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Scroll down for Bill & Lorna's Boracay Budget Holiday Tips, location maps, low room rates and special six
month and yearly discount offer at their beachfront resort on the quiet, southern end of White Beach, CASA CAMILLA
- BORACAY.
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CASA CAMILLA and our soon to open "private" house with apartment style and sized
rentals located behind Casa Camilla, on Boracay's beachfront are located below the "A" in "Angol" on the bottom left
side of the map above. The first stop at Boat Station # 3 is only 350 meters from us. From Station # 3 facing the
island turn right and when you reach the Philippine Airline ticket office you are halfway already.
BORACAY ISLAND, PHILIPPINES
My wife and I feel like we've "grown up" on this island, arriving in January 1980 when we were 25 years old before the road was finished from the provincial capital, Kalibo to Malay, Boracay's municipality on the "mainland", Panay Island. My wife and I have spent a few weeks or months on Boracay every year since we built our first beach resort, Villa Camilla, naming it after our daughter and Lorna's grandmother in 1989 - 1991. My wife, Lorna, is a "one in a million" type of person who built her first native house, one of the largest on Boracay at the time in 1980 made from bamboo and coco lumber with a nipa roof (woven palmetto leaves). Many birthday and beach parties were celebrated in her house in Diniwid with the largest balcony where over 40 "party animals" could dance. But it finally collapsed after the repeated typhoons in the month of October 1986 and due to her less than attentive caretakers. So after meeting in Seoul, spending our first five nights together in three different countries, we agreed to meet again on Boracay for the full moon party and New Years Eve 1983-4. I'll never forget those 10 days of losing ourselves on the beach! Our present, on-going romance started in 1983, 18 years ago under Boracay's warm, starry nights. Once again, as I write, the sensual, dreamlike memories bring back that warm glow that Boracay has given to many other travlers as well. It may sound weird but we know more than a few childless couples who, after being together for years, finally conceived a child after spending a only few weeks on Boracay Island. Sound tempting? Take a break when you get the chance and don't forget to send us the baby pictures. Afterwards because the "normal", practical concerns in life demanded our attention, we returned to Hong Kong and had some good luck doing business together in Hong Kong in 1984-1986. Then we decided to return to Boracay and build a place that would last "forever" in 1989. Since then we've thoroughly enjoyed all the changes that Boracay Island has experienced from worldwide fame and being declared "the best beach destination in the world" by the British Tourist authority in 1994. Many backpacker travelers are heading for Palawan these days seeking less developed islands but no matter which island group in the world that you explore it will be tough to match Boracay. That happy balance between comforts and conveniences which development brings and natural, dreamlike beauty with local, smiling faces without highrises of any kind has been accomplished on Boracay. The numerous availablity of low budget rentals under U$15 for a double will not limit those who'd like to visit like many "resort islands". Everyone wants to find the "New" Boracay with an island with an undeveloped, virgin white sand beach, lined with coconut palms swaying in the tropical breeze and an easy to swim, colorful shoreline. GOOD LUCK to all of you; we know of people who have searched by helicopter for an island that resembles Boracay without success. Boracay's white sand, coconut palm lined beach stretches for 4 kms (2 1/2 miles), making dreams of paradise and romance a reality. Offshore, the beautiful, gleaming, tourquoise sea with its warm tropical water is more inviting than any swimming pool on a steaming hot day. What a place to meet for friends and lovers to share long sunny days and memorable moonlit nights!!! There's an incredible choice of restaurants, things to do, water sports and the most international group of travelers, tourists and "expats" in the Philippines. There are many exotic places around the world but the people you meet and share interesting conversations leave you with best, lasting memories. The locals are still mellow ( don't hassle you, for example, like the Javanese in BALI ) and friendly without the "Hi Joe, where you come from? where you going?" that you will find in many other areas of the provinces. And prices - they can range from $6 for a basic Nipa Hut in off season to over a $500 for a five star presidential suite at Paradise Gardens Resort where well known celebrities and government leaders have stayed in recent years. Where else does such a wide range of choices exist? Some people have built beautiful private houses, others have built very comfortable native style houses; often these are for rent when they're away from Boracay. The many available cottages allow you to shop around for a great discount, often cheaper than other beaches where there's only a few choices. The "regulars" who come every winter have arranged their lives and budgets so they live several months a year on the island for as little as $300 / month!! Double that and you live very well with a companion. GETTING THERE; APRIL 1, 2005 UPDATE; Almost Ashamed to Announce the NEW incredibly complicated transfer from Caticlan to Boracay Island. Scroll Down for Details; You can fly from Manila or Cebu to Kalibo daily on Philippine Airlines or from Manila with several other new airlines like Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific,Grand Air, and Asian Spirit. Then take an air-conditioned 1-1/2 hour bus ride crossing some of the most lush tropical scenery in the Philippines from the Kalibo airport to Caticlan's Ferry Boat Station. Pacific Air and Asian Spirit, using smaller aircraft fly daily directly to Caticlan's small airstrip where a few-minute ride on a local "tricycle" takes you to the bangka station. Flight fares are nearly the same from $46 to $63 one-way to either Kalibo or Caticlan. Late November to early June- From Caticlan, you take a 10-20 minute boat ride from Caticlan's Ferry Terminal to the Island for less than 50 cents (U$). Or pay less than U$7 for your own bangka that will take you. This is the cheapest, most comfortable way. Casa Camilla is 350 meters to the south of Station # 3 or right facing the island, just 35 meters past BUT NOT to be confused with Villa Camilla. ( the first resort we built in 1990 and sold in 1995, now with higher room rates ). As of APRIL 1, 2005 EVERYONE is NOT allowed to arrive on Boracay's famous white sand beach!!! ( even us residents ) NEW APRIL 1, 2005 DIRECTIONS to CASA CAMILLA take tricycle for P20 each person ( up to P100 ) to Alyssa Resort, Angol White Beach; you will be let off exactly 49 meters from the main white beach path, TURN RIGHT, after 16 large strides (meters) of the 50 meters to Casa Camilla our sign can be seen, located past Surfside Resort next to the 357 Resort. For HELP-lease call our land line ( 036) 288-5309 on Boracay OR in MANILA at 854-3826, 833-3923, 854-1435,36 or Bill's Cell Phone 0918-283-7251. June to November - From Catciclan, you take a 10-20 minute boat ride to the Island for less than 50 cents (U$). You will be taken to either Caticlan's main Ferry Station or the alternate boat station on the other side of the peninsula and the bancas will take you to Boracay on the opposite side of the island from the main white beach. From there many tricycle "taxis" are waiting to deliver you to Casa Camilla in Angol. MBRS Lines operates a ferry between Manila's Pier 8 and Caticlan twice a week on Mondays & Fridays. The name of the ship is Mary the Queen or The Virgin Mary. They leave Manila's north harbor, Pier 8, for Boracay at 5PM on Monday and Friday weekly. An ordinary ticket is about $21, Tourist Class is U$23 ( reserved bunk in an air-con dorm withOUT bedsheets ).Deluxe (a reserved bunk in an aircon dorm WITH bedsheets ) is $25, and a bunk in a four-bunk cabin is $32. WG&A Superferry leaves 4 times a week from Manila's north harbor, Pier 4, to Dumaguet, 20 minutes from Kalibo. Iloilo is on the southeast end of Panay, and Boracay is opposite Caticlan, off the northwest corner. The minivan ride from Iloilo to Caticlan would be 5 hours. From Iloilo, take a aircon minivan 5 hours to Caticlan for about 300 Pesos. From Philippine Daily Inquirer 4/23/03). We use to fly to BORACAY from Manila. Now, people who wishes to spend their vacation in Boracay can go there for less than P1200 /12 to 14 hours by the "RoRo" system of buses & ferries. The bus (Bachelor Express) leaves the Ali Mall Terminal at 11PM and proceeds to the Batangas Port for a Ro-Ro (roll-on, roll-off) ferry trip to Calapan, Mindoro Island, then Roxas City. Or take Jam Transit on Taft Ave near Buendia to Batangas Pier, then either the SuperCat Fast Ferry to Calapan where private air-conditioned vans await you to take you the 2-1/2 hours to Roxas, Mindoro to get the 4+ hours MAHARLIKA Ferry departing 5 times daily to reach the newly opened CATICLAN Jetty Port Terminal. Those who wish to bring their cars to Caticlan are only charged a fee of P1,495 for a car, P1,938 for a van and P5,927 for a 10-wheeler truck/bus. The spacious and secure newly opened Caticlan Jetty Port and Terminal awaits tourists going to Boracay. FUN IN THE SUN Over the years we have noticed that many visitors come to Boracay and get bored after a day or two, unable to "do nothing." Call us lazy but we love doing nothing, falling asleep, reading novels while gently swinging in a hammock. All beaches and islands change once they become well known worldwide but somehow Boracay has not lost its wonderful barefoot culture and will never have 4 wheeled vehicles on the beach path. I never forget my first impressions of California after getting back from Boracay and other S.E. Asian beaches wondering "where will the cement end?" from San Diego to Santa Barbara. And the California curfew from 10PM to 5AM prevents any kind of serious, funloving partying. In Boracay, you can get totally "wasted", "hammered", or "loaded", stay up all night dancing until the wee hours of the morning, "pass out" on the beach without having some beach patrol tapping you on the shoulder, telling you to move on or worse yet give you a citation. Life on the beach in Boracay seems so FREE and easy going and the rents will never require a major corporate paycheck to survive (and thrive) there with a quality lifestyle. Boracays' fishing families have more presence on the beach "scene" but are very laid back. I hope I have helped you form a picture of life on Boracay. Whether you're living and working in a busy large city like Metro-Manila, or somewhere with a high cost of living like Japan, Korea, Taiwan or Hong Kong or coming from afar in Europe, Australia the States or Canada, NOW MORE THAN EVER, YOU DESERVE A HOLIDAY. We receive many emails requesting a list of "things to do" while visiting Boracay; this is one of the most common questions from our guests on Boracay. I guess after leading very busy, active lives in highly developed countries people have difficulty with "chilling" and idleness. My wife and I love to read novels, walk the length of the beach and back, chat with our world traveler guests, and play board games like chess and scrabble. Spending endless hours to talk and listen to each other's thoughts, feelings and plans for the past, present and future in privacy fills so much of our time. In other words, you have time to get to know the people you meet or to bond with family and friends. You can also take a boat trip around the island ( half day for U$ 14 to U$25 ), stroll the small Laurel Island, go snorkeling and feed the tropical fish, stop for a picnic at Baling Hai, a small private beach where a couple serve food using a basket, lowering the menu down from a high cliff, followed by the food. Just a 500 meters walk away is a good private spot at the end of the beach to go snorkeling and / or make love, hidden away by many rock formations. You can rent bicycles or motorbikes to cruise the VERY limited network of roads on Boracay ( remember Boracay is only 1000 hectares or 2500 acres ). Dance til 4AM at Summer Place or "The Wave" underground disco on front of the Boracay Regency Hotel in the middle of WHITE BEACH after dinner and drinks. Learn to windsurf and scuba dive. Go water skiing or other water sports like jet skis or being towed on an inflatable are a couple other activities.
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