Since its 2018 rehabilitation Boracay has asked more of its visitors. Here is what to expect at the jetty port and on the beach — with the caveat that rules and amounts change, so always check the latest official guidance.
The rules below reflect how Boracay has generally worked since it reopened in October 2018. Local authorities review them from time to time, and amounts are adjusted. Treat this page as a guide and confirm the current requirements with your hotel, your airline or official Aklan and Malay tourism channels before you travel.
Since the reopening, visitors have been required to show a confirmed booking at a hotel accredited by the Department of Tourism when they arrive at the Caticlan Jetty Port. Major booking platforms list accredited properties, but if you are unsure, ask the hotel. Keep the confirmation on your phone or printed.
At times visitors have also been asked to register online in advance and present a QR code. Whether this is required when you travel, and how, can change — check before you fly.
The amounts are modest compared with the cost of the trip but are revised from time to time, and different rates may apply to different categories of visitor. Carry pesos in cash, keep your receipts, and check current amounts before you travel. Some airport transfer packages include the fees.
Most booked The easiest way across from Caticlan Airport: a shared transfer that links the airport, the jetty port, the boat to Boracay and the ride to your accommodation, so you do not have to piece it together on arrival.
Fees included A one-way or return transfer between Caticlan Airport and your Boracay hotel with the ferry ticket and port fees already included — useful if you want to avoid queueing at several counters with cash.
On White Beach and the island’s other beaches, the post-2018 rules generally include:
As part of the rehabilitation, authorities set a limit on how many tourists can be on the island at one time. In peak periods this is one more reason to book your hotel well ahead.
It is a modest per-person fee paid at the Caticlan Jetty Port, alongside a terminal fee and the boat fare. Amounts are revised from time to time, so check current rates before you travel.
Requirements have changed over time. A confirmed accredited-hotel booking has been the constant; online registration with a QR code has been required at some periods. Check the latest guidance.
Drinking alcohol on the beach itself is not allowed; bars and restaurants behind the beach are fine.
Not on the beach or in public places other than designated smoking areas.
Yes. Rules on smoking, drinking, littering and the beach easement are enforced and can be fined.
An island-hopping morning, a helmet dive or a parasail at midday, and a paraw under sail as the sun goes down off White Beach. Compare Boracay tours and book in a couple of taps.
