A festive atmosphere
A festive atmosphere greeted us after we disembarked from a motorized boat to the shores of Boracay in Aklan after a short flight from Manila.
I was with a small group of journalists visiting Boracay on a press junket. It was my first time to set foot on the famed island, and Boracay looked every bit the postcard photo I often see on travel magazines and websites.
Thing to do in Boracay
I was with some friends and the day we got there, the place was teeming with people, which is not at all unusual. Boracay is after all often touted as one of the best party islands you will ever see.
Here are my five favorite things to do in Boracay:
1.) Enjoy the beach. Some might say that Boracay is no longer as pristine as it used to be, but go to the beach very early in the morning and you can still enjoy the soft, powdery sand
Some compare it to Ibiza, or the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, or the Maldives, or the Seychelles. Some even say Boracay is all these wonderful islands put together.
2.) Do water sports. You will have numerous options, if you so choose to do water sports in Boracay. Personally, I enjoyed just riding the colorful paraw which is a non-motorized banca that cruises to decent speed despite being powered by just the wind.
If you are the adrenaline junkie type, Boracay has it from jet skis to kite boarding.
3.) Take a short stroll in the morning or early evening. It was nice strolling along the narrow path fronting the beach lined with numerous bars and restaurants. You just have to be patient, as these paths are often filled with people, particularly during lunchtime and dinner time.
At night, it is nice looking at sand carvings lighted by candles at night.
4.) Do a pub crawl with friends. This is a no-brainer. I immensely enjoyed doing the customary bar-hopping and trying out the immensely popular shooter challenge in one of the bars.
It was nice remembering who among friends remained standing after the shooter challenge, and it was nice remembering who got hammered and who got heckled endlessly.
5.) Relax and watch the day go by. I remember the we spent the last day chilling out at Puka Beach (back then, the beach was not as popular as it is today), soaking and relaxing on that nice isolated spot in the island, where we have the beach all to ourselves, with a nice non-alcoholic drink (buko juice) to sooth away the hangover.
Bonus activity: People-watching
It was nice to do a bit of people-watching, or more like ogling, as celebrities, travelers and tourists, passed by doing their own bar-hopping thing. But most of all, it was nice bonding with friends.
Postcripts: Batanes flights
Good news for those who have yet to visit enchanting Batanes. Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAIR), the Philippine’s premiere leisure airline, has announced it just increased flights to Batanes.
Batanes is one of the top tourist destinations in the country. Due to its proximity to Taiwan, it experiences four seasons: summer, fall, winter and spring.
It is rich in natural landscapes and seascapes with green pastures overlooking the sea, windmills on sprawling countryside, and lighthouses guarding immaculate shorelines. This northernmost island treasure is most often likened to European countries like Ireland and Scotland.
So pack your bags, get a SEAIR ticket and visit Batanes.
A festive atmosphere greeted us after we disembarked from a motorized boat to the shores of Boracay in Aklan after a short flight from Manila.
I was with a small group of journalists visiting Boracay on a press junket. It was my first time to set foot on the famed island, and Boracay looked every bit the postcard photo I often see on travel magazines and websites.
Thing to do in Boracay
I was with some friends and the day we got there, the place was teeming with people, which is not at all unusual. Boracay is after all often touted as one of the best party islands you will ever see.
Here are my five favorite things to do in Boracay:
1.) Enjoy the beach. Some might say that Boracay is no longer as pristine as it used to be, but go to the beach very early in the morning and you can still enjoy the soft, powdery sand
Some compare it to Ibiza, or the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, or the Maldives, or the Seychelles. Some even say Boracay is all these wonderful islands put together.
2.) Do water sports. You will have numerous options, if you so choose to do water sports in Boracay. Personally, I enjoyed just riding the colorful paraw which is a non-motorized banca that cruises to decent speed despite being powered by just the wind.
If you are the adrenaline junkie type, Boracay has it from jet skis to kite boarding.
3.) Take a short stroll in the morning or early evening. It was nice strolling along the narrow path fronting the beach lined with numerous bars and restaurants. You just have to be patient, as these paths are often filled with people, particularly during lunchtime and dinner time.
At night, it is nice looking at sand carvings lighted by candles at night.
4.) Do a pub crawl with friends. This is a no-brainer. I immensely enjoyed doing the customary bar-hopping and trying out the immensely popular shooter challenge in one of the bars.
It was nice remembering who among friends remained standing after the shooter challenge, and it was nice remembering who got hammered and who got heckled endlessly.
5.) Relax and watch the day go by. I remember the we spent the last day chilling out at Puka Beach (back then, the beach was not as popular as it is today), soaking and relaxing on that nice isolated spot in the island, where we have the beach all to ourselves, with a nice non-alcoholic drink (buko juice) to sooth away the hangover.
Bonus activity: People-watching
Postcripts: Batanes flights
Good news for those who have yet to visit enchanting Batanes. Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAIR), the Philippine’s premiere leisure airline, has announced it just increased flights to Batanes.
Batanes is one of the top tourist destinations in the country. Due to its proximity to Taiwan, it experiences four seasons: summer, fall, winter and spring.
It is rich in natural landscapes and seascapes with green pastures overlooking the sea, windmills on sprawling countryside, and lighthouses guarding immaculate shorelines. This northernmost island treasure is most often likened to European countries like Ireland and Scotland.
So pack your bags, get a SEAIR ticket and visit Batanes.