I am so going back to Boracay! Back from a most wonderful of breaks to what is Travel + Leisure Magazine World’s Best Island destination of 2012 and in my books the best beach destination I have until now visited, there certainly isn’t anything that is going to get in the way of me going back there.
White Beach Boracay – where much of the action takes place. Boracay was named as Travel + Leisure Magazine’s Best Beach destination for 2012.
Boracay, an island which lies off the north western tip of Panay, a larger land mass south of Manila, is certainly blessed much to marvel at. With its many coves lined with white sandy palm fringed beaches, and some adorned with coastal rock formations, the already beautiful views in and around the island are made even more picture postcard like by the wonderfully clear emerald blue waters which surround the island – any photograph of it must certainly entice anyone looking at it to want to head straight to Boracay!
Puka Beach, Boracay.
My visit to Boracay, which must count as a godsend, was possible through Tigerair Philippines and the Philippine Department of Tourism, who generously sponsored the trip together with nine other bloggers. While the company of the group of fun-loving bloggers did make the trip even more enjoyable, it was in discovering what Boracay did have to offer that was to leave the greatest impressions. And, I must say that Boracay does have a lot more to it than just lazing by its white sands, sipping a drink under a parasol whilst listening to the gentle lapping of its gorgeous blue waters.
A paraw off White Beach.
The trip did begin with much fanfare – not so much for the delusions some bloggers did have about the fame that followed them, but because it was done in conjunction with Tigerair Philippines inaugural flight from Singapore to Kalibo on 18 July 2013. The flight was certainly one which carried a lot of significance, as with Tigerair flying to what is the gateway to Boracay three times a week from Singapore, the island paradise of Boracay, is as I was told, only “a hop, skip and jump” away. This does make it a lot more convenient getting to the island, and no longer would it be necessary for a transit through either Cebu or Manila, which does save up to 5 hours of travel time which even with must surely still be worth the while getting to Boracay.
At the gate before the inaugural flight: Tigerair Philippines VP for Commercial Joey Laurente (left in a barong) cuts the ribbon together with Lim ChingKiat, Changi Airport Group SVP for Market Development. Witnessing the event is Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Minda Cruz.
Flying over Kalibo.
Welcoming the passengers at Kalibo – Mardi Gras style dancers.
All through the 5 day, 4 night trip which involved three full days of fun on the island, it did seem like all the bloggers wanted to do was to take hopping, skipping and jumping almost literally. We were hopping onto tricycle cabs, onto horses, boats and segways; skipping along its beaches, down hillsides and into some of the gorgeous resort properties the island has to offer, and jumping off everywhere – from its many beaches and even from a cliff! And, who could really blame us!
Hopping on a paraw for a sunset cruise.
A Ninja Girl jump at Crystal Cove Island.
Christina jumping into the inviting crystal clear blue waters.
William jumping off a cliff.
Skipping along Puka Beach.
It wasn’t however the hopping, skipping and jumping that was for me the best part of the trip, nor was it as some might think being in the company of some really gorgeous bloggers, but just being there to immerse myself in the island’s immense beauty, which seemed to leap out at me at every corner in. It is for this that I am determined to head right back.
A huge jump for joy at Puka Beach.
Of the many beautiful spots, two places did leave a huge impression on me. The first we were to visit, the remote (and much less visited) and very picturesque Puka Beach, lies at the northern tip of the island. Named after the puka shells which are found there and which does make its sands a little coarser, it is in fact on CNN’s list of the 100 best beaches in the world (see #84). The best way to approach the beach is by boat – so as to be able to take what is a remarkable view you do get of it on the approach from the sea. The beach was where in fact a lot of the jumping took place. I did jump too – straight into its inviting blue waters.
More jumping at Puka Beach.
The approach to Puka Beach.
A view of Puka Beach from the sea.
Puka Beach.
More of Puka Beach.
A view of the beach.
The second spot I was very much taken by, is one we did have to skip down a hillside on a zipline for, overlooking the very aptly named “Paradise Cove”. The spot is one located within the 150 hectare Fairways & Bluewater Resort located at the Northeastern part of the island. The resort, besides having an 18 hole golf course – the only course on the island, does offer accommodation as well as a host of other activities including the zipline, as well as horseback riding, riding on a segway, a cruise around Paradise Cove on a glass bottom boat, amongst other things.
Valyn attempting to jump fully clothed at Fairways and Bluewater Resort.
Skipping down a zipline at Fairways and Bluewater.
A super gorgeous view of the exclusive coves at Fairways and Bluewater.
Paradise Cove.
The beauty of the island is one I certainly can never get enough of and it is for this and having found a piece of paradise on the island, that does have me wishing I didn’t have, as I mentioned to a few in Boracay, to ever go back. But since I did have to, it does make me want to get back at the earliest possible instance!
Perhaps why Paradise Cove did seem like paradise.
About Tigerair Philippines Singapore to Kalibo route:
Tigerair Philippines flies direct from Singapore to Kalibo three times a week on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays (from 16 August to 25 October 2013, this will be extended to four weekly flights, on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday). The flight which takes some 3 hours and 40 minutes bring passengers to the fiesta capital Kalibo, which is two hours by road to Caticlan Port at the northern tip of the island of Panay, from which all it takes is a 15 minute boat ride over to Boracay.
Passengers booking the flight can arrange for a transfer to Boracay through the Tiger Transfer program which has been initiated by Tigerair Philippines initiated. By paying a nominal fee of 500 pesos or its currency equivalent, tourists landing in Kalibo can conveniently get to Boracay. The 500 pesos fee transfers the passengers from Kalibo International Airport, to a shuttle service which will take them all the way to the jetty port. The jetty port allows Tiger Transfer guests to have an exclusive lane leading to their ferry boat for maximum convenience. As soon as they land on the shores of Boracay, another land transfer service is waiting to take the guests to their hotel of choice.
For more information on Tigerair Philippines, go to http://www.Tigerair.com/ph/en/.
This is a repost of my main post on Boracay Island Escapade.
The Long and Winding Road 
Leave a Reply