Kitesurf trip tips How to get to Boracay

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Kitesurfing Paradise: Getting to Boracay Island from Manila

Boracay Island isn't just a tropical haven with pristine beaches; it's also a world-renowned destination for kitesurfing enthusiasts.

If you're eager to ride the waves and feel the wind beneath your kite, here's a detailed guide on how to get to Boracay Island from Manila, so you can experience the ultimate kitesurfing adventure.

Kite School Egypt_Boracay

STEP 1: Fly to Manila

Begin your journey by booking a flight to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Numerous airlines operate regular flights to Manila from major international airports around the world. In terms of time, it is best to find a flight with a maximum of one stopover. Searching for tickets through the Momondo ticket aggregator and then booking flight tickets directly on the airline's website has proven useful for me .

Ticket prices vary depending on the travel dates. The most expensive tickets are issued during the "TOP" season dates, which are Christmas and New Year. It's recommended to buy tickets for this period in advance. Most airlines have the transport of sports equipment (kite surfing) already included in the basic ticket price on flights to Asia. If you don't want to take your own kite equipment with you due to transportation or an extra baggage fees, you can rent complete kiteboarding equipment KITE RENTAL on Boracay from us.

STEP 2: Connecting Flight to Caticlan

Upon arriving in Manila, you'll need to catch a connecting flight to either Caticlan (Godofredo P. Ramos Airport). When flying from Manila, I recommend buying tickets directly through CEBU PACIFIC AIR or AIR ASIA website, the Momondo.com flight ticket search engine also worked fine for me. Flights from from Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) are scheduled several times a day.

International flights in Manila airport are served from Terminals No. 1,3. Domestic flights depart from Terminal 3 - Cebu Pacific, from Terminal 2 - Air Asia, from Terminal 4 - Cebgo Airlines. After landing in Manila, you will have to pick up your luggage and take it to check-in at the terminal from which you will fly to Caticlan (Boracay).

If you have a longer layover in Manila and want to go into the city, you can use the luggage storage located at Terminal No. 3 - Arrivals. Luggage storage costs 350 php for 24 hours and the storage is open 24/7.

If you want to move from one terminal to another, you can either use the airline shuttle or order a taxi outside the airport. When leaving the airport, look for the table with transfers to the given terminal, or even better if you ask about the shuttle service at the information of your airline. Shuttle buses run between the terminals every 30-40 minutes.

You can also use the services of a taxi or microbus transfer for the transfer, the price is approx. 7 - 10 USD per person. I advise you to leave a reserve of at least 90 minutes when going from one terminal to another, it all depends on the traffic on the roads. It can be 20 minutes, but also an hour and a half.

STEP 3: Travel to Caticlan Jetty Port

Once you land in Caticlan, it's a short journey to the Caticlan Jetty Port. Grab a tricycle or a van to take you to the port, where your kitesurfing adventure truly begins. The easiest and most convenient alternative is a van transfer directly from Caticlan Airport (Boracay) to your accommodation on Boracay. This is provided by Southwest Tours Boracay for a very favorable price.

When leaving the airport, look for a representative of the company with which you booked the transfer. Nothing more needs to be done. The entire procedure is very well described on the Thepoortraveler, website with detailed information, photos and video how to get to Boracay from Caticlan airport.

The second alternative is to travel from the airport individually. After exiting the airport, head straight for the gate, cross to the other side of the road. There are tricycles parked in the parking lot, buy a ticket for 50 PHP per person at the cash desk, stand in line and wait for your tricycle.

STEP 4: Ferry to Boracay

From Caticlan Jetty Port, hop on a ferry bound for Boracay. Inside the Jetty port terminal, first go to the first window where they will give you to fill out the registration form, prove yourself with a confirmation of your Boracay hotel reservation, pay a fee of PHP 150 - Terminal fee, then move to window number 2, where you will buy a boat ticket for PHP 50 and you will pay an environmental fee of PHP 150. Next, you continue to the boat with your ticket, for which you will be issued a seat, then you will be put on the boat, towards Boracay.

Enjoy the short and scenic ride across the sea, providing you with breathtaking views of the surrounding islands.

STEP 5: Arrival to Boracay

Upon reaching Boracay, you'll disembark at Cagban Port. From there, it's just a short ride to the famous Bulabog Beach, the kitesurfing hub of the island.

The journey by boat takes approximately 10-15 minutes. After getting off the boat, go to the parking lot, find a free tricycle and show the driver to which hotel he should take you. The price for a tricycle for two is about 250-300 PHP depending on the address in Boracay. Don't worry, it's easy :)

Recommendation: very useful service are "Porters" if you have heavy luggage or a kitebag. The price is 50 PHP / 0.90 EUR for one piece of luggage. You can support locals and it will be easier for you.

VISA AND ENTRY RULES TO THE PHILIPPINES

Before planning your trip, check for any travel restrictions or entry requirements imposed by local authorities. Citizens of the European Union can travel to the Philippines for the purpose of tourism without a visa as long as their stay in the Philippines does not exceed 30 days. In order to enter the Philippines, it is required that your travel document - passport will be valid for at least 6 months at the time of entry, and it is also necessary to prove upon request your intention to leave the country, using a confirmation of the purchased return or onward ticket.

Before departing for the Philippines, it is necessary to register 72 hours (3 days) before your arrival in the Philippines by completing the online arrival card at the official eTravel portal https://etravel.gov.ph/ Passengers are required to submit their proof of eTravel registration (QR code on your phone) before boarding your flight at check-in in Europe and also after arrival in Manila at immigration control. Overall, the process of going through immigration control at the Manila airport is fast enough, smooth and clearly organized.

If you want to extend your stay in the Philippines, you can do so at the Bureau of Immigration - BoI branches. The main office of the Office is the Bureau of Immigration, Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila; tel.: +63 2 527 3248. But they have branches all over the country and also on Boracay island. The first extension is valid for another 29 days. The fee is 3130 PHP ($67 USD), 1 x passport photo, 1 x copy of passport and 1 x copy of valid visa in passport. After that, it is possible to extend the visa for another month (4400 PHP), a maximum of two (4800 PHP), plus 2950 PHP for the issuance of a plastic ID Card (when staying in the Philippines for more than 59 days). If you already plan in advance that your stay in the Philippines will be more than 30 days, it will be cheaper if you apply for a visa in advance at our home, directly at the Philippine consulate.

EXCHANGE RATES AND LOCAL CURRENCY

Exchange rate DEC 2023:
1 usd=55,00 PHP
1 euro= 58,00 php

It doesn't matter if you take USD or Euro. First of all after landing, passing immigration control and collecting your luggage, find a kiosk of one of the relevant banks or an EXCHANGE office and change euros or dollars to the local currency, which is the PHILIPPINE PESOS PHP. About 100 EUR = 5800 PHP will be enough for your first day. Even the exchange rate at the airport is sometimes a little better than at the Boracay, so you can exchange more cash at the airport. Exchange offices in Boracay are everywhere. They also accept card payment in most of the shops, restaurants, supermarkets, etc. There are many ATMs, but you can withdraw cash up to PHP 10,000 per withdrawal (approx. EUR 190), even repeatedly within your daily limit, but each ATM withdrawal is still charged extra by the local bank, so maybe you can consider carry more EUR/USD cash with you.

INTERNET ON BORACAY ISLAND

If you want to be mobile at the Phillipines, your second stop should be a SIM card kiosk at the airport. I recommend Philippine's provider SMART or GLOBE. Both mobile operators have 5G coverage on the island. You can buy a SIM card either at the airport in Manila or directly at the Boracay. You need a passport to buy a tourist sim card. For example 72GB internet package costs about 1500 PHP, it's about 25 EUR. The 5G network on Boracay works perfectly (viber, skype, fb, youtube), so even those who plan to kite and at the same time have the opportunity to work online can rely on a fast and stable 5G internet connection on the island.

TAXI SERVICES IN MANILA

I recommend to you download and register the GRAB or JoyRide mobile application on your phone in advance. It is the cheapest taxi in Manila, you always know the exact price for the trip in advance.

ACCOMODATION IN MANILA

When choosing and buying tickets, I recommend that you focus on arrivals in Manila during the day, so that you do not have to spend the night in Manila and you can immediately fly to Boracay. But if you need to spend one night in Manila on the way there or back, I recommend the Red Planet Manila Aseana City, hotel (it is near the airport, at a good price of about €30 a night for two people, wifi, small but nice and clean rooms, nearby are shops and restaurants). The trip from/to the airport with GRAB taxi costs about 350 pesos. We paid about 10 USD for the hotel taxi. You can find this and other hotels in Manila on hotel's reservation platform booking.com

What is suitable bring with you?

Payment card but also cash.

In Boracay, you can pay by card, apple pay, in all supermarkets and in most restaurants. However, in some smaller businesses, for transport, at the market and for some services, you can only pay in cash.

Shoes to the water

If you go kitesurfing, snorkeling, water shoes will definitely protect you in case you manage to step, e.g. on a sea urchin, otherwise in most cases water shoes are not necessary.

Fenistil gel

It may happen that your skin will not be friends with the sun for the first few days and therefore an allergic reaction may occur. In Boracay, Fenistil will help you with this.

Pack Sun Protection

The sun in Boracay can be intense. Pack and use sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat to protect yourself from the sun, especially if you plan to spend a lot of time on the beach.

What you definitely don't need to bring with you

Repellants, sun & after-sun cream, different medicines for colds, pain, etc. all are available in shops, pharmacies and supermarkets, which are well stocked. Towels, beach towels, shower gels, shampoos, plug adapters are all easily found on the island.

The island of Boracay is among the TOP 10 tourist destinations, there is a perfectly built infrastructure that you know from Europe (supermarkets, shopping malls, pharmacies, hospital, dentistry, bars and restaurants of various cuisines). The local people themselves are very pleasant, friendly and helpful. English is the second official language in the Philippines

We will definitely continue with tips and advice on what to do in the Philippines, so don't forget to follow us on social networks, on our website or for valuable advice come directly to us in Boracay, you will find us at Padayon Kiteboarding Kite Center, right in the middle of the famous Bulabog kite beach.

Discover with us a huge number of other inexhaustible experiences in this safe and affordable exotic country!

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