The main points
- Boracay: Private Island Hopping & Snorkeling Tour runs 4 hours with a private group and a guide who speaks English and Tagalog.[1]
- The route takes in Puka Shell Beach, Balinghai Beach Resort, Coral Garden and Crocodile Island, then a local restaurant.[1]
- The private boat starts from US$93 per person, while the shared Island and Beach-Hopping Boat Tour with Snorkeling starts from US$19.[1][2]
- Reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[1]
- From Kalibo Airport it is a 2-hour bus or van ride to Caticlan Jetty Port, then a 10 to 15-minute ferry to Boracay.[3]
| Private island hopping | Small-group boat tour | Private boat charter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From | from US$93[1] | from US$19[2] | from US$255[4] |
| Duration | 4 hours[1] | 2 - 5.5 hours[2] | 4 hours[4] |
| Rating | 4.04 from 65 reviews[1] | 4.30 from 664 reviews[2] | 4.78 from 2 reviews[4] |
| Guide language | English, Tagalog[1] | English, Tagalog[2] | English[4] |
| Cancellation | Free cancellation up to 24 hours[1] | Free cancellation up to 24 hours[2] | Free cancellation up to 24 hours[4] |
Early morning snorkeling is recommended to witness the lively underwater world, including sweetlips, groupers, occasional sea snakes, sea cucumbers, starfish, and colorful corals.
Should you book the private island hopping tour?
Things to check
Why book a private boat on Boracay
Boracay is small, four square miles of white sand, palms and low green hills, and almost every boat trip works the same stretch of coast.[6] A shared outrigger fills up with strangers and moves to a timetable. A private boat keeps the same water but hands you the clock. You can stay in the shallows while the light is good, drift over a reef for longer, or head back early when the children have had enough sun. For a family or a group of friends, that freedom is usually the whole point of the day.
The Private Island Hopping & Snorkeling Tour is a Boracay private island hopping boat that runs 4 hours with a private group and a guide who speaks English and Tagalog, from US$93.[1] It is the trip this page points to, and it keeps the classic north-coast loop: Puka Shell Beach, Balinghai Beach Resort, Coral Garden, Crocodile Island, then a local restaurant.[1] If your budget is tighter, the shared Island and Beach-Hopping Boat Tour with Snorkeling starts from US$19 and runs 2 to 5.5 hours.[2]
The prices quoted here are from-prices for each listing, so the total depends on your date and group size when you check availability.[1] If your dates are set, book early: free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund means you can hold a slot and still change your mind.[1]
What the tour covers, in plain terms
The listing keeps things simple. The boat is private, the guide speaks English and Tagalog, and the day runs 4 hours, with starting times shown when you check availability.[1] You can reserve now and pay later, and free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[1] It carries a rating of 4.04 from 65 reviews.[1]
What you actually do with those hours is mostly water. Snorkelling gear comes out at the reef stops, the boat moves on when your group is ready, and the route finishes at a local restaurant.[1] Because the group is private, the pace suits children, grandparents and strong swimmers in the same boat. Bring cash in small notes for drinks, tips and any island fees you meet along the way, and ask your guide at the start what the plan looks like for the conditions that day.
Outriggers wait off the north coast in the early morning calm.
The stops: Puka Shell, Balinghai, Coral Garden, Crocodile
Puka Shell Beach sits at the northern tip of the island, a quieter sweep of sand where the shells that give it its name still wash up. Balinghai Beach Resort is a small cove below a hillside, the kind of place where the water is calm enough for a slow swim. Coral Garden is the snorkelling stop, and Crocodile Island is a low, green hump offshore that looks like its name from certain angles. The route closes at a local restaurant.[1]
Most travellers stay along White Beach, which stretches for about 4 km (2.5 miles) end to end on the western shore, so plan your ride to the meeting point around that.[7] Tricycles and e-trikes cover the island's roads, and the trip from one end of White Beach to the other is short but slow when traffic builds.
Snorkelling: what is down there
The reefs around Boracay are shallow and busy with life. At Angol Point, early morning snorkelers can see sweetlips, groupers and colorful corals, and the earlier you get in, the clearer the water usually is.[8] Sea water around the island can drop to 26.7°C during the dry season, which is comfortable for a long swim in a rash guard and fine for most people without a wetsuit.[9]
A few habits make the snorkelling better for everyone. Do not stand on coral, keep your fins off the bottom, and give fish room to move. Reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard and a mask that actually fits will do more for your day than any gadget. If you wear glasses, ask before you book whether a prescription mask is available, or bring your own. Non-swimmers can float in a life jacket with a guide alongside, which is one of the quiet advantages of having the boat to yourselves.
If you have never snorkelled, tell your guide before you get in the water. A short briefing on breathing and clearing a mask is usually enough to turn a nervous first-timer into someone who will not leave the water. Children do well with a first dip close to the boat, then a longer swim once they know the mask works.
from US$93
A 4-hour private boat tour with a private group and a guide who speaks English and Tagalog.[1]
Private boat or shared island hopping?
Both work, and the difference is mostly money against flexibility. The private trip here starts from US$93 for 4 hours with your own group.[1] A shared Island and Beach-Hopping Boat Tour with Snorkeling starts from US$19 and runs 2 to 5.5 hours, with a small group option.[2] The Island Boat Tour with Crystal Cove Entry starts from US$23 and runs 5 hours.[10] A private boat tour with a local guide starts from US$255.[4]
Two more options are worth knowing about. The Boracay: Island Hopping Experience with Snorkeling & Lunch starts from US$81 and runs 6 hours, with pickup available.[11] If you would rather end the day on the water at sunset, the Sunset Cruise with Water Activities starts from US$15 and lasts 2 hours.[12] Pick the private boat if you want to snorkel without queuing at the rail; pick a shared boat if a low price and company matter more.
When to go and what to pack
Boracay's rainy season runs from June to November and may include typhoons and heavy rainfall, so trips in those months can be moved or cut short by weather.[13] Outside that window the sea is usually calm and warm, and the coldest the water gets in the dry season is 26.7°C.[9] Book the private boat for a morning if you can: the light is softer, the wind is lighter, and the snorkelling stops are quieter before the day boats arrive.
Pack light and pack dry. A swimsuit under quick-dry clothes, a rash guard, flip-flops, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses with a strap, a dry bag for phones and a refillable water bottle cover most of what you need. Add a light rain shell in the wet months, cash in small notes, and a towel that dries fast. If you burn easily, a long-sleeve swim shirt is easier than reapplying sunscreen every hour on a boat.
Fees, ferries and other practical bits
Getting to the island is a two-step trip from most arrival points. From Kalibo Airport, travellers take a 2-hour bus or van ride to Caticlan Jetty Port, then a 10 to 15-minute ferry ride to Boracay.[3] At Caticlan Jetty Port the regular terminal fee is PHP 150 (USD 2.75), while the environmental fee is PHP 150 (USD 2.75) for Filipinos and PHP 300 (USD 5.50) for foreigners.[5] These are port charges rather than boat charges, so keep small notes handy before you cross.
A few stops around the island charge separately. The optional Crystal Cove entrance fee is PHP 300.00 per person.[14] Boracay was closed to tourists for six months on April 26, 2018, to rehabilitate the island after sewerage facilities were polluting the water.[15] Take a reusable bottle and a bag for your own rubbish; on a small island, the beaches show the difference.
Beyond the boat day, the island has a few other classic activities. A paraw is a traditional Filipino double outrigger sailboat made from wood, and a sunset ride on one is a gentle way to end an afternoon on the water.[16] Magic Island draws tourists for cliff jumping.[17] Inland, a kawa hot bath is a large metal cauldron filled with warm water infused with herbal leaves, essential oil and flowers, heated by firewood beneath, and it includes a massage after each session.[18] Any of these fit neatly around a morning on a private boat.
From-prices for Boracay boat trips
From-prices in US dollars from these listings:[1][2][4][10][12]
What a boat day on Boracay costs
US dollar from-prices per person from these listings:[1][2][4][10][12]
When to book a private boat on Boracay
How to plan your boat day
Check dates and times
The private tour runs 4 hours and starting times are shown when you check availability, so line up your dates before you fix anything else.[1]
Decide who is coming
A private group means the boat is yours, so settle how many swimmers and how many shade-sitters you are bringing before you book.
Pack for the water
Rash guard, reef-safe sunscreen, dry bag, water, a fast-drying towel and a mask that fits. Leave jewellery and loose valuables at the hotel.
Sort the ride across
From Kalibo Airport it is a 2-hour bus or van ride to Caticlan Jetty Port, then a 10 to 15-minute ferry to Boracay.[3]
Keep the afternoon open
Boat time, transfers, lunch and a shower add up. Leaving the rest of the day loose means you can stay in the water when it is good.
Ready to set your own course along the Boracay coast?
from US$93
