Boracay Island itself doesn’t have an airport or a large ferry port. Learn how you can travel from Manila to Boracay here.
Boracay is one of the Philippines’ pride. Having pure-white sand and turquoise-blue water, this island will take your breath away by how beautiful it is. But there’s a downside to that fact, being really gorgeous and popular, Boracay always gets really crowded by both local and foreign tourists. It got to the point wherein the Philippine government decided to close the island temporarily in 2018 to do a cleaning operation. 
After 6 months of rehabilitation, it was opened again to the public in October 2018. And as a result of this operation, you can expect a cleaner island with fewer people compared to before. But how do you get to this famous island? Please note that Boracay Island itself doesn’t have an airport or a large ferry port. So it’s really impossible to travel there directly from Manila or any other places. And by that, we’ll tell you below what are the options that you can take in order to reach Boracay Island.
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Travel from Manila to Boracay by Plane
Route 1: Manila to Boracay via Caticlan Route
Caticlan Airport is the recommended route since it’s the nearest in Boracay. AirAsia, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (PAL) all have direct flights from Manila to Caticlan. Usually, AirAsia and Cebu Pacific have cheaper options. A one-way ticket costs around PHP 4,000 (around $79). If you’re lucky enough, you can get a discounted ticket around PHP 1,000 ($20) when airlines offer a seat sale.
Flights depart from terminals 2 or 4 in Manila, depending on which airline you book. Make it a habit to check this information so you won’t get confused on the day of your departure.
Travel Time
The flight from Manila to Caticlan takes up to 1 and a half hour and it lands at Caticlan Airport. From the airport, head your way to the Caticlan Jetty Port to ride a local boat going to Boracay. You can ride a tricycle or a van from Caticlan Airport to the port. It takes about 15 minutes.
From Caticlan Port to Boracay Island
Once you’re at the port, buy a ferry ticket and pay the necessary fees such as environmental and port fees. The costs of your ferry ticket depend on the ferry you will ride. For the environmental fee, it costs PHP 80 ($1.58) and PHP 100 ($2) for the port fee.
Route 2: Manila to Boracay via Kalibo Route
If you want to save some penny, you can choose the Kalibo Route. However, you need to spend more time traveling using this route.
AirAsia, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (PAL) also have direct flights from Manila to Kalibo. Tickets usually start at 1,900 PHP ($38) but it can be more expensive during peak season. The plane lands at Kalibo International Airport. You can also wait for promos to get a cheaper ticket.
Travel Time
From Manila to Kalibo Airport, it also takes an hour and a half. However, from Kalibo to Caticlan Port, you need to spend at least one and a half hours again. You can ride a van or a bus. There are vans available at Kalibo Airport. Usually, this costs PHP 250 ($5). And from Caticlan Port to Boracay, the same as above in route 1.
Travel from Manila to Boracay by Ferry
If you’re in for an adventure, traveling by ferry from Manila to Boracay can be your option. If you chose this, you have to take a bus from Manila to Batangas first. From there, you’ll take a ferry to Caticlan and then another ferry going to Boracay Island.
Manila to Batangas by Bus
To travel from Manila to Batangas, you can take a bus. The most popular bus company that operates this route is JAM Liner. They travel straight from Manila to Batangas Pier so you won’t need to transfer vehicles.
The travel time takes around 3.5 hours depending on the traffic and the time your bus depart. Trips are available from 01:00 until 00:00, with buses leaving almost every 30 minutes.
From Batangas Pier to Caticlan
2Go Travel operates ferries traveling from Batangas to Caticlan. They provide 21:00, 10:00 and 16:00 trips for specific days. It’s better to visit their official website to check the latest schedules.
Travel Time
The travel time from Batangas Pier to Caticlan takes at least 9 hours. The cheapest ferry ticket (which is the super value class) costs around 1,350 PHP ($26) when you book on their official website. The ticket price may vary depending on the time of your booking. The earlier, the cheaper. Ships dock at the Caticlan Jetty Port.
And from Caticlan Port, you will need to travel again for 15 minutes going to Boracay Island.
Summary
From Manila to Boracay by Plane
Caticlan Route
Total travel time: 2 hours
Cost: Around PHP 5,000 ($99) *This is subject to change.
Kalibo Route
Total travel time: 3-4 hours
Cost: Around PHP 3,000 ($59) *This is subject to change.
From Manila to Boracay by Ferry
Total travel time: 13 hours (transfer time not included)
Cost: Around PHP 2,000 ($40) *This is subject to change.
Going to Boracay is not really difficult as it is one of the Philippines’ top tourist destinations. There are high chances that you’ll get to book flights from different dates. However, you need to remember that since Boracay is a very popular destination, flight tickets (especially the Caticlan route) can be a bit expensive and might sell out during peak season.
About the Writer
Hi there! I’m Fatima. My first major travel was in 2016 in the beautiful city of Cebu. After that, I got interested in traveling. Now I enjoy learning languages and other country’s cultures. My goal is to visit at least one country each year and to share my experiences with other people through writing or blogging. Witness my journey by following me on Instagram.
The original content (article & images) is owned by Fatima Turla. Visit the site here for other interesting stories.
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