Lovin’ the Heat in Boracay

Here is a guide to summer fun!

Zestful Getaways – Thanks to Zest Air. We found the perfect Boracay package without straining our budget. We stayed in Marzon Beach Resort (Station 3). It has a mix of native and contemporary-style accommodation and the beach front is just a few walks away from our room. The tour package we availed includes roundtrip airfare (Manila - Kalibo – Manila), 4 days 3 nights accommodation (additional charges for those who prefer to stay longer), daily set breakfast, and roundtrip transfers from Kalibo - Resort - Kalibo airport via Southwest Tours. You, too, can find the perfect summer getaway deals by visiting Zestair.com or inquire directly in their ticketing office. By the way, at Caticlan port, we paid transportation fee, terminal fee, and environmental fee for a total of PhP 125 per person. So be sure to include several fees in your budget.

click here to check for Zestful Getaway Packages

Beach. Sun. Tan – You can enjoy the pure shores in Boracay from Sations 1, 2, and 3. Take your pick. Whether you want to swim, get tanned, or just walk by the sea, sunblock is a must-have and make sure to get those sunglasses on. And don’t forget to set your cameras!

Fun – Vendors offer services such as tattoo, hair braid, and body massage. We tried the crazy hair braid for PhP 150-200! J Restaurants, bar, and shops are in all places. To shop for souvenirs, go to d’talipapa for cheaper finds than that of d’mall. Must-try refreshments are Jonah’s Fruit Shake (for PhP 110 you can taste just the right blend of fruits) and Gelato ice cream (PhP 100). We also don’t wanna miss sipping a frapp in Starbucks! We pampered ourselves with these great summer activities in the island of Boracay:

• Island Hopping – We found Glass Bottom Boat at Station 2 where we paid PhP 700 per person. We joined the other island hopping enthusiasts the next day. Snorkeling (mask and snorkel provided, plus PhP 20 for the environmental fee), Crystal Cove (with an entrance fee of PhP 200 which is worth the price for the 2 caves you’ll about to explore), Buffet Lunch, and Puka Beach (where you’ll enjoy the waves) all in six hours!

• Reef Walking – We also availed this one in Glass Bottom Boat for PhP 700 per person. This includes a CD for the video and photos. Plus, a speedboat ride to their platform. At 9am we were ready to go, yet we were brought to White Blue at Station 3 and filled up forms. I suggest that you go directly to White Blue so that you’ll pay for the original price (which I think is cheaper than what we paid for). For this underwater escapade, the only skill required is that you should know how to follow instructions. You should be able to remember the sign languages to communicate, what to do to equalize the pressure in the ears, just feed the fishes with bread and not to touch the corals. We were told that because of buoyancy in liquid, the 20-kilo helmet with a hose connected to an oxygen tank we’re gonna wear will weigh for 1 kilo underwater. The instructors guided us in wearing that heavy thing when at shoulder level in the water. Oh and we wore divers shoes to protect our toes. We descend in the ladder and upon reaching the seabed, we had a glimpse of the fishes of various kinds. The magnificent sea creatures started biting the bread on our hands (and our fingers too!) Playing with them and seeing the island at its depth is a great experience!

• ATV/Buggy Ride – We tried this popular ride to trail the land. Again, we went back to Glass Bottom Boat offering this activity for PhP 500 per person. The staff here was kind enough to accommodate us. We headed to Borayd’s via tricycle (the fare was PhP 75). When we arrived at Borayd’s, we were given the preference to choose from ATV or a bug car ride. We picked a bug car for this activity. First stop: Mt. Luho (PhP 50 entrance fee). Here, we saw Boracay Island in topmost view. Next stop is Butterfly Garden in Fairways & Bluewater (PhP 60 entrance fee) where we found only few butterflies and more bats. The one-hour ride was enjoyable!

Other activities in Boracay are watching fire dance, helicopter ride, speed boat rental, zipline, and more. If given the chance, we would love to stay in Boracay for a week (or longer) and try cliff diving, fly fish, parasailing, jet ski, banana boat, scuba diving, and sunset trips.

“Paradise is exactly like where you are right now... only much, much better.”

-Laurie Anderson