Boracay is a tropical island surrounded by stunning white sand beaches and clear blue waters located about an hour’s flight from Cebu or Manila just off the larger Philippines island of Panay.

For Singaporeans, we are lucky enough to have direct flights from Singapore to Kalibo, the main airport in the region. There are two ways to get to Boracay, either flying in to the international airport at Kalibo or via the domestic airport Caticlan, which I’ll explain in detail in the post below.

I booked my weekend trip to Boracay for $130 return on Tigerair three weeks ago, which is a steal considering that flights hoover around the $300 range usually. The peak season for travel to Boracay is in May, so airfares will naturally be much higher.

Method 1: Kalibo International Airport

From Kalibo airport, it is a two hour transfer by minivan and ferry to the island of Boracay.

There are minivans, vans, coasters and buses that serve travelers between Kalibo International Airport and Caticlan Jetty Port. Go for the cheapest ticket which is ₱200 for the minivan transfer to Caticlan jetty, or choose to pay ₱300 for a more comfortable bus. There will be people selling you a package ₱250 which includes minivan ride + boat transfer, but this is ₱25 more expensive than arranging your own ferry ticket. It is not much of a hassle. At Caticlan jetty, you have to make payment at three different ticket windows –  ₱100 for the terminal fee, ₱75 for the environmental fee and ₱25 for the boat fee. One disadvantage of this method is that minivans start moving when they are full of customers (usually about 10 seats) so be prepared to wait up to half an hour in some cases. However, for my case, I barely waited before the van moved off as the seats were filled quite quickly, especially since I was one of the first few to clear immigration after getting off the plane.

For those who prefer a hassle-free transfer and don’t mind paying more, they can head to the Southwest tours booth and purchase a ₱525 package which includes everything such as the bus ride from Kalibo to Caticlan, the boat ride from Caticlan to Cagban port in Boracay and the tricycle ride to your resort/hotel.

Method 2: Caticlan Airport 

From Caticlan airport you can either take a tricycle (₱50 fixed price for airport tricycle, or ₱10 per passenger if you walk out to the main road and catch the shared ride on a tricycle passing by) or walk for 10 minutes to Caticlan Jetty Port. The charges are the same for the ferry ride across to Boracay Island – ₱100 for the terminal fee, ₱75 for the environmental fee and ₱25 for the boat fee.

However, due to the location of Caticlan airport and the frequency of flights, flights to Caticlan from Cebu or Manila are usually more expensive. Passengers traveling from Singapore would have to make one transfer at Manila, Clark or Cebu, before taking a Cebu Pacific domestic flight to Caticlan. Furthermore, ticket prices to Caticlan are usually more expensive. Normally, Kalibo tickets range from P1300 to P2500 while Caticlan ticket prices range from P2000 and up to P10,000 (if your travel date is super close).

And flying to Caticlan has another disadvantage which is the sunset. Caticlan airport is not equipped for andings and takeoff in the evening. If your flight from Manila or Cebu is delayed, then the plane can’t land in Caticlan past 5pm and would be diverted to Kalibo, so you end up paying more and also spend more time on the transfer.

Hope this post was useful for those planning to visit Boracay soon!