Boracay Philippines Tattoo Scams, Warnings and Recommendations
Boracay is an island located in the southern Philippines in the West Visayas Region, this is my tattoo story. It is easily the most popular beach vacation spot in the entire Philippines with huge tourism.
My family and I were there for 10 days this year, and I decided this was where I wanted to get my next tattoo. Now some of you might say, “are you crazy?” Why the hell would someone want to get a tattoo at a beach destination in the Philippines?
Well I’ll tell you right now that there are many reasons why I made the decision to get a tattoo here. For one it is really cheap, the artists here are highly experienced due to the sheer volume of customers they have and they are really clean about it.
Not every place is amazing though, remember that you are in a third world country and some people may be out to grab a quick buck off a dumb tourist. Make sure you do your research in depth before you decide to get a tattoo in Boracay.
Boracay philippines Tattoo main
What type of tattoo did I get you ask?
I went all out on this one, I got my entire left sleeve done in a total of 17 hrs of agony. The tattoo is of my family on a beach looking out at the waves. There are palm trees and palm prawns all over my arm. If you read my articles, you will know I love the beach, my kids and my wife. These are my greatest passions in life and the reason I write these articles.
Top Tattoo shops in Boracay Philippines
1. Island Ink Tattoo
This is where I had my tattoo done, the owners name is Marasigan. He spoke very good english and has a ton of experience. His tattoo shop was located in station 1. This guy met me at my hotel, referred to me by the bartender at the hotel. As soon as we met, we hit it off. You can tell that he is a genuinely nice guy and was not desperate for a sale. I learned fast that he was a great artist and very detail oriented.
At the time his shop was closed due to all of the recent changes in Boracay. I ended up getting the tattoo done at his house in a makeshift shop he set up until his shop is open again. I Quized him about this and he explained that the government shut down the building owner and everyone leasing there had to move out suddenly.
You can negotiate with him a bit and he will accommodate you if you are being reasonable. I got a couple of thousand baht off everyone else quote. And during the tattoo if I wanted something added, he would do it not problem. His service was amazing and comfortable.
The actual shop was clean, plastic wrap around everything and he used new needles every time I sat down.
Here is a face book link to the owners page Minomaraigan Island Ink Tattoo
2. Inkzomnia Tattoo Boracay
This is one of the most reviewed shops on Boracay Island. I went in for a quote and the staff was very friendly. Their pricing was reasonable and we looked at a lot of the art work they did and it looked awesome! I chose to go with Island ink because they came recommended to my by someone who actually had tattoos from them. And the owner made me feel very comfortable.
3. Yanninks Tattoo
This Shop is also very highly reviewed. I looked inside this shop and got a quote. It looked bright and clean. There were a lot of people inside and I did not like that as I would have to be there for a long time.
3. P & P Tattoo Boracay
I went into this shop and got a quote, they were the most expensive. It could be because of their premium location right in station 3 mall where I was staying. The people that worked there were a little blunt and did not treat me like I was a real buyer (maybe it was the tattoo’s? LOL)
Boracay Tattoo Shop Warnings
1. Is it safe to get a tattoo in Boracay?
It is safe if you make sure you are in a sterile environment and read this article to the end so you know what to look for. Remember this is a third world country and the cleanliness standards are not the same as north america. There is no minimum regulation.
2. What should I look for when I get a tattoo in Boracay
Look for a clean environment. Clean plastic, new needles, needles changed every day. High quality ink, Antiseptic cream and everything else in this article.
3. People who cannot communicate well with you.
Don’t even think about getting a tattoo from someone you cannot communicate with. Your tattoo will not end up being exactly what you wanted and you will get very frustrated. True me I’ve done this and it is a piss off.
4. Inexperienced tattoo artists
There is good money in doing tattoo’s in Boracay, every kid wants to try it because it is a “cool” job and you meet a ton of people by doing tattoo’s. Make sure you are dealing with someone experienced. Ask for proof and tattoo’s that they have done. Look online at reviews.
5. Do they have air conditioning?
Boracay is frikken hot and if there is no AC, you will be uncomfortable. You can get a fan blown towards you if you like, but I find this makes the tattoo sting a bit.
6. Needles
Make sure every time you sit down (daily) they are using a new needle out of the package. You can get HIV or hepatitis from old needles.
7. Dissinfectant
A sterile environment is important when you are getting a tattoo in Boracay
8. Price
Some shops will rip you off if they can. P&P tried to charge me more than double what I paid for my tattoo.
9. Ink
High quality ink is important, before I had my tattoo done I asked what type of colour ink and what type of black ink he was using. I did my research on google.
Boracay Tattoo
Tattoo aftercare Boracay
Do not go in the water with a fresh tattoo. It can get infected with bacteria that floats naturally in the water. Salt water can also make a good tattoo fade.
If your tattoo is fresh then keep it out of the sun. For one it will burn and it can also make the tattoo fade
Use a lot of vaseline and baby antiseptic on your tattoo. This will help prevent infections and help with pain.
Keep your tattoo wrapped up in plastic while you are out and about in Boracay. There is a lot of sand here and you don’t need any of that touching your new tattoo. So keep it wrapped up until you are in your hotel room. Then let it out and give it some air so that it will heal well.
Don’t rub your tattoo too much. It is tempting because it feels good but doing this can remove some colour as you are basically dealing with an open wound.
Cover your tattoo or where long sleeve before you sleep in the hotel room. You can also sleep on a towel. The ink can soak into the bedsheets and it is hard as hell to get out. The hotel will charge you for this.
Common questions about getting a tattoo in the Philippines
Do tattoos hurt?
Yes getting tattoos can hurt depending on where you are getting them. Around the bone and tender areas are the worst for this.
2. What is it like getting a tattoo in Boracay, Philippines?
Getting a tattoo in Boracay is a bit of an adventure and I will fondly remember the experience forever.
For one the tattoo is beautiful and exactly what I wanted. It was stress free in that they will not haggle you to death if you want to add something. The artist was fast and took his time on the same token. They were friendly and they even through in a small tattoo for my wife!
I tried to put this at the end of my trip because I love to be in the water. It should have been a 3 day tattoo but I fit it into 2.
Radikas Boracay Philippines Tattoo
3 Things you can do to kill time while you are getting a tattoo in Boracay
Play with your phone, facebook, instagram, snapchat etc. Whatever gets your mind off of the pain.
Drink liquor, I did it. It helps to numb the pain and gets your mind doing something lol
Watch a movie
What is the best Tattoo shop in Boracay?
In my opinion Island ink is the best. It has high reviews, an amazing artist and reasonable prices.
What kind of tattoo should I get in Boracay?
Just please don’t get a tattoo that says Boracay 2019. People actually do this and it dates your tattoo. Think hard before you permanently put something on your skin
Boracay island map
If you have any more insight or questions about Boracay or the Philippines, please shoot us an email or comment. We want our Philippines Travel blogs to be the most comprehensive source of information about Boracay on the internet.
The Rampersauds at Lio Beach
