Is Boracay Just Okay?

[Patrick Star]

Hello All,

My brother-in-law's family is from the Philippines. Specifically, they own a resort and dive shop on Boracay. I am working on getting the name. I just learned that he and his family are planning a trip there for this December and he has invited me to join them. That started me researching Boracay, knowing absolutely nothing about it. I have certainly read mixed opinions. Some of the comments here on our forum have been pretty brutal, but they are from before the island closed down for what sounds like very necessary infrastructure upgrades in 2018.

Is it a worthy destination for the distance involved? I live in New England, and it will be a trek and a half to get there. Though I am sure we will be treated very well by his family once we are there, the reviews of the island make me wonder if it is worth it when compared to other diving destinations.

How is diving the present day Boracay? Would any of you travel from the US just to go there, forsaking other diving locations? If so, why?

Thank you very much.

Patrick Star

 

[Centrals]

Christmas is the worst time to travel in the country. Air fare is high and so is the demand.
There are a lot of others places to go diving unfortunately Boracay is rather isolated.
I have not visited the island for a very long time because diving there was really ordinary. Yapa II was good.
The famous Long Beach is nice if you like to get roasted. Other than that I cannot think of any reason to go there. But having a family there is another story.

 

[eagleray180]

Boracay is the top beach and top tourist destination in the country. @Centrals hit the nail on the head stating that the diving is "ordinary!" Although I am not sure I would not even give it that good of a rating! It is very fished out and has limited coral structure.

I had been there prior to the clean-up and just got back from a 3 day trip just 4 weeks ago. This last trip was just to hang out on the beach for a few days for a change of scenery. I did not dive as based on my past experiences, I did not want to spend the money. If you are into the tourist beach scene, then it is good. White Beach is really beautiful and pretty chill. 3 days is more then enough for me. Personally, I would not travel all the way from the US to just go to Boracay for diving. If you made it part of a multi-destination trip in the Philippines or Asia in general, maybe, but not just by itself.

As @Centrals also stated, December is the worst time of year to travel to and within the Philippines.

 

[Patrick Star]

Thank you very much for your frank feedback.

 

[riceowls]

Boracay is a good destination for a vacation with some diving but not a good one for a diving vacation. If you go all the way there, spend a week diving elsewhere.​

 

[Fisheyedivers- Rc]

Hello All,

My brother-in-law's family is from the Philippines. Specifically, they own a resort and dive shop on Boracay. I am working on getting the name. I just learned that he and his family are planning a trip there for this December and he has invited me to join them. That started me researching Boracay, knowing absolutely nothing about it. I have certainly read mixed opinions. Some of the comments here on our forum have been pretty brutal, but they are from before the island closed down for what sounds like very necessary infrastructure upgrades in 2018.

Is it a worthy destination for the distance involved? I live in New England, and it will be a trek and a half to get there. Though I am sure we will be treated very well by his family once we are there, the reviews of the island make me wonder if it is worth it when compared to other diving destinations.

How is diving the present day Boracay? Would any of you travel from the US just to go there, forsaking other diving locations? If so, why?

Thank you very much.

Patrick Star

You can contact me on my WhatsApp +639382364192 I am working at fisheye divers Boracay

 

[Nixy]

Hello All,

My brother-in-law's family is from the Philippines. Specifically, they own a resort and dive shop on Boracay. I am working on getting the name. I just learned that he and his family are planning a trip there for this December and he has invited me to join them. That started me researching Boracay, knowing absolutely nothing about it. I have certainly read mixed opinions. Some of the comments here on our forum have been pretty brutal, but they are from before the island closed down for what sounds like very necessary infrastructure upgrades in 2018.

Is it a worthy destination for the distance involved? I live in New England, and it will be a trek and a half to get there. Though I am sure we will be treated very well by his family once we are there, the reviews of the island make me wonder if it is worth it when compared to other diving destinations.

How is diving the present day Boracay? Would any of you travel from the US just to go there, forsaking other diving locations? If so, why?

Thank you very much.

Patrick Star

Hello I live on the island! There are wonderful dive sites like Diniwid, Fridays, Yapak, Punta Bunga, Camia, Tribird, and Yapak. All of them are nice in their own way. Every time you dive it's always different. You can check out New Wave Divers and check it out for yourself:

Dive Site

Explore the dive site of Boracay. The island offers intersting diving site that will please experience and non experience divers.

www.newwavediversboracay.com

I hope you have a great time in Boracay!

 

[Titatom]

Anybody know if Scotty's Action Sports Network still in business at Boracay?

 

[bluesails]

I grew up in Manila and live in the US now. Boracay is maybe the most beautiful beach in the world imo. The sand is so fine it feels kind of nuts to wade out in the shallows with the most crystal clear water you've ever seen. I think that if someone I knew owned a hotel on Boracay and I could stay for free or very cheap, with someone local taking care of the best food / boat trips / etc, I would go in a heartbeat, even if I wasn't diving. It's just kind of a magical paradise destination that reminds me why I love the ocean even just looking from above the water

The diving isn't great compared to the rest of the Philippines but I did see a school of jacks last time I was there, in 2014ish. I was relatively new to diving and just did a dive to keep up my skills. If you can stay longer, I would maybe do a dive trip before or after since you'll be in the Philippines anyway. Anilao is so so easy to do from Manila and has such great diving that we pretty much do it every time we visit. Pretty world-class macro and you can also see turtles and maybe octopi.

Hardest thing is that December is brutal to travel to the Philippines in terms of airfare. If you don't care too much about Christmas and can literally fly on Christmas or something you might get a break. If you work remotely you can also do what my husband I did one year and spend a full 6 weeks so that our flights were straddling the Christmas rush. If you can find a flight that won't break the bank, I say do it. BTW idk if you grew up in NH but my in-laws live there too and I want to bring them to the PH one day

 

[YYCLuke]

Last time I flew to the Philippines for Christmas we got flights for sub $1000 return (prepandemic). So just don't book too far in advance.

Problem with December is that you'll often get a typhoon or two rolling through. Both Christmases I've spent in the Philippines it happened, but its just something you need to account for.

Even if the diving is ordinary, it'll still be good. It's the Philippines, and you'll be spoiled at everywhere else.