The Philippines - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 652

EATING
Restaurants and bars come and go in Boracay, but the best
ones stand the test of time. Choices are so extensive and
diverse that you can eat and drink your way up and down
White Beach almost 24 hours a day. For a more traditional
experience head to D'Talipapa Market where you can buy
fresh fish and seafood and get one of the restaurants to
prepare it (from P120).
Alchemy North of D'Mall. New-world cuisine at a
welcoming restaurant serving dishes prepared with local
produce. The emphasis is on flavour and presentation,
but the service is hit and miss. Mains from P270. Daily
8am-11pm.
Aria Station 2. Decent pizzas at this popular D'Mall place
which fronts the beach. Great a liated gelateria next
door, too. Daily 11am-midnight.
Cowboy Cocina Station 3. Great place for some good old
comfort food, with Sunday roasts (P370), fish and chips
(P320), gammon steak (P350), bangers and mash (P290) and
good pizzas. Pub quiz every Monday. Daily 7am-10.30pm.
Cyma D'Mall. Cyma's Boracay branch is smaller and more
initimate than in other locations, but the food is every
bit as tasty and authentic. Try the saganaki (flamed
cheese; P225), chicken souvlaki (P365) or horiatiki (Greek
salad; P265) and save some room for the desserts which
include baklava (P200). It's very popular and there's
limited seating so reserve a table during peak periods.
Daily 10am-11pm.
★

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
Nightlife on Boracay starts with drinks at sunset and
carries on well into the following morning. You'll find
everything from swanky resort bars and chilled-out beach
shacks to downright raucous dives.
Cocomangas Raucous bar on the main road behind Guilly's
Island , Station 1. Infamous for drinking games involving
potent cocktails, it gets rowdier as the night wears on. P100
cover charge on Saturdays. Daily 7pm-3am.
Exit Station 2. Little expat bar on the beach, attracting
quite a crowd for its P50-100 drinks; a lively drinking
hole to end the evening. There's a pool table too. Daily
4pm-2am.
Nigi Nigi Nu Noos Southern end of Station 2. Hang
around at the bar and socialize pub-style at this enduringly
popular hangout serving bar food. Happy hour 5-7pm.
Daily 6am-1am.
★

Pat's Creek Bar Just north of D'Mall. At the very
southern end of Station 3. A laidback bar with nightly live
bands; it's mainly reggae, to be enjoyed with a chilled beer
(P65) or a cocktail (P150) in hand. They share bands with
Bom Bom next door. Happy hour 5-8pm. Shisha pipes, too.
Daily 5pm-2am.
★

8

Red Pirates At the southern end of the beach. Enjoy
the beats and the sounds of the sea at this chilled-out
place with little beach tables in leafy surroundings. Cheap
cocktails (P100) and happy hour 4-7pm. Daily 10am-4am.

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange Allied Bank on the main road near
the access path to the Tourist Center changes travellers'
cheques, and has an ATM. Many resorts also change
money. In D'Mall, there's a small branch of BPI with an
ATM. Credit cards are widely accepted.
Hospitals and clinics The main facility is the Boracay
Island Hospital, Main Rd ( T 036 288 3041). Metropolitan
Doctors Medical Clinic is also on Main Rd ( T 036 288 6357)
and is open 24hr. In the event of serious injury, treatment
in Kalibo is recommended.
Internet There are dozens of internet cafés on Boracay,
most with fast connections (around P70/hr) - such as the
Boracay Tourist Center. Plenty of hotels and restaurants
offer wi-fi.
Laundry Pretty Lavandera, Station 3 (daily 9am-7pm;
P60/kg).
Pharmacies There are pharmacies selling most necessities
in D'Mall, Boracay Tourist Center and D'Talipapa Market.
Police The Philippine National Police ( T 036 288 3066)
are immediately behind the Tourism Information O ce
in D'Mall.
Post o ce The post o ce in Balabag, the small
community halfway along White Beach, is open Mon-Fri
8am-5pm. The Boracay Tourist Center on White Beach has
full postal services although they charge a small surcharge.

Lemon i Café D'Mall. Mellow decor creates a soothing
ambience at this café-cum-restaurant which continues to
turn out some of Boracay's best food. The pan-fried mahi
mahi is a stand-out, as are many of the lemon desserts
(P60-180) and cocktails. Free wi-fi. Daily 7am-11pm.
Mañana Northern end of Station 2. Colourful interior
with sombreros and bright tablecloths at this Mexican
place serving good fajitas (P363) and exquisite
margharitas (P155). Daily 10am-10pm.
★

Real Coffee and Tea Café Station 1. Real Coffee
has moved back to the heart of the action, a stone's throw
from D'Mall, yet its second-floor location overlooking the
beach is somehow removed from the hubbub. The bamboo
interior harks back to a simpler time when this was the
first “real” coffee (P80-160) on the beach. Good breakfasts
(P175-350), as well as a great selection of teas (punchy
ginger tea, P90) and cookies (P25). Daily 7am-7pm.
Tibraz North of D'Mall. Great French café-cum-bar
serving tasty panini (P225-290), croque monsieur (P225)
and madame (P240), and fantastic cocktails. Daily
7am-11.30pm.
True Food South of D'Mall. Sit back on puffy yellow
cushions and tuck into some of the island's best Indian
food - the mouthwatering curries are big enough for two
(P300-400) and there are plenty of meat-free options to
keep vegetarians happy (P225). Daily noon-10.30pm.