Boracay is just an island away from Negros Occidental, the province where I live, but I only got the chance to visit the island resort last November 2003 during our semestral break. It took me 23 years to visit the place! Hahahahahaha…. Though it was not the best time of the year to go there, as November is usually the month for typhoons and inter-tropical convergence zone, and actually, there was a weather report about a typhoon coming, obstinate as I am, my friend and I went to the island.
After a 3-4 hour drive from Kalibo, Aklan, aggravated by a flat tire along the way, we finally arrived at the port going to Boracay. Though it was a little bit cloudy, the sight that greeted us was very serene and calming! Turquoise green waters inviting us to get a dip right away, and the pristine white beach waiting for us to walk on its powdery white sand!
Finding for a place to stay was not that difficult. A kind soul in the
person of a certain Ate Marilyn (?) helped us find a decent place to stay. As it was not the peak season, there were a lot of vacant rooms and cottages, and the prices were not that exorbitant! Would you believe that we got a cottage for only P350.00 per night?! After settling down, we took a walk in the beach and looked for a place to eat. As we were on a tight budget (as usual!) we headed off to the back of the Talipapa where affordable yet delicious food can be found. We came across Tita Bots Café, the only air conditioned eatery in the area where you can eat a decent meal for P30.00, and another food stall that serve sizzling pork, fish, and beef for P50.00.
Boracay is just buzzing of activity (well, if you want the island all to yourself, go there in November just like we did!). Diving schools were all over the place. Nightlife is also pretty much alive (but not during off-peak months!) There were also a good number of restaurants catering to your specific craving. But if your adventurous self is at play, try those stalls at the talipapa serving Pinoy seafood meals. I really find it amusing that my endless stomach got filled up at these stalls than in the eat-all-you-can restaurants near the beach!
Do not get me wrong, but I love the beach more than mountains and forests. The sound of the waves somehow calms my tired nerves and the blue sea somehow conveys a peaceful feeling. However, I realized in Boracay that I am not a beach lover. For one, my friend and I were walking and strolling most of the time, while the beach lovers would do some water sports. What’s more telling is that, we only swam for 20-30 minutes twice during our entire 4 day stay there!
So, you might be asking me, what we were doing there in the island paradise.. Well, we tried snorkeling (and realized that we were afraid of fishes and being aware that we were swimming just inches away from them!), we hiked to the highest peak in the island (where tourists would ride the tricycle to go there), and explored the whole island by foot.
