Ever considered helmet diving in Boracay? As a former avid open water diver I am well versed in breathing underwater, but lately ear problems have prevented me from diving as much as I would like. This tiny island in the Philippines has some of the clearest water in the world and there are a host of water activities in Boracay. Given my ear problems, I was really drawn to Boracay helmet diving as an alternative to scuba. When I noticed the incredibly low price of helmet diving in Boracay I signed up immediately. Read on for all the details of our helmet diving Boracay adventure …
What is Helmet Diving
Helmet diving allows you to experience the wonder of the underwater world while still breathing comfortably. The helmet is reminiscent of pearl diver’s helmets from days gone by but is much lighter. The helmet sits on the shoulders and is connected to a source of fresh air from the surface by a hose so the distance you can travel is limited. There is no need to be able to swim to enjoy helmet diving as you simply walk along the ocean floor. The best bit? Your hair stays completely dry!
The Unbelievably Low Helmet Diving Boracay Price
As I was flipping through a Boracay activity guide I was surprised to see that the helmet diving Boracay price was less than half of what I had seen elsewhere in the world. We had pretty ordinary weather for our three days in Boracay and I admit I was a little concerned about how that would affect the visibility of the helmet diving Boracay tours. I wouldn’t have paid $100 a pop but at a mere PHP1,500 per person (AUD$37) it was well worth taking a chance. To make it even better value, the price includes hotel transfers, boat transfers and underwater photos! Similar trips I have seen in Cozumel, Cairns and Bali are all around $100! If you have ever had an inkling to try helmet diving, Boracay is definitely the place to do it!
Booking Helmet Diving Boracay
Anyone who has ever stepped foot on White Beach Boracay will undoubtedly be familiar with the touts. No doubt some of them are reputable and have great prices for helmet diving in Boracay, but it was all just a little too much trouble to work it out. Instead we approached the helpful staff where we stayed at Coast Boracay to assist us in booking our helmet diving Boracay excursion through My Boracay Guide. Because the weather in Boracay was unpredictable during our stay we waited until the very last moment to book and luckily we were able to get in the same afternoon. You can book direct through My Boracay Guide’s website but I’ve since found an even cheaper trip on Viator for only AUD$28!
Our Experience Helmet Diving in Boracay
When I was scuba diving frequently it was hell on my hair. Every dive resulted in a tangled mess that took bucket loads of conditioner to sort out so I was excited about the opportunity to explore the underwater world while keeping my hair dry. We were picked up from our hotel right on time and it was about a 15 minute drive to the other side of the island which was a hive of water sports activity. Our host located our allocated speed boat with ease and we were on our way to the platform in record time. When we arrived at the pontoon there were a few groups checking in but we were not kept waiting and got straight into the safety briefing. The helmets are quite heavy so you are going to want to get into the water as quickly as possible once it is in place. Entry is by a ladder from the pontoon and we descended to a depth of about 8 metres to reach the ocean floor. It’s a very strange sensation and takes a little getting used to. Unlike with scuba diving when you only need to equalise when changing depth, helmet diving requires you to equalise your ears regularly. The Hubs’ dive was trouble free but I constantly felt like my helmet was floating off and I had to wrangle to keep it in place at all times. At once stage I got a kink in my hose which restricted the oxygen flow briefly but our instructor sorted it out very quickly. Despite the inclement weather the water was clear and visibility was excellent. The fish were plentiful and certainly not shy about approaching humans. We had about 15 minutes to explore before our Boracay helmet diving instructor (who did double duty as our official photographer) motioned for us to head back up the ladder. The journey back to the hotel was a mirror image of the outward trip. Helmet Diving Boracay provides all divers with a copy of all photos taken on a CD and they happily accommodated my request to load them onto my own USB as well. Both the CD and my USB were dropped at our hotel reception just a few hours after our dive.
Other Water Activities in Boracay
The crystal clear aquamarine waters surrounding Boracay are renowned the world over so it’s little wonder that the best things to do in Boracay involve getting wet. Water activities in Boracay are abundant and generally offer great value. In addition to helmet diving in Boracay, visitors can choose from the following amazing water activities in Boracay:-
- Scuba Diving PHP3,000 pp (AUD $75)
- Paraw Sailing PHP2,5000 pp (AUD $62) (pictured)
- Island Hopping PHP1,400 pp (AUD $35)
- Parasailing PHP2,000 pp (AUD $50)
- Free Diving PHP3,500 pp (AUD $87)
- Mermaid Swimming PHP2,000 pp (AUD $50)
- Aquarium Ocean Walk PHP2,500 pp (AUD$62)
- Banana Boat PHP300 pp (AUD $7)
- Kite Boarding PHP3,500 pp (AUD $87)
- Stand Up Paddle Board PHP1,000 pp (AUD $25)
- Windsurfing PHP1,800 pp (AUD $45)
- Jet Ski PHP2,500 pp (AUD $62)
- Cliff Diving & Snorkelling PHP2,500 pp (AUD $62)
- Fly Fish PHP750 pp (AUD $19)
- Wave Rider PHP3,500 pp (AUD $87)
- Luxury Sailing PHP4,800 pp (AUD $119)
- Water Walking PHP1,800 pp (AUD $45)
The Final Word on Boracay Helmet Diving
I’m not going to lie, the incredibly low price of helmet diving in Boracay played a big part in our decison to try it out over all the other water activities in Boracay. It was a unique experience and a great way to spend an hour. The booking process was easy, the guides were helpful and the photos were a great bonus. If you are looking to try helmet diving, Boracay helmet diving is a smart choice.
READ MORE ON BORACAY:
Don’t Miss The Cheeseburgers at Cha Cha’s Beach Cafe
Skyjet Airlines Review from Manila to Boracay
What is your favourite water activity? I would love to hear about it in the comments below.
Until Next Time …
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Disclosure Statement: This post is not sponsored. I paid for my helmet diving Boracay tour in full. The information in this article is based on my own personal experiences and has not been influenced in any way by the brand(s) featured. This post may contain affiliate links which if clicked may earn me a small commission on purchases at no extra cost to you.
Sophia Grace says
Ohhh wow… ths one is really nice post about fun water activities. It looks really amazing & you had experinence of water activities.
I loved your presentation of this post as you present it.
Allison Smith says
Thanks so much Sophia! Glad you enjoyed it!
Allison Smith says
Thanks Sophia!
Medha Verma says
Ah I was in Boracay exactly a month back and although I did try a few other water activities, I skipped this one because I had already done this in Mauritius. Boracay is a fantastic place to try this though – considering how amazing the underwater sea life is and how amazingly clear the waters are! Your pictures are superb! Also, you’ve done a great job listing the price for all water activities available, this can be a helpful list for someone planning a trip, cheers!
Yukti says
As I have never done scuba diving because I don’t know swimming. After reading your post, I am convinced to go for scuba diving. This helmet is lovely as it allows you to stand on ocean bed without swimming, without getting your head wet and also affordable. Also due to unpredictable weather, you got last minute booking in good price. I have to try scuba diving now.
Stephanie says
I just love Philippines. It has got so much beauty and beaches. Underwater sports include so much fun ?
Stephanie
Athi says
You’ve made me want to take up diving as a to do when I travel. I not a great swimmer so I always prefer to watch others have all the fun. But the fact that I don’t have to be a good swimmer takes the fear away. It’s also quite affordable and the pics make it seem worth it.
FS Page says
Oh my! Just the very first picture took my breath away. The water is so damn clear!! While in Andamans, I opted for Scuba in place of helmet diving. There, they called it under water sea walk. Now, I regret not doing both. I did not know of such a huge cost difference. Helmet diving is quite affordable. White Beach Boracay seems to be a very good diving spot with blue water and such diverse marine life. I am sure you had a great time.
Rachel Gabrielle says
This looks like such fun! I cannot wait to try this. I’m planning a trip to the Philippines in a few months, so hopefully I can make time for Boracay.
Why is helmet diving easier on your ears than scuba diving?
Marcie says
You sold me at keeping my hair dry! I don’t dive, but this might be a good alternative for me! And the photos of you turned out super cute! Looks like you got to see some colorful fish!
Abhinav Singh says
Philippines is heaven for underwater sports enthusiasts like myself. I didn’t know you could do helmet diving here. The prices that you listed are quite reasonable. The best part is that the booking process is easy and it takes only an hour. It is good to know that your hair stays dry and that you don’t really need to know swimming to do this.
Archana Singh says
I visited Boracay twice but never tried Helmet Diving. I am a non-swimmer so, I wasn’t sure if I would be comfortable under the water. But reading your post, I feel I was totally wrong. Wish i had known before that helmet Diving allows you to experience the wonder of the underwater world while still breathing comfortably.
Mitali says
Fantastic…. I have always been in love with water activities… Although I have done scuba diving I have never done underwater activity with this helmet on… Nice guide