Traveling to the Philippines: How to Reach Boracay Island If Coming from an International Flight

Boracay, an island in the province of Aklan, Philippines, is a premier tropical destination frequented by both local and international tourists at any time of the year. This world-class beach paradise is best known for its crystal clear waters, puka shells, and rare powder-like white sand that always feels cold on the feet regardless of how much of the sun's rays kiss the shoreline.

Check out: Photos of Boracay, Philippines: A Top Beach Destination in the World

Traveling to Boracay from any international airport generally requires a connecting flight to Manila, the capital of the Philippines, or Kalibo, the capital of Aklan. The province of Aklan is located in Visayas, a region found in central Philippines.

Except for the flights of Philippine Airlines (PAL), the country's flag carrier, the rest of the international flights first land at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport, then passengers take domestic flights from Manila to the airport in Kalibo or Caticlan, both situated in Aklan.

Local airlines offering flights to Kalibo or Caticlan include PAL, Cebu Pacific, SEAIR, Air Philippines, Interisland Airlines, and Zest Air. It is always best to check the airlines' respective websites for their updated flights going to Boracay.

Option 1: International Flights Going to Manila, then Kalibo

Upon reaching the international airport in Manila (Centennial Terminal 2 for PAL international flights or Terminal 1 for all other airlines' international flights), you must transfer to any of the two domestic airport terminals (Domestic Terminal 2 for PAL domestic flights or Terminal 3 for all other airlines' domestic flights).

Transferring from any domestic terminal typically requires a 15-minute taxi ride from the international terminal, except for the international Centennial Terminal 2 and the Domestic Terminal 2, which are exclusively operated by PAL. These international and domestic terminals are a walking distance from each other.

A connecting flight from Manila to Kalibo takes about 35 to 40 minutes.

Upon arrival at the Kalibo International Airport, you need to ride a shuttle van, coaster, or bus for another two-hour travel across Panay Island going to the Caticlan Jetty Port. Finally, you take the 15-minute boat ride going to Boracay Island.

Option 2: International Flights Going Straight to Kalibo

Key U.S. cities including Los Angeles and Las Vegas have flights directly landing at the Kalibo International Airport, which is only a two-hour drive away from Boracay. These flights are solely offered by PAL.

From the airport, you ride a shuttle van, coaster, or bus for a two-hour scenic journey through Aklan until you reach the Caticlan Jetty Port. Finally, you take the 15-minute boat ride crossing to the Boracay Island.

Option 3: International Flights Going to Manila, then Caticlan

Upon reaching the international airport in Manila, you must transfer to the domestic terminal, Terminal 3, which offers flights going straight to Caticlan. The travel time is considerably the same as going to Kalibo, which is about 35 to 40 minutes.

A Caticlan flight saves you the two-hour land travel from Kalibo to Caticlan. However, available flights going straight to Caticlan from Manila are quite limited. Due to its shorter runways, Caticlan's Godofredo P. Ramos Airport can only accommodate small planes and jets. This means that the flights going to Caticlan are generally filled up very fast.

The Caticlan domestic airport is a short ride away from the Caticlan Jetty Port where you finally take a 15-minute boat ride towards Boracay Island.

Traveling from the Boracay Port to Your Hotel

Once you arrive at Boracay Island, you can ride any public utility vehicle like a shuttle van, jeep, or tricycle going to your hotel.

Take note that all of your land transportation needs going to Boracay can be pre-arranged via your hotel, your travel agency, or a local transportation agency in Aklan. If you want to be more adventurous and wouldn't mind having to look for available transportation every time you reach a particular stopping point in your trip, you could be rest assured that there are available ones in the area. However, having things pre-arranged would typically save you not only time, but also money.