Advice on Preparing your Boracay Itinerary Today – After its 2018 Closure

Authored by Diane Wuthrich (Contributor)

 

In 2018, The Boracay Islands in the Philippines had a 6-month shutdown; here is advice on preparing your Boracay Itinerary after the closure.

 

Boracay is a tiny island in the Visayas region of the Philippines and is the country’s number one tourist destination. Its seven-kilometre stretch of powdery white sand, golden sunsets, coconut tree-fringed coastline, and crystal-clear waters have won the hearts of many travellers seeking that postcard-perfect paradise.

It’s not long ago, in the year 2018 when the famous island had a 6-month shutdown to fix a range of problems stemming from the island, which unfortunately was getting quite unhealthy because of these issues (more on that later).

Changes have been made since the Boracay reopening; laws have been set. In this brief Boracay travel guide, we’ll review a few significant changes for all travellers entering the island. This advice will help you set up your Boracay itinerary for future travel purposes in Southeast Asia.

 

Find your ideal Boracay Philippines vacation packages at Booking.com!

 

 

Boracay – An Island for Every type of traveller

Boracay is an appealing destination for every type of traveller around the world; aside from the fact that it has all the trimmings of a tropical paradise, it offers something for everyone to do with a range of Boracay activities packages.

Thanks to its natural beauty, the island is a prominent destination wedding location; couples can choose from an excellent range of five-star beachfront hotels for the biggest day of their lives. Though the island tends to be busy, those searching for romance will find many secluded spots in Boracay resorts and around the island – or maybe even find love in Boracay.

Families with kids will find many outdoor activities to enjoy: Boracay island hopping, ATV tours, snorkelling and diving, water sports and good old playing in the sand by the beach. Solo travellers can indulge in sun baking while reading a good book with a cocktail. Yoga studios offer a pocket of zen amid an otherwise hectic island during your Boracay solo trip.

Party animals will love the thriving nightlife – Boracay is known as a place where happy hour is every hour, and parties can go on until dawn. Best of all, the island doesn’t discriminate. One must not be a millionaire to enjoy the island with a Boracay package to suit any traveller. There is food, drink, and accommodation to cater to every budget.

Its beauty and charm have not gone unnoticed: Boracay Island has earned several accolades over the last few years, including making it to the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller’s Best Islands in the World list more than once.

 

 

The Boracay Island Travel Shutdown

Too much of anything is never a good thing. Unfortunately, the popularity of Boracay Island has also led to its downfall. Mass tourism, unregulated tourist developments, greed, and corruption became the norm in what was meant to be paradise.

Add to that the fact that foreign and local tourist arrivals continued to increase year after year, reaching a peak of 2.1 million visitors in 2017 alone, and with those numbers, you’ve got the perfect storm brewing.

Everyone wanted a piece of the tourism dollar. It reached a point that the island was no longer pristine: the entire Boracay island had become highly crowded, with accommodations of all sizes being constructed in every single plot of available land, and massive Spring Break-style parties were being held in its famous White Beach only to lead to a cigarette-infested coastline the day after, trash was everywhere, peddlers without permits were harassing tourists trying to sell sunglasses and boat tours, and perhaps most disgusting of all, a faulty sewage system leaking human excrement into the beach.

Boracay was ultimately the opposite for anyone looking for a relaxing beach getaway, especially during peak season. Before they knew it, Boracay was no longer an extended paradise. The holiday cost continued to rise, but the island was about to pay the highest price: a total shutdown.

Trouble in paradise was brewing, and this severe problem had reached the government, which should have nipped the situation long before it erupted. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte learned that only 25 out of 150 establishments inspected were found to be linked to the sewage line. He called the island “a cesspool” and accused numerous local businesses, including hotels and restaurants, of unloading their sewage into its once-pristine waters. In early April 2018, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. announced that the island would be closed for six months of necessary rehabilitation beginning April 26.

The news caused widespread panic and led to unemployment for some 36,000 workers in the tourism industry. The closure also caused a severe dent in tourism dollars, as Boracay alone contributed PhP 56 billion (AUD 1,488,111,385), which accounts for 20% of revenues from the entire tourism industry. Most importantly, no tourist could set foot on the island during those six months.

Boracay desperately needed the clean-up. During those silent (and painful, for the locals) six months, the government sent task force groups to clean up behind the scenes, both the island and businesses. The residents were given their own rules to follow, even if some of them were utterly ridiculous.

Further reading: Take a look at what happened during the shutdown.

 

 

 

Boracay Travel Today

On October 26, 2018, Boracay Phiofficially reopened its doors to the public.

I could pay a visit in early December, as I was in dire need of a short holiday, but I also wanted to see the new changes for myself, which I found during my brief Boracay tour.

 

Getting to Boracay Island

The arrival process is still the same, save for one more step. Travellers can still arrive by plane via the Kalibo and Caticlan airports. Visitors are still required to pay the terminal, environmental, and boat fees for the short ride from the mainland of Caticlan.

However, the authorities added one more step for arrivals: the inspection and recording of identification (passport, in my case) and hotel voucher booked from a licensed accommodation provider. Due to the new “no booking, no entry” policy, be sure you’ve made arrangements before your flight.

It’s relatively quick and hassle-free, in my opinion. Airlines flying to Boracay Airport must also comply with the government’s new carrying capacity, with a maximum of 6,405 tourists entering the island daily (as per the Philippine Information Agency). In contrast, the carrying capacity is set at a limit of 19,215 travellers at any given time.

Once you’ve made the payments and passed screening, you’re off to your Boracay island tour.

 

 

New Rules to know about your Boracay Trip

I must say that the Boracay beach itself is much more beautiful than I’ve seen in recent years. It’s cleaner; tourists are no longer allowed to smoke and drink on the beach or the sea, which is fantastic if I say so myself.

In the past, travellers have been guilty of bringing beer bottles into the sea as foolish tourists dipped in the calm waters, harming marine life. The coastline is also more precise, as there are no longer any obstructions caused by dozens of peddlers, masseuses, souvenir stalls, lounge chairs and tables.

Hawkers have been banned from the beachfront, so anyone purchasing souvenirs should do so in designated areas. Bad news for smokers: the establishments that allow smoking now have set smoking areas that make you feel like a pariah. Not that I am complaining about any of this.

Kerosene is prohibited, too. In the past, fire dancers were among Boracay’s most famous sights during the evenings on the beach. They must find other, more environmentally friendly ways to light up their lamps. Evenings on the beach feel like you were in Boracay many years ago; locals used to decorate the coconut trees with electrical lights for a festive ambience, but these are now banned.

The good news is that visitors can enjoy the moonlit sea and starry skies! Sandcastle-making, another well-loved attraction for families, is also regulated. Getting around the island is a little more challenging since motorcycles are prohibited on most parts of the main road due to the air pollution they cause. Motorcycle drivers were also notorious for charging ridiculously high fees.

Nightlife has calmed down a great deal. While no longer clubs play loud music until the wee hours of the morning, this doesn’t mean Boracay has turned dull from sunset onwards. There are many places to drink your favourite cocktails and even get drunk. Everything is just much more discreet now.

Water sports and activities are limited and highly regulated. These have contributed to marine ecosystem damage and pollution in the past, and the island still needs more time to rehabilitate corals and clean up marine life. However, windsurfing and kitesurfing are still very much alive on the Bulabog side of Boracay. A Boracay trip is an excellent time to take lessons if you haven’t yet!

Read what you can see and do when you tour Boracay. 

 

 

 

Accommodations and Restaurants Advice for your Boracay Itinerary

As of December 2018, several establishments along the famous White Beach and on the main road are still in a flurry of construction and demolition, particularly those that violate the 25+5 easement rule. The main street itself is also being widened. It’s unsightly, but you’ve been warned – this is all for the best of the island.

Due to these new regulations, not all Boracay hotels and restaurants are open yet, while a few remain permanently closed. Check for the updated list of authorised, accredited hotels that are open before booking.

That being said, Boracay’s beaches are quieter, less busy, and much better, and there are still hot Boracay deals on the island.4

 

 

Be A Responsible Tourist when you visit Boracay Island, Philippines.

If you visit Boracay, do your part by being a responsible tourist. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when you travel to Boracay as well as to other destinations in the Philippines:

• Eliminate single-use plastic (it’s banned, anyway). Bring your reusable shopping bags, which you can use for souvenirs, groceries, fruit, and produce.
• Walk to your destination whenever possible. Boracay’s main beach is now broader and cleaner than ever, making walking more enjoyable than riding a motorcycle or tricycle.
• When snorkelling, never touch marine life, including corals. Do not bring home shells or pieces of coral that you see. If you see hawkers selling souvenirs made with animal parts, don’t support it. Don’t eat endangered animal meat, even if it’s considered a delicacy. It may not seem like it, but you disrupt the fragile marine ecosystem.
• Support the local community and artisans by purchasing handmade, ethical goods.
• Don’t wastewater. When not in use, close faucets and only use as much water as you need when washing or showering in your Boracay Beach Resort.
• Don’t pick plants or flowers. Leave things in their natural environment as you see them.
• Save electricity by shutting down all the lights and air-conditioning in your hotel.
• Do your research and stay in sustainable accommodations whenever possible. Look for hotels that employ locals use solar energy, recycle water, collect rainwater, and have other conservation strategies.
• Use environmentally friendly products, such as natural sunscreens, especially if you spend lots of time in the water. Many sunscreens use harsh chemicals that pollute the waters when they wash off as you enter the sea.
• Boracay can get hot and humid; hydration is a must. Bring your non-plastic water bottle or jug. Avoid buying drinking water in plastic containers and refill your tumblers instead.

Using a tumbler may have nothing to do with the environment, but it has all to do with being a responsible human being and respecting the laws of the land: don’t treat the locals like animals in a zoo. If you want to take photos with locals, ask their permission, even if it’s the humble peddlers selling wares in various parts of Boracay.

Last but not least, this should be common sense, but please don’t litter. It’s in everyone’s best interest to stop littering, and if you see trash, pick it up yourself. Boracay has trash cans; if you don’t see one, ask the nearest establishment if you can properly dispose of your trash. If caught littering, you can be charged a fine or imprisoned for ten up to 30 days, even if it is the first offence.

 

 

In Conclusion of your Boracay Itinerary

Boracay has had her time of rest, and it’s up to us, the tourists, to ensure that she stays healthy—every tourist counts, as does every moment of your time on the island. Tourism can be a friend or foe to an island, and let’s ensure we do our part to avoid making the same mistakes we did in the past.

All these things can help you prepare your Boracay Island Itinerary with the tourist island’s best intentions. Beautiful destinations need to remain attractive, and everyone can play a part in doing the right thing.

Check out 20 other Magnificent Philippines Destinations you can add to your bucket list!