Aikadventure: The Boracay 2016 Excapade

how to go to Boracay Island

I am thrill for I am now launching my official hashtag Aikadventure! *yey! I will be using this to all my travel adventures.

Okay, so just recently, I, together with my man went to Boracay Island. This is our first travel adventure for the year 2016! I have pre-booked our flight to Kalibo since last year when I heard about the promo fares of Air Asia. The 3 days 2 nights stay for two only costs 438 pesos when I booked! In doubt? Take a look at details of my flight below.

A lot has booked already when I checked Air Asia’s site so I just booked the 5:35 pm flight going to Kalibo which is the earliest left. Still a good thing that I have secured 2 spots before all went sold out!

Now here we go with the adventure!

NAIA Terminal 4

Note: All domestic flights (to and from) of Air Asia are operating at NAIA Terminal 4. From Valenzuela City, you can ride a bus going to MRT Taft Station. Cross the MRT bridge and look for the terminal where jeepneys bound Baclaran are located. Ride a jeep and tell them to drop you at Petron. Just cross the street and walk towards NAIA T4.

During my business trips as an Information Systems Specialist of Robinsons Retail Holdings, I am very much aware of delayed flights. But I am not ready for a more than 4 hours delayed flight that day. *sigh

Quick Guide: Manila to Boracay

We finally boarded the plane by 9:20 pm. I am already tired and hungry so thank goodness the Air Asia management provided free meals. The travel from NAIA T4 to Kalibo International Airport will usually take 45 minutes but for times with air traffic, it will be prolonged. Upon arrival at Kalibo Airport (10:30pm), locals are already waiting outside to offer van service which costs 250 pesos per head (usually 200 pesos if you arrive in the morning till afternoon). You have to take a van for you to be able to reach Caticlan Jetty Port. Travel time is an hour and 30 minutes. When we reached Caticlan Jetty Port, we paid for the Terminal Fee (100 pesos) and Environmental Fee (75 pesos). You also have to sign a form and give your name to the security guard so you can reserve a slot for the boat ride.

It was like *doomsday*.  It was so hot and we were held outside the pre-departure area. The security guard told us that there is only one boat taking tourist to the island. We were there past 12 midnight and there’s just few of us by that time. Few minutes passed, group of foreign tourists who availed a travel tour package of Southwest tours arrived. They were taken to where the boat is located. First batch (50 pax per batch), 2nd batch, 3rd batch until sixth (all came later than us) were catered first! I have not heard my name being called or any of us not part of the Southwest tour package. We had our name listed and we have not rode the boat!

3:00 am – As I am so tired already, I got so frustrated and pissed. I went to the security guard and confronted him. He said the group has a private boat which I did not buy because (1) no name were called from us not part of the Southwest tours. (2) If there is atleast one boat, someone should have been called. (3) whenever batches of those tourist were taken to the departure area, the security guard is nowhere to be found. Others went pissed also and confronted him and that’s the time he let us in. Of course, we still waited at the departure area. We finally get to ride a boat by 3:30 pm and arrived at Cagban Port by 3:45 am.

From Cagban Port, we hailed a tricycle which took us to the hotel. The ride costs 100 pesos.

Time Check: 4:07 am – time to sleep

It is really advisable to pre-book hotels. I used Travel Book for my reservation at The Sun Garden Hilltop Resort located at Station 3. For my Feb 9 to 11 stay, I paid 3,427.20 pesos  (discounted rate) which included free breakfast for 2 pax.

The Sun Garden Hilltop Resort

Standard Room has 2 beds

Cute bed, isn’t it?

The bathroom with hot shower

Clothing and Towel Rack

Flat Screen TV and Aircon

Very accomodating receptionist

Me and my man woke up by 7:30 am a little hungry so we asked for the free breakfast. The Sun Garden Hilltop resort is located at Station 3. They offer a very hearty breakfast. I had corned beef paired with egg and fried rice and my boyfriend enjoyed his tocilog meal. Fruits and drinks area also served free. 🙂

After breakfast, we took a quick bath and headed to the beach.

The hotel name says it all, it is located on a hill so we have to climb down the stairs going to the beach. Going to the beach takes 5 to 10 minute walk but if you would be going to the Station 2 and 1 were most of the tourists are, it would take 15 to 30 minutes.

Boracay is a small island in the Philippines located approximately 315 km (196 mi) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.

it is low tide so i was able to sit like this even if i am already from far the shore.

The weather is good for a swim so we enjoyed the dose of vitamin sea…

What’s a vacation without souvenirs? Yes! We went to D Talipapa and other stores in Boracay for our souvenir hunt.

this place is different from D Talipapa which is the place famous for cheap souvenir finds.

Bracelets | 14 pcs for 100 pesos

Ref magnets ranging from 50 pesos to 100 pesos each

Arts, Crafts and Bags

Printed Sandos | 2 for 170 pesos

Key Chains (free name printing) | 8 for 100 pesos

We went back to the hotel before lunch and took a shower. I decided to take a nap too for an hour. Zzzzzz

12:30nn – Because we wanted to be “matipid’, we just walked along the beach (you may also take a tricycle and pay 10 pesos per person) going to D Mall. We decided to have our lunch at D Mall.  It took us more or less 40 minutes but with the good view of the beach, we didn’t get tired walking. We dined at Ole Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurant and ordered a serving for sharing of Sinigang na Hipon with rice (180 pesos) and additional 2 cups of rice. Me and my boyrfriend loves mangoes so when we saw Mango Halo of Halowich,, with no doubt, we lined up together with the crazy-for-ice cream tourists. And it didn’t disappointed us – sobrang sarap!

We went swimming again until afternoon and went back to the hotel before 6 pm. 🙂

Ray Gun! hahaha

We strolled D Talipapa that night and looked for few more souvenir items. There is a Mang Inasal branch also located so we had our dinner there.

Wallet | 5 for 100 pesos

We hailed a tricycle going back to the hotel. Again, the fare is just 10 pesos per person.  Whole day of adventure is done so it’s time to sleep.

Another bountiful breakfast courtesy of The Sun Garden Hilltop Resort

Our flight back to Manila was originally scheduled 12:4o pm, however, I received an email and a text message notification from Air Asia the previous night (Feb 10th) that the flight was rescheduled due to operational requirements. The new departure time became 3:20 pm. I actually loved it because it means there is more time for swimming and strolling!

Taho is being sold 25 pesos

The sea water is filled with algaes. According to the locals, it was because of the strong waves.

Quick Guide: Boracay to Manila

Check out time at the hotel is 11:00 am, we left then by that time and took a tricycle to Caticlan Port. Upon arrival at the Port we were offered a boat + van ride for only 200 pesos.  The boat will take you to Caticlan Jetty Port and the van to Kalibo International Airport. You will be given a sticker and two tickets, one for the van and for the boat. Pay for  the 1oo pesos terminal fee Cagban Jetty Port.

When we got at Caticlan Jetty Port, we didn’t had a hard time looking for the van service. It has a big signage.

We got at Kalibo International Airport passed 2 pm. We paid for the terminal fee which is 200 pesos each person.  Had our lunch at a near karinderya and waited for boarding.

Time to go home…

The Boracay Island is such an exquisite place. It was our first time to go there. We love having adventures together. We had a fair share of bad and good experiences during the trip but I will settle to keep the good ones.

Our trip is our pre-valentine celebration and our post 5th anniversary celebration, too! ❤

“I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson

 

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boracay