Boracay
– a place everybody is dreaming of. It is where fun, excitement and adventure
meet relaxation, tranquility and serenity. Everything you ever wanted in a
perfect vacation is found here. White sand beach, seaside palm trees,
breathtaking sunset view, vibrant nightlife, adrenaline pumping activities and
the list goes on and on.
There
is no doubt that Boracay is recognized and hailed as the best island in the
world. It is extremely famous and popular tourist getaway. It is the world’s
top destination for vacation and relaxation.
Who
would have thought that stepping into this paradise would come true? Yes you
heard it right. Even for us Filipinos, Boracay is so near yet so far. It is only in our dream way back to the time
when the plane tickets are still so expensive for us. And, going to this place
is just an imagination for people like us who can't afford to visit. We also
have this in mind that going to this island is a "dollar" place. Yes, a dollar place since most tourists are
foreigners, so for us, everything in this place is expensive.
Then
the time has finally come that there is peso fare! A moment we have all been
waiting for. As poor travelers, of course it is our chance and so we grab the
opportunity. If you are lucky and quick enough, you can get the plane fare like
us for about one thousand pesos or below.
We
got our ticket for as low as Php496. Such a real bargain, right? Note that during
peso fare, the travel period is usually six months to one year from the booking
period. The good thing about this is that you'll have ample time to prepare for
that dream travel and you have something to look forward too.
Since
it was our first time visiting this paradise, here's just our quick peek of
what the new Boracay based on our experience during our visit.
HOW TO GET THERE
There
are two ways of getting to Boracay Island, either via Kalibo airport or
Caticlan airport.
In
our case, since the promo of Cebu Pacific is Cebu to Caticlan, we arrived at
Caticlan airport. It is less hassle compared via Kalibo airport. Note that if
you arrive at Kalibo airport, you'll need to travel first for 1.5hrs or 2hrs
going to Caticlan Jetty port before reaching Boracay Island. But of course it’s
all up to you, if you don’t mind having extra adventure, opting to take the
Kalibo route would never be a problem.
Upon
arrival at the Caticlan airport, you will see Boracay transfer stalls, which
you can get for Php700 per person that includes van, boat/environmental and
terminal fee, E-trike going to the hotel. We chose this package since we have a
senior citizen onboard on this trip. But of course, you can opt to do it on
your own.
From
the airport, a van transported us going to Caticlan Jetty Port Terminal. Upon
reaching the Caticlan Jetty Port, you can follow these steps.
1. Look
for the registration area. You will be asked to write down the guests' names.
This is to monitor the number of tourists on the island.
2. Inside
the jetty port, you are going to present the proof of accommodation or hotel
booking.
3. After
verifying your hotel booking, it's time to proceed to the boat. Since there are
a lot of tourists during our visit, we need to queue up before entering the boat.
The travel period going to Cagban Jetty Port is approximately 10 -15mins.
4. Right
after the boat ride, an E –trike is waiting
for us in the waiting area, which takes us to our hotel.
That's
how our journey was going to Boracay Island. Finally, we are stepping now in
the paradise of the Philippines for the very first time.
ACCOMMODATION
There
are plenty of hotels on the island which you can choose from the internet. In
our case, since we don't want to walk far from the seashore, we decided to choose
La Carmella de Boracay, which is just a beachfront and located at station 2.
We
booked this in agoda.com if you want to check it out.
As
I've heard, this hotel is the oldest on the island. It is noticeable since they
have an old building and at the same time new buildings fronting with each
other. Plus, they have a swimming pool fronting the beach seashore, which is
best in the afternoon if you love chasing the sunset.
THINGS TO DO
There
is a whole bunch to do in Boracay. It’s all up to you. If you just want to
chill and relax, then swimming and strolling around would be a great choice.
And oh, never forget the sunset or else you
will miss one half of your life. If you are into food trip and bar hopping
while on a vacation then there’s a lot of restos and bars to choose from but if
you are the adventurous type, and thrill and excitement pumps you up then you
can try parasailing, paraw sailing, stand up paddleboarding and banana
boat. Sadly, in our part we only had an
island hopping since we don’t have enough time.
Island Tour
While
enjoying the sunset in our first afternoon, some people approached us asking if
we would want to go to an island hopping. I guess that’s how business is being done there.
And so we chose this package of Php1300/pax with the following inclusion: Island
hopping with lunch and helmet diving. The island-hopping includes Puka Shell
beach, Crocodile Island, Snorkeling in Ocean Cove, Lunch at Tambisaan beach.
Sounds a great deal but what excites me most is the Helmet Diving. Oh I just
can’t wait to experience this heart-stopping activity.
Puka Shell Beach
Our
first stop is located in the Northern part of Boracay. This is one of a kind
beach. The coconut-palm line, coral and
shell sand beach and the captivating blue water will surely hypnotized you.
Crocodile island
We
got to see this bunch of island that looks like a crocodile from afar, but we
did not stop. For sight-seeing only.
Snorkeling in
Ocean Cove
Snorkeling
is one of the most popular activities in island hopping. The best thing about
it is that you can see the wonders underwater.
In
this place, you’ll be able to see the seagrass, colorful grass and you’ll meet
plenty of school of fish.
Tambisaan Beach
We
had our lunch on this peaceful island. There
are people living in this area. I must say they are so blessed to have a tranquil
place and a beautiful beach to hop on to whenever they want.
They
serve some Filipino food. It was quite good so far.
Helmet Diving
This
is the highlight of our activity. Helmet diving is one of the most popular
activities on the island.
This
will let you experience walking on the ocean floor at 17 feet below the sea. And
get amazed by the colorful school of fish near you. Best for swimmers or non-swimmers
even without scuba diving gear.
This
activity involves going to some kind of big boat that floats in a center of the
sea. You can see equipment to be used just like oxygen. This oxygen connects to
each helmet which will help each person breathe underwater. The helmet
is heavy, but once when you're underwater, it only weights more or less 2
kilos.
Before
you can go down below, there are some safety precautionary that you must need
to follow. One of these is the hand
gesture, just like the okay sign, thumbs
up, and camera sign. Okay sign is when everything is fine. Thumbs up sign when you want to up
because you are not comfortable. For a camera
sign you wish to have a photo. Speaking
of photos, Milky's Water Sports will take you a photo and video underwater,
which you can have a copy afterward.
I
must say that this is one of a kind experience that you must not miss while on
this island.
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