The Philippines was where I fell in love with travelling. As a 24-year-old who came late to it, or so it felt compared to many of my friends, my two-week holiday in Boracay and El Nido in November 2014 lit something inside of me I have spent the last seven years chasing.
I had a holiday romance, spent my days cliff jumping, island hopping and climbing waterfalls in tropical climes. I went with three friends from the UK and met another three out there, for a total of seven. Classic Brits travelling in packs.
It’s hard to encapsulate how intoxicating that trip was now. It felt like the beginning of something. It was.
It’s more fun in the Philippines. Never has a tourist board so simply and concisely summed up why to visit a country.
Whether you are back-flipping off a cliff, snorkelling around a remote island or getting to know new friends on a paradise beach, it’s easy to agree.
South East Asia is one of the most popular destinations in the world for backpackers, but the Philippines still manages to retain much of its untouched feel.
Arriving into Manila from all over the globe, travellers head south to discover the beauty and richness of the country’s 7,000-strong islands.
Boracay packs the biggest punch of the lot, a small island but one full of amazing beaches, beautiful resorts and great adventures.
It will take you 30-plus hours from London to get there (and cost around £500) but once you arrive you’ll instantly forget all the long-distance flights and airport transfers.
Boracay’s sprawling White Sands Beach meets your feet but your eye will be drawn to the crystal-clear sea as boats lazily bob up and down on the water.
Boracay beach is a touristic haven, with restaurants, bars and shops filling the strip. Once the sun sets energy pulsates on the shore with buzzing nightlife continuing till dawn.
But those looking to explore will not be disappointed. Stay in Frendz, a comfy and social hostel just off the beach. The rooms and dorms are clean and well facilitated and the staff are friendly and helpful. Book your activities here to save time and money.
During our stay we were only able to make use of the reception and kitchen area to meet guests, but builders were working on a big communal area to serve the hostel. The new facility will no doubt make it easier to get to know others too.
One bizarre character we met in Frendz was the self-appointed ‘Captain Chaos’, a 50-something Canadian clearly holding on to his youth for dear life. A few eyebrows were raised at first, but after buying our group of seven Brit guys drinks along with travellers from Holland, Sweden, Argentina and Korea, he was more warmly received.
The trip you cannot miss is Ariel’s Point. Your ticket will set you back around 2,000 Philippines pesos (about £30) but that covers a half-day excursion with cliff-jumping, snorkelling and as much food and drink (booze included) as you can handle.
Thirty minutes from Boracay, you’ll be amazed at the treetop tropical paradise that greets you. Set up base on one of the many rooftop tables and decking areas around the bar and get ready to feel a rush.
The three ledges to jump off come in small, medium and large varieties. 5m, 8m and 15m. Back-flipping off the 8m board felt like my life’s greatest achievement yet while just dropping from 15m was enough for most of the group, especially one pal who emerged from the water with a bloody mouth.
Take a break from cliff jumping to just enjoy a drink in the sun, gazing out into the seemingly endless Sulu Sea. Explore the caves below with snorkels or head out onto the water with a kayak.
Leaving Ariel’s house at 11.15am daily, (enough time for a cheeky lie-in) you will be shocked – and a little upset – at how quickly 5pm comes around. A rowdy boat back returns you to shore where the party continues into the evening.
Just don’t copy my friend who decided to relieve himself off the back of the vessel only to grab a steaming hot pipe for support. Nothing a trip to the medical centre couldn’t fix though!
Boracay is split into three stations, so head down from Frendz to station two for plenty of dinner options.
Fill up on a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet at the Sea Breeze Cafe on the beachfront of the Regency.
Meat eaters will love the Butterfly steak and cooked to order seafood – it was so good we ate there twice during our week’s stay. At 770 pesos (around £12) it was quite pricey for the strip but remained our favourite dinner spot by far.
And after you’ve munched marvel as the chefs down their tools to funky dance to South Korean sensation Psy’s popular ‘Gangnam Style’.
Curry lovers will enjoy the tasty meals at Thai Basil by the D’Mall shopping area. Sit down on the cushions upstairs looking out onto the beach and sample your Thailand favourites.
Alternatively, take a break from the busy strip with a 45-minute walk down the coastline to Spider House. It’s a great place to watch the sun set and relax with a cocktail.
If you are in Boracay on a Sunday and have the stomach for it, experience a Filipino cock-fight and all the craziness that it ensures.
Jet skis and inflatable water rides are also available here, while divers will want to delve beneath the surface to check out the impressive plane wrecks.
With a shopping mall, laundry, pharmacy and clothes shops just a walk from the hostel, convenience is certainly on your doorstep. The sight of McDonald’s will not be welcome by some though and in general the area is very developed for the Philippines.
About a week is a good amount of time to see everything Boracay has to offer – and if you want a change of scenery then El Nido is the perfect choice for your next stop.
A lack of transport routes mean the quickest and easiest way to get to Palawan from Boracay is back via Manila. Despite being practically next to each other on the map, you’ll need to fly from Caticlan (30 minutes from Boracay) to the capital, then onto Puerto Princessa.
El Nido is a five-hour drive from Puerto Princessa. Those with time should break up the journey by spending a night here and experiencing the Underground River.
You can get to El Nido either by bus or private van. The bus is 500 pesos (£7) each way and about double that each for a group of four in a private van.
Before arriving in El Nido it’s worth getting in touch with local fixer Jeo Invento on Facebook. My mate Alex was recommended him and he can sort out motorbike hire, island hopping, kayak rental and fishing. He acted as our tour guide on bikes for a day out to a waterfall and secluded beach and was really useful.
Every problem we encountered on the bikes Jeo fixed and his guidance trekking to the waterfall was essential. He also taught us amateurs how to catch fish with just a bottle, string and some bait. Then on a seemingly deserted beach he got a fire going and cooked our haul. He’s basically an 18-year-old Filipino action man who will make you wonder what else you can’t do because you grew up in a city.
On the island the main choices for accommodation are Rainforest or Casa Cecilia. Rainforest is a social hostel right on the beach and Casa Cecilia is more hotel-like and further into town. We travelled just before Typhoon Ruby so opted for Casa Cecilia for peace of mind, but the worst effects felt in El Nido were luckily just a few days of bad weather. Unlike Typhoon Yolanda the year before which tragically killed over 6,000 people, the tropical cyclone of December 2014 was less fatal with a death toll of 18.
Before travelling to the Philippines I was warned of the dangerous typhoons, the fact that nearly every dog in the country has rabies and of the threat of malaria (in Palawan). But if you take the right precautions (injections/anti-malaria tablets) and you are careful you will find the country one of the safest in Asia. Even if the number of armed policeman and security guards did leave us slightly shocked…
Anyway, party people will find the pace slower in El Nido, with just one dedicated late-night spot – the Buka Bar. Everyone called it the Reggae Bar, so you can guess what type of music was playing. It doesn’t get much better than a day spent island hopping, snorkelling, visiting secret beaches and sunbathing followed by an evening drinking at this popular joint.
There was a place called The Playground that had just opened while we were there, equipped with surround-sound speakers and a table-tennis table. It was quiet but is worth a look.
Also worth seeing is Mantinloc Island, which according to local legend is the beach that inspired Alex Garland’s novel The Beach. Made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio’s turn as Richard in the movie adaption, Garland was said to be in the Philippines when he wrote the book. Intriguing eh?
Some of our group did diving in El Nido but didn’t rave about it, although the conditions may not have been the best because of the typhoon.
The jungle beach town is without a cash point so you’ll need to withdraw money at the airport before getting there. But it isn’t expensive, with a lot of cheap places to eat and drink.
Coco restaurant on the beach was basic but offered a rice lunch with prawns, chicken or beef for less than £1. Aplaya restaurant does great seafood and was next to a nice place that sold fresh crepes. Western food in general costs more but the pizza at Altrove was worth it, the queue to get in reflecting its popularity.
The Art Cafe was also decent while you can enjoy a spot of Shisha at Habibi. Pretty much everywhere offers rum and coke or a bottle of beer for about £1 so its easy to keep your spending down and still have fun.
We spent just two weeks in the Philippines – a week in Boracay and a week in El Nido – but you could easily stay for longer. Cebu is another of the main tourist islands while Coron is a known diving hot spot.
My entire trip set me back around £1500 – the same as six days in New York. But as the saying predicted, I had more fun in the Philippines!
