The main points
- A small rocky islet off Boracay with wooden jump platforms, deep water below, and no resort, restaurant or long stretch of sand.
- Tourists come to Magic Island for one thing: cliff jumping.[1] The stop is short, the water is deep and the platforms are the whole show.
- The island and beach-hopping boat tour with snorkeling, booked from this site, starts from US$19.[2]
- Crystal Cove, a common stop on the same routes, charges an optional entrance fee of PHP 300.00 per person.[3]
- Boracay's rainy season runs from June to November and may include typhoons and heavy rainfall.[4]
- Top choice Island Hopping Boat Tour from US$19 Duration2 - 5.5 hours[2]Rating4.30 from 664 reviews[2]Guide languageEnglish, Tagalog[2]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours ahead[2]BookingReserve now & pay later[2] Check availability
- Crystal Cove Island Tour from US$23 Duration5 hours[5]Rating4.24 from 171 reviews[5]Guide languageEnglish, Tagalog[5]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours ahead[5]BookingReserve now & pay later[5] See this tour
- Sunset Cruise and Water Fun from US$15 Duration2 hours[6]Rating4.73 from 327 reviews[6]Guide languageEnglish, Tagalog[6]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours ahead[6]BookingReserve now & pay later[6] See this tour
The tourists come to Magic Island for one thing: cliff jumping. So bring your best waterproof camera, your best selfie stick, and your courage!
Is Magic Island worth adding to your boat day?
On the water, before you jump
Where Magic Island fits into a Boracay island hopping day
Almost every boat tour around Boracay follows the same loose shape. Boats leave from White Beach, the long curve of sand that runs about 4 km (2.5 miles) along the western shore, and then head north or south depending on the wind and the crowds.[9] The island itself is small, four square miles in total, so nothing on a normal route takes long to reach.[10] Magic Island usually comes in the middle of the day, after a beach stop and before lunch, and the boat stays only long enough for everyone who wants to jump to do it.
The tour booked from this site lists Puka Shell Beach, Balinghai Beach Resort, a river boat ride and a local restaurant among its stops, and it runs 2 - 5.5 hours depending on which option you choose.[2] Magic Island slots into a day like that without much planning, because the boats working the northern beaches pass it anyway. If the jump is the part you care about most, pick a boat tour that covers the northern beaches, then ask your crew on the way out whether Magic Island is on the schedule and roughly when you will get there. Most crews will tell you straight away.
What Magic Island is, and what it is not
Magic Island is a small rocky islet a short boat ride from Boracay, close enough to see clearly from the deck and quick to walk around. There is no resort, no restaurant and no long stretch of sand. What you get instead is a set of wooden jump platforms built out over deep water, a rough path up the rock, and a sheltered pocket of sea where the boats moor. Tourists come for one thing: cliff jumping.[1] Everything else is water, rock and the view back to the mainland.
Because the island is tiny, the stop is short by nature. Crews give you a window to jump, swim or watch, then call everyone back aboard. There is nowhere to wander, nothing to shop for and very little shade, so it works as a bright, loud break in the middle of a longer boat day rather than a place you would spend an afternoon. The reward is deep blue water under the platforms and a clean view back along Boracay's coastline.
Jumpers queue on the wooden platforms while outrigger boats wait below
The platforms and how a stop works
Boats pull alongside and moor while the crew hands out life jackets. From the landing point it is a short climb, part steps and part rough rock, up to the jump levels. The platforms sit at several heights, with the lowest only a stride above the water and the higher ones left to confident jumpers. Crew and local jumpers usually point out which is which, and they keep people away from the edges that are not in use. Take your time on the way up, because wet rock is slippery.
The water below is open sea, not a pool, so there is almost always some swell and often a line of boats waiting their turn. The crew watch the landing zone and control the order of jumps, and someone will shout or blow a whistle if another boat is moving through. Jump when they tell you, keep the water beneath the platform clear, and swim away from the landing spot the moment your head comes up.
Is cliff jumping at Magic Island safe?
Jumping off a rock into the sea always carries some risk, and Magic Island is no exception. The things to manage are depth, swell and other people. Landing flat on your back or belly hurts at any height, and landing on top of another swimmer is the real danger. Crews keep the landing zone clear and send jumpers one at a time, but the water is still open sea, with currents and passing boats to think about.
Nobody has to jump. If you are not a confident swimmer, if you have a back, neck or shoulder problem, or if the swell looks bigger than you like once you are up on the platform, stay put and watch. Watching is genuinely good fun here, because the jumps come thick and fast and the audience on the boat is loud. Trust your own reaction rather than someone else's encouragement, and remember that the boat will not leave without you.
from US$19
The island and beach-hopping boat tour with snorkeling, booked from this site, starts at US$19 and runs between 2 and 5.5 hours.[2]
How to jump properly
Technique matters more than courage. Walk to the edge, look down and check that the water is clear and that nobody has just surfaced in your landing spot. Step off rather than diving. Keep your legs together, your body straight and your arms crossed over your chest or pinched to your nose. A feet-first entry keeps you in a line and gives you a clean landing instead of a slap. If you wear glasses, hand them to someone before you jump.
Once you hit the water, swim forward and to the side, away from the landing zone, before you look up. A life jacket will float you face up on the surface, which makes the swim to the ladder easy. Leave sunglasses, hats, phones and loose jewellery on the boat, and use the ladder or the shallow entry point that the crew points out rather than trying to climb the rock. If you lose a mask or a fin, tell the crew straight away, because they often spot things floating.
What else is on the route
Magic Island is rarely the whole day out. The snorkelling stops on the same routes are often the surprise highlight, especially early, when you can see sweetlips, groupers and colorful corals around places such as Angol Point.[11] Crystal Cove, another common stop, charges an optional entrance fee of PHP 300.00 per person, so bring small notes if you want to step ashore and look around the coves and viewpoints there.[3] Boats often call at Puka Shell Beach on the same run too, which is a quiet spot for a swim and a short walk.
Keep an eye out for paraw sailing as well. A paraw is a traditional Filipino double outrigger sailboat made from wood, and watching one cross the channel with its sails out is one of the classic sights of a Boracay afternoon.[12] Some itineraries add a kawa hot bath, a large metal cauldron of warm water infused with herbal leaves, essential oil and flowers, heated by firewood, with a massage after each session.[13] If the weather turns, crews usually rearrange the order of the stops rather than calling the whole day off.
Magic Island with children
Children ride along on most boat tours, but cliff jumping is not a family activity. Kids can swim in the sheltered mooring area in a life jacket, watch from a safe spot with an adult holding on, and enjoy the ride out and the music on the boat. Teenagers who swim well and take instructions seriously often rate the jump as the best part of their holiday, so it is worth asking them before you book. Life jackets come in a range of sizes, so ask for one that fits properly before the boat leaves the beach.
If you are travelling with younger children, think about the timing. Boats get hot in the middle of the day, dry season sea water can be as cold as 26.7°C, and the rainy season runs from June to November, with typhoons and heavy rainfall possible.[4][8] A morning departure is usually the gentler choice, and the ride home is a good chance for a nap before dinner on White Beach.
Traveller ratings for Boracay boat tours
Average GetYourGuide traveller ratings out of 5 for each tour.[2][5][6]
What island hopping options cost
From-prices in US dollars as listed on GetYourGuide; no separate child rate is shown.[2][5][6][14]
When the boats go, and when to be aboard
How to jump at Magic Island
Watch two or three jumps
Stand back and watch how other people land before you climb up. You will see which platform suits you and how the swell moves.
Leave your things on the boat
Phones, sunglasses, hats and jewellery should stay aboard or with a friend who is not jumping. Waterproof pouches help.
Step off, feet first
Look down, check the water is clear, then step off. Keep legs together, body straight and arms crossed over your chest or pinched to your nose.
Swim clear, then climb out
Swim forward and away from the landing zone before you look up, then use the ladder or the shallow entry the crew shows you.
Say no if you are unsure
Plenty of people stay on the boat, swim or take photos of friends. There is no obligation to jump, whatever anyone else is doing.
Add the Magic Island jump to your Boracay boat day
from US$19Reserve now & pay later
