Ariel’s Point: cliff jumping on the mainland coast

A rocky headland on the coast of Buruanga, where wooden platforms of different heights invite you to leap into clear, deep water.

Area

Around Boracay

Start from

Boracay, Station 1 or 2

Distance

about 45–60 minutes by boat from Boracay

Time needed

1 day

Best season

Best roughly November – May; trips may stop in rough weather

Difficulty

Moderate

Transport

Organised boat transfer from Boracay

Tickets & rules

Day package fee usually includes boat, lunch, drinks and gear; check what is included

Why go

Ariel’s Point is a day out rather than a sight: a boat ride across the water to a small cliff-lined cove on the mainland coast of Aklan, a lazy lunch, and as much jumping into deep blue water as your nerves can handle. Platforms are built into the rock at different heights, from a few metres for beginners to a high one of around fifteen metres for the brave.

Between jumps, there is snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding and lying around on wooden decks. The water is often extraordinarily clear, with dark rocks below and fish darting between them. It is a social day, usually shared with a boatload of other travellers, and the atmosphere is cheerful rather than wild.

I went expecting a tourist gimmick and came back having jumped from a height I would never have tried at home. That is the trick of the place: you watch others do it, and eventually you do too.

The story

Ariel’s Point was developed as a day-trip destination relatively recently, and the story goes that it takes its name from the man who first set it up. The rocky headland, in the municipality of Buruanga on the north-western tip of Panay, was largely untouched coast before that, and the cove was chosen for its depth, clarity and natural cliffs.

Buruanga itself is a quiet farming and fishing municipality. Its coastline is rugged, with small beaches tucked between rocky points, and much of it is still undeveloped. A boat trip out to Ariel’s Point gives you a glimpse of how the whole region looked before Boracay’s boom.

Cliff jumping as an activity has grown across the Philippines, from Siargao to Bohol, but it carries real risks, and the platforms at Ariel’s Point are supervised by staff who check that the water below is clear and remind people how to jump: feet first, arms in, body straight.

The journey there is part of the experience. The boat passes along the south-western coast of Boracay and then out across open water, where the colours shift to deep blue and the mountains of Panay rise ahead.

Getting there

Ariel’s Point trips are usually booked in advance. A boat picks you up from Boracay, typically from White Beach or a nearby port depending on the season, and returns you in the late afternoon.

The boat ride takes roughly forty-five minutes to an hour each way, depending on conditions.

A suggested plan

1. 10:00Board the boat from Boracay and head out along the coast.
2. 11:00Arrive, safety briefing, and first jumps from the low platforms.
3. 12:30Lunch on the wooden decks overlooking the cove.
4. 14:00Snorkelling, kayaking and more jumps if you dare.
5. 16:00Boat back to Boracay in time for sunset.

Where to stay

This is a day trip from Boracay; there is nowhere to stay at Ariel’s Point itself.

Good to know

• Book a day or two ahead; places are limited.
• Bring a rash guard and water shoes.
• Start low and work up; there is no shame in stopping at the medium platform.
• Ask what drinks are included; alcohol and jumping do not mix.