Boracay, a captivating tropical island, had long been on my list of dream destinations. The white beaches and picturesque palm trees had captivated my imagination since my teenage years. Finally, the time had come for me to visit this beautiful island. However, I couldn’t help but wonder if just one week would be enough to fully experience the enchantment of this paradise. I soon discovered that one week would never be sufficient to fully indulge in the experiences this destination had to offer.
Boracay became our third destination during our trip to the Philippines and Singapore. Originally, our plan solely focused on visiting Boracay, but we eventually expanded our itinerary to include Manila, Coron, and Singapore. While we have no regrets about our decision, I couldn’t help but wish for more time to explore this beautiful island.
Stopover in Angeles
Our journey to Boracay began with a stopover in Angeles. Our early morning flight from Coron to Boracay necessitated a layover in Angeles, as there were no direct flights available at the time. In Angeles, we quickly realized the city’s substantial size, assuming the airport would reflect its magnitude. Outside the terminal building, we encountered an open-air mall housing a few restaurants and shops. Although we explored the area briefly, we ultimately decided to have lunch within the domestic terminal building.
It quickly became apparent that this was not the best choice. Similar to the domestic airports in Manila and Coron, the terminal lacked facilities and amenities. The waiting area consisted of numerous chairs (which, compared to some airports, was ample), and a few unappealing food stalls. Surprisingly, despite the ongoing pandemic, there were a significant number of travelers present. However, the flight to Boracay was nearly empty, speeding up the entire process. The flight lasted approximately 40 minutes, and we even landed before the scheduled time.
Landing in Caticlan
Upon landing in Caticlan, the airport located on the neighboring island to Boracay, a few things immediately caught my attention. Firstly, there was a stall at the baggage claim area boldly advertising “Happy Hour starts here,” offering alcohol for sale. While I refrained from making a purchase, I regretted not buying some wine to bring to the hotel, considering the high prices for wine in Boracay. Additionally, the baggage claim itself caught me off guard. The open-air airport lacked a baggage carousel, and we were instructed to wait before proceeding to the exit. It turns out that an electric golf cart was responsible for transporting our luggage from the aircraft. Adjacent to the airport, a massive building was under construction, possibly a new international airport or terminal building in the works.
Traveling from Caticlan airport to Boracay Island
Upon exiting the airport, we were promptly greeted by a representative from our hotel. Initially, we were escorted by an individual who led us to the driver of our hotel van. From there, we were transferred to a beach area, where 2 or 3 individuals on a boat awaited to transport us to Boracay Island. Upon arriving at Boracay, two of the individuals kindly assisted with our luggage and guided us to the next van, which took us to our hotel. The tipping process during this journey became a bit confusing, to say the least. The entire transfer from the airport to the boat took approximately 5 minutes, followed by a 10-minute boat ride from Caticlan Island (where the airport is located) to Boracay Island, and finally, another 20 minutes by car to reach our hotel. Due to the relatively low number of people traveling, the entire process proceeded rapidly, allowing us to arrive at The Ambassador in Paradise, our hotel, much earlier than anticipated. I must express my appreciation for the efficiency of the hotel transfer, which led us to arrange the same service for our return journey. Thanks to our early arrival, we even had the opportunity to spend some time at the stunning beach before fully settling into our accommodations.
Anyah Mroz 