Getting to Boracay from Manila isn’t hard per se, but it does require several steps. And these steps can be confusing before you do it.
There are several ways to do it, and depending on the choices, it will result in some cash savings. How valuable the savings are is up to you. We help you break down the various ways to get from Manila to Boracay.
Step 1: Flights
While there are overland options (ferries/buses) from Manila to Boracay, in our opinion flying is the best way to start this journey. It’s faster, generally cheaper, and more hassle-free.
There are no airports on Boracay Island, so you’ll need to fly somewhere on Panay first.
Flights from Manila to Caticlan
The quickest and most direct flight is from Manila to Caticlan Airport (often referred to as Boracay International Airport). This is the closest airport to Boracay and the one that most tourists fly into.
Officially called Godofredo P. Ramos Airport (MPH), the airport is small but has several daily flights from Manila.
Airlines for flights from Manila include Philippine Air, Air Asia, CebGo, and Cebu Pacific. I recommend checking both the individual sites and other search engines. I ended up paying less than my friend booked directly through the Philippine Air website.
Prices can be as low as ₱1,000 and higher than ₱5,500. I would recommend booking as far ahead of time as possible.
You’ll arrive at the airport and make it to the terminal. If you have any checked bags its a bit of a free for all with delivery of the bags in a large “baggage claim” room.
From here you need to transfer from the airport to the jetty and then to Boracay. The least hassle way is to book ahead of time for a transfer from Caticlan to Boracay.
For those doing it more independently, you need to get from the airport to the jetty. Leaving the airport, you can either catch a taxi outside or go to the end of the parking lot and take a trike for ₱75 per person. You’ll see a sign/booth to pay for the ticket.
Skip ahead here to the ferry portion to read on how that works.
Flights from Manila to Kalibo
Another option for flights to Panay is from Manila to Kalibo Airport. Kalibo is a city located about 1.5 hrs from Caticlan.
The good thing is that, you might have better options for prices and flights depending on how booked out Manila to Caticlan is.
The downside is that you’ll have to add an extra 1.5 hours of traveling time. This will require you to take a bus, taxi, or van to Caticlan first. Thankfully, companies offer direct transfers from Kalibo Airport to Boracay. This is the least frictional way to do the journey.
I think the transfer is the easiest way if you are going to do this. There are lots of options and negotiating to otherwise go independently, and it’s a bit complicated to cover in this post.
Check: Transfers from Caticlan to Boracay
Step 2: Ferry from Caticlan to Boracay
No matter how you manage to get to Caticlan, everyone must take a ferry to Boracay Island.
Don’t worry. The ferry is short, but it’s a pretty calm ride, and there are many going between the ports. These various-sized boats only take about 15-20 minutes to make the journey between the islands
The jetty is always open, but regular boats run from 5 am to 9 am. But you may have to wait longer for the boat to fill during slow times. There are options to charter boats, it seems, if you arrive late, for about ₱ 2,500. I didn’t see anyone go this route.
As soon as you arrive at the jetty, you’ll find many touts trying to sell you options for transfers to your hotel. This is an option. They generally quote between ₱800 – ₱1,000 per person.
If you go with a company at the jetty, ensure you know what’s included. Is it all fees (including environmental) and a transfer to your hotel? It can be pretty comparable to doing it yourself, especially for solo travelers.
One benefit is that many of these folks can fast-track you through the steps and line to reach Boracay.
If you do it individually follow below:
First, you need to pay for tickets at various fees. Look at the various booths and tables to pay for the following fees.
Boat Fee | Terminal Fee | Boat Fee | |
Foreign Tourist | ₱50 | ₱150 | ₱300 |
Local Tourist | ₱50 | ₱150 | ₱150 |
Note: Make sure you hold onto any paper slips given by the various fees and the plastic ticket for the boat. You’ll need them. If you lose any, you may have to go pay again, and it’s a bit of a pain.
Register with the Department of Tourism
You’ll need to register for your stay in Boracay. This requires you to have your hotel booking information as well as a valid ID. You don’t need to provide IDs for everyone in your party.
Note: You’ll also need to provide your booking info on your return trip. We had an issue leaving Boracay because our hotel didn’t show us as registered, and they needed to contact the hotel before we could get on our ferry.
Step 3: From Boracay Port to your Hotel
The boat will drop you off on the jetty along the beach in Boracay. From here you’ll need to plan how to get to your hotel. Few of the hotels are located near the Jetty.
Look at the map of your hotel and you’ll notice it’s related to a specific Station. Station 1 is the northernmost of the stations with station 3 to the south. Generally, the hotels get nicer as you go north. Some hotels are outside the stations and will be longer and pricier to get to via trike. Especially if you are on the northeast side of the island.
There are vans and trike options. I like the electric trikes on the Island. These are great options for getting to your hotel. Let the driver know the station # and your hotel name. Prices usually from about ₱150 – ₱200 for the various stations. ₱250+ if you are outside of that area.
The e-trike will drop you at the closest entrance to the beach for your hotel. You’ll need to carry your luggage from the road along the alley to your hotel.
Return trip from Boracay to Caticlan
Basically the return from Boracay to Caticlan takes the same path in reverse. You can book these online ahead of time or through your hotel accommodation.
Be sure to plan with enough time for the ongoing flight. I recommend leaving your hotel 2.5 – 3 hours before your return flight. This way you’ll get to the airport and
Be sure to have your booking information. We bizarrely had an issue with our return trip in that the tourism desk didn’t have us registered on the island. This caused a delay and required some calling to the hotel to rectify. It’s just something to be aware of.
Helpful Links for this Post
- Flights from Manila to Caticlan
- Flights from Manila to Kalibo
- Transfer from Caticlan Airport to Boracay
- Transfer from Kalibo Airport to Boracay
- Transfer from Boracay to Caticlan Airport
- Transfer from Boracay to Kalibo Airport
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Steve says
To register with Dept of tourism for Boracay would be helpful to have this link.