Meet Larry Francisco, the Guy Who Makes Sure You Get That Crystal Kayak Snap in Boracay

(SPOT.ph) Did you really go to Boracay if you didn't post a picture of yourself on a crystal kayak? You know the one, snaps of people giving it their all in a transparent kayak with Boracay's turqoise waters and bright blue skies as background—skimpy outfit included, more often than not. The crystal kayak challenge is still going strong, a year or so after it first started popping up online. And with the rise of photo op tourism—within Boracay and all over Southeast Asia, really—comes the rise of a new kind of tour guide: Kuya Photographer, the superhero that will make sure you get the perfect IG post.

Larry Francisco's usual spot is in front of Jollibee in Station 2, a few meters away from D'Mall. He's approaches me with a warm smile when he sees me and a friend walking along the shore, "Crystal kayak po, ma'am?" is the usual greeting. We think, sure, why not, but after a quick dip to wake us up—it's only a little past 7 a.m. I tell the tour guide we'll come back, but when he sees us heading to the water, he shouts "Ma'am, 'wag niyo po basain buhok niyo!" I brush it off thinking it was just humor I didn't get—until an hour or so later, after a cold dip, a kayak ride, and a looongg photo op session with multiple poses, I'm going through the ton of pictures he took on my camera roll regretting the scraggly look of my wet hair in the Boracay wind. Sir Francisco was not joking.

Also read: Spot Stays: This Five-Star Resort Boasts the Longest Pool in Boracay

What is it like to be a photo-op tour guide?

Francisco rents out a crystal kayak to tourists, bringing them out to where the waters are bright and green, and holds a full picture-taking session. Don't worry if you don't know how to pose, Kuya Larry has them all in his mind, down to how your fingers should be placed. He took me through at least 10 different poses, from sitting, to kneeling, facing the waters, heck, even lying down. On top of constantly rowing the kayak to make sure we had the best background, he told me where to look, how far my arms should be from my body, how to point my toes, and even, very politely, to accentuate my assets.

At some point, Kuya Larry runs out of poses for me to do and finally, I get to row us back to shore. Getting to try and row was my main goal, but no lie, I also wanted pictures of me as an island girl, the Instagram kind. When we get to shore, he asks me what my phone is—a Google pixel, which isn't all that usual here—and we end up taking more photos by a few coconut trees because he wasn't satisfied with how my cam captures the colors. The sea wasn't green enough, he says, as he plays around with the settings. Through all this, he's got an easy smile on, especially when he snaps a particularly good photo, clearly proud.

Francisco tells me he's been working in Boracay since 2017. Originally from mainland Kalibo—in an area far away from water, he says—he visited a pamangkin already working as a tour guide and ended up staying. "Nagustuhan na kasi kumita naman ng pera, tapos madali lang; alok ka lang doon sa gilid, tapos kwentuhan." At first, he would rent out paddleboards, even teaching surfing in the months the waves were right—the activities back then had no more than the standard cutesy tourist pose with whatever equipment they had. "Madaming kausap," he says about what he liked.

The 2018 closure found Francisco back home, working hard labor to make it through. And when the tourist spot opened once more, he immediately returned. "Gusto kamustahin Boracay, ano nangyari," he says, adding they had heard on the news that there would be an influx of tourists. It was the perfect time and place for new things to happen—including the sudden popularity of a certain crystal kayak.

Also read: 10 Under-the-Radar Eats to Try When in Boracay

Crystal Kayak in Boracay: How Did it Happen?

"Nung 2019, may crystal kayak talaga, dalawa, tapos parang may katig pa. Di pinapansin 'yan dati, eh, kasi ang ina-ano dati ay 'yung kayak na plastic, pang-sagwan lang talaga," explains Francisco.

That changed when another influx of tourists came after the eerie quiet of 2020, thanks to one tourist with a special kind of camera. "May nag-picture dyan, ginamit 'yung drone. Parang hindi nakita yung kayak, nagfo-floating na walang kayak," explains Francisco, and soon, everyone wanted in on the crystal kayak effect. By 2021 there were four crystal kayaks on the shores of Boracay, and throngs of people lining up to take pictures.

"Tapos nung mga six months na, dumami na 'yung bumili ng crystal kayak, mga asosasyon. Hanggang ngayon, kahit saan ka pumunta, station 1, 2, 3, may mga kayak na."

Prices started at around P350, but as more operators came in with crystal kayaks, they began offering down to P100 (I was told P150). And as prices went down, the poses became more complicated. "Dati ang regular, ano 'yan, 15 minutes, kasi konti palang angle. 15 minutes tapos na. Ngayon sobrang dami, may paluhod-luhod, aabutin ng 30 minutes, kung hindi flexible model," adds Francisco cheekily.

As the demand for the crystal kayak began to wane, it was time for them to get more creative—both the kuya photographers and the tourists who wanted a different pose on their feed. "Ako kasi, tinitignan ko sa Instagram 'yung mga magagandang kuha, tapos ginagaya ko," says Francisco, who also has his own account now, too.

"Sanayan lang din, halos araw-araw ko ginagawa, alam ko na 'yung [angle ng] chubby, sobrang payat," he says. "Lahat kami dito, hindi totally pare-pareho 'yung kuha. May mga style ba."

With all the tourists around, he meets tons of people. He tells us his favorite to photograph are first-timers who love getting snaps. "Pag makita 'yung picture tapos tuwang-tuwa, ayan 'yung mga ano sa akin, masaya ako doon." Then there are the seasoned sort who know exactly how they want their picture, "May mga guest na model talaga, mas mahirap pa nga. Iba ang standard. Konting ano ng kulay, dapat may iba kang maipakita. Challenging para sa akin." Sometimes it takes him multiple takes, but when they finally do get the picture, he's just as happy as the tourist.

"Kung umuwi ako, mga five days, gusto ko na bumalik para mag-picture," he says. "Nami-miss mo, iba ibakausap. Mas masaya para sa akin."

Francisco remembers a time it wasn't all about pictures when you went to Boracay. "Hindi ko nga alam, pero dati, wala naman picture-picture. Dati ang nakikita lang namin pictorial dyan, may ikakasal, may event. 'Yon lang talaga 'yung dati," he says. "Pero ngayon makikita mo dyan, pagulong-gulong tapos pinipicturan ng kasama or ng taga-rito, naka cellphone, camera." He says it's likely because of Instagram and TikTok that a photo-op has become necessary when you go to the beach, and he's sure it's not just on Boracay this is happening.

For now, the crystal kayak is his main hustle. The unit he rents out is not his; it belongs to an operator who initially had 10, now down to just four thanks to wear and tear. "Kung gusto mo, boundary-han mo, P500, tapos lahat ng kikitain mo sa'yo na." Francisco appreciates not strictly having a boss, but knows that means daily income is not guaranteed. "Kung mag-sipag ka, ikaw na bahala."

A lot has changed since Francisco came to Boracay. From teaching water activities to becoming a self-taught IG boyfriend for the crystal kayak, he's managed to keep up. "Siempre kailangan kumita ng pangkain."

It's a sunny December morning when I get to chat with Kuya Larry, my phone gallery full of pictures of me that he's taken in the Boracay sun. His fellow guides-slash-photographers-slash-all-arounds are sitting in the shade of the coconut trees, either chilling or napping; there's a lull in tourists walking past. I was his first customer of the day, when there'll be another is unsure. Trends can only last so long, I say, asking what he thinks will be next after the crystal kayak. There's an uptick in his small smile. "Hindi ko alam, depende na lang siguro," he says. "Enjoy naman."