Little Boracay Beach from Manila: Beach Tour, Starfish & Cottage

Taal Volcano views, starfish swimming, and a meal floating on the sea

A 12-hour day trip from Manila combines a stop at Taal Volcano Ridge in Tagaytay City with a beach day at Little Boracay sandbar, where you swim in the Starfish Sanctuary, snorkel with a free dry mask, and eat lunch in a floating bamboo cottage. Hotel pickup and all entrance fees are included. The tour runs small groups of up to 15 people and operates daily except Wednesdays.

Step-by-step itinerary

Taal Volcano and Little Boracay Beach

• Hotel pickup in Manila
• Drive to Taal Volcano Ridge
• Learn about 2020 eruption
• Take photos of volcano
• Travel to Little Boracay beach sandbar
• Swim in Starfish Sanctuary
• Snorkel with dry mask
• Relax in floating bamboo cottage
• Enjoy local lunch and fruits

The experience

The day starts with hotel pickup in Greater Manila and a scenic drive south to Tagaytay City, where your guide takes you to Taal Volcano Ridge. You'll stand overlooking the active volcano and its crater lake while learning about the 2020 eruption that sent ash across Manila and forced 150,000 people to evacuate. Taal remains the country's most active complex volcano, and the ridge offers views that make the geology tangible: the scale of the caldera and the lake inside it are the kind of thing photos flatten. You'll have time to take photos before heading back to the vehicle for the next leg.

From there, the tour heads to Little Boracay, a peaceful sandbar near Manila accessible only at low tide. You'll swim in the Starfish Sanctuary, where the water is shallow and clear enough to see the marine life moving around you. Snorkeling happens with a free dry mask that gives a 180-degree field of vision, resists fogging, and has a GoPro mount if you want to record the underwater part. The boat comes with a lifeguard and safety vests, and the local government fees for both the fish sanctuary and the sandbar are already paid.

Lunch happens in a floating bamboo cottage anchored in the sea. Your host prepares a local meal, fresh tropical fruits, and snacks while you sit in the middle of the water with ocean views on all sides. This is the part of the day built for slowing down. The cottage is where the pace changes from sightseeing to sitting still. After eating, you have time to rest in the cottage before the boat returns you to the mainland and the drive back to your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off anywhere in Greater Manila.
• AC transport with driver and all fuel, tolls and parking for the 400-kilometer round trip.
• stop at Taal Volcano Ridge in Tagaytay City with guide commentary on the 2020 eruption.
• entry to the Starfish Sanctuary and sandbar with boat, lifeguard and safety vests.
• free dry snorkeling mask with 180-degree vision, anti-fog coating and GoPro mount.
• swimming and snorkeling in Little Boracay sandbar.
• lunch in a floating bamboo cottage with local meal, fresh tropical fruits, snacks and drinks.
• all local government entrance fees.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except WednesdayDeparts at 05:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Under 7: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 42 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Esquieres Excursions PH

Is this one for you?Book this if you want volcano history and snorkeling combined in one day. The guide explains the 2020 eruption and its impact, while the dry snorkel mask with 180° vision lets you see the reef clearly without switching gear between stops.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Starfish Sanctuary at Little Boracay like when you get there?

The Starfish Sanctuary is a shallow snorkeling area in clear water where you can see starfish and other marine species up close. The free dry snorkeling mask gives you a 180-degree view and resists fogging, so you can see clearly underwater without the usual mask problems.

Can I visit Little Boracay if the tide is high?

Little Boracay is a sandbar accessible only at low tide, so the tour operates on a tide-dependent schedule. Beach activities are also weather-dependent. Heavy rains, typhoons, storms or gale warnings can cause the local government to suspend activities without notice.

What does the floating bamboo cottage meal include?

The floating bamboo cottage serves a local meal, fresh tropical fruits, and snacks while you sit in the sea. Drinks are also included, and you eat with ocean views from the middle of the water.

How long is the full day, and what time does pickup happen?

The tour runs 12 hours total. Hotel pickup happens from your hotel lobby in Greater Manila. Provide your hotel name when booking so the driver knows where to collect you.

What's included in the transport from Manila?

Transport includes an air-conditioned vehicle, fuel for the 400-kilometer round trip, the driver, toll fees, parking, and all entrance fees for the Fish Sanctuary and sandbar. The boat comes with a lifeguard and safety vests.

Is this tour suitable for children?

Children ages 3 to 6 are half price. Children under 2 travel free. Infants must sit on an adult's lap. The tour is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health, though it suits all other fitness levels.