Boracay is not the best island in the Philippines for being vegan. As it’s such a touristy place, I expected vegan options to be everywhere. However, there are a few exceptions that serve amazing vegan food.
The Philippines, in general, are getting more and more vegan-friendly. Sometimes you will not be able to find anything, but there are some destinations where being vegan is easy.
I would say that Boracay is becoming more vegan-friendly, but there are not as many options as you would hope, especially if you are staying for a longer period of time. We stayed for only three days, so for us, there were enough options.
WHERE TO STAY IN BORACAY?
I chose to stay at Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay because of the beautiful beach. After reading online, I learned that this resort is located on the best beach on the island.
Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay shares its beach with two other amazing resorts: Crimson Resort and Spa and Shangri-La. Mövenpick is the most affordable option of the three, which is why I chose it.
The hotel is not very vegan-friendly. There are no options for plant-based milk in your coffee anywhere in the resort. Breakfast options are also limited. There is a “healthy” table that has vegan options, but the only truly vegan option there is vegan cake. You can have some fruit, vegetables, and congee.
If I decide to come back to Boracay, I would definitely stay in one of these three resorts again, because the beach was truly amazing, the best on the island. The ocean was so beautiful, it felt like swimming in a pool.
You just need to keep in mind that these three resorts are slightly outside the main restaurant area. However, the resorts offer a free shuttle a few times a day, and tuk-tuk services are available at all times.
BEST VEGAN OPTIONS IN BORACAY
SABORIA KITCHEN & LOUNGE – BORACAY VEGAN LUNCH AND DINNER
This trendy restaurant is right on the walking promenade along the beach in Boracay. The restaurant is nicely decorated, and the view of the palm trees and the beach is amazing.
They offer a fusion of Filipino classics and international flavours. Besides Boracay, you can also find them in El Nido. They offer breakfast too, but there are no vegan options.
For a starter, you can order banana falafel or the Mediterranean trio, which includes bread, hummus, baba ghanoush, and chimichurri. There is also a taro and leek soup.
For the main course, there are a few vegan options like tofu Caesar salad, pancit bihon (these are the traditional noodles), or a mushroom rice bowl. Sadly, there are no desserts available, but there are many other great spots in the area for a vegan dessert.
MANGO MAMA – BORACAY VEGAN DESSERT
Speaking of vegan desserts, Mango Mama is my favourite spot in Boracay. I think I visited Mango Mama once a day while I was there.
It is a vegan ice-cream dessert that includes mango coco ice cream, black rice ice cream, warm suman, fresh mango, salted coconut cream, and crunchy latik. In this dessert, it is the most amazing combination of flavours that is perfect for the tropical heat.
Mango Mama dessert is very similar to the famous dessert, mango sticky rice. So, if you love mango sticky rice, this one is definitely the perfect dessert for you.
NONIE’S BORACAY
This is a health-focused restaurant in Boracay with a good selection of vegan options. They use local produce and try to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. This is the restaurant in Boracay where you will find the most vegan options.
For a starter, you can have tempeh salad, pumpkin soup, or banana heart tofu bruschetta. For the main course, you can choose from vegan chorizo balls, tempeh bowl, bao sliders, and tempeh kare-kare.
They also have an all-day brunch menu with a few delicious vegan options. You can enjoy a cold-pressed juice, too. They offer mango sticky rice for dessert, although it wasn’t my favourite, everything else I tried was very good!
COCO MAMA – BORACAY VEGAN
Coco Mama is from the same founders as Mango Mama. The dessert is also vegan and very similar to Mango Mama, but here the ice cream flavours are coconut and coco pandan. You can choose just one flavour or have both.
You can also decide whether or not to have fresh mango on top. This dessert is also amazing, but for me, Mango Mama is even better than Coco Mama.
CHILL OUT BAR & RESTAURANT
This is a restaurant that’s part of a hostel, offering burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and Asian food. They have a separate plant-based menu where you can find fresh spring rolls, pan-fried tofu, vegetable stew, a burger, and vegan pasta.
They also have a big selection of cocktails, so it is the perfect place for dinner and a cocktail.
UBE MAMA – BORACAY VEGAN
This is another branch connected to Coco Mama and Mango Mama. I sadly didn’t get to try this one, but I definitely will when I come back because it looks amazing.
The dessert includes vegan ube ice cream with ube pudding, salted coconut cream, cornflakes, and sticky rice balls.
SEASON COFFEE
This is a very trendy coffee shop in Boracay with a beautiful view. While sipping a perfect iced cappuccino with oat milk, you can enjoy the scenery.
If you are a coffee lover, this is a spot worth checking out. They also offer matcha latte.
STARBUCKS BORACAY
Starbucks in Boracay is located right on the beach. It is the place where I always know there will be plant-based milk available for coffee.
There’s also an option for some plant-based snacks.
HOW TO GET AROUND BORACAY
How you get around Boracay mostly depends on your location on the island. If you are staying in the popular areas like Station 1 or 2, you can do everything on foot. If you decide to stay at one of the resorts that are a little bit outside that area, you can rent a motorbike or take a tuk-tuk.
Tuk-tuks are not the cheapest, but they are the most practical way to get around the island. The price for a one-way ride from Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay to Station 1 was 300 Philippine pesos.
To reach the island, there are a few operators that handle transfers from the airport. We had the best experience with Southwest Travel & Tours. We chose them by accident, and their service was great.
WHAT TO DO IN BORACAY
Boracay is not an island for adventure. It is an island made for relaxation. It’s the perfect destination to spend the day at the beach, and when night comes, you can head into town to stroll around, enjoy a delicious dinner, and do a bit of shopping.
But there are still a few things to do in Boracay. If you’re staying for a longer period, try a Boracay island-hopping tour. You’ll get to experience some snorkelling and visit beautiful beaches on a day trip. A meal is also included in the tour. ->This island-hopping tour on Klook is one of the best-rated in the area.
SEE ALSO:
From Smoothie Bowls to Smashed Avocado Toasts: The Tastiest Vegan Breakfast Spots in Siargao