whew! That’s a lot, I know, but the total for everything is just about Php 600.

Other than these, all other expenses are variable, like you’re food and the activities you want to try. The standard of living in Boracay is quite high, making everything quite expensive compared to Manila. Therefore, if you are on a tight budget, look for cheap restaurants in the island, or probably, bring food like oatmeal or cup noodles for breakfast. As for the fun activities in Boracay, the prices are quite fixed, though sometimes bargaining also works. Well, we already prepared a list of activities we would like to try a month before our trip. Talking about being too excited, huh? Some of them are the following with their duration and prices at the time of writing: Parasail Php 1,200 per person for 15 minutes, Banana Boat Php 180 per person for 15 minutes, Reef Walking Php 600 for 30 minutes, Paraw Php 700 per baot for 60 minutes, JetSki Php 1,500 for 30 minutes, ATV Php 500 for 60 minutes, and Flyfish Php 500 for 15 minutes. That’s a lot! Well, I wouldn’t be doing everything since I don’t like the Banana Boat and Reef Walking that much. So I guess I wouldn’t be too broke after this vacation after all. Hehe! 🙂

Isn’t it so exciting to go to Boracay?! I’m sure by now you also wanna take a vacation and plunge into the fun! So what are you waiting for? Check your available money and get it on with your budget Boracay vacation! 🙂