Weekend Trip to Boracay Island
Thursday, July 22, 2010
To a lots of Malaysians, basically how this Island, Boracay, got famous among us is thru the news about the wedding of a famous Malaysia songstress, Fish Leong Jing Ru.
Boracay is an island of the Philippines located approximately 315 km (200 miles) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. In 1990, it was voted by the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook as one of the best beaches in the world and again in 1996 by British publication TV Quick as the world's number one tropical beach. The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak (3 of the 17 barangays which make up the municipality of Malay), and is under the administrative control of the Philippine Tourism Authority in coordination with the Provincial Government of Aklan. Boracay is divided into three stations, Station 2 is roughly in the center of the white beach, with Stations 1 and 3 respectively roughly midway to the north and south endpoints.
These are some very useful tourist maps, click to enlarge.
It was a Friday morning flight, thus I applied a day leave, as it may not be nice to charge one full day on a domestic flyback travel, and thanks to the assignment manager and line manager who approved it just few days before. Arriving in the noon, the weather in Boracay was just nice, neither too hot nor too cloudy.
Ahhhh... Before I forget, this is the core public transportation in Boracay, tricycle. Rides are inexpensive, usually about 50-100 pesos, and can be found almost everywhere along the main road. It might not be comfortable but it is convenient. :)
It wasn't too crowded as it is off peak season, since July is a supposed to be a rainy season. Again, lucky me, that there was only about an hour of light rain on the Friday evening throughout the entire trip! No typhoon, no tsunami, lucky me again! Hahaha, I am a bit insane now, so just ignore me.
I actually planned to go to Puka Beach in the afternoon, and then Mt Luho, but I was kinda tired after watching football games for a couple of nites, so in the end, I decided to call it off and move them to the second day. In the end, I did not make it happen also on the second day, no reason, just lazy to travel here and there by myself, somebody please tag me along. *sigh*
And because I was too hungry so I simply picked a restaurant by the beach that serves local delights buffet dinner. It costed me about 500 pesos (RM35-40) for the meal. The dinner was not bad, especially the Adobo, freaking nice wuey!
After the dinner, I went bar hopping. I spared about 2 hours hopping among bars and found it was a really boring thing to do, when you're alone. So I decided to call it a day.
On the second day, I got myself transferred to the prebooked hotel at Station 1, the Crown Regency Hotel. Station 1 is where all the well known hotels located. But I still prefer the location of the previous hotel, lower class accomodation though.
After check-in, I decided to follow the itinerary, to visit Balinghai Beach. I took another tricycle ride to the beach. You need to pay in order to get into the beach but then the entrance fee is consumable at the restaurant. Balinghai Beach is freaking small, I guess the pictures below can tell.
I went to a dinner at station 2, then headed back to the hotel. After shower, I quickly bumped in the blanket, was tired. I plan to wake up in the nite and go to a bar nearby to watch the Fifa World Cup game. In the end I woke up late and I felt uncomfortable to go out that late as the street was kinda dark. I ended up had a beer in the hotel room with some chips that I bought earlier in the convenience store.
The next morning I woke up early to check out as I have a flight at 11.30am. Got up at 7am. Have been really long time since I woke up that early to have breakfast. Finished the breakfast at 8.30am and proceeded to check-out from the hotel. I requested for a airport transfer because I am lazy to get into tricycle, get down, go to counter for ticket, then onboard the boat, then get into another tricycle, phew, that's simply too tiring. Crown Regency provided me a good service on airport transfer that they sent me to Caticlan in boat even I was the only passenger in the boat.
The wedding of Tony Zhao & Fish Leong @ Boracay
Before I came to Philippines, I was told that this is a must-go tourist spot. Everyone looks like pretty excited talking about the white beach there. So, even though I know it is gonna be a boring trip to go alone, still I did it. Just for the sake of some memories in Philippines rather than all those stuck-at-home dull stories.Boracay is an island of the Philippines located approximately 315 km (200 miles) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. In 1990, it was voted by the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook as one of the best beaches in the world and again in 1996 by British publication TV Quick as the world's number one tropical beach. The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak (3 of the 17 barangays which make up the municipality of Malay), and is under the administrative control of the Philippine Tourism Authority in coordination with the Provincial Government of Aklan. Boracay is divided into three stations, Station 2 is roughly in the center of the white beach, with Stations 1 and 3 respectively roughly midway to the north and south endpoints.
These are some very useful tourist maps, click to enlarge.
Map 1: Identify where are the three stations, and different beaches
Map 2: Detailed map including all the points of interest, hotels & resorts, bar & restaurants, etc
Initially I was supposed to fly with Cebu Pacific, which I booked online for 1D1N stay package in Boracay. But last minute I thought that it might be too short for a trip, but I wasn't allowed to make any change on the flight itinerary due to the terms and conditions for a tour package. I ended up booked another flight ticket with Philippine Airlines to depart a day earlier, and flew with its partner airline, Air Philippines. Basically, it is about an hour flight to the nearest domestic airport of the island, Caticlan Airport, also known as Godofredo P. Ramos Airport. The runway in this airport is very very short and only propeller planes can land there.It was a Friday morning flight, thus I applied a day leave, as it may not be nice to charge one full day on a domestic flyback travel, and thanks to the assignment manager and line manager who approved it just few days before. Arriving in the noon, the weather in Boracay was just nice, neither too hot nor too cloudy.
Ahhhh... Before I forget, this is the core public transportation in Boracay, tricycle. Rides are inexpensive, usually about 50-100 pesos, and can be found almost everywhere along the main road. It might not be comfortable but it is convenient. :)
Tricycle
Tricycle
There was a tour guide from the tourism association who served me since I stepped out of the airport, this guy helped me to carry my luggage and guided me to the station 2 to look for a hotel for my first night stay. He is super nice and helpful, credits to the tourism association! We walked for around 15 minutes to visit a few hotels and ended up I picked Seabird Hotel as it offered a big room with reasonable price, and also it is located only a minute away from the white beach!
Seabird hotel @ Station 2
Seabird hotel @ Station 2
Seabird hotel @ Station 2
After check-in, I took a real short nap, follow by a real quick shower, then headed to the shopping mall named D'Mall to have my lunch. I was too hungry so I simply grab a quick lunch at a stall that selling BBQ chicken.
D'Mall
After that, I headed to the White Beach to enjoy sunbathing and photoshooting. Stepping on the white beach that many friends of mine are craving for, I must say I am so lucky. That's why even I knew it is gonna be boring to come alone but still I came, I just want to feel lucky! Hahahaha! I know, I am lame! :pIt wasn't too crowded as it is off peak season, since July is a supposed to be a rainy season. Again, lucky me, that there was only about an hour of light rain on the Friday evening throughout the entire trip! No typhoon, no tsunami, lucky me again! Hahaha, I am a bit insane now, so just ignore me.
I actually planned to go to Puka Beach in the afternoon, and then Mt Luho, but I was kinda tired after watching football games for a couple of nites, so in the end, I decided to call it off and move them to the second day. In the end, I did not make it happen also on the second day, no reason, just lazy to travel here and there by myself, somebody please tag me along. *sigh*
White Beach sneak peek
White Beach
White Beach
Willy's Rock
Along White Beach
Sand Castle
Steve Kwok in the castle
White Beach in the dusk
In the night, referring to the map, I was supposed to head to a restaurant recomemnded by Paolo, followed by some drinks in Hey Jude bar opposite the restaurant owned by his friend. Guess what, I walked for 20 minutes trying to find for the restaurant and bar without success, ended up a local resident told me that both the restaurant and bar were closed for renovation, PHEW! Where is the luck!?And because I was too hungry so I simply picked a restaurant by the beach that serves local delights buffet dinner. It costed me about 500 pesos (RM35-40) for the meal. The dinner was not bad, especially the Adobo, freaking nice wuey!
After the dinner, I went bar hopping. I spared about 2 hours hopping among bars and found it was a really boring thing to do, when you're alone. So I decided to call it a day.
On the second day, I got myself transferred to the prebooked hotel at Station 1, the Crown Regency Hotel. Station 1 is where all the well known hotels located. But I still prefer the location of the previous hotel, lower class accomodation though.
Crown Regency Hotel @ Station 1
Crown Regency Hotel @ Station 1
In the morning, I walked around the beach, light shopping at D'Mall, and netsurfing at cybercafe. After lunch, I got a tricycle ride and headed to Crown Regency Hotel. Guess what, I was again given a room with 2 beds, 1 single and 1 queen size, exactly the same size with the one I stayed a nite earlier, no wonder the package came with much more expensive price than usual, now only I realised.After check-in, I decided to follow the itinerary, to visit Balinghai Beach. I took another tricycle ride to the beach. You need to pay in order to get into the beach but then the entrance fee is consumable at the restaurant. Balinghai Beach is freaking small, I guess the pictures below can tell.
Welcome to Balinghai Beach
Balinghai Beach
Balinghai Beach
Balinghai Beach
Fish
Coral
Balinghai Beach
Balinghai Beach
Balinghai Beach
Balinghai Beach
Balinghai beach is located a bit far from the main road, so basically there is no way to get out other than walking for like half an hour to the main road. You can always talk to the receptionist to call for tricycle.I went to a dinner at station 2, then headed back to the hotel. After shower, I quickly bumped in the blanket, was tired. I plan to wake up in the nite and go to a bar nearby to watch the Fifa World Cup game. In the end I woke up late and I felt uncomfortable to go out that late as the street was kinda dark. I ended up had a beer in the hotel room with some chips that I bought earlier in the convenience store.
The next morning I woke up early to check out as I have a flight at 11.30am. Got up at 7am. Have been really long time since I woke up that early to have breakfast. Finished the breakfast at 8.30am and proceeded to check-out from the hotel. I requested for a airport transfer because I am lazy to get into tricycle, get down, go to counter for ticket, then onboard the boat, then get into another tricycle, phew, that's simply too tiring. Crown Regency provided me a good service on airport transfer that they sent me to Caticlan in boat even I was the only passenger in the boat.
Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel
Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel
Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel
Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel
Airport transfer by Crown Regency Hotel
In the flight
Back in Manila
Boracay is definitely a nice place for a weekend trip with friends and family. In this trip, I learnt a lesson, will never travel to a beach alone anymore. The boredom kills!
