BORACAY ISLAND: Aklan

November 17- 20, 2011

 

 

What do you get when you put 5 girls in an island well-known for its wild parties, pristine beaches and ultimate mainstream (bordering-on-exploited) perfection?

Read with caution: Entry bubbling with B’s and other sinful treats.

.

“What the hey are B’s?”

B – Beaches. Big Blue Ocean. Beautiful Sunsets. Boats. Boards. Bikinis. Bumming Around. Bring It On.
B – Bars. Bands. Beer. Boys. Bachelorettes. Blended Drinks. Bootey Shorts. Blaring Music.
B –Brunch In Bed. Banana-Mango-Rhum Shakes. Baked Seafood. Barbecued Ribs. ‘Buko’.
B – Busted Wallets. Back Sunburns. Bloated Tummies.  Bye Bye Healthy Diet.
B – Bonding Time.

.
And best of all…
B – BORACAY. The name just speaks for itself.

.

For this trip, Jake stayed behind. *Sniffles*

Belle: I haven’t traveled without you for the longest time. No drama… but yeah, I have drama.

Jake: *Pat pat* Look at it this way, we’ll be even. You can tell me how things have changed since I’ve last been there. One valuable piece of advice though… (Belle: What?) Try to steer clear of shots or anything on the rocks.

Belle: Hey, I’m not planning to pull a Snooki.

Jake: Nooo. That was how I lost 3K in a single sitting without noticing it.

BUUURN! Noted.

.

For our foreign friends out there who don’t have the slightest idea where or what Boracay is, let me give you a few key points.

Boracay is an island gem in the province of Aklan in the Visayas, about an hour from Cebu or Manila. It has been voted having one of the world’s best beaches and is a top tourist destination in the Philippines.

Besides boasting the best conditions for water sports such as snorkeling/diving, parasailing, kiteboarding, and windsurfing, Boracay is also popular for its bustling night life and other recreational activities.

 

When’s the best time to visit? High Season: AMIHAN – September/October to May/June (I suppose this counts ‘Summer’ in too.)

For a more detailed guide, CLICK HERE! (www.myboracayguide.com)

.

Never in my wildest dreams did I intend to step foot on that island. 10 years back maybe but not in this day and age. You could say that my girl friends and I were immune to its tropical magnetism and had our minds set on less conventional /less touristy/less popular destinations instead.

But then again, what’s more memorable than finally getting the chance to visit its powdery shores with close friends you knew since high school?

That trip did strip away most of my preconceived notions about Boracay which I admit shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Must: Experience things first-hand. Not through what you hear about them. Cliché as it sounds, different things happen to different people.  This one’s ours.

Surprisingly, I fell in love with the place (as did the girls)… all thanks to moments.

I probably shouldn’t elaborate deeper on those. And I probably shouldn’t drop specific names. *Super evil snicker*Let me just cap them off with this—.

.

Top 10 EPIC Boracay Moments:

1. What better way to start the amusing trip than with the actual start of the amusing trip: on the way to AND at the airport.

SOMEONE forgets that the long awaited trip was “Tomorrow” and fumbles ‘til the wee hours of dawn. Even more classic? The following day, ANOTHER ONE forgets that the long awaited trip was “Today”. You can just imagine speeding from the office straight to the airport with the backpack arriving 2 minutes before the check-out counter closes. WIN!

EVERYONE is guilty of stalling the transport bus and gets their names announced on the PA system for the “Last Call for Boarding” flame list as they fly down the stairs to the gate. Plus, lost boarding pass. WIN!

Lessons learned: Update your calendar (or your brain), arriving 30 mins. prior to departure is always a riot, check-in/hand-carry rules for your stuff aren’t consistent (if it looks like a stroller despite it being lighter than everyone else’s backpacks, wait for it later at the baggage-go-round).

 

2. Sunsets with bare feet on pure white sand that feels like cream. Yes, you will see one of the best sunsets of your life out there. Prepare to be cross-eyed with love. WIN!

 

3. The right to mess up bio clocks. It’s totally acceptable to wake up at whatever time you please. As for me, I finally got up at 9AM… which is the earliest I’ve been up in forever.

 

4. Exercise. Walking from Station 3 up to Station 1 to check out what’s up counts as cardio. And who can forget the action in biceps, buns and thighs from all the snorkeling, ATV rides and climbs up stone steps. WIN!

Totally burns up the carbs from all the…

 

5. FOO-OO-OOD.

Look at it this way… A stroll on the lengthy shoreline (or anywhere on the island for that matter) will show you bar, bar, hotel, food, food, food, hotel, bar, food, bar, food, food, hotel, food, food, food, food, bar, hotel, hotel, food, food, hotel, food, bar, food, food, food, bar, hotel, food, bar, food, food, food, bar… (bra-Streisand). Na na na na na na na na na na naaaa-

Why hello there, fruit shakes c/o Jonah’s Fruitshake & Snack Bar: proclaimed best fruit shakes on the island.

Hawaiian barbecues c/o Hawaiian Bar-B-Que. Damn their ribs. Too bad I can’t have you.

Pescatarian night to make me happy too at D’Mall’s FishBar. Squid in Ink. Beer battered Fish & Chips. Pesto Pasta.

Gigantic ice cream-slash-slushie c/o D’Mall’s Halowich. Pain… on my teeth… oh, so good.

The girls’ new found love for Andoks Lechon Manok. It became an obsession. + Overpriced ‘Taho’. Fresh Coconut. Peanut butter and cheese sandwiches. Burgers. Grilled chicken. Pizza. Famous Calamansi Muffins. Potato Wedges. WIN!

 

6. SOMEONE being the Congresswoman of Bora for a night. High-fives all the way from waiters, to new found friends, down to total strangers. Get jiggy with it on the dance floor! WIN!

 

7. Water wrestling! A brilliant alternative to pillow fights in our case. WIN!

8. Quiet time. You know how they say that even when you’re traveling in a group, it’s always a welcome treat to spend time alone with yourself?

Some choose to take early morning strolls on the near empty beach, some take night dips at the pool or out at sea, some bond with the TV set, some attend to their “long-distant love affairs” over the phone,

and others get lost trying to find a lone Catholic church/chapel all the way at the other side of the island.

Believe it or not, that’s actually pretty healthy. Plus, I’m a sucker for self-reconnection. So… WIN!

 

9. First times for EVERYONE. Never mind what. Right, girls? WIN!

 

10. Everything else. I’m cheating!

Walking around in bikinis literally everywhere. Breaking hotel property accidentally. Speaking BisTagLish out of confusion. Haggle 30979868751x. Rafa Nadal lookalike bar douche. 90s boyband music. Hitch hiking. Window shopping.  Trippy elevator rides. WIN!

 

 

Thank you Amu for being our “adoptive mummy”. The trip wouldn’t have been near possible without you. Thank you Lor for letting us enjoy your bubbly charm before you take the next big step to wonderland (wink). Thank you Edz & Vikki for goofing up the place together with me and my ‘kulit’-ness. It surely makes me feel less ‘kulit’ if that’s even possible.

A quick shout-out to San2x! We still wish you were there with us.

 

Wow, I feel like I’m in the Grammy’s. And that I won this sandcastle.

 

On to the next entry. Roadtrip to Ilo-Ilo! And… video to be put up very soon.

.

.

To be continued…