Buhay Isla review: 3-day boat expedition in the Philippines

A trip to the Philippines is incomplete without a multi-day boat expedition to remote, pristine islands. The Philippines is drop-dead gorgeous, but many of its beautiful sites are swarmed with tourists. A boat expedition allows you to escape the crowds and enjoy the simple, peaceful island life. With this Buhay Isla review, you’ll know what to expect when you embark on your Philippines boat expedition.

Buhay Isla Review: Overview

Anyone who does the boat expedition between El Nido and Coron says it’s one of the highlights of their Philippines trip, and I’m here to add to the hype and say that it cannot be missed! You spend 3, 4, or 5 days slowly making your way from El Nido to Coron or vice versa. On the way, you stop at untouched beaches, swim at pristine snorkeling sites, and camp on remote islands. It’s not for those wanting luxury, as the boat and the accommodations are very basic, but it’s more than comfortable enough for a few days.

I did mine through Buhay Isla because it had great reviews, available dates that worked well for me, and the best price. “Buhay Isla” means “island life” in Tagalog, and the company prides itself on offering an authentic Filipino island life experience. It’s a “back to basics” experience, meaning you should be prepared to live simply like the native tribes of Palawan.

As of 2025, the prices are as follows:

• 5 days/4 nights – 25500 PHP/person
• 4 days/3 nights – 21500 PHP/person
• 3 days/2 nights – 18500 PHP/person

I got an early bird discount for booking about six months in advance. This offer isn’t always available, so check the website well ahead of your trip to see if there’s a promotion happening.

In this Buhay Isla review, I’ll walk you through all the aspects of the boat expedition so you’re prepared for the adventure of a lifetime.

Buhay Isla Review

The Boat

The Bangka boat was bare bones but did its job. At the bottom, there was a covered sitting area with benches. This is where we ate and hid from the sun. On the top, there was a deck where you could lie down and sunbathe. We spent lots of time on the boat, averaging about 3 to 4 hours of sailing time per day. The sailing time was often broken up into 1-hour sections as we made our stops.

The boat wasn’t the most comfortable, but it was okay for just a few days. I wish there were more areas with shade because the Filipino sun is no joke! The covered sitting area often got splashed with water from big waves, meaning you usually got wet if you sought refuge from the sun. It was either burning up in the sun or getting splashed in the shade, which gets uncomfortable on a multi-day trip! But it was only for a few days, so it was manageable.

The People

There were about 25 people on my boat, which was full. It was the perfect number of people because the boat didn’t feel overly crowded but there were plenty of people to socialize with. This is important when spending most of the day on the boat or at camp without chargers or service.

Most travelers were in their mid to late twenties, which worked well for me because I’m also in that demographic. The majority of them were couples, but some were families or friends. Here’s a breakdown of the demographic on my boat:

• Age 20s-30s: 20
• Age 40+: 5
• Solo travelers: 2 (including me!)
• Couples: 6
• Families: 2
• Friend groups: 1

I had a great time with my group playing card games, hearing each other’s travel stories, and drinking free rum together at night. Even though I was one of only two solo travelers, everyone wanted to socialize and get to know each other. I left the expedition with new friends from around the world, all with their own backgrounds and stories that were fascinating to hear about. You spend a lot of time with your fellow crewmates when everyone is on a digital detox.

Of course, your boat will depend on who signed up for the same expedition as you! But my experience can give you an idea of the demographic that this company attracts.

The Crew

We had a comprehensive boat crew, including chefs! These men were hard-working to ensure we had a great, safe experience. They really cared that we had fun but were also safe. I had a minor toe injury from tripping on the stairs and they handled it kindly and professionally.

As a solo traveler, the crew went out of their way to start conversations with me and ask if I wanted my picture taken. It was nice to know that they were looking out for me!

When we arrived at the campsites, they shuttled our bags back and forth on the kayak so they wouldn’t get wet. There was one campsite where we weren’t allowed to swim because of jellyfish, and they individually kayaked us all to shore. The crew worked incredibly hard and were very friendly, enhancing the overall experience.

The Food

During the expedition, you’re fed three meals and two snacks a day. An onboard chef cooks every meal, so it’s always fresh and delicious. You’ll see the crew going diving for seafood when the boat makes stops, and you’ll eat it later that day! Each meal had great variety, so nothing got boring or repetitive.

For every meal, they had an amazing hand-carved fruit display. It was truly a piece of art and everyone always flocked to take pictures of it. It was someone’s birthday one day, and they hand-carved her a fruit “cake”!

I’m vegetarian, and Buhay Isla was able to accommodate me and the other vegetarians onboard. My only complaint would be that the vegetarian dishes were available to everyone, so they ran out quickly. It would’ve been better if the vegetarians got their food first or had a designated main dish since everyone else had more options.

The Destinations

Each day of the expedition, we anchored three times. Most stops were pristine beaches or islands where we could snorkel, relax, or play beach volleyball. We had nine stops total, most of which were for snorkeling. Here’s a breakdown of our stops:

• Snorkeling: 6
• Beach/sand bar: 2
• Cliff jumping: 1

Most stops were for snorkeling, but I never got sick of it. The snorkel sites were the best I’ve ever seen. The reefs were untouched, healthy, and thriving. We saw colorful colors and an abundance of beautiful sea creatures. It felt like snorkeling in an aquarium tank because of how perfect it was. Most reefs in tourist areas aren’t healthy anymore, so it was amazing to see.

Cliff jumping and playing beach volleyball were also highlights of the expedition.

The Accommodations

During the three-day expedition, we spent two nights at Buhay Isla’s base camps. I was mentally prepared to be camping in the most basic way, so I was pleasantly surprised by the accommodations. Each base camp had huts with comfortable mattresses and mosquito nets. There was no air conditioning, but the breeze from the ocean helped keep it cool enough. The base camp had electricity, but there were no outlets for charging our devices.

The bathroom situation was very basic, with buckets for showering and flushing the toilet. There was no running water.

As a solo traveler, I got my own hut one night and shared a hut with another solo traveler another night. The crew made sure to ask if it was okay with us to share.

This might sound intimidating, but I promise the expedition is worth “roughing it” for a few days. Go into it with few expectations, and you’ll find that it isn’t bad at all. Just don’t forget your earplugs because camping on a remote island is not a quiet experience. There are crowing roosters and barking dogs, and you can hear every move your crewmates make. My group had someone snore one night and the entire camp heard it!

Buhay Isla Review: The Verdict

I would highly recommend Buhay Isla for your Philippines boat expedition. It was great value for the price and one of the highlights of my Philippines trip. The crew, my fellow crewmates, the food, and the stunning destinations made for three amazing days that I didn’t want to end. While everything was simple and basic, it was more than comfortable enough for a few days. I actually enjoyed being off the grid for a few days and taking in the beauty of the remote Filipino islands without the distraction of my phone.

There are a few other companies that offer boat expeditions between El Nido and Coron, most notably Tao, Keelooma, and Big Dream Boatman. These companies offer very similar expeditions. The main difference is the accommodations since different companies own different base camps. Other than that, I spoke to many travelers who did the expedition with different companies and we all had very similar experiences. Whenever we anchored for a stop, the other companies’ boats were never far away. When it comes down to choosing a company, I’d choose the one that works best with your schedule and can offer you the best price.

Buhay Isla provided an unforgettable experience with a professional and kind crew, delicious food, and stunning destinations. I hope this Buhay Isla review has encouraged you to book an island-hopping expedition, no matter the company. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that so many travelers (including me!) have hailed as the highlight of their Philippines trip.

Book Your Philippines Excursions

There are so many other exciting activities to do in the Philippines before or after your boat expedition. The best activity and excursion booking platforms for the Philippines are Klook and GetYourGuide. Both websites have thousands of trustworthy travel experiences with verified user reviews. I use Klook and GetYourGuide to book almost all my excursions in Asia.

Book Your Philippines Accommodation

Need amazing hotels or hostels as a well-deserved reset after camping on remote islands? The best booking platform for finding and reserving great hotels in the Philippines is Agoda. It’s owned by the same company as Booking.com but is based in Southeast Asia, making it great for finding any hotels you need. If you’re a backpacker staying in hostels, then Hostelworld is consistently the best hostel booking platform worldwide, and the Philippines is no exception. Book your Philippines accommodation on Agoda today:

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