AMALAKBAYER!

BORACAY: YOUR DREAM-COME-TRUE VACATION

By: Amabel Palangyos

If you want to get the most out of your vacation in Boracay, I recommend that you schedule a five-day vacation. It is better to spend your first day in Kalibo. Not only that airfare is less expensive, you also get to visit the other tourist 
spots.

This is my first time to join Lakbay Backpackers. It is a group that arranges travels with others to have some people to travel with. It is a practical way of travelling without spending much especially for small groups or solo travellers.  So we became instant travel buddies throughout the travel. But be careful to join only reliable people.

We had a memorable half-day visit at the Sampaguita Gardens Resort to see the Christmas Village and Precious Moments Shop. The entrance fee was P50, but it’s consumable. You can use this to buy some souvenirs or food. In our case, we bought halo-halo for P60. 

I’m so sure your children will love the place as they play in this unique theme park with giant angels. The all-year Christmas Village is a must-see. You may also stay for a few hours for a dip in the swimming pool.

Then visit the Precious Moments Shop for some dolls, figurines, and souvenirs. The chapel is also charming. It gives a different feeling because of the paintings and murals on the walls. It became so homey especially for the children because of its artistry. The children at heart will also love to take time to pray.

We spent a night in the lodge after a big day. It really was a great accommodation that offers more than average amenities with WIFI, bath tub, air-conditioned room for only P1500 for my family. We just bought our food from the carinderia just near the lodge. Since the place also has a garden, there we had our dinner.

The next day, we went to Bakhawan Eco Park. We already arranged our van transportation with the lodge. Go there as early as 7:30 a.m. so you can spend the afternoon travelling to Caticlan or somewhere else. Pay an entrance fee of P20 and P15 for students.

This place is ideal for meditating, family bonding, dating, and reading your favorite book. It’s the perfect place for nature lovers, for those who want to rest and breathe some fresh air, and for those who just want to sweat out. Always remember to bring sunglasses, umbrella/cap, hankies, food, and water when going there. Enjoy more than a kilometer of mangrove eco-trail. You may have your lunch at the end of the trail. Lunch in Bakhawan is such a great experience. The best place to eat lunch is at the view deck. Eat your lunch at about 11a.m. so you can rest before walking back to the starting point. 

After this, we proceeded to Caticlan Port, which took 2 hours. When you arrive at the port, you need to pay P75 for environmental fee and P100 for the ferry that will bring you to Boracay Island.

It was a magnificent sight to behold! The water was sparkling turquoise and the sand looks powdery white. The sands are so fine and the water is really clear. There were mosses in the water and on the shore but the locals believe that these actually cause the sand to be white.

The island is filled with 2-star to 4-star hotels, but we opted to find an accommodation that won’t take much of our budget, so we choose to stay in Station 3. Contrary to the idea that Boracay is an expensive place, one can find ways to make a wise travelling experience. We bought some fish, fruits, and vegetables from D’ Talipapa, a small market in the island. We also used a sack of charcoal that we bought in Caticlan market. Since we were travelling as backpackers, we were able to do that. But you may also cook in the guesthouse’s kitchen for an additional price. They can lend you kitchen utensils as well.

To make your Boracay experience more meaningful, here are my 4 C’s:

Commence your Boracay vacation by appreciating the beach front at 5 a.m. One of my beautiful experiences in Boracay was being at the beach early in the morning. There were very few tourists and it was the perfect time for meditating and pondering upon things.

Create happy memories with your loved ones by frolicking and playing along the beach at sunset. Sunset is heavenly in Boracay. My kids and my husband had the time of their life playing in the sand. It was one of the most memorable family playtime we had.

The sunset is best in Boracay. People wait along the shore for the marvelous big orange sun to kiss the horizon.

Also, every night is a fiesta in the beach so you can also stroll and watch different shows offered by various establishments. Fire dancing is a popular show. You may also choose to go away from the noisy crowd and just bring your mat along the shore.

Complete your Boracay experience by going to Puka Beach, where the sand is really white and where swimming is blissful. Notice the stones with different colors here. These are used to create bracelets that the locals sell to the tourist at P50-100. Island hopping to this island costs P1500/boat because we were 15 in the group. You can haggle to get a lower price. If you wish to have other activities like banana boat riding, ATV, or parasailing, set aside some extra amount to maximize the fun.

Conclude your Boracay Vacation by going to Mt. Luau.This is where you can oversee the whole of Boracay Island. It is the finest part of the island to have some photo sessions too. If you want to buy some souvenirs or pasalubong for your friends and loved ones, cheaper items can be bought along the main road near D’ Mall.

Indeed, Boracay (not Bora) is one of the world’s renowned beaches. We should be proud of it. Although there were some scrupulous people destroying the image of the island for their personal profit, let us help promote one of our country’s finest. After all, this is a gift!

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