Top 7 Water Activities to Do in Boracay

Being an island with fantastic beaches and crystal clear waters, Boracay also has pretty awesome water activites to boot. When we weren’t busy munching away or strolling along the beach, we found time to try some of them!

These are 7 of them!

1. Island Hopping Tour + Snorkelling
We paid 600 pesos (S$18.75) each for the tour which included two snorkelling sessions and a visit to Crystal Cove and Puka Beach. We had to pay a 200 pesos (S$6.25) entrance fee to enter Crystal Cove.

As I wrote in an earlier post, we went for an island hopping tour with about 30 other people onboard. The boat left at 10am and the tour lasted for about 6 hours.

Puka Beach wasn’t much, but I liked Crystal Cove. Too bad we didn’t have enough time to explore it properly! Maybe next time we’ll stay there since it’s a resort!

We got to snorkel twice and used the boat’s masks and snorkels for free, even though he said it’d be 20 pesos (S$0.63) for rental per set. He didn’t collect it from anyone though!

2. Cliff Diving at Magic Island
This was part of a 5-activity package deal we bargained down to 2,200 pesos (S$68.75) each, but we paid 500 pesos (S$15.66) extra for the hut/shelter. Lunch and drinks were provided, but rice was 150 pesos (S$4.69) extra for all 6 of us.

Long story short, I jumped off the 3m plank into the sea after a long agonizing wait. There were 4 other heights you could try, at 5m, 7m, 9m and at 10m. Or you could just watch the local kids showing off their diving skills.

Because we bargained for a package deal with a beach tout, we got to have lunch at Magic Island. My friend was busy fanning flies away while waiting for me to finally take the plunge. Whoops!

The island is very small with nothing much to do except relax and dive off the cliff – a great way to spend half a day!

3. Helmet Diving
This was part of a 5-activity package deal we bargained down to 2,200 pesos (S$68.75) each, but ala carte rates are about 500 pesos (S$15.63) each for the 15min ‘walk’. Rates comes with your video in a CD!

Did I ever mention that I’m scared of fish?

But I sucked in my guts and went for helmet diving, which isn’t diving in fact. It’s more like walking very slowly. The helmet is connected to the oxygen tubes on the deck about 15m above. It’s extremely heavy at 20+kg, but once in the water, it feels like 8. Still heavy, but more bearable!

I climbed down a short metal ladder and the helmet was put on my shoulders once they were submerged. Then a scuba diver pulled me down with him while I held on to the helmet so it wouldn’t float up. And I was down on the seabed with a starfish right near my feet.

We were each given a small hard piece of bread-like fish food to feed the fish, but seeing so many fish near me, I panicked a little and threw mine away from me.

According to the guide, it wasn’t the season for the big fishes, so we only got to see the small ones! That wasn’t neccessarily a bad thing for me, and I took it as a taster for my next underwater sport in the future!

4. Riding a Banana Boat
This was part of a 5-activity package deal we bargained down to 2,200 pesos (S$68.75) each, but ala carte rates are about 200 pesos (S$6.25) each for about 15min.

After the 5 of us scrambled up the long yellow float, the driver revved his engines and sped off in his speedboat. WJ got the most seaspray in his face since he was right in front. Too bad no one fell into the water!

Another similar activity you can try is the Flying Fish!

5. Parasailing
This was part of a 5-activity package deal we bargained down to 2,200 pesos (S$68.75) each, but ala carte rates are about $700 (S$21.88) each.

We thought we wouldn’t have anywhere safe to keep our cameras, so we didn’t bring them along. Bad move. Since we only went up one couple at a time, we could have left our cameras with our friends when we were in the air. We ended up buying 2 photos from the ‘water activities station’ for 200 pesos (S$6.25) each. You can also bring your camera to take the view from above, but let the guides know so that they won’t dip you (and your camera) in the water!

I really needed to pee. It wasn’t the best time to think that since we were all on a speedboat with nowhere fo go.

“Ok, your turn now,” the guide motioned to WJ and I.

We walked forward dangling ropes from our bodies and went up to the ‘deck’. Two guys helped strap us onto the parachute.

“I really need to pee”, I thought again. And then we were up. Not in an instant, but gradually let up into the air. And soon, we were soaring in the air and the boat was but the size of my thumb. The view was breathtaking, but I still felt a bit insecure. I didn’t dare move too much lest I fell out of the straps!

After about 10 minutes, we were gradually pulled in towards the boat.

As we were reaching it, the boat stopped and we were dipped into the sea. WJ and I giggled and waited to be let up and pulled back into the boat.

“Kiss, kiss, kiss,” came a chant from our friends.

We looked at each other and giggled again. We kissed, and they let us up into the air.

And dipped us again.

And again. And again, before they finally relented and pulled us back into the boat.

And I still had to pee.

6. Paraw Sailing
We left just before sunset for a 1-hour ride back to Station 3. This was part of a 5-activity package deal we bargained down to 2,200 pesos (S$68.75) each. Ala carte rates depend on how many hours you want to sail for.

“Wow, this is life,” I thought to myself as I listened to the lulling waves.

Splash!

I shot up spluttering. We’d hit a rocky part of the sea, which only made the ride more exciting. I looked to the other end of the boat where 3 of our friends sat. One was sheltering her camera from the onslaughts of the waves for dear life (RIP, poor camera).

“Ouch!” WJ cried.

A random bamboo pole from out of nowhere had struck his leg. I laughed and lay back down on the ‘wings’ of the boat, admiring the glorious sunset above me.

7. Stand Up Paddling
I paid 500 pesos (S$15.63) for an hour, and boards can be shared between 2 people. I went up to one of the many signboards advertising water activities at Station 2, booked it there, and went for paddleboarding right away.

I went when the sky was overcast at about 4pm in the evening. The waves were unfortunately larger than the previous days.

“Come, follow me,” the tanned guy gestured at me.

He pushed me out into the sea while I was kneeling atop the board.

“Now, paddle”.

And the lesson was over.

I paddled while kneeling down for better balance. 10 minutes later, a wave caught me and I was washed back to shore. I paddled hard back to sea again. And was washed back a few more times.

In the end, I didn’t manage to actually do stand-up paddling. I only managed to stay on my knees, which I don’t advise. Because once out of the water and my adrenaline gone, I realized that I’d scraped my knees raw! The surface of the board is rough for a better grip, so try your best to stay on your feet!

I really wanted to try kite-surfing as well, but we didn’t have enough time. 8 days in Boracay is a tad too short I think!