I'll be back, Boracay ♥

Summer is definitely in the air (read: intense heat). Another proof of this is the late sunsets and early sunrises we have recently - this actually gives me a good mood when I'm on my way home from work. It makes me feel like I'm going home earlier than usual. Hihi :))


Plus, other people are starting to post summer getaway photos and blogs on FB (read: inggit ako).


... And to go along with the trend, my first travel post is going to be about BORACAY ♥ 

Boracay's ever-famous, White Beach!

Being in the beach is my definition of THE perfect life. :) I just love being in beaches, may it be to swim, sunbathe, build sandcastles, snorkle, or just plain lounging around and feeling the warm sun & cool breeze on my face. 

Boracay's White Beach Strip is one of my favorite beaches  here in the Philippines. It's where the famous Boracay powdery white sand can be found (Yes, the sand which is usually bottled up and brought home as a souvenir - this cannot be done now, by the way). What's Boracay without it, right?!

This is definitely a place that MUST be seen and a place to be seen also. The famous white sands and the sparkling blue-green water never fail to attract many famous Filipino personalities, especially during summer.

It feels like powder, I tell ya! 

For those of you who haven't been to Boracay yet, feast your eyes on this powdery and silky piece of heaven! ♥ 


I've been to a lot of beaches in the Philippines and I have yet to feel sand that's as smooth and as white as this. So to my dear fellow Filipino travelers and tourists, although the security in this beach is now stricter when it comes to trash, please do your part. Stop getting bulks of 'take-home' sand. Do a little exercise and walk to the nearest trash can for your little candy wrappers, bottle caps, beer and water bottles. And also, love Boracay. This would make it much easier to take care of this island. ;) 

How to get to Boracay

From Manila, your airplane can land in the nearest province, Caticlan. If you land here, though, the planes you'll be riding on are a lot smaller, which would be very uncomfortable for those who are afraid of airplanes. You can also land in Kalibo, but you'd have to ride a van or a bus for 2 hours to reach Caticlan. 

The Jetty Port

For those of you who are afraid of the water and small boats, I'm sorry to say that riding these boats (or bangka in Filipino) is inevitable. Don't worry, though, I can say that these are safe. I've been to Boracay more than 5 times and I've never been in a boat accident (THANK GOD).

Actually, my first time in Boracay was in the summer of 2003. During that time, there wasn't any ports whatsoever. The first things that would touch your feet are the pristine water and the white sand! I actually had to roll up my pants and remove my sneakers just to get to shore. The boats would drop off passengers at stations one, two, or three, depending on the location of their hotels.

However, now, with commercialization and all the tourists coming in, Boracay has built a port at the end of the island. The tourists now would have to ride a van or a tricycle to get to their hotels. 

The old station names remained, though, as names for the different types of places on the strip:Station One for the hushed, calm and expensive hotels; Station Two for the cocktails, restaurants and the stores; and Station Three for the market and budget hotels.

The Other Face of Boracay

The other side of the famous White Beach is not as white. There are seaweeds scattered about and sea urchins all around but it doesn't mean that it isn't as amazing as the world-famous beach. In fact, Bulabog Beach is where the REAL action is!

Bulabog Beach

Kite boarding, wind surfing, and all the other extreme water sports happen here. It’s probably because of the strong winds and waves that frequent this part of Boracay. The last time I was here, I actually tried to learn wind surfing! Unfortunately, I spent more time face down in the water than up against the strong winds. HAHA:)) 

Puffer Fish found at Bulabog Beach!

If water sports isn't really your thing, just wait for the EXTREMELY low tide in this part of the island. My cousins and I love to explore the seaweeds during low tide. Various colorful little fishes, starfishes of all shapes and sizes, and an abundant number of hermit crabs are found here. In fact, the last time we were in Bulabog, we actually found a puffer fish!

Bulabog beach is a lot quieter and less developed than the other side. The people here are usually just the thrill seekers and the locals who live along the shore. Only a few resort owners opt to put up their establishments here. Luckily, the resort we usually stay in is on this side - Laguna de Boracay. :) We just travel to the White Beach when we want to mingle with the crowd.

It actually feels so quiet and isolated sometimes that it feels like it’s our own private paradise within a paradise. :)

Boracay's Architecture

No, I'm not talking about the buildings and resorts in this island. This is about the tiny sandcastles dotting the White Beach - indeed, a beach isn't complete without sandcastles. True enough, Boracay has the most majestic sandcastles I've ever seen!

The locals start their construction in the morning and they usually end late in the afternoon. When it starts to get darker, you’ll be surprised that the castles are actually built complete with candles or little lights inside! Making them more magical and pretty. :) During the night, however, with the tide and the animals (stray dogs, cats, etc) lurking around, the castles get destroyed and they start new ones come morning. 

Tourists have to remember to be generous, though. These locals aren’t doing these castles just for their pastime. They put empty tin cans or bottles beside their creations for donations. These sandcastles generate income for them, and thanks to the large invasion of other Filipinos and tourists during the summer, I found out that some of these sandcastles actually earn as much as P2,500 (or around $56)  a day! Not bad! :) 

Recently, though, due to the government’s efforts to preserve the island, they decided to ban this activity. So the White beach is now sandcastle-free. Read more about it here.

Fashion Finds in Boracay

Aside from the usual bikinis, tankinis, and Speedos, Boracay’s most famous kind of fashion is probably the henna tattoo and hair braiding. Everyone, and I really mean EVERYONE (young and old alike) who has been in Boracay has most likely tried having henna tattoos or hair braids one time or another. 

I’ve seen dragons (the most popular for guys), geckos, stars, Chinese/Japanese character, tribal designs, and a lot more. There are even a few henna ‘parlors’ that offer colorful glitter tattoos for the little children to fit in also. haha:) 

My latest tattoo design :)

The first one I got was a butterfly on my right shoulder, the second one was a dolphin on the exact same place, the third one was a star with artsy lines and swirls on my lower back, and the fourth one was a butterfly again on my shoulder and my boyfriend’s name on my wrist. (Note: I didn’t get all of these at the same time. HAHA. They were four separate summers) My favorite part about henna tattoos is that it’s temporary. It comes off around a week or two, just when you start to grow tired of the design and you realize that it looks stupid and out of place when worn in the city. :p

The FUN doesn't stop when the sun sets

Boracay’s nightlife on the White beach is just AWESOME (especially during summer). The innocent restaurants selling hotdogs, burgers, and fries during the day actually transorm into clubs at night, complete with strobe lights and DJs. Instead of sunblock and juice, people walk around the beach holding cocktails, beers, and cigarettes. The whole strip transforms into a strip of clubs and bars where tourists can actually bar hop with ease. Bar hopping along the strip is a must as the different restaurants offer different kinds of night life - jazz, caribbean music, live bands, rave, techno, R&B, etc, etc, etc. 

Boracay's White Beach at night

… Are you worrying about leaving your children in the hotel room? DON’T! Bring them along! There are a lot of peddlers selling flying toys with lights and thingamabobs. Boracay’s nightlife is for singles and families alike - making your vacation fun for everyone. :) 

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There are still A LOT more stuff I want to share about Boracay but this post might turn into novel-like proportions. :)) So just remember to do these other activities for a fun-filled BORACAY vacation:

• Island Hopping - MUST DO
• Snorkeling
• Ride a sailboat during sunset - the cheapest and most relaxing thing you could ever do in Boracay 
• Helmet Diving
• Ride a banana boat with friends

See more photos in my tumblr site: fyeahtravelling.tumblr.com

I definitely want to keep coming back to this wonderful place - the place where I spent four random summers with my family, four random summers and counting. ♥♥♥

♥ Anna