Finding my kind of Boracay at Newcoast
At Boracay Newcoast, I felt the island settle into a different tempo.
Of course, the well-loved warmth and energy of this world renowned island remain unmistakable. Its famed powder white sand still gleams underfoot, while its clear blue waters continue to draw you in with the lowkey thrill of returning to a place that feels like a second home.
Yet at Boracay Newcoast, the 150-hectare township of property giant Megaworld Corp., that sense of home has expanded, revealing a different, yet still distinctly familiar kind of Boracay.
Quiet side of Boracay
Chancellor Hotel Boracay, the third and newest hotel in Boracay Newcoast, was our home for three days.
If Savoy Hotel Boracay carries a contemporary pulse and Belmont Hotel Boracay has become a favored address for multigenerational families gathering on this tropical island, Chancellor, meanwhile, introduces a premium experience, defined by its range of offerings and its philosophy of “mindful stays”.
Maia Israel, area general manager for Boracay Newcoast handling Chancellor Hotel Boracay, told us over a hearty lunch that this area is what they call the “quiet side of Boracay”.
But that, she stressed, was not meant to be seen as a contrast or a compromise, but rather as a well-meaning choice.
Israel explained that here, guests are free to experience Boracay in its many moods, given the varied offerings of the hotel, Boracay Newcoast as a whole, and the island’s most iconic shoreline just minutes away. A complimentary shuttle conveniently links the township to the 4-km arc of the main White Beach, where restaurants and shops line its length and Boracay’s famed sunsets play out along its luminous sands.
Choosing your experience
Within Chancellor, guests can choose how they want to experience Boracay.
Still in its soft opening, the hotel currently offers a third of its planned 554 suites. These include Twin and Queen rooms and the more expansive Executive and Presidential suites designed for larger families, alongside accessible accommodations. It also introduces the island’s first themed children’s rooms—pirate ship, Peter Pan, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea—all opening to sweeping views of either the sea or the township promenade.
These rooms help establish a more considered Boracay stay, shaped by a mindful ethos seen in practical touches such as refillable water bottles in place of single-use plastics, locally sourced ingredients, measured portions, and programs that connect guests with surrounding communities.
Such an approach extends well into the dining and overall guest experience.
At Chancellor Café, we tasted our way through comforting Filipino flavors—some given a light contemporary twist, others rendered in the chef’s signature style. By late afternoon, we had drifted to the Zabana Pool Bar, cocktails in hand, watching the last of the daylight fade.
Meanwhile, the hotel’s shared spaces offer their own invitation to linger. You have the courtyards, fitness garden, pool, jacuzzi, and the Emerald Spa, where we had an amazing massage to cap the night. Make sure to go to the open air deck, which overlooks the township and the iconic Keyhole.
Choices abound
Within Boracay Newcoast, choices abound as well.
Witness the sunrise from one of the coves, or ride an ATV across the township. The Keyhole is never far if you feel like stopping for photos, while the paths between shoreline, gardens, and promenade make it easy to wander. If you feel like indulging, go for a long dinner at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, which lets you enjoy your richly marbled steaks in a more picturesque setting.
Israel also noted, with quiet pride, that Boracay Newcoast is home to the island’s only Muslim-friendly beach, which is another way the township expands how Boracay can be experienced.
Easy detour
But if you’re craving a little buzz, the main beach is an easy detour. Less than 15 minutes on the hotel’s complimentary shuttle, we found ourselves on the lively stretch of White Beach.
We started with coffee and calamansi muffins at Real Coffee and Tea Cafe, drifted to Percy Seafood for margaritas and fish tacos, and finished, inevitably, with a generous serving of sweets from CocoMama. It was Boracay in its familiar, sociable mood, all bright and bustling.
Just as easily though, we slipped back onto the shuttle and returned to Boracay Newcoast, where the pace settles again and the days return to simpler, gentler pleasures.
These days though, this is the Boracay I return to—the one that truly feels like your home away from home.
