Boracay for Vacation and Forever

A vacation package to the Philippines isn’t enough if it’s going to be a trip to Boracay. You’re going to need to go for longer durations of vacation rentals if you want the best beach party scene and, at the same time, relaxingly iconic island vibe the Philippines has to offer.

Boracay, in recent years, has garnered mixed receptions from both the local and foreign tourist. The biggest beef that it has is how commercialism has consumed what was once a virginal strip of untainted paradise. Even with the reputation, Boracay is still constantly flocked by people year in and year out which, we’ll guess, is what majorly makes up its new found appeal: it’s the island equivalent of Facebook or Twitter.

Going for Vacation

Boracay is an island just off the coast of Kalibo, within the province of Aklan. To get there, you will need to fly from Manila (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) to Kalibo airport and then take a boat ride to the island.

The Philippines is such a foreigner friendly country and a short term rental is a great option to go for when availing for accommodations in Boracay. Not only are Filipinos very friendly towards none nationals, the accommodations are budget friendly as well especially for short- and long-term transience.

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Some hotels could go for as much as 6,000 Philippines Pesos (PhP) a day but a short term rental place might only cost around 14,000PhP a month, and that’s for the nicer places nearer the shore. They go lower the further from the shore a place is.

But why go for short term rentals? Because it’s hard to completely appreciate Boracay for very short stays. A trip of 3 days and 2 nights would be enough to get your party on (because the party scene is very “lit” in Boracay, if we may say so ourselves) and do some water activities like kite surfing or island hopping but you will need more time to be able to also enjoy the local culture, most of the other islands and secret beaches, and good Filipino company.

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Going for Longer

Boracay might be a great place to retire. It isn’t jam-packed throughout the year so you still get to enjoy the laidback seaside experience that the island was once known for. Not to mention, you can choose which of its 12 beautiful beaches to crash depending on your mood. If you have a budget of less than 2,000 USD per month, you can live quite a comfortable & luxurious life in Boracay (generally, most vacation rentals in the Philippines might cost somewhere around 200 USD per month, more if closer to major cities like Manila or Cebu).

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Going Forever

If you aren’t going to the Philippines for vacation packages and are looking for something along the lines of “permanent stay”, the Philippine government offers special considerations for retirees through the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa or SRRV. You can read more about it here. They also, since 2015, have opened their government subsidized health care system to foreigners. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) accepts and provides health care benefits to expatriates living in the Philippines for long periods or permanently—the coverage could take of as much as 80% which is especially helpful if you get hospitalized. Not to mention, the Veterans Memorial Hospital (albeit only has their main facility in Manila) also provides veterans with medical services.

Whether for vacation rentals or permanent stay in the Philippines, Boracay should be one consideration on your mind. It has familiar Western comforts but even behind the massive parties and consumerism, it also retains its friendly Filipino culture of hospitality and camaraderie.