Boracay, Day 3 Water Sports Galore!!!!

Our third day at Boracay was the most exciting! We all decided to have some fun on the water. Banana boating, parasailing and helmet diving were on our agenda.

Boatmen or adventure salesmen will approach you on the beach to offer such exciting adventures for the day. Never pay what they are asking for, haggle, haggle, haggle. You get a better deal when you're with a large group. Always look for an accredited guide. Your water adventure usually starts at the end of station 1 or 3 where the boats are docked. A van is usually provided to take you there.

Just a few reminders, do not bring expensive camera equipment with you, it will just get damaged by the salt water. Wear sunblock, remove all jewelries and never forget to take your Bonamine (hubby got terribly sea sick!). Waterproof all your things and secure them well on the boat/raft. It is best to bring only your barest essentials.

The speedboat ride was both fun and scary. The water was very choppy that day. JJ got scared at first but eventually loved it as soon as we started speeding up.





The banana boat was super fun. The boat was surprisingly stable. The government prohibits turning over of banana boats so, you'll be quite safe. However, everyone is advised to hold on tight and wear protective gear. I would definitely do this again. This was JJ's favorite :-) For a 15 minute boat ride, we paid just P200 per head (US$4).

Next up was the helmet diving adventure. You breathe in trapped air from your helmet. This is quite safe and kids 6 years and older are allowed do it. Our little Rama even did this twice! If you haven't dived before, you will be freaked out a little bit because the water is about 20-25 feet deep and your ears will hurt just a tad due to the water pressure. Don't panic, you will not die nor suffocate. Two drivers are always on hand to assist you and can bring you up to the surface anytime that you want. Air is constantly pumped on your helmet to make sure you never run out of oxygen. This is a fun experience for both kids and adults. Feeding the fish with bread is so much fun. We paid P700 per head (US$14) for a 20 minute dive. The site allocated for this activity was not the best but a lot of little fish still showed up for the unlimited bread buffet :-)

This is me and hubby underwater. Yes, hubby wore a shirt, no idea why ;-)


My brother Jacob and his wife Angel:


Next up was the parasailing. This is the most daring adventure that I've ever been to. The water was very choppy and it was very windy. Me and my sister-in-law Angel flew together and got very scared after a few minutes on the air. Despite being scared, it was fun seeing the island from that vantage point. If you're afraid of heights, this is the best way to conquer it! I made it! Hubby was too sea sick to go, sayang :-( This adventure is quite pricey. Be prepared to shell out P1,300 per head (US$26). Not too bad really when you think about it. I mean how often will you fly on the air overlooking such a pristine beach, right?




(this photo was taken earlier in the day before hubby got sick)

The whole adventure took about three hours to complete due to the many transfers and waiting for the wind to settle a bit.

After our adventure, we set off to d'mall to get some grub. I forgot the name of the inasal place that we went to, probably because the food wasn't so great.





After our meal, hubby decided to take the afternoon off and rest. Meanwhile, my mom and I went to the deli store, Heidiland, to buy some sea salt (how appropriate, eh?) You'll be surprised with the amout of inventory that they have in that place. I guess having a lot of multi national tourists in the area keep them in business.

My mom was very eager to treat us for dessert. Her choice was Crzy Crepes located within d'mall. I must admit their crepes were good and the fruits are very fresh. Crepes go from P80 to P200 depending on the flavors/variants that you will order. They're well worth the price. Their servings are generous. I couldn't finish mine!

Here's my brother Jacob and Ashley, choosing from a wide array of flavors.






After all that dessert, we wandered around the area to burn some of it off and my nephew JJ wanted to climb d'wall. A rock climbing wall that's about 30 feet high. He was very eager to climb. He managed to get halfway (he's only 5 years old) but climbed twice to brag to his dad.





Dinner was at a Mongolian Buffet along the beach. The food wasn't that great but the place was right at the beach. It makes for an interesting dinner.


Hubby was compelled to eat somewhere else after that. We settled back to Lemon Cafe again for some goat's cheese salad.


For our nightcap, the whole family (kids and all) went to Discovery Shores, located at Station 1, it is the swankiest hotel in the island. The architecture is simply magnificent and very modern tropical (reminds me of LP, but on a much larger scale). The bar in the hotel serves really really good cocktails. Bar nuts and chips are free and unlimited. The kids were even given some toys to play with while the adults are drinking the night away :-)





What a fun day!

Boracay, Day 2 Quintessential Boracay Experience

UPDATE November 14, 2009: I found out that if you Google my name, this page will come out :-) Please check out the newer entries in my blog to see what's happening with me and hubby, our families and friends.

We've made a few changes in our lifestyle and I'd like to think it's for the better.

Thanks for dropping by.

Leica




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Day 2, the sun was up, perfect time to put on my sublock and explore the island. I personally prefer exploring it on foot because it provides more time for exploration.

I've been to Boracay a total of three times. The first two were because of work. This time, it was a real vacation. Hubby and I decided to explore station 2 and 3 during our early morning walk. The weather was perfect, sunny yet still a bit cloudy. I vowed to myself that on this vacation I will walk the the 12 km beach from tip to tip.

Boracay Regency provides a wide array of breakfast. Breakfast comes free when you check in. Here's Ashley enjoying the day's selection of breads.



The day was too perfect to waste. Hubby and I had such a nice time walking. We posed for some pictures. You can see why Boracay is so famous. Look at that white sand!













Whew, all that walking made hubby hungry. We stopped by for some ice cream at Fruits in Cream located at The Sands Hotel. I even posed by the snadcastle. A must when you're in Boracay. It's a sure sign that you're a tourist :-)





If you get tired from walking, like we did, just go behind any of the hotels or restaurants, there is a road that spans the entire beach, you can take a tricycle anywhere in the island. Special trip costs P60.00, a bit steep, like taking a taxi around Makati but hey, people there has to make a living. The tricycle drivers are friendly and most often than not, give you some tidbits about the island.

For lunch, the family had lunch at Attica. There's no sign on the restaurant. It's where Bazurra bar used to be. The pizza's good. Ashley couldn't seem to get enough of their spaghetti. I swear, that kid can eat anything!





For dessert, hubby and I made our way to I Lemon Cafe, located at d' Mall. We had chocolate truffle cake, mango overload, chocolate chip cookie, mango oatmeal cookie and a lemon mojito. Yum! I heart desserts! I love love the mango aotmeal cookie. Try it!




The rest of the afternoon is spent strolling, swimming and napping.





After such a "busy" day, cocktails at Hey Jude! seemed appropriate. They mix some mean cocktails! While walking on the beach, our group went to another bar named Jony's along station one, just to try it out. Their beer is quite reasonable and staff is very friendly.



Dinner time finally rolls over. We had some seafood grilled at Paradiso Grill. You buy fresh seafood from them and have them cooked any way you want it (within reason of course). The prawns are really fresh, and really huge. The food went really fast!





After dinner, hubby, my brother and myself went to Jonah's shakes for a nightcap :-)Your Boracay trip will never ever be complete without trying Jonah's shakes. You just gotta. It's mandated by some Boracay tourism law or something. In fairness, the shakes are really fresh and really good. I had the strawberry mango milkshake. Yummy.



The tide was coming in and the Jonah's shack (yes, it's just a shack) and is slowly getting wet, we moved to a nearby nameless hole in the wall bar (literally) and had a couple of beers while destroying our arteries with Chori Burger. Now, how come the chori burger tasted better last time I was there? Hmmmm...



Let's see...quintessential Boracay experience so far?
Floral shorts...............check!
Hey Jude cocktails..........check!
Aria........................check!
Jonah's shakes..............check!
Chori burger................check!
Posing by the sandcastles...check!

Wait, there's more on the list...hennah tatoo...braids...getting drunk....swimming....snorkeling...diving....

Eeeek! I need a week!

Boracay.............Bliss.....

Boracay Island is one of the Philippines' best beaches. It is renowned for it's powdery white beaches, friendly people and world class hotels and hearty grubs found in every corner of the island. Despite the island's blatant commercialization, the island still retains it's provincial and island feel. The best places to eat there are usually found in makeshift huts located in some hole in the wall, tucked in an eskinita (teenie, tiny streets).


Flight from Manila usually takes 45 minutes and then followed by a 20-minute boat ride. Major local airlines provide daily flights almost every half hour. Airfare is quite reasonable, Caticlan airport is the nearest to the island.



Hotel accommodations range from the ultra cheap (US$50/night) to the ultra chic (US$500+/night). The island is comprised of three stations, formerly based on the boat docking stations. The boats are now stationed on the sides of the cove, to allow for people to enjoy the water more. Station one is the posh area, wherein the biggest and the most expensive resorts are located, a quiet part of Boracay. Station 2 is a classy area where some of the best restaurants can be found and station 3, the most down to earth of the area and the most notoriously fun :-) he he he.
If you are vacationing in Boracay, I suggest you take refuge in Boracay Regency. It's located at Station 2 where you are in the middle of all the action. Go left, happy party place, go right, tranquility. The hotel is posh enough for the snootiest of people yet affordable enough for most bean counters. The best part is that the hotel has it's own private boat and dock, very convenient and hassle free. The staff is very friendly and accommodating.

Our first day was marred with rain, but it wasn't enough to dampen our spirits. My mom and I took a quick stroll as soon as we arrived. We fortified ourselves with some mango French Toasts from Real Coffee and Tea Cafe owned by Nadine, an American from California. She's a very funny and entertaining lady. Her specialty is Calamansi muffins. It was unfortunate that the muffins were still baking when we arrived.







For lunch, my entire family converged to Christina Cafe located at Boracay Regency. Due to the rain, we opted to dine indoors. The food was ok, their roasted red bell pepper soup was great though.









Even if it rains in Boracay, your day won't be too wasted. We spent the whole afternoon napping in our very comfy rooms. The sound of the rain only made our nap more enjoyable. After all, it's a holiday! You're supposed to take it easy :-)

After such a long nap, our tummies were grumbling. Hubby and I make a beeline to Aria, the most famous Italian Restaurant in the island. The restaurant comes highly recommended by a friend of mine. We ordered the pizza, four ways, four flavors in one pie! Seafood, parma ham, ham and mushrooms and anchovies and cheese. The pizza really goes well with a cold bottle of San Mig Light.



After such a fortifying meal, hubby and I made our way to explore D'Mall. Yes, a mini mall located right smack in the middle of the island. You can find many items there. You must buy your quintessential Boracay floral shorts or shirt and D'mall is just one of the places where you can get them. Although, the old talipapa, located at Station 3 provides a much better bargain.

For dinner, the rain finally stopped and we were able to get out of the hotel and dine at Hawaiian Barbecue, located at Station 1. Don't be fooled by its simplistic and rustic decor, they have one of the best barbecue ribs that I've ever tasted! Each order of ribs is enough to feed three hungry men! My mom's favorite is the Sizzling Tawilis.





I suggest you get a dinner reservation when you plan to dine there. The place is quite small and it fills up really fast. For reservations, you may call (+6336)260-22-46.

The best part about Boracay, at least for me, is taking long walks after dinner. The air is so clean, the sand on your feet is so soft. I love walking hand in hand on the beach with hubby. Day or night, Boracay is ideal for walking.

Christmas Day

Now, Christmas day celebrations in my family is a more boisterous affair despite the fact that three of my pamankins are MIA and are now living in Canada.

Hubby and I took quite a few photos. Here they are:

Christmas Eve Celebrations with Hubby's Family

Whew what a long and busy Christmas vacation! Took this long to post my first blog after all the festivities.

Since getting married, hubby and I divide out time between two families for the holidays. Hubby’s family always get the Christmas eve Noche Buena where his family and I gorge on food at the stroke of midnight. Here are some pictures of us in hubby’s family home:

Happy New Year

Happy new year everyone!

XOXO

Leica & Hubby