Boracay and Manila, Philippines

Boracay and Manila, Philippines

The Philippines: Relaxing Beach Days in Boracay + A Short Stop in Manila

The Philippines was our final stop on a six-week Southeast Asia trip, and it ended up being the perfect place to slow down, decompress, and truly relax. Between Boracay’s powdery white sand and calm clear water, and a short cultural and urban stop in Manila, this leg of the trip gave us exactly what we needed before heading home.

Boracay, Philippines

White Sand Beaches and Gorgeous Clear Ocean

Boracay pretty much forces you to relax. The beaches are stunning, the water is calm and crystal clear, and the rhythm of the days naturally becomes: swim, lounge, eat, repeat. We loved alternating between floating in the ocean and lying on the beach staring at the horizon. Boracay did not have any cultural or historic sites advertised or made accessible to visitors, so you should come here to only relax and enjoy the beaches.

Where We Stayed in Boracay

The hotel had two pools, a private beach, buffet options for every meal, and incredibly friendly staff. One huge perk was the free shuttle to White Beach, which made it easy to enjoy the action without staying right in the middle of it. The shuttle ran both ways about every hour and the ride took about 20 minutes each way.

We booked last minute for an 8-night stay over New Year’s, and almost everything else was sold out. In hindsight, we loved being in a quieter area after spending five weeks in busy cities, but if you want to be in the middle of all the action, then find a spot on White Beach.

White Beach Day Hack: Free Chair & Umbrella

One of our favorite Boracay tips came from Don Vito’s, the beachside restaurant at the Mandarin Island Hotel. It's located right on White Beach and has comfortable lounge chairs with umbrellas. They offer beach chairs for rent and you only need to spend money on yourself at the restaurant for each chair.

  • Spend PHP 1,000 (~USD $17) on food & drinks and get a free beach chair + umbrella for the day.
  • We spent PHP 2,000 (~USD $34) and got:
    • Large calamari
    • 2 entrees (grilled fish + seafood pasta)
    • 2 beers

Instead of paying separately for loungers, you’re just putting your money toward food and drinks you’d be buying anyway.

Food, Drinks & Beach Snacks

  • Coconut mango ice cream bowl (beach vendor): PHP 280 (~USD $4.75)
  • Boracay Island Brewing Company: Sisig nachos + 3 small beers for PHP 1,127 (~USD $19)
  • Local fruit: 1/2 kilo of mangosteen plus 1/2 kilo of rambutan for PHP 250 (~USD $4.25). These have been our two favorite fruits since we first discovered them during an early trip to Asia over 15 years. It was a treat to enjoy them right on the beach after picking them up on a nearby shopping pedestrian street named D'Mall.

The island has plenty of casual spots where you can eat well without spending much, especially if you stick to local dishes and beachside restaurants.

Getting Around Boracay

  • Transfer from Airport to Hotel: PHP 882 (~USD $15). Getting from the airport to your hotel is not direct or straightforward. It requires getting to a ferry terminal, taking a ferry, and then once you arrive at the Boracay ferry terminal taking another transportation to your hotel. We booked a transfer to handle all of it for us through Viator where you meet the company at the airport and they take you through all the segments. 
  • E-trike from White Beach to Newcoast Beach: PHP 300 (~USD $5). E-trikes are three wheeled golf carts that put passengers on benches in the back. It's the local taxi and you can find them everywhere. If you want to see what riding one looks like, it is in our Boracay video.

Boracay is fairly small, and hopping between White Beach and quieter areas like Newcoast is easy and inexpensive.

Scuba Diving with Wicked Squid Divers

We couldn’t leave Boracay without getting in the water properly.

As a relatively new diver, Shay is very selective about dive shops and spent a lot of time researching. Wicked Squid had the best reviews on the island and absolutely lived up to them.

  • Shop located right off the beach near Station 3.
  • Short boat rides to dive sites
  • Extremely responsive and helpful staff
  • Free photos and videos from the dives

Highly recommend if you’re considering diving in Boracay.

Manila, Philippines

A Short Cultural Stop Before the Beach

We spent three nights in Manila on our way to Boracay. While we wouldn’t call it a must-see destination, it worked well as a short stop and offered some interesting history and neighborhoods.

Getting Around Manila

Grab (rideshare) made getting around easy and affordable. It's the local version of Uber.

  • Grab from airport into Manila: PHP 422 (~USD $7.18)
  • Grab from Makati to Intramuros: PHP 547 (~USD $9.30)

Where We Stayed in Manila

Makati Highlights

  • Salcedo Weekend Market: Great for local food and a casual stroll
  • Burgos Street: Short street known for nightlife

Intramuros: Historic Manila

Intramuros is a walled Spanish-era district and was our favorite part of Manila. It is the historic heart of Manila and the entire area is walkable.

  • Fort Santiago: Entry was PHP 75 per person (~USD $1.30) and was the only site that had an entrance fee.
  • San Agustin Church, Manila Cathedral, Casa Manila: Walkable and scenic
  • National Museum of Anthropology: Free — a surprisingly fascinating deep dive into Philippine history and culture. 

Food & Drinks in Intramuros

  • Cheese ice cream (street vendor): PHP 50 (~USD $1.00). Cheese ice cream is a must try in Manila.
  • Los Frailes Cafe: Local food such as pork adobo, honey mustard salmon, and water for PHP 920 (~USD $15.64). It is adjacent to San Agustin Church.
  • Tap Room at The Manila Hotel: Two beers, water, and puto bumbong dessert for PHP 950 (~USD $16.60). Good spot if you like craft beer.

BGC (Bonifacio Global City)

BGC was a pleasant surprise — clean, modern, and very walkable, with a long pedestrian-only stretch filled with shops, restaurants, and malls. A nice contrast to the rest of the city.

Final Thoughts

Boracay was the perfect way to end our Southeast Asia trip. The calm water, soft sand, and easy pace made it hard to leave. Manila was best as a short stop rather than a highlight, but Intramuros and the museum made it worthwhile.

Planning your own Philippines trip? Be sure to grab our free travel security checklist to help you stay calm and confident while navigating transportation, tours, and busy beach areas.