boracay

it's almost summer. and yet, we still don't have anywhere to go. so to ease the pain of missing out on batanes trip, i went back to one of our best beach trips - bora! this article, written by det, my, kr and myself was mainly for our colleagues in AP, who might want to visit our beloved bora. sarap mag-beach! (",)

We Like Where We Are: The IDC Philippines Boracay Trip 2007
Writers: Det Caraig, Jubert Alberto, Mylene Buensuceso, and Karen Rondon

It all started with Omar's email last year saying, "Game na! (Let's go!)," with an attached list of ticket prices for domestic flights offered by Cebu Pacific (a domestic airline company). So, on a dare, we all tried our luck to access the Cebu Pacific Web site and indeed found that it was having the biggest ticket sale ever — Php88 (around US$2) per domestic flight! Everyone came to an agreement and bought tickets without any other thought in mind except how inexpensive the flight was. This was an opportunity for us to visit the breathtaking paradise of Boracay Island for the second time.

The Adventure

Being one of the favorite vacation spots in the Philippines of local and foreign tourists alike especially during summer, Boracay offered us a good location not only for photo opportunities and our default game, Charades, but also for a wide range of activities such as island hopping, snorkeling, playing Frisbee, diving, parasailing, paraw sailing, and hiking up Mt. Luho, the highest point in the island.

Island Hopping

Without minding the intense heat of the sun that we would soon be enduring, we all set out to travel from one part of the island to another.

Guided by the very personable tour guide, Howard, the team stopped first at Turtle Island, dubbed such because of its turtlelike shape. Some of us went snorkeling in this area. The water was so clear that even from the boat you could see the fish scrambling toward the pieces of bread thrown at them.

Next stop was Crystal Cove, a privately owned resort where for a fee of Php100 each, you could hike up and down a trail to take pictures from atop balconies from which you could see the island and inside caves leading to the sides of mountains where the waves seemingly met each other, splashing water on everyone inside them during the high tide.

Last stop was the very awe-inspiring and uncrowded Puka Beach. Surrounded by cliffs, the beach is well-known for the puka shells found on its shores. The serene and crystal-clear water of Puka Beach was a relief from the worldly noise of White Beach. Since some of us have not been to this part of the island, we stayed for some time to swim and take pictures till it was time to go back "home."

Diving

To explore what lies beneath the immaculate aquamarine waters of Boracay presents a different experience for both amateur and seasoned scuba divers. The sight of black wetsuits in stark contrast against the spotless white sand and sparkling seawater was already eye candy.

The group did two dives. The first one was a deep dive at Yapak, restricted to advanced divers. Yapak is famous for its vast marine life, rough waters, and strong current. The highlight of the Yapak dive could be seeing 6-ft. white-tip and gray reef sharks.

The second one was a shallower fun dive at Crocodile Island for licensed divers like me (Karen) and Cathy as well as first-time divers like Omar. “This was a nerve-wracking experience but an ultimate high! It was fun and tense. I almost fainted," said Omar. Cathy and I, being licensed divers, enjoyed the good visibility, colorful and interesting marine life such as plant-looking flag fish, and, of course, watching Omar fumble underwater.

Parasailing

Parasailing, a recreational sport of soaring in a parachute while being towed by a speedboat via a long rope, is easily one of the most expensive activities in Boracay. However, the 20-minute ride gives one a sense of calmness.

While the parachute was being raised, Det and I (Jubert) saw a downward view of the sea. The ride was initially scary. At that point, we realized that we were practically dangling in the air with only a rope controlling and supporting the parachute. However, when the parachute stabilized and hovered 100–150m above the water's surface, we were able to enjoy a breathtaking and unobstructed view of the whole island, its white coast, and neighboring islands. A fleeting experience of airy proportion, parasailing also gives one a chance to be lowered waist deep in the water then raised up again, providing more thrill toward the end of the ride.

Paraw Sailing

The word paraw in “paraw sailing” is a Hiligaynon (a Filipino dialect) term for a sailboat that has a triangular sail used for fishing and traveling. Paraw sailing consists of a boat ride to get a great view of the sun setting seemingly into the depths of the sea. It was supposed to be a relaxing ride for Jubert and I (Det) but because we particularly wanted to take the opportunity to take great pictures with the sun setting in the background, we ended up crawling from one side of the paraw to the other. It didn't matter that we scraped our knees and ended up being black and blue all over from all that crawling . . . because the pictures were all worth it!

Hiking Up the Island's Peak

The hike up Mt. Luho, the highest point of the island, was not really hard but it was still tiring. We split up into two groups in order to take tricycles to the foot of the trail. We agreed to meet up at the peak. The hike going to Mt. Luho affords one a rural landscape view albeit a number of housing projects along the way.

Upon reaching the Mt. Luho Viewpoint, those who were gutsy enough to endure the trek were rewarded with a fantastic 360-degree view of Boracay, a backdrop that proved perfect for another round of picture taking. Those who do not want to “sweat enough to get there” (as the Viewpoint’s entrance ad said) may rent all-terrain vehicles for their convenience.

On the way down, we saw an empty jeep and hired it to go to Boracay Terraces, which was located at the tip of Boat Station 1. From there, one could walk to Diniwid Beach and see the sunset at its best.

Must-Go-To Places on the Island

One’s Boracay trip will never be complete without a visit to the following places:
· Club Paraw and Coco Mangas — Two of the most frequently visited bars. Be delighted by lots of beautiful people (us included . . . hehe) drinking and dancing to house music and hip-hop tracks.
· Summerplace — Visit the place for that laidback vibe, featuring reggae bands and shisha.
· Hey Jude — Vodka. Tonic. Margarita. Pizzas. Electronica. Perfect combination.
· Jonah's — Famous for fruit shakes that are certainly "to die for." No kidding, you'll be in heaven in no time.
· Cyma — Come in rookies; come out foodies with the creamy Greek cuisine. Not to mention that the price is right and the food's divine. (Spartans need not dine in hell with Cyma around.)
· Smoke — Located at the Talipapa (a Filipino term for a small-town market), the place is well-known for that local flavor. Come in early though as the restaurant’s bestsellers run out fast. Also, find out for yourself why it is called such (*wink, wink*).
· D Mall — The commercial and entertainment center of Boracay. Shopping. Dining. A Ferris Wheel smack in the center. Mime artists. Name it, D Mall's got it.
· Any nice spot on the beach — Of course, bumming and lazing on the beach is a must.

When it was finally time to say goodbye to our favorite paradise, we found it hard to pack our things. It seemed that nobody wanted to go home yet because everyone woke up late on the morning of our flight back to Manila. Thus, we were still on the road an hour before our flight schedule. Lugging our even bigger bags, we had to run to the check-in counter when we finally reached the Kalibo Airport because we were almost late for the flight. We thought we wouldn’t make it on time. Thank God we did, even if we were the last ones to board the plane and we had to sit separately.

At this point in our lives, we definitely like where we are — in the Philippines, enjoying the company of friends and the perfect party beach just a 45-minute ride away. Our second time, four-day trip to Boracay, is one of the most cherished moments of the team together. The island gave us a chance to bond and forget the worldly confusion and stress of urban living and simply have fun with one another even for just a while. The minute we set foot in the pristine white sands of Boracay, we knew that the trip was going to be all worth the hassle. Indeed, the island washed all our troubles away and made us realize how lucky we are to have easy access to the wonders it offered. Care to join us when we do this the third time?