Boracay has changed a lot over the years, but one thing stays constant: Boracay knows how to party. I’ve been visiting this island since I was a kid growing up an hour away in the quiet, unassuming village of Ibajay. I have a lot of memories of this island across every stage of life. Lately, I’ve also experienced the contrast, with a fair share of memory loss on Boracay, attributed to its lively atmosphere, diverse nightlife scene, and my inability to turn down a good time. It’s so easy to accidentally end up drinking the entire day and late into the night. On Boracay, it truly never feels like the wrong time for a Red Horse or San Mig.

Need to cool off in the toasty afternoon sun? San Mig. Need something to sip on while watching the sunset as a DJ spins house beats behind you? San Mig. Live band at dinner? Red Horse. Before long, you’re feeling a little groovy. The night is young, the music is blasting, and it’s impossible to walk along the beach without finding a fun vibe to suck you in. Boracay, despite its faults and tourists crowds, remains the place to be if you’re looking to party it up in the Philippines.

Here is how I would have a perfect night out in Boracay, still the Philippines’ premier party paradise island.

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Table of Contents

• Where To Stay in Boracay
• Where To Day Drink in Boracay
• Where to Catch a Sunset Vibe
• The Best Bars in Boracay
• The Best Clubs in Boracay
• More on the Philippines

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Where to Stay in Boracay

If you’re a solo traveler or group of young folks looking to find a good party crew, it’s important to pick a good hostel. Frendz Hostel has a branch in Boracay conveniently located minutes away from the best clubs. After the tremendous success of its El Nido hostel, Frendz has quickly become one of the Philippines’ most desired places to stay for backpackers and solo travelers.

If you want a little privacy, the lower-end hotels and guesthouses in Boracay have rooms at a price point comparable to a hostel dorm. These rooms will be basic, usually nothing more than a bed, a fan, and a shared bathroom. Meanwhile, the pricier hostels tend to be much nicer in terms of common areas, atmosphere, and facilities. For socializing and meeting people to hit Boracay’s nightlife scene with, a hostel can’t be beat.

Of course, Boracay is a world-class holiday spot, and there are no shortage of luxury hotels on the island. Some of the best, like Shangri La, are located far from the beach, though. If you’re looking to be close to the party, book a hotel in Station Two. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself either drunkenly stumbling a long way home, or getting hustled by an opportunistic tricycle driver.

Where to Day Drink in Boracay: 4 PM and Earlier

There is no bad time for a drink in Boracay. During the day, the best course of action is to find a beachside establishment with a good happy hour deal and soak in the sunshine. Luckily, there are no shortage of those places in Boracay. If I were to list them all, this post would be never-ending. It’s easy enough to wander along White Beach until something calls your name or caters to your budget. Bulabog Beach is another good place for a stroll, although not as beautiful as White Beach. Here, the drinks will be a little cheaper. It’s also good for watching water sports like kitesurfing and all the weird activities on offer, like Zorbs and banana boats. Who knows? After a couple drinks, you might find yourself in a plastic hamster ball in the water, too.

Other options include going on the infamous party boat. Go on a sunset booze cruise with unlimited cocktails. You can easily get your money’s worth, but be sure to pace yourself. You’ll be back around sunset or shortly after, meaning that the night is still young. Of course, a disco nap never hurt anybody. Just make sure you actually wake up in time for the party.

Another option is to go for a stroll and find a bar along the beach. Around this time, almost every bar in Boracay will have their happy hour specials. The world is your oyster. I’d also recommend checking out Boracay Island Beach Brewing Co. While it may not be directly on the beach, it is arguably the best spot in Boracay for beer enthusiasts. They have dozens of unique beers available, including some flavors that I never expected I would taste in a beer. I highly recommend giving the Kiamoy Sour and the Hazy Ube a taste, even if just for novelty’s sake. It’s got a great sports bar vibe, as well, so if you’ve got an important match to catch, BIBCO is a good place to be.

Where To Catch a Sunset Vibe in Boracay: 4 PM – 7 PM

Around sunset, I would head over towards Station One and their strip of beachside bars offering phenomenal sunset views and excellent vibes. Local bands performing classic rock anthems, DJs bumping tropical house music, the dreadlocked island uncles jamming to reggae, whatever your vibe is, Boracay has got it covered. The Philippines has no shortage of musical talent, and Boracay is where many of the country’s top talent goes to perform, be seen, and perhaps catch their big break. Trust me, a no-name local artist at a grimy dive bar in Boracay could hang with festival headliners of other countries.

Cafe Got Soul, Smooth, Mai Tai, and Paraw Beach Club are a few of the beachside bars that I’d recommend. Paraw Beach Club is a classic spot popular among tourists and locals alike. Mai Tai usually has live drummers along with a DJ, which makes for a cool tribal vibe. Cafe Got Soul is great for soulful sunset house music. Smooth is a beautiful, modern building that often has live music or live performers in the evening. This area can also be a poppin’ spot later in the night, as the house tunes keep spinning until around 2 AM.

There are other spots along White Beach, but I generally consider this specific strip to be the best for sunset. If you’re staying closer to Station Three, then Y Not Beach Bar is my favorite in that area.

The Best Bars in Boracay: 7 PM to 11 PM

The sun has set and now it is time for Boracay to truly come alive. Fill up with some dinner to soak up all the liquor that has come, and is yet to come. Boracay has tons of excellent dining options to choose from, many of which will have live music or DJs performing. One can also opt to go Filipino-style and find a local joint serving pulutan (Filipino drinking food) and cheap buckets of beers. Shooters Bar in Station Three is a great local food court that also has live performances like music and fire shows, at a more budget-friendly price point than some of the newer, trendier spots in town.

After dinner, it is time to hit the bars. A favorite of mine, and many others, is Exit Bar, a Boracay staple. It has a fun, outdoor beach bungalow type vibe, in contrast to some of the classier establishments along Station Two. Come early, because it gets pretty crowded later in the night as the sandy dance floor fills up. Just outside of Exit Bar, you’ll find a stage with big rainbow tents. This is another favorite spot of mine with great vibes and affordable options, starting at 100 pesos for mixed drinks. For dancing to local artists as the waves lap onto your feet, this is the place to be.

For something a little quieter, head over to Sip Happens, popular for their cocktails and wine. It’s a little more chill, so if you’re looking for a good spot to chat with new and old friends alike, it might be better than the louder bars along the beach. Two Brown Boys is another good option that those familiar with Siargao’s nightlife scene might recognize.

The strip of beachside clubs in Station One that I mentioned earlier are great at all hours of the day. Cafe Got Soul and Smooth are fantastic dinner options, and they remain lively from sunset onwards. Honestly, this short strip of bars gets the job done throughout the day. A less ambitious bar-hopper might be content staying here for 15 hours and never getting bored. However, if you’re looking for a real party, Boracay has some great clubs, too.

The Best Nightclubs in Boracay: 11 PM onwards

Had enough Red Horses and Tanduay & Cokes to get you on the dance floor? Tara na. Filipinos love to sing, dance, and party, and Boracay is one of our favorite places to do it. After Exit Bar or wherever you ended up, it is time to tear up the dance floor. Epic Bar is a staple of Boracay nightlife, as is OM Bar. Both are within a short walk from each other, and typically charge 500 pesos for entry inclusive of one drink at the bar. Yeah, these two are pretty indistinguishable. I’d just sus out which music scene you prefer, as you can hear it from outside and get a glimpse of how crowded it is inside.

Epic leans towards the typical Top 40 hits and 2000’s pop classics. I’ve been going to Epic since 2017, and it seems like the playlist hasn’t changed all that much. They know what they’re good at and know that they’ll get a good crowd regardless. It’s a fun, reliable option for a night out in Boracay.

Other options in this vicinity include Summer Place, but I’ve always found it a bit tacky and the music very intense. It seems to be popular among some people, so if it’s your scene, I ain’t judging. It’s hard to miss, with its vibrant colors and earsplitting music.

All of the clubs I’ve mentioned so far are located in Station Two around the D’Mall area. Personally, I love having everything so close together, but you can also head back towards Station One’s strip of sunset clubs that I mentioned earlier. Club Paraw and Mai Tai are my favorites if you are looking to boogie to some house music with a more tribal island vibe. The music reverberates well outside the club and onto the beach. Even if you don’t feel like buying drinks, you’re more than welcome to dance on the beach and let loose.

After hitting up the beachside clubs, Club Galaxy is an excellent option if you want to keep the party going. It is a bit out of the way, located on Bulabog Beach instead of White Beach. Depending on where you’re staying or where you’ve been partying thus far, it will likely require a tricycle to get to and from. However, it is by far the closest thing that Boracay has to a proper dedicated nightclub. Most of the other clubs on this list are fairly small, and also double as restaurants and bars during the day. Club Galaxy, on the other hand, serves only one purpose, and that is debauchery. No trip to Boracay is complete without fuzzy memories made at Club Galaxy.

The clubs in Boracay close at around 4 AM, but many merrymakers love to keep the party going well past this time. As most clubs are situated on the beach, that means the afterparties typically just spill out onto the shore. Grab a drink, strike up a chat with some new friends, and cap off a wild night out in Boracay by staying out ’til sunrise. Tagay!

Buy Me A Beer!

If this post helped you out, please show some love and support for the blog and help keep my adventures going by buying me a beer! My adventures are entirely self-funded, so any show of support is greatly appreciated. It allows me to keep writing travel guides to help you all travel the world on a budget.

More on the Philippines

• Ultimate Manila Nightlife Guide
• One Month Philippines Backpacking Itinerary
• Backpacker’s Crash Course Guide to the Philippines
• Backpacker’s Travel Guide to Siargao