Greetings all. Just got back from 2 weeks in the Phils (AC, Boracay and Manila) Nothing noteworthy to report in AC or Manila. Just wanted to write a quick Report/Commentary on Boracay.

I had read several reports from other members regarding the merits of taking a date to Boracay. Some lamented taking a date with them, because there seemed to be plenty of available girls there on the island. Still others took a date with them, and thought it was a wonderful experience.

After talking with the travel desk at Pacific Breeze and reading the reports I decided to go solo. BIG MISTAKE!

Prices (For 1 person) was 16, 000 pesos ($350 USD) for airfair and hotel for 2 nights at the La Carmela hotel or 13, 000 Pesos each for 2 people.

The La Carmela is on the beach. About a 2 or 3 star hotel around station#2.

Read all the posts about the action and abundent woman at Bamboo bar, Summer place, Hey Jude, and Cocomangas. I had an impression the FL scene was kind of a poor mans LA cafe.

What I found. Mostly couples, Euro/Aussie couples comprised 1/2 the tourists in Boracay, with a good amount of Koreans as well, and VERY touristy! (think Pattaya minus the woman, but better beaches) There was a fair share of youngish guys (early 20 somethings) on the hunt just looking for single tourist girls to hook up with as well.

As far as the Freelance scene goes. It was IMHO MUCH WORSE than advertised! That is of course unless you were willing to comprimise yourself considerably! The best place I found was Cocomangas (not directly on the beach) mostly pairs of girls at this place. I would guess on any night there were six to ten freelanacers there. Only one rating above a 5 in the looks department. (this girl was quickly swooped up and was gone within 20 minutes) leaving her unattractive older chainsmoking friends behind.

I took a trike down to D-Mall and then walked to Hey Jude which was absolutly dead. Then a stroll to Summer Place (this was on the trike drivers suggestion for best place to go) and Bamboo Bar, both of which were dead also.

There was a few girls lurking in the shadows on the footpath on the walk back to La Carmela offering "special message" for 1500 p however they were just soo unattractive. In the end. I could not comprimise myself to go with the extreme uglies. So I went home alone.

In retrospect I wish I would have brought my AC hottie with me. Yes it would have cost me an extra 10, 000 p ($220 USD) but it would have been better than scouring Boracay for the dregs that were available.

The weather there was VERY WINDY! And cold too (low 70s) Did a bit of Diving with Victory Divers (A german outfit) who I can thouroghly recomend- (1700 p for a dive and rental)

All in all I'm glad I went to Boracay, but I was SOO happy when we touched back down in Clark!

Perhaps my sampling group was to small (2 nights, midweek) or there is some "secret" place I don't know about. But.

IMHO Boracay is a great place to take a date or do some diving, and great seafood!! ( I have never seen such HUGE prawns!) but don't plan on finding some great freelance scene there!

A Note for you pilots and Aviation buffs. The Caticlan airport is a single strip runway less than 3000 ft long! The Dornier 328 needed every inch to get off the ground. In fact the day before we arrived a Z AIR went long and crashed at the end of the runway. The wreckage was simply pushed to the side, and the show went on.

INGAT!

Zip
Thanks for the update. I hope that I was not one of the reporters guilty of giving a misleading impression of the FL scene on Boracay. I agree with your assessment 100% - nice island, but you need to bring your own GF!

Sorry things didn't work out very well. I'll be happy to take you to Cuba with me next time... You'll never strike out there...

I did BYOG to Boracay and had a great time. It was slow season, so there was some bad weather for which I just stayed in bed with the girl. My impression of the crowd was much the same as yours, but the beaches and ocean are nicer than Pattaya. In the slow season I think that I got a much better deal on the hotel and airfare. I booded through Pacific Breeze Travel lady also, but told her that I wanted a nicer hotel. I think that I paid less on the airfare and she booked me in the Mandarin, which is one of the nicest hotels on the island for $80.00 a night.

i must concurr. I went to boracay with a gf and glad i did most of the activities are designed for 2 people.

Sounds like they need to get some DeHaviland Twin Otters, a STOL aircraft and a very good aircraft for that type of passenger transportation.

i read stuff on this site before i went to boracay in jan 08. i went in thinking i'd see zero ladies based on what i read here.

i was going with my friends in HK, who had been there many times. they assured me that there were women to be had. i wanted to see the place so i didn't really push for addtl details. suffice to say i was skeptical.

that cocamonga's place has hookers and they get more and more as the night goes on. summer place has even more but that place gets started even later. you hit cocamonga's when it just starts going (around 11pm) and then roll to summer palace about 2am. i did the circuit one night, that was enough. most of the guys i was with hit it every night. we were there during the chinese new year (just a year ago !!!). they got phone numbers and the girls came back over in the daytime.

high season is probably best. plus you have to go out btwn 11pm and 4am to get the girls (at least the first night).

i'd much rather bring a girl so i can enjoy at "normal" hours. the beach is really nice and the food is excellent. and no cars/motorbikes anywhere near the beach. spending a week just traveling on foot over the sand was the best.