Boracay 2017

I, oftentimes, call it overrated and, probably, isn’t in my priority list for traveling - but being impulsive in most of my travels really gives more surprises than the planned ones.
My travels are dictated by promo fares, and last year there was a lot of it bound for Bora. I was one of the takers.

That promo ticket cost at most Php1, 800, and we got the one bound for Caticlan- which is the closest airport to Bora.

Like other prominent tourist destinations in Phil, Bora’s very tourist-friendly as everything is already organized from transpo to fees, there’s no need to ask anyone. And once you get to the island itself - everything is hassle-free.

But as a newcomer, probably, it is imperative to know that there are three (3) stations in Bora (saying this because I didn’t know too). The farthest point is Station 1, where most fancy hotels are located; then Station 2, where most of the tourists stay because of its proximity to almost anything - food, adventure, and cheap lodgings; and the last station, Station 3- the closest to the port and the most serene area. The last station has the cheapest hotels too, and in case you are wondering, this station is less infested by algae so...

But actually, we stayed in non of those stations, yet at least we thought we’ll stay in station 3 before coming there hahaha. But, well, silly us because we booked a hostel far from the beach without having an idea that it isn't in station 3. Nonetheless, we did not regret our whole stay in the place because we’ve met such amazing people.

Accommodation
I sought recommendations from those who have been there, but the hotels they mentioned were a bit pricey. So, I had to do the search on my own. And then I found My Hostel Boracay on the Nida Rooms' website. It was the cheapest and cleanest room I came across with - so I had it booked right away.

Advantage: It is secluded and away from the noise. So if you really want a good all-night sleep, I recommend this one. Booking is also inclusive of breakfast. Plus, the proprietors are also nice people.

Disadvantage: It is far from the beach. This was quite a dilemma for us during our first stay. But we managed to get a motorcycle every time so it wasn’t really much of a problem.

Adventures
Bora is really like an island-city, only that, it neither has SM nor Ayala malls. But really, everything’s there (and too pricey!) haha
But for the poor like us, the beach and the view were enough.
When we arrived, we went over for a walk along the beach and took some pictures.

I paid Php20 for this photo. (Yeah, they do that as a living there). And the authorities actually forbid building sandcastles because it destroys the structure of the beach sand itself, but they still do it anyway.

On our second day we went helmet diving and island hopping, that costed Php 1, 300 which is a pretty good deal. We haggled the price which was originally Php 1, 500.

Helmet diving. This is a must-do, and I encourage those with brave hearts to try it. However, this activity is not recommended for  PWD's and those with a heart ailment.

Hija de Puca known as the Puca Beach is just one of the places to visit in the Island-hopping package deal.

More pictures of our stay

This was the first and last dinner we had during our stay, and already the cheapest. Both of us spent Php300 (relatively expensive) considering that we only had simple pasta and sautéed kangkong.

For the rest of our stay we ate at Mcdonalds and Mang Inasal, but the prices are still a bit expensive compared to their branches anywhere. hahaha

Mangoholic for dessert! This was lined up by people who love cute and sweet stuff, and that include us.

Met these amazing successful Aunties who have enlightened us with the beauty of life at 60.

Groupie with the amiable owners of the hostel.

Boracay sunset!

This sunset view deserves a timelapse. Watching the sun go down and disappear before my eyes while relaxing on the beach, was definitely something you need to do when in Bora.