Caticlan Prices

« That’s exactly what a happy motorcycle driver looks like, who just got a great deal! Instead of just 150 pesos (which would be around $3), they charged $150!!! 😳😳😳 It’s clear that our driver was thrilled; I noticed his excitement when he readily agreed to take us without any extra fee. 😄😄😄 By the way, most Filipinos speak English quite well, so communication was smooth and friendly! »

« During vacation time, I always strive to take an excursion, especially when it comes to a special place like this. Almost everywhere there are standard activities like paragliding, while in some places you can enjoy snorkeling among vibrant fish in a unique underwater environment that’s truly mesmerizing. If you find yourself on Boracay, you should definitely do this. For just $18, you'll be taken by boat from the shore to the station, which is around a 10-minute ride from the beach. Once there, you can enjoy about 20 minutes of walking around the ocean floor in a fun helmet dive, surrounded by little fish that come up close to you, and afterward, you’ll get plenty of photos and videos sent directly to your phone.

In local underwater photography studios, just one picture can cost you around $9, not to mention video footage—so make sure you strike a pose and enjoy the moment! This experience continues to amaze! 😊👍 »

« A local told me that one could get such a boat for around $4,500. Some foreigners buy similar boats on Boracay and hire Filipinos who will take tourists around. According to our informant, the purchase could return the owner after a peak tourist season, and beyond that, they could continue working in profit. It's quite an unusual business idea. The difficulty lies in controlling local workers remotely. I think that's not very easy. After all, they might tell you one thing, but do something completely different.

Just like people of any other nationality, I guess. For example, we saw a place where the owner is complaining about feeling like they are being lifted by a Chinese wall behind which there’s a makeshift barrier made from scrap materials. Yes, it is possible to avoid that with the help of photo or video reports, but there still are so many minor issues... 😅 »

« on 🌠
What I like about it is that life there is really comfortable 😃
They always throw a single bag in everyone's face 😃
As it turned out, the item is very practical, it doesn't hint at stuff, especially when it rains. And it rained three days out of eight. 😔
Such a bag costs quite cheap; I got mine for around $3. They wanted $4 though. 😃 »

« Today we were trying to figure out how to travel using local transportation. Let me tell you about getting to Boracay Island.

1. To get to Boracay Island, you need to travel by sea. From the airport, you have to get to the pier (this costs about $5), then pay a tax ($1.50), and finally, the boat ride will be around $4.

2. The taxi to the hotel can range from $2 to $6, depending on your location. We paid $10 right by the airport! And they took us right to our place.

3. Locals charge around $1-$2 on the island, while tourists pay between $5-$15! Negotiation is a must! You can bring the price down by half.

Today, when we were leaving the first hotel (I'll share about the hotels later), a friendly lady offered to take us to the next hotel! Initially, she said it would cost $3 and we agreed since it seemed reasonable. But when we were in the taxi, the price suddenly jumped to $6 😱, which was for both of us!!! Of course, we didn’t agree to that! In the end, we settled on $4.

However! Imagine our surprise when we arrived at the hotel and as we got out, the same woman with a scream popped up and started demanding another $4 from us!!! Do you know why?! Because she said she brought us from the reception to the taxi!! Just 50 meters!!! We explained that we had already paid her for the trip, but she quickly turned emotional 😢, and we ended up being escorted to the reception while she continued to shout all the way 🙃

Moral of the story! Double-check the price before your trip! As such women hike the price for the trip, but it’s not the case in fact! Although we clarified a couple of times that $4 was for the transport... »

« On Borkai, they make excellent cold-pressed coconut oil. It's even written on the label that it's made there. 😋
The oil has a delightful aroma of real coconut with a hint of nuttiness, and it notably nourishes the skin after sun exposure. The best part is it costs only about $1.10. 👌 »

« Citizens don’t need a visa for stays up to 30 days! The exchange rate is approximately $1 USD ≈ 56 Philippine pesos. Prices for accommodation vary, but generally are higher compared to Bali. Ultimately, it depends on what conditions you're willing to settle for and where you want to rent. If you're looking for a place for at least a month, you can find good deals. For instance, on Boracay, we rented a room for 1,500 pesos, in Manila a hotel room for 2,000 pesos, and on Panglao for 900 pesos per day. With some effort, it's possible to rent something for around $300 a month (approximately 16,800 pesos) on Panglao. On Boracay, you can find options in the range of $350 a month (about 19,600 pesos). Of course, there are also very budget backpacker options for 200-300 pesos a day, but the conditions there are basic – shared bathrooms and so on. I usually consider those options last. There are also quite pricey hotels; the one in the picture starts at 7,000 pesos per day.

As for food prices: Like everywhere else, street stalls and local cafés are much cheaper than tourist places and beach restaurants. However, you can still eat affordably there. In tourist cafés, food prices range around 200-300 pesos per person ($4.5-6.5), while local cafés offer meals for 100-150 pesos ($2-3) or even less. Grocery prices were quite pleasing. For example, our favorite mangoes start at 100 pesos per kg, mandarins at 25 pesos, bananas at 70 pesos, and all other fruits also come at good prices. Overall, products in Bali are more expensive than in the Philippines. We bought fruits and vegetables at local markets since they're fresh, and of course, don't shy away from haggling. We didn't buy other grocery items. »

« In Boracay, having a bike mostly leads to chaos in your mind: endless three-lane traffic jams around stations 1-2-3, complete anarchy on the roads, and sky-high rental prices. But amidst it all, there’s a certain "romance" and sense of freedom. After the world-famous White Beach, you’ll find wild local villages with their unique charm. I used to think all of Asia was the same, but no. Each country has its own moments, both good and not so great. »

« To all travelers in these challenging times: in Boracay, $100 is still a significant amount. And you can stretch it in four ways: $100 per person for 5 days – living it up; $100 per person for 7 days – quite comfortably; $100 per person for 10 days – generally well; and $100 per person for 14 days – on a budget. 😊 »

« In the capital, foreigners are viewed as something exotic (at least in less touristy areas), while on the island, you become a direct source of income for locals, leading to various attempts to take advantage of you. Often, don’t forget to haggle everywhere you don’t receive a receipt for goods or services. Some locals, however, will provide such excellent service that you'll not only leave satisfied but might even consider taking that lovely waitress, masseuse, or singer back to your country, marrying her, and helping her secure a residency permit (though the guys in this country don't have it as easy as the Filipinas).

It's worth noting that the Philippines has a wealth of beautiful women, so it's not surprising to see a 50-year-old European or American with a 20-year-old (or even younger) Filipina walking down the street.

There are countless street vendors trying to sell you sunglasses, waterproof iPhone cases, selfie sticks, pearls, and everything they can offer. I'm not against these purchases, but you need to haggle hard to get a reasonable price. A reasonable price is one that's below your psychological limit. A selfie stick shouldn't cost the same as it does in other countries; its fair price in the Philippines is around $4, even with the current exchange rate. »

« Boracay turned out to be the most expensive and boring place we visited, and the internet was incredibly slow. If anyone plans to follow our route, you should allocate a maximum of three days here. It's worth staying for that long. Alternatively, you could learn kitesurfing, but be aware there's a lot of jellyfish and palm trees are very close to the shore. Lessons with gear rental cost around 1,200 PHP per hour, which is about $21. Other activities mainly include the joy of lounging around - food, drinks, a couple of half-dead clubs, massages, and beaches. »

« Popular sea boats in Boracay. They mainly take tourists out at sunset. It costs around $12 per person for the whole group. To operate similar boats in some places, you’d probably need a passenger transport license. Here, there’s no such requirement. Is it dangerous to ride on them? I’d say yes, more likely than not, but it’s not prohibited. 😊 »

« The smallest active volcano in the world, Taal! 😊 A 1.5-hour Uber ride for about $6 and we were there! »

« I wrote these lines sitting in Kalibo Airport, as our flight to Manila was delayed, which is pretty usual for the Philippines. There's no Wi-Fi in the airport, no shops with drinks or snacks, really nothing at all, but the interior is modern. Getting to Boracay Island can be done by air or sea. We decided not to risk taking the ferry, so we flew to Kalibo. From there, there's a transfer to Boracay. First, you drive for just over an hour, then take a 10-minute boat ride, and another 10-minute tricycle ride to get to your hotel. The transfer costs start from 7 dollars per person, that’s the minimum. Also, there's the so-called terminal fee - an environmental levy. If you’re heading to another island, you’ll need to pay 2 dollars, and if flying to another city, it’s 4 dollars, so make sure to have cash on hand to avoid any unpleasant situations. »

« Let’s talk about the details of the transfer from Boracay. You can leave the island from the local pier (there’s only one). You can reach the pier by tricycle, which costs between $2 to $8 (100-400 pesos). The ferry ride only costs 50 pesos (about $1), but here comes the surprise. They’ll charge you 200 pesos for port fees. We arrive at the nearby island, where you can access two airports: Caticlan and Kalibo. Caticlan is just 500 meters from the pier, and taxi drivers charge 100 pesos per person; to Kalibo, it’s about a 2-hour ride. At Caticlan airport, another surprise awaited: they charged 400 pesos for port fees. You can't take sand from Boracay or other islands. They will confiscate it. In Caticlan, only small planes operate, as seen in the photos. In Kalibo, they can host Airbus A320s. Afterwards, we fly to Manila, and from there, the world is your oyster! No additional fees in Manila. »

« Good morning! 😊 Friends, what disappointed us was the trip to the nearby islands. It's supposed to last 5-6 hours. It costs 750 pesos if you go as a group, and 2000 pesos for a private boat. The package includes snorkeling, visits to two islands, food, and a trip to the beach. The snorkeling was underwhelming, and afterwards, they ask for 20 pesos. The entrance to "Crystal Cove" is 200 pesos - about $10. There’s really nothing to do there. The food, just like on any of these trips, is subpar. Overall, we do not recommend it. Such trips are sold every five steps! »

« We are finally on the island! Even though it's off-season, there are still a lot of people around. Looks like it's vacation time in China... 😊 Prices are low and the temperature is high! In short, everything is just right! »

« One of the pricey activities in Boracay is a helicopter ride around the island. The flight lasts about 20 minutes. The cost is approximately $60 per person. The price deters a small number of tourists, and the helicopters circle the island several times an hour! 🚁✨ »

« The view of Boracay Island (White Beach) from the helicopter was absolutely stunning, we enjoyed the beauty for 20 minutes. It costs $150 per person for 20 minutes, and $100 for 15 minutes. »

« Filipino students make some pocket money after school! For just 100 pesos, which is about $1.80, they can create something even more amazing! 🎨💰 »

« Local tricycle taxi. The only way to get around the 7 km island. The price for this pleasure is about $5, similar to a regular taxi fare elsewhere. »

« The tours are really disappointing. We bought a tour to watch the sunset. In the end, we spent half an hour on the boat and that was it. Such a letdown. The price was $30 for four people. »

« Our new room in a brand new hotel! Gigantic room size, a separate shared kitchen! A view of the lake and a fantastic bakery nearby! All of this cost us $11 per night))) »

« Yesterday, we rented a small boat and cruised around the island. The original price was 7000 pesos, but with a discount, it cost us 5000 pesos. It's for 3 hours. »

« Today we went for a buggy ride, and the experience was not great. The price was $35 for two people. We drove to the viewpoint and back. »