Boracay, day & night

Actually, what's there to blab about a beach right? Why not I just show some of the pictures I have of Boracay, day and night. So, here you go ...

A cafe at Station 1

Willy's Rock at Station 1
This is the spot to mark Station 1 in Boracay

Boracay Mandarin's private beach at Station 2
This is where I parked myself all day

Boracay Mandarin's private beach at Station 2

My view from sun lounging

Pina-colada in my hand

On our way to snorkelling

View from the snorkeling boat

View from the snorkeling boat

Sunset view at Station 2

Waterplay at sunset

One of my best shot of the sunset in Boracay
Touted as one of the best sunset view

When night falls in Boracay

Night falls in Boracay

The whole stretch of Station 1 & 2 comes alive at night with food, music, laughters reverberating everywhere. Chefs who dances while they cook ... such a happy place

Drink away til wee hours and crawl back to your hotel room, why not.

Location : Boracay Island, Philippines

Date of travel ; December 2013

Best Island in the world

Three days after we arrived in Cebu, we fly from Cebu Island to Caticlan town on Panay Island. From Caticlan, we took a ferry to yet another island. Remember I told you Philippines is make up of thousand of islands. So yeah, this is the quite troublesome, quite time consuming, quite costly example that I mentioned.

However, we still go through all that because after all the time, the trouble, the cost, we landed in one of the best island in the world [according to Travel & Leisure magazine 2012].

First view of the island from the ferry we rode.

Ladies & Gentlemen, we have arrived at Boracay!

Although Philippines is not in the map of most tourists, but Boracay is. Its as though Boracay is a place on it own. Well, there are two ways to reach Boracay. One, you fly from Cebu or Manila to Caticlan and get a ferry to Boracay or you can fly from Cebu or Manila to Kalibo, ride in the bus for an hour or two and then get on the ferry. Which is more time consuming, troublesome and costly I'm not sure; but who cares when you are greeted by pristine white sands and the bluest of the blue sea.

I'll share how beautiful and why this island has been named The Best Island in the World, but let's talk about the hotel we chose.

Boracay Island is divided into Station 1, 2, 3 and the other side (not sure the name). Whether you like to have quiet beach holiday (I suggest you forget about Boracay then) or a fun and full of activities beach holiday will depict where you should stay but most people will choose to stay in Station 1 and 2.

We have chose to stay in the beach front Boracay Mandarin in Station 2.

Our premier deluxe sea view room in Boracay Mandarin

This is what greeted us at the balcony ... nice!

Now we can keep our shoes and flip flop around for a few days

Sunset view from the room

Dusk view from the room

Morning view from the room

OK, after finished tempting you with the view, let me explained why you should choose to stay in Station 1 and 2. Firstly, all the activities, shops, restaurants, pubs, cafes, street massage etc etc etc are located in Station 1 and 2. If you choose to say away from here, you will need to get a trishaw or motorbike to get here for food, for beers, for anything and everything. I've seen tourist lining up to get in the bus at 9pm to their hotel on the other side while I'm starting on the first drink of the night.

D'Mall, which is the only beach shopping mall in the island is located in Station 2 as well (its like 2 minutes walk away from Boracay Mandarin). I know what you're thinking, why go to a mall in the beach. Trust me, when you have done sunbathing whole day at the beach, you'll find the beach mall very super appealing at night, Besides, you are bound to need a bottle drink, or a panadol, or even extra sun tan lotion.

 Finally and most importantly, Station 1 and 2 has the most beautiful beach in the island. Its called The White Beach, So why stay away?

Oh yes, Boracay Mandarin also houses the best Italian restaurant in the island, the Don Vito Ristorante Italiano. Swim in the pool and come up to the hot sizzling pizza ... ahhh.

Location : Boracay Island, Philippines
Next, Boracay, day and night

Fort San Pedro et-cetera

OK, let's be frank. When you have a local bringing you around town, why bother to do research about where to go and what to do right? So yes, that's what happened to us and so, I can't really tell you much about all these places; but apparently, if you visit Cebu, you have to come here and so here we are.

Fort San Pedro

Side view of the fort entrance

The usual cannon in any remnants of a fort

The rubble not from cannon but from earthquake

OK, some other places or things we did in a blurr sort of way ...

Pond fishing. OK, its hardly fishing per say as the staff working there kept throwing fishes into the pond to ensure that the kids managed to catch a fish or two and then they sell it back to you. Talk about double-charging.

At the same pond fishing place, the entrance fees also include a zip-line ride to the other little island across. OK, so we went zip across and back in one piece without falling into the lake,

This seafood restaurant by the sea near Machtan is mighty far from Cebu actually but I have to say the ambiance is cool and the food is pretty good for Philippines standard.

Playing with machine gun, and I mean REAL machine gun. Do you know that in Philippines, it is not difficult to own a licence to kill, erhhh, I mean a licence to own a gun. 

Location : Cebu City, Philippines
Next, Best Island in the World

Cebu Island and its Catholic genesis

Somehow, when planning for a holiday, Philippines is never really in the tourist's radar. Maybe because of its not so appealing safety issue or because nothing really stands out. On top of that, geographically, Philippines is made up of a few thousand islands. Yes, few thousands and its in the high thousands. So, logistically it is just quite troublesome, quite costly and quite time consuming to visit the country.

I have been to Manila twice for business trip but late last year, we decided to somehow visit Philippines for our year end school holiday getaway.  I've known a good friend from Cebu Island for many years and decided why not follow her back to Cebu to take a look ourselves ... and so we did.

Cebu Island is located somewhere in the middle of the Philippines map. Its capital city, the Cebu City is apparently the oldest city in the Philippines. How old back? I'm not too sure.

This cross named the Magellan Cross is planted by Ferdinand Magellan (either a Portuguese or Spanish missionary) back in the 1500s. It marks the Catholic influence in Philippines.

The wooden beams to ensure the cross stays at its place was erected after the earthquake hitting Philippines not more than 1 month before we visited the site.

The building that houses the Magellan Cross

Next to the Magellan Cross is one of the oldest church in the Philippines, Basilica del Santo Nino.

This church though is quite out of bound when we visited there. Again due to the earthquake, a lot of the pillars has shown cracks and some collapsed.  Luckily the outside structure of this 1500s church is still intact.  

A wall on the inside perimeter of the church with beautiful carvings marking the genesis of Roman Catholics in the Philippines.

Location : Cebu City, Philippines

Next, Fort San Pedro et-cetera