TOP DESTINATION! BORACAY Aklan, Philippines Surrounded by pristine white sand beaches, the tropical island of Boracay is just an hour’s flight away from Manila or Cebu off the larger Panay Island (Wikipedia Article). It is considered as one of the world’s most beautiful white sand beaches. It is also one of the Philippines’ proudest tourist and nightlife destinations, one that’s like a beauty pageant queen unwilling to give up its crown every year. There are over 300 resorts to choose from, and quite a number of restaurants and shops dot the island, in fact, the streets can look like a Middle East bazaar during peak seasons. But Boracay is still Boracay, an island known for its heady mix of sun, white sand, and opportunities to lose your sobriety! Places to Go to Puka Beach If you are wondering what a tropical island looks like, Puka Beach is the answer. Located at the northern tip of Boracay, you will be treated to azure water, white sand, and devoid of people. White Beach If you are the kind of traveler who wants to be in the thick of things then White Beach is the best place for you. Aside from being close to brilliantly blue waters and white, powdery sand, White Beach is also considered as the commercial center of the island. There are three sections to the White Beach and these are Station 1, 2, and 3 with Station 1 being in the northernmost part of the island where posh hotels as well as resorts are located. The White Beach is separated into five areas namely: Area 1 – from Boracay Terraces all the way to Willy’s Rock Area 2 – from Willy’s Rock towards the Red Coconut Resort Area 3 – covers the Red Coconut Resort to Boat Station 2 Area 4 – from Boat Station 3 all the way to Station 3 Area 5 – from Boat Station 3 towards Angol Point There are always two lifeguards found on each of these stations, both armed with life buoys, whistles, and hand-held radios. The rescue and lifeguard command center is found in Boat Station 2. Bulabog Beach Kiteboarders will love Bulabog Beach (Wikipedia Article) because when the wind picks up you can do all sorts of crazy stunts here as well as high jumps. Baling Hai Beach A peaceful environment is up for grabs in Baling Hai (Wikipedia Article) where you can snorkel, swim, and dine in relative comfort and relaxed setting. Boracay Activities Locals that work for the tourism of the island walk around the beach plying tourists with offers to go ATVing, scuba diving and other excursions. You shouldnt settle with the initial rate given by the tour guide or even the one written on the informational literature because you can get the rates to go down through haggling. Scuba Diving If you want to explore the depths of the sea, there are many diving and scuba diving packages to choose from because there are dozens of dive centers available in White Beach. You can practice your skills or learn how to scuba dive. You can also earn cave, tech, instructor, and wreck level qualifications. The price is usually around $33 USD (~₱1,435 PHP) for every dive and this includes renting all of the necessary equipment. Parasailing Using a large parachute for two persons, you are floating at some 100 m altitude while being pulled by a boat. Enjoy the breathtaking sights while feeling airborne because the parachute is behind you and your partner. Seabed Walking Walk along a shallow seabed using a heavy helmet that both allows you to breathe and walk along the seabed without floating up because of its weight. Crew can (and will) take pictures of you. You will receive some starchy bread to feed the tropical fish. Jet Ski This thrilling high-speed vehicle for two is like a waterborne motorcycle. You are allowed to steer yourself and carry a partner. Banana boat You will sit on a long banana-shaped inflatable boat with a group of people to be dragged across the water by a motorized boat. Banana Boat Banana Boat. Photo by Peanut Dela Cruz Segway and ATV Though somewhat secluded, there is a segway and ATV hub where you can rent an ATV or segway and do a guided group tour of some 30 minutes. Island Hopping As with many islands on the Philippines, there are island hopping tours available. Prices vary wildly (where higher is an indication to look further as you are probably being ripped off) and may include lunch, snorkeling, beaches, and fish-feeding. Helicopter Tour At a fixed price of ₱ 2500 per group, you will get a 10 to 15 minutes helicopter tour around the island of Boracay. Highly recommended as it is probably one of the cheapest chances you will get to ride a helicopter! Interesting trivia: There are only about a thousand helicopter pilots in the entire Philippine population of about 100 million. Other activities available include boat tours, kiteboarding, sunset boat trip, kites on Bulabog beach, and skimboarding. Hotels in Boracay Because Boracay is a major tourist destination in the tropical Philippines, it is chock-full of hotels from the budget hotels to the luxurious Shangril-La. The fame of Boracay also causes the hotel prices to be a fair lot higher than most other Philippine islands. Since most hotel receive a lot of traffic, a lot of them feel worn out and dated. Hotels situated on White Beach have the large advantage of being in the middle of the action. More secluded hotels have the advantage to be quiet, but require a shuttle to get to the activity area and White Beach. How to Get to Boracay While two airports are nearby, Boracay island itself is only reachable through old-fashioned pump-boats from the Jetty Port in Caticlan. Book a Flight If you will be traveling from Manila, you can book a flight on any of these airlines: PAL, PAL Express, Cebu Pacific Air, Air Asia Zest, and Tiger Airways. You can reserve a flight online for convenience. Among the famous flight destinations going to Boracay include: Kalibo (Wikipedia Article) – It takes one and half hour of bus or van ride to the Jetty Port in Caticlan (Wikipedia Article). Many opt for this destination because it allows them to choose a flight that makes use of jet-type planes like the Airbus. Caticlan – It takes only 3 minutes by tricycle to get to the Jetty Port where you can board a fast craft or pump boat to Boracay Island. The flights here are more expensive compared to Kalibo. Propeller-type planes are the only ones allowed to land in Caticlan because its runway is short. You can also head to Boracay through Iloilo which is about six hours away by bus to Caticlan Jetty Port. While in the Airport – For first timers as well as foreigners, make sure that you don’t get lost. There are three airport terminals that serve Boracay flights if you are traveling from Manila and these are: NAIA or Ninoy Aquino International Airports Terminal 2 which is also known as Centennial Terminal. Take note, however, that they don’t serve all PAL flights. Manila Domestic Airport serves both Air Asia Zest and Tiger Airways flights. NAIA 3 where PAL Express, Cebu Pacific, and some PAL flights are available. This is also the newest terminal which is located in the front of the popular Resorts World Manila. For those who booked their flight online, don’t forget to bring a print out of your flight confirmation to be allowed inside the airport. Similar and Nearby Landmarks Islas de Gigantes– or Island of Giants is found off the coast of Estancia and Carles towns in Northern Iloilo. The main islands where Isla Gigantes Norte and Isla Gigantes Sur are included, are 18 kilometers from the mainland. You can reach Isla de Gigantes by taking a 3 hour bus ride to the Port of Estancia and then 2 hours on a boat. White Beach Dive & Kite Resort and Carabao Island - If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Boracay, you can head out to Carabao Island which is just 30 minutes away. Ibiza, Spain is a tourist oriented island in the Mediterranean, similarly renowned for its extensive nightlife and beaches. And of course, Miami Beach is premier nightlife-on-the-beach destinations of the world. thousandwonders.net/Boracay
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 18:45:46 +0000
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