boracay advice

[hiwindjunkie]

i am thinking of going to boracay and would appreciate any info/advice if you've been there on:

• where to sail (good & up-to-date equipment  & enough of it)
• where to stay
• is the sea urchin "situation" really bad
• anything else you can think of that might help!

mahalo!

[P.J.]

Try to contact Mario at togsguevarra@gmail.com . They are the starboard agent in Philippines and I heard they have a shop in Boracay doing rental for starboard.

Month of August to Dec will not be good because of rain.

[Meng]

go there during monsoon period.
u won't be disappointed, good wind and clear flat water.

there are a few gear rental places, the notably shop will be Greenyard.

ample of places to stay, ManaMana cottage style (about US$50-$150 per day).

Can't avoid the sea urchins if u keep falling after jibings. but not so bad, as it is scattered all around. Check with the locals for more info.

bring waterproof cams, GPS to clock top speed, leave your kids at home, try to stay sober.
and remember to bring plenty of loose USD (small dollars) for tips.

happy sailing

[mario guevarra]

hi regarding boracay since  now we are in the mosoon season, which usaually start at june to october. i think now would be the perfect time to go. By december it would hard to find a hotel since alot of the locals will be spending their christmas break in boracay.
During the monsoon season the wind is in the main beach so their wouldn't be any urchin problems.  but after december once the wind shifts to the other side of the island, then prepare your booties. We would't want you to be spending your night in the hotel room taking care of sore foot.

it advisable to check windguru to know the wind condition during the week that you are going to travel to boracay

[gedgee]

Like Kuantan and Scunthorpe, a place close to my heart.
Its a place everybody should try and go to at least once.
Its best during the Boracay Cup usually held in January. You dont have to stand on the urchins...go over the reef into deeper and choppier water.
The best wind (Anihan ?) is Dec-March when it hits the North side of the island. This is where the Cup is held and there is a good rental centre which includes Kites for the children and old men in funny long trousers. The only drawback here is that the lagoon is tidal. The Cup of course is cunningly timed to coincide with the high tides. There is a great hotel there called Laguna de Boracay. The best place to sail may well be Manoc Manoc which faces the mainland and gets the swells that funnel between Boracay and the mainland.
White Beach is best this time of year and has the majority of the hotels, bars, bingo halls and so on. Greenyard have another centre there. There are plenty of other things to do like diving, bird watching and needlecraft classes for the girls. Its best not to look at weather forecasts, cows laying down and so on. Just go. You wont regret it !
PS And I still have the photographic evidence of IJ cradling a female monkey with a look of intent in his eye........

[mario guevarra]

check this site for ideas  about boracay http://www.boracayisland.org/directory.shtml

[hiwindjunkie]

pj, meng, george & mario,

tks for the advice!  looking forward to the trip.   we  were actually looking at 2nd half of jan (after the fun cup & befor chinese new year).

(ps - meng, the kids WILL stay at home with the wife!!!)

cheers!

[aDz]

dont forget to check out http://www.boracaywindsurfing.com/

as to the place to stay, there are lots of choices at the white beach (the main beach) from the luxurious ones (located at station 1) to the economical huts (station 3)

i just learned from the owner of greenyard that this southwest monsoon is very unpredictable. one russian group stayed there for 28 days and only one! (1) decent day with good winds. tsk tsk so, your best bet with be the northeastern monsoon which should kick up probably in november.

sea urchins are not bad because they are not agressive. they only hurt if you stomp on them so that's the time that they'll hurt you back  seriously though, the kind at boracay are those that arent so "pointy". Ive seen much much worse.

[PH111]

The best time to go for windsurfing is from the months of December to March.  This is when the NorthEasterly 'Amihan' trades blow.

When the wind blows from the SouthWest (like these months), it is not that consistent and reliable...it is very likely that you might get skunked!

Hope this helps!

Manny
PH111