Freefall! Jumping off cliffs at Ariel's Point, Boracay

There is a strange exhilaration that comes with putting your life in a controlled kind of danger. Obviously I don't mean freewheeling danger; that is both insane and not very much fun. I'm looking for terrific not terrifying. 

With the good kind of danger comes that great kick of adrenaline to trigger the fight or flight instinct. When you're standing on a ledge leading out to sea, looking at your toes peeking over the board into the gulf of nothing before the inevitable crash into deep water, this fight or flight instinct translates into JUMP or run back off the board.

Then comes the internal fight to steady your pounding heart and to convince yourself to take the leap. The other guys at Ariel's Point told me not to think so much, but I disagree. The thinking, even the wavering, is the best part. It is the struggle before the leap that makes surfacing after a completed jump feel SO AMAZING. Because you did it. Because you did it even though you were afraid. And that is a microcosm of what makes living worthwhile. 

My peace sign here hides the fact that I was rather scared even though I don't usually have a fear of heights. 

And.... LEVITATION. 

So, the sis and I headed to Ariel's Point,  a small island off Boracay with the requisite steep cliffs and deep waters to tempt crazies like us to go.

There are 5,10 and 15 metre boards. All guests are encouraged to test out the lower boards before going for the high one. This lets you get a feel of the water impact (spoiler alert: it kind of hurts if you don't jump right!).  Of course, crazies like us just had to go for the 15 metre board. My upbringing (or perhaps innate personality) tells me: if I can challenge myself I MUST DO IT. 

The most important part of the jump - besides having the guts to actually jump - is how to nail the landing. The best way to land is feet first - the feet are the toughest part of the body. I had all these grand ambitions of doing a karate kick jump or a dive. The latter I executed but ended up doing a partial flip and while I jumped in well (head-first) I must have over balanced as I hit the water squarely on my back and wound up gasping for air and in some degree of shock. Nothing too much to overcome, and when I hauled my sorry self back up, other concerned travellers asked me if I was okay - they heard the loud 'piak' sound as I unglamorously hit the water. So if you want to dive head first, make sure that you get a clean entry, also vertically, but with your hands.Don't let the first point of impact be your precious head!

That falling shape above is me, in what is probably the safest (i.e. least painful) way to jump, though it doesn't make for the prettiest pictures. Wrap your arms around yourself, and spring off, keeping your body vertical so you get a feet first entry. On my first attempt, I didn't sufficiently engage my core and ended up getting a butt-first entry. Very. Very. Painful. And I have the burst capillaries on my poor body to show for it. Not a good idea. 

After each jump, you have to climb up a little ladder, and a series of gentle steps to get back up. And if you're jumping from the 15 metre board, you'll have to do a little swim to get to the steps. Nothing too strenuous if you are an okay swimmer. 

The price is, like the cliffs, pretty steep: 2000 php (60 sgd) per person. But this price tag comes with free flow drinks, which include water, beer and spirits. I'm certain some people in our group made up that cost solely in alcohol! We tried to go easy on the drinks till after getting some jumps in though some people took the drinks for Dutch courage haha. It's best not to drink too much as cliff jumping is inherently dangerous. The briefing in the morning solemnly mentioned that "fatalities" were not covered. Thankfully, none of that happened that day. Not a broken anything in sight either. Bruises, though, another story. 

As a part of the package, snacks in the form of fruits and deep fried sugary sweet potatoes are provided, as well as a fantastic buffet lunch.

Us happily eating the bbq buffet lunch while our new friend reclines in a hammock after the morning's adrenaline rush. 

Following lunch, no one was mad enough to start jumping right away and the Ariel's Point folk know this, so they provide snorkelling gear and kayaks (included in the price). 

We did a couple more jumps each then called it a day. 

Leaving you with a last pic of an awesome jump! This guy still managed a vertical entry into the water after the backflips. 

----

To sum up our top tips for tourists: 

• Check out the Ariel's Point website
• Check if your resort can book an Ariel's Point trip for you, ours did. 
• If they can't, head over to the Boracay Beach Club (Station 1, map here)
• Total cost per pax: 2000 php. They only accept cash. 
• If you stay at The Boracay Beach Club, it'll cost you 1700 php
• Cancellation policy: cancellations before 0900 of the day of your trip will give you a full refund. Otherwise, there will be a levy of 500 php. 
• The boat to Ariel's Point leaves at 1130 and returns at 1630. The boat ride takes half an hour either way, so that gives you 4 hours of activity time.
• The Ariel's Point package includes: 
• Lunch (barbecue buffet) 
• Snacks (watermelon and deep fried sweet potatoes)
• Free flow drinks (beer, cocktail mixes and water) from the time you get on the boat, to the time you disembark 
• Snorkels (no fins) 
• Kayaks (both single and double kayaks) 
• CLIFF JUMPING (of course!)
• Tips for jumping: 
• Start with the lower jumps to build confidence. 
• Just walk up, take a breath and go! Lingering on the ledge or looking down will cause a loss of confidence. 
• Go in feet first. The easiest way to do this is the wrap your hands around your body, or to raise your hands straight up. Tighten your core and keep steady. 
• HAVE FUN!