Boracay

A resort island in the Philippines with a reputation, which Harry went specifically to test: he’d been told repeatedly it was a tourist trap where you can’t walk the beach without being approached. His verdict is that the approaching is real and the trap isn’t — the water is crystal clear, and by the end of the day he calls it one of the nicest places he has ever been, putting it in first place before he’s even explored the island.

Development is heavy, but he notes the island is run well by the standards of the region: sea turtle nests on the beach are fenced and protected, which he points out not every developing country bothers with. His one criticism is that restaurant lighting still raises hatchling mortality, because the hatchlings head towards the lights instead of the sea.

What Harry did

Haggled a boat around the island, drank a loaded mango shake on the beach, had a leather wallet carved to order, snorkelled at Crocodile Island, and checked into the island’s most expensive hotel by arriving from the water. He also took a turn steering the boat himself.

Practical facts

• The island is big enough that crossing it matters: a car takes around 35 minutes, which is why boats are the usual way between beaches.
• A three-hour private boat with island stops and snorkelling opens at 7,000 pesos. Harry settled at 4,000 for a shorter run — and notes that naming the expensive hotel you’re staying at gets you that hotel’s price, not a better one.
• A loaded mango shake from a beach vendor: 140.
• Beach wallet carving, personalised in seconds: 50 pesos, or 200 with a pearl necklace at 150. Harry told the carvers they were undercharging.
• Flipper rental starts around 500 pesos and comes down fast — the sellers haggle hard and cheerfully, and the banter is part of the transaction.
• Crocodile Island, named for its shape, has coral and fish and is a standard snorkelling stop.
• The airport is not on the island. Luxury hotels include a private speedboat transfer, which beats the large public ferry.

The Shangri-La

The most expensive hotel on the island at $550–600 a night, and large enough that guests are given a map and moved around by buggy. It has 219 rooms including 36 villas, four restaurants, a main pool, two spas, two private beaches — one shared with another five-star hotel — plus tennis courts, gym, kids’ zone, clinic, salon and gift shop. Free daily activities run from body conditioning to a sing-along and DIY potpourri. Monkeys live in the grounds; they’re harmless, but don’t feed them or leave food outside.

Harry’s assessment is favourable but not uncritical: the design is a moody, darker, older style he prefers to the usual bright five-star look, the beach is perfect, and the resort is effectively a self-contained village. But his room was one of the older ones, roughly fifteen years on, with dated furniture and some dust — and he says plainly that at that price he’s entitled to be judgmental. He stayed a single night and moved to a cheaper hotel rather than pay it twice.

• Incidental deposit at check-in: 8,000 pesos.
• The espresso machine is complimentary; the San Miguel is not.
• Hilot, the traditional Filipino massage, is 1,800 at the spa and focuses on the back; Harry’s bill came to 2,200 (from video – unverified). He rated it 10 out of 10.

Harry’s tips

• Go, despite the reputation — see judge a place for yourself.
• Don’t mention your hotel while negotiating a boat. It sets your price.
• Use card perks on the expensive hotels — see use card perks at expensive hotels. Early check-in plus a late checkout turned one paid night into effectively two days.
• Book the hilot rather than a Swedish massage — it’s the local treatment and the one worth having.

Source

• I Promise You it’s More Fun in the Philippines🇵🇭 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGZtk1PqSrE