Archive for the ‘ Boracay ’ Category

Boracay: Where To Go

For most people, Boracay is White Beach. Some probably haven’t ventured out of there except when they island hop or were too lazy or maybe just had no idea where else to go. Here are some spots that might interest the beach bum in you. ;)

Bulabog Beach

Located opposite of White Beach, it takes about 10-15 minutes of walking to get there. Depending on the season, this part of the island is popular with windsurfers and kiteboarders coz of the strong winds.

Diniwid Beach

Located north of Station 1, it took around 15-20minutes of walking before we got there. It’s a chill place to hang out since most of the crowd’s by the White Beach. It’s very nice there. Microtel and a few other hotels can be found here. It’s unfortunate that the effect of soil erosion is most evident on this place. I never got  to see the sands at this beach when I visited in March 2011. However, the last time I was in this beach (July 2011), it was there! hehe So that was why it looked different! Maybe it was also a seasonal thing?

Puka Beach

Puka Beach's crowd ;)

Located at the island’s northern tip, this beach is named after puka shells found along its shoreline. The sands aren’t as fine as those in White Beach. The place is very secluded. It was just me and my companion and another group (a family) when we were there.  You can go as crazy as you want or just enjoy the solitude this beach can offer. ;)  The waves when I visited Puka Beach were quite strong.  The tricycle driver who drove us there even advised me against swimming in it. He said, “Mam, will you go swimming there? The waves are very strong! Be careful. Better to just take pictures.”  I took pictures, yes, but we just had to take a dip in the waters too. hehe  To reach it, you either go there by tricycle (100php one way) or by boat when you go island hopping.

White Beach

Making sand art using a spoon :)

With its powdery white fine sand, it’s Boracay’s main attraction. The reason why it became famous. These famed beach draws in thousands upon thousands of tourists yearly. It stretches 4kms with lodging and dining for every kind of budget available. White Beach is divided into stations 1, 2 and 3. Station 1 is the northern section of this beach and it has the widest beachfront. This is where most of the big (and expensive) hotels are located, giving it some sort of high-end reputation. Station 2 on the other hand is the most happening place in this stretch of the beach, the center of hustle and bustle on the island. Many bars, restaurants are located here, also a good place to look for budget to mid-priced rooms. Station 3, located on the southern end of the beach, is the least popular amongst the 3. I was telling a friend that the sands here felt “fluffier” coz there weren’t that many people walking on it as compared with the first 2 where even if it’s very fine, it feels more compact. hehe

Angol Point

Located past Station 3, you’ll meet few people when you reach this point. Very cheap accommodations can be found here. We saw a dorm room that you can have all on your own for 300php. I’m not choosy with my lodgings but seriously, I would pass that one up. hehe Beautifully designed villas are up for rent too. Further on, there’s one hotel that’s already closed. It has a tunnel that you can opt to explore (with the guards’ permission), at the end of which is a garden with a grotto.  Back at the beach, located several meters away is Asya Premier Suites, a very nice hotel with their own infinity pool and with its distance from White Beach, guests are given ample seclusion and privacy. It’s not the end though, there’s a rock with a passage that leads to another more seclusive spot. My travel bud and I spent our afternoon  lazing by this small part of the beach. An ideal spot for taking beautiful pictures too! ;)

Mt. Luho

Boracay’s highest point, the site offers a panoramic view of the island. From previous readings, to rent a tricycle to get there costs around 250php (roundtrip as you’d be heard pressed to find one to take you back). From experience, every ATV ride makes a stop here. hehe There’s also a mini zoo inside. Entrance fee: 50php/pax

West Cove

West Cove's eccentric design :)

One of my favorite spot on the island. It gained bad rep lately because turns out that some of its cabanas were built over  centuries old rock formation. It was ordered to close but it resumed operations after receiving a go signal from the DENR. To give credit to this place (located in Diniwid Beach, hugging a mountain) famous coz it’s supposedly owned by the Pacman himself (it’s actually a certain Mr. Aquino, Pacquiao’s flag bearer, according to an employee who showed us around), it’s a very good spot to catch the sunset while sipping a refreshing ripe mango shake (the best I’ve tried in Boracay so far!) while watching the bats fly out of their cave heading to nearby islands  to feed for the night. With its eccentrically designed huts and rooms (the Lord of the Ring’s hobbit houses came to mind hehe), peaceful ambiance  with music playing in the background, we truly enjoyed chilling here while star gazing on a clear, night sky. :)

These are just some places you can check out when visiting Boracay Island. Others not mentioned are some coves, caves and other beaches. I’m hoping to visit the others the next time I’m on the island! ;)

Related Posts:

Boracay

Getting to Boracay

Boracay: Where To Stay At

Boracay: Where To Eat

Boracay: Where To Eat

Andok’s

They have the most number of food chain on the island. It’s a popular choice for people who are on a budget. They serve their chicken roasted or fried plus they have other dishes too like chopsuey and sinigang among others.

Bar Lo

Two Seasons

Bar Lo at sunset

Mojito shots in a pop!

Located in Station 1, this is Two Seasons Hotel’s own bar and restaurant. Uhmm.. my cousin is the executive chef here. haha Should I have said that? Anyways, he’d come up with out of the ordinary dishes like serving crocodiles (okay, that’s more crazy & adventurous ;) ) in his menu. He orders them from the crocodile farm in Palawan. They’ll serve it barbecued, grilled or cooked in coconut milk. I tried it and it was just like chicken (really) though chewier. ;) They also have these cocktail drinks in a bubble. You pop them in your mouth. He’d give me mojitos coz he knows I like it. Their pizzas are good too! I like it a lot so I’d always get one. :D

Cyma

For a dose of Mediterranean cuisine, head inside Station 2’s D’Mall. This place is almost always packed. Cyma was recommended to us by my chef cousin when I first visited the island. I always enjoy eating their spinach and artichoke cheese fondue. Mmm!

Jonah’s Fruitshake

Yummy!

Located by Station 1’s beachfront, this is probably the one food place that got the most write ups and reviews. They relocated a year ago to the mainroad because of the high rental fee.  But they opened another place by the beach so business must be doing great. Good for them! Open from 8am til 12am, the place is popular for their shakes (95-180php). Although they have other foods in their menu, I’m not crazy about them as I found them too expensive for the serving size. However, some of their shakes are heavy enough to be a meal that you don’t really have to order foods. ;)

Mang Inasal

Mang Inasal counter

Located inside D’Mall, Mang Inasal is quite similar to Andoks that sometimes I’d confuse one for the other. Mang Inasal is a big hit to people in the area for their unlimited rice and soup offering (available if you’d order one of their value meals, 99php) !

Real Coffee and Tea

Foods you ordered are cooked in front of you :)

Baking muffins! Made me wanna jump in and take over from them! :D

Omelette with pesto and toast for breakfast :D

Located in Station 1, this is my hands down favorite breakfast place!  With Boracay Regency’s breakfast buffet at a close second. If you do manage to get up by 11am, you can have either free coffee or tea with your order. Popular for their calamansi muffin, a good friend of mine suggested that I try out their omelette with pesto (220php). I kept ordering it everyday for the whole week I was there. I liked it that much!  The owner, a warm lady who hails from the Bay Area, is usually present and chats with her customers.

Sea Breeze Cafe

Sea Breeze’s buffet table

A hearty meal to start the day ;)

One of Boracay Regency Hotel’s many restaurants, this one offers buffet (500php) all day. I like the breakfast here.  When I am feeling that I can eat lots, this is where I’d head to. So many choices to choose from. :D

Smoke

Located inside D’Mall, this place doesn’t seat that many people at a time but that hasn’t discouraged people from eating there. Relatively cheap but good tasting foods are their strongest point. Drinks range from 20 to 60php while you can have a dish from 45 to 120php. Service here varies, they’re sometimes really slow but they there are also times when they’re quick and efficient.

True Food

True Food’s interior

Vegetarian dinner

Not to be confused with Real Coffee and Tea, this is an Indian restaurant located along Station 1. Their brightly colored huge pillows looked so inviting, I had to give in! hehe We had a North Indian vegetarian dinner here. A set (600php) is more than enough for two people. It was kinda expensive there though. That’s probably why there were more foreign than local customers.

Note: There are tons more to choose from in the island – here’s a list of 15 budget restos you can eat at when in the island. One of the reasons I’m excited to visit Boracay is because of the variety of food choices. I love food that’s why. At night, there are many buffet along the beach. Take your pick. The last time we were there, my dad literally gorged himself (he looked pregnant afterwards!) on delicious oysters! OR if you really wanna save, cook your own food and/or eat at local carinderias. ;)

Seafood buffet! :)

Related Posts:

Boracay

Getting to Boracay (and back)

Boracay: Places To Stay At

Boracay: Where To Go

Boracay: Places To Stay At

Whether you’re on a tight budget or you wanna pamper yourself, there’s a place that can cater to your every whim. :)

Boracay Regency Hotel

Boracay Regency Beach Resort & Convention Center

View from the top, well, 3rd floor that is :)

Located in Station 2, this is the largest hotel on the island. Whenever I’d go there with my mom, we’d stay here. I guess she likes the fact that it’s very comfortable there but it’s not as expensive if compared with other big hotels in the area. They have a package wherein you’d be paying 7500php per person for a 3D2N stay at the hotel inclusive of transfers (900php) as well as (6) buffet meals (500php). They have 3 pools and a gym that guests can use. There’s no free wifi access in the rooms though. I had to go to the lobby, lounge area or even by the pool for some free wifi.

Frendz Resort

The path that leads to Frendz

Frendz native style cottages

Located in Station 1, this hostel is popular with backpackers. The place with its 15 native style cottages is a 2-minute walk towards the main road from White Beach. I went there twice with a friend who stayed at the place for almost a month. The employees there were very nice. the place has a common area where guests can talk to each other and share travel stories and experiences. They have a billiard table, books and board games as well as wifi for their guests. Dorm rooms are good for about 4-6people (400php/pax) while private rooms start at a little over a thousand pesos.

La Carmela de Boracay

La Carmela

Located in Station 2, though I thought it was already in 3 seeing as how far way it was from D’Mall, etc. hehe La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel seem to be a popular choice with people traveling in groups. They have promos wherein you’ll pay 2500php per person for a group of at least 3pax and that includes a 3d2n stay + meals. :)

La Fiesta Resort

La Fiesta's non beach front rooms

Contact Person: Armarlda Tupas – 0919 8610886

Located in Station 1, several meters away from the beach front. But they have rooms on the beachfront too. We paid 1000php per night for a room for two. Our airconditioned room was on the second floor and it was very spacious. We had a mini ref too. The caretakers on the floor below us provided us the assistance we needed; if we’d be needing some utensils coz we bought some food, they’d lend us some etc. I like the fact that it was a quiet place yet it’s a very short walk away from the beach.

Residencia Boracay

Residencia Boracay's beach front

Bird cage-like swings :)

Located in Station 1, Residencia Boracay has a very good location on the island. It has a large beach front and is surrounded by nice hotels. The rooms here are spacious and the rates aren’t as expensive as the others. The employees are very helpful but more so the owners, Tirol-Labios Family. I stayed here with almost 40 of my friends and we had a truly wonderful time. :D

Two Seasons Boracay

Located in Station 1, this hotel likes its rooms in a zen minimalist  style but is still looking very nice and comfy. The presidential room can cost as high as 30,000php per night! The rooms here basically have the same price as the other hotels in the area (it starts at 6,000php but they have promos from time to time so do check it out).

Villa Simprosa

Contact person: Noriel Pascual – 09173274076/ 09228491950

Located in Station 2, this place is right smack of the hustle and bustle of the island. We paid 1200php per night for an airconditioned room that accommodated all 4 of us. We had to add another 300php (or the extra mattress) when another friend decided to join us. We had our own porch and it was a beach front room; a convenience store was below us. At least we didn’t have to go far for our necessities.

PS: There are tons more to choose from that I haven’t included here. We even found a dorm room for 200php but you can get the whole room for 500php (max of 4pax), but I wouldn’t recommend the place as it’s in Angol Point (at the far end of Station 3) already and the room isn’t so nice. Also, all prices are invariably dependent on whether it’s the off or peak season and on your haggling skills. hehe If you don’t like the room you booked in, move on to another place. There really are tons to choose from. Unless it’s super peak season, probably. ;)

Vacant rooms...

...abound

Related Posts:

Boracay

Getting to Boracay (and back)

Boracay: Where To Eat

Boracay: Where To Go

DIY: Getting to Boracay (and back)

For first timers to this beach island (I know lots who haven’t been there yet), there’s no need to avail of package tours to get there since it’s simple. Here’s a guide on how to get there. :)

Last update: July 13, 2011

Boracy Island's many sails :)

Catch a flight from Manila bound for (preferably) Caticlan or Kalibo by booking flights with local airlines. For Caticlan, check out Airphil, CebuPac and Seair. Aside from the first two, PAL and Zest Air also have daily flights for Kalibo. OR ride a RoRo from Batangas pier to Caticlan port. It will take about 12 hours and costs less than 1000php.

In Kalibo:

Outside the airport are buses/ shuttle vans (200php) bound for Caticlan. Get in on one of those. It would take around an hour and a half to reach Caticlan.

In Caticlan:

Caticlan’s newly renovated airport was unveiled on June 25, 2011. They added a second floor to the building and modernized it along the way. Though it’s not as big as the other airports in the country, it definitely got style. ;)

Caticlan Airport

Upon landing and being ushered inside, there’s a desk there wherein visitors would have to register. They also made it “more” tourist friendly by having this section, just beside the registration area, wherein you can pay for everything (tricycle and other fees if you’re doing it DIY)  at once so that you don’t have to go through many lines to pay for various fees.

  1. Tricycle – 80php for a tricycle that’s good for 3pax
  2. Boat – 25php
  3. Terminal Fee – 25php
  4. Environmental and Admission Fee – 75php

You can register and pay your fees here

Waiting for our backpacks :)

Caticlan and Boracay make use of two ports depending on the season. During summer months, it’s Caticlan’s jetty port which is just around 5 minutes away from the airport on a tricycle. One can probably walk towards there but I have yet to try that. hehe Then, you get on a boat that would sail for around 15 minutes to get to Boracay’s  jetty port. During the rainy season though (July-October), they make use of Caticlan’s Tabon Port which is around 10-15minutes tricycle ride away from the airport. Then it’s a few minutes boat ride til you get to Boracay’s Cagban Port. Get on a tricycle (100php flat rate) to take you to wherever your destination is on the island. If there are many of you, better get on a multicab for 250php.

Riding a boat to get to Boracay Island

Multicab terminal at the port

Heading back to Manila, you only have to retrace the steps given above. Though this time, you would only have to pay for the boat (25php). Caticlan airport’s terminal fee is 20php while it’s 40php for Kalibo International Airport.

Checking in at Caticlan Airport

At the pre departure area one rainy afternoon

If you can get to the airport early, it’s possible that they’d let you in on the earlier flight. It happened to us twice for my last trip there. Also, if you’re going there during the rainy season, always check with your airline for changes or cancellation with your flight schedule to avoid hassles.

Related Posts:

Boracay

Boracay: Where To Stay At

Boracay: Where To Eat

Boracay: Where To Go

Boracay

July 2, 2011

Boracay, one of my favorite destinations in the country! :D

Boracay Island is approximately 7kms long , dog bone-shaped with the narrowest point being less than a kilometer wide. The island is located just off the north western corner of Panay Island.

A dog bone-shaped island

Boracay Island is a popular destination for beach lovers. It was voted again and again as having one of the best beaches in the world. Its white sand is its most popular draw in. But I guess what draws visitors (like me) over and over there again is the fact that its white sand is just so powdery soft! Also, the sand never gets “too hot” to thread upon barefooted. The island also has beautiful sunsets. These days, aside from its beaches, it’s the lively atmosphere that makes it a must-visit vacation place. Its party reputation however has kept others who are seeking for a quiet vacation away. I say that Boracay island can offer solitude too. One just has to keep one’s distance away from its main attraction, White Beach.

Boracay's White Beach

Getting there is easy. Catch a flight bound for Caticlan or Kalibo, or ride a RoRo for Caticlan then get on a boat that will take you to the island. Lastly, ride a tricycle or a multicab to take you to wherever your destination is.

Enroute to Caticlan from Kalibo airport

In Boracay's Jetty Port

Whenever I go there with the family, we’d stay at Boracay’s Regency Hotel. ;) However, when I’m with friends, we’d try to find the cheapest room we can stay at (that has a good location) or couchsurf if possible. :)

Residencia Boracay's comfy swing :)

There are a lot of stuff you can do at the island: for sea loving people… island hop, helmet dive, snorkel, dive and swim; parasail, skimboard, kitesurf and cliff dive if you want a more adrenaline rush kind of activity. Others ride the zorb or go around parts of the island on an ATV. While there are those who enjoy lazing most of their day away by the beach.

Kite surfers going at it :D

My first trip there was because my cousin, vacationing from the US, wanted a trip to somewhere we’ve never been to. I kept coming back ever since! :D The craziest of which was when a friend celebrated her birthday and decided to host all of her guests there. There were probably around 40 of us coming in from different flights  in a span of 2-3 days! We were there for 4 fun days. The most chill was my last trip. I stayed for a week and having done most of the activities I mentioned before, I spent most of my time by the beach or explored parts of the island I have never been to. I thought I’d be bored by the end of it but days flew me by and the next thing I knew, I had to leave. :(

Staying out late with friends

Happy faces after a day of ciff diving :D

Lazy day at the beach

Think happy thoughts: I’ll be going back there next week! :D

Related Posts:

Getting to Boracay

Boracay: Where To Stay At

Boracay: Where To Eat

Boracay: Where To Go