Learn It in Boracay

By Gene Loves Acosta

Most people leave Boracay with a tan and a hundred photos of the sunset. But what if you left with a skill? 

A holiday is a pretty good time to try something new. You’re out of your routine, you have time, and being a complete beginner on an island is surprisingly liberating. Here are a few worth giving a shot.

Tibetan Sound Healing Certificate Course

Duration: 2 days (Basic); 4 full days (Certification)

Cost: $1,500 to $3,500

Best for: Wellness enthusiasts and aspiring sound healers

Where: Tirta Spa Boracay, Tambisaan

To inquire: Email: tirtaspa@gmail.com

Ever sat in a spa, heard the soft, lingering note of a singing bowl, and felt your brain instantly melt into a puddle of peace? Now imagine creating that sound yourself. If you’re ready to turn your love of relaxation into a skill you can share, Tirta Spa offers a full Sound Healing Therapist Training & Certification Course. Taught by Sound Healing Master Teacher Trainer En Calvert, who trained in Rishikesh, India, it goes well beyond tapping a bowl and hoping for the best.

You’ll learn the core principles of sound, vibration and energy, along with sacred prayers and rituals, how to read the subtle shifts in a room and how to build your own sessions. You don’t need to be a musician or have years of meditation under your belt. An open mind and a genuine interest will do.

Tennis

Duration: Flexible (hourly bookings)

Cost: ₱700-₱1,000/hour court fee; ₱1,000/hour for coaching (with racket, bottled water & towel)

Best for: Beginners, casual players and tennis fans

Where: Shangri-La Boracay, Yapak

To inquire: Call (+63 36) 288 4988 at least 1 day ahead  

Tennis suddenly feels a little more interesting these days. With Alex Eala putting Philippine tennis on the map, you may have found yourself thinking: Maybe I should try this. If so, you’re in luck.

You don’t have to be a guest at Shangri-La Boracay to use its tennis court. Non-guests can book the court or book a coach if you’re completely new to the sport. One small catch: this is an open court and Boracay weather might not cooperate with your sporting ambitions. Rain an hour

before your session means automatic cancellation.

Kitesurfing

Duration: 1.5 hours (Discovery); 3-9 hours (Full Certification)

Cost: ₱6,000 for Discovery; ₱12,000 for 1-Day Level 1; ₱36,000 for Full Level 2

Best for: Adventurers, water sports enthusiasts and spectators

Where: Greenyard Kite Center, Bulabog Beach

To inquire: Email: greenyardkitecenter@gmail.com; WhatsApp (+63 945) 314 2360; Instagram: @greenyard_kitesurfing

From the sand, kitesurfing looks like one of those sports that requires an unreasonable amount of coordination, a solid sense of balance, and a total willingness to surrender yourself to the wind. But you don’t need any prior experience to start. 

Over on Bulabog, you’ll find kitesurfing schools along the boulevard, so it’s easy to find a lesson that suits you. Greenyard Kite Center, for example, offers a Discovery Kite Lesson, a low-pressure, 1.5-hour taste test that introduces you to the gear, the wind window, and the art of steering.

You’ll cover safety and how the kite’s power systems work before getting to the fun part: body dragging, where you harness the kite and let it pull you through the water. And if that first taste takes hold, Greenyard offers multi-day IKO certification courses.

Scuba Diving

Duration: 3 hours (Discover Scuba); 3-4 days (PADI Open Water)

Cost: ₱3,500 for Discover Scuba; ₱28,000 for PADI Open Water (with gear, boat fees, dive instructor)

Best for: Ocean lovers and underwater adventurers

Where: Eclipse Dive Center, Station 3 Beachfront

To inquire: Email: mikediver23@gmail.com; WhatsApp (+63 960) 068 0108

Everyone comes to Boracay for what happens above the waterline. The quieter, far lesser-known secret is what’s sitting a few meters below. Beneath that turquoise water are coral gardens, marine life and shipwrecks, including a 20-meter Russian passenger plane deliberately sunk in 2012.

If you’ve never breathed underwater, start with Eclipse Dive Center’s Discover Scuba program. You’ll get a safety briefing before heading out with an instructor for your first dive. It’s a gentle way to find out if you like being underwater before signing up for certification. The PADI Open Water course takes three to four days and opens up more of Boracay’s underwater playground, from shallow reefs to deeper sites like Yapak, where white-tip and grey reef sharks, rays and giant groupers are among the possible sightings.

First Aid Training

Duration: 2 days (Occupational First Aid) or 4 days (Standard First Aid)

Cost: ₱3,280 for OFAT; ₱3,530 for SFAT

Best for: Parents, travelers, hospitality workers and anyone who wants to know how to lend a hand

Where: Philippine Red Cross Boracay-Malay, Ambulong

To inquire: Facebook: Philippine Red Cross Boracay-Malay Chapter; Mobile (+63 36) 288 2068

If you're going to pick up a practical skill while on the island, emergency response is about as useful as it gets. The Philippine Red Cross offers Occupational First Aid Training (OFAT), a two-day course focused on responding to injuries and medical emergencies. It follows Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards, making it particularly useful for people working in hotels, restaurants, offices and other workplaces.

The four-day Standard First Aid Training (SFAT) goes deeper into first aid and emergency response. The Red Cross posts its monthly training schedules on the Philippine Red Cross Boracay-Malay Chapter Facebook page, so visitors can check if a course falls during their stay. Certificates are issued upon completion and are valid for two years.