Rediscover Paradise…Boracay, Philippines
Boracay is a small highland located in the central of the Philippines, known for its beaches, resorts, restaurants, seafood grilling, great parties/nightlife, water sports like stand up paddle, kite surfing, diverse marine life and the amazing scenery.
It was around June 2016, my friend Angela and I had just graduated with a Law Degree from the University of California and we decided to go on vacation. We spent weeks thinking of the perfect place for our vacation that will totally be worth it, Angela said her boyfriend’s brother Mack who has a Tech Company in Manila; the capital City of the Philippines had told of a beautiful highland Boracay that is located not so far from where he lived. He said it was the most beautiful beach he had ever visited, this is someone who had been to no less than 46 Countries as at then. I always thought of it as overrated, always wondered what was so special about this so-called beautiful Island.
Anytime it came up I always wrote it off, I felt it would be overcrowded, with overrated hotels and meals, I thought I would find a so-called tropical paradise that was transformed to a busy town. I didn’t even care to make much research on it, not until one day I was on Instagram when I saw a picture on a travel page I was following, trip advisor. I immediately loved the scenery so I clicked to view it properly and check details, behold it was the white beach in Boracay. At this point I was very much interested in getting to see more, I researched about the place, the activities went through more and more pictures, I just couldn’t stop.
I told my friend about my discovery and we started planning and set our journey for the 28th of August. We were set to spend 11 days in the Philippines, the tourism Agency which we used set up a travel plan for us, lining up the major cities and destinations for us, we visited some neighboring highlands and places, took trips to the major cities, resorts, falls etc. But the major highlight of our journey was when it was time for to go to Boracay, we were so excited. We took a ferry to the highland and then took a small boat out to the famous white sand beach.
On coming down from the boat when we arrived the beach, I tripped and fell, when I was helped up by this tall, dark handsome gentleman who happens to be my boyfriend now. He is a Marine and was on vacation with his friends and just like us it was their first time there, so we just bonded and together went in looking for a nice hotel to settle in for the night, got our various rooms and we both exchanged contacts before going in to rest. One of the most beautiful things I loved about the place was the attitude of the locals, they were always very welcoming with a big smile. This taught me that the beauty of the country isn’t only in nature, but the people who live there and the wonderful smile they always gave us.
What to do in Boracay
A destination for lovers of nature, water sports, and amazing nightlife. Boracay unlike other destinations has activities for all tastes and ages. From sunbathing on the white sand beach, to water sports like kite surfing, stand up paddle, scuba diving, snorkeling, canyoneering and lots more. There’s absolutely no chance for you to get bored there, you need to turn your head and be inspired by the beautiful scenery.
The White Beach is where the action happens, most hotels, restaurants, and bars are located there. You will find companies offering diverse menus of things you can do, stop by and schedule your activities and just be fun with it!
 Island Boat Trip and Snorkeling
Prepare some fruits, water, and your snorkel gear and go on a days trip around the Island. You can find a better way to explore the different Islands. You can hire a private boat at the beach, a days service usually costs about 75 USD, which included snorkel gear, lunch at one of the local restaurants and 8 stops for diving and swimming. The marine life is so gorgeous, many fishes, corals, and crystal clear water.
Learn Stand Up Paddle
Its never too late to learn something new. This state is coming from me, someone who was never good in any outdoor activities, talk more of water sport. But I fell in love with stand up paddle, we had rented boards at the beach for 11 USD, though it was quite difficult for me at first, but I later got the hold of it, suddenly I was on my two feet standing on the board and paddling.
 Dive in Boracay
The crystal clear water is just right for diving. You will find many dive schools on the white beach offering dive courses. I must say you should check the background and information of the one you choose, cause in diving safety is a thing of utmost concern.
 Kite Surf Paradise of Boracay – Bulabog Beach
If you are someone who loves adrenaline boost and the wind blowing on your face then this is for sure your thing. You will go across from White beach to Bulabog Beach is not more than 15 minutes if you walk. You will find nice people, really cool atmosphere and a paradise of colored kites.
 Sunset in Boracay
The most beautiful spectacle; Boracay has one of, if not the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. Every day at about 5:05 pm, we suspend any other activities just to walk down to the beach, sit and enjoy the amazing view.
It begins with an orange sun, clouds blushed in pink and the sea changes between turquoise and silver. Everyone comes down to the beach at this time because no one wants to miss this magical moment. Throughout our stay on the highland, we did it for each day and that was one of the best feelings ever.
 Night Life in Boracay
After the sun sets, tourists from around the world come together at the white beach for some music, drinks, and dancing.
Boracay is a very touristic destination, but expensive compared to other small and not well-known destinations in the Philippines. However, it is a paradise that you can never get enough of, it was so sad when our vacation came to an end and we had to head back home, I still wanted more. Boracay was much more than I expected and I plan to return back soon, hopefully, to spend much longer this time around.
