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| White Beach, Boracay, Philippines |
As I am writing I am mentally transporting myself back to Boracay Island where we spent 6 days. I have no words for the magnitude of natural beauty I was surrounded by. The uninhibited island lifestyle was euphoric. I was bombarded with its simplicity from start to finish. The escape from underneath a blanket of snow was something I believe everyone on Earth should have the privilege to experience. There was not an ounce of me that wanted to return back to my newfound home in Korea.
Our travel companions were a mixture of young and younger, trendy and grungy, and the ever testing combination of the adventurous and the cautious. I couldn’t have asked for a better blend of people to spend this getaway with.
Though Boracay has recently been gaining in popularity as being one of the best beaches in the world, I hadn’t heard of it before I came to this side of the globe. My students had told me about this ‘famous’ and ‘amazingly amazing’ beach with white sand and blue water. I did my research and it seems prior to the late-seventies this part of the world wasn’t familiar with tourists at all. My students were not lying about its beauty, but to say its untouched isn’t entirely true. Along the stretch of White Beach are many shops, vendors, resorts and the like. Still, there is something about the feeling you get when you venture beyond the tourist strip that gives you a sense of purity. It was the perfect blend of touched and untouched for our group.
The travel involved in getting to this location is probably what steers most people away. First, all incoming tourists must land in Manila. Sergio, Mom and I flew in from Korea, and went straight from Manila to Kalibo (one of two airports you must fly into to get to Boracay). However, our travel partners were not so lucky. They flew in from the states, and had to spend the night in Manila. Anyone who knows anything about Manila knows that two females probably shouldn’t wander around Manila alone. All in all, we all safely landed at the Kalibo airport- just not all together! Our flights landed at two different times and both groups were quickly whisked off to another location. The plane landed on the tarmac, then we walked into the small ‘Arrivals’ area of the airport and promptly found the Filipino holding a white board with our name scribbled on it. We followed our guy, were handed stickers to wear and were put on a shuttle with other tourists. After a two hour shuttle ride through the REAL Philippines, we arrived at another transport location. This time we were at Caticlan airport. This airport is the closest to Boracay, whereas we found cheaper flights into Kalibo, but had to take the shuttle ride. I am extremely happy with the choice to take the shuttle! It made me feel like we weren’t stuck in a tourist trap the entire trip!
From Caticlan, we were put onto another bus to drive us to the beach to get on our banana boat! Once there, they loaded our bags and we were on our way to Boracay! The boat ride lasted all of five minutes, but it was nice to finally see some blue water! From the beach we jumped into a small van for the final leg of our journey! Stacy and Michelle both took the same trip an hour after we did. The entire transportation arrangements were settled by our resort, the Boracay Regency, for a small fee! I highly, highly, highly recommend anyone traveling to Boracay to arrange transportation ahead of time. Unless you are cool with riding in a motor-tricycle for 3+ hours.
We arrived at White Beach after many hours of traveling, but were welcomed with beautiful blue water that made it all worth it! We managed to pack as many thrill-seeking experiences as possible in the few days we were there. Our first day together was spent tasting some Filippino food and zip lining through the jungle to the beach!
Our second day we charted a private banana boat to take us to different islands in the area. We were first taken to an island called Crystal Cove. We spent three hours searching around caves, walking through tunnels and exploring the island. Next, they took us to a small area where we went snorkeling! The price was around $130 USD for five people for three or four hours- it was great!
Our third day we spent shopping around and then we decided to try one of the tourist trap activities. They called it the 'Flying Fish' and we were told it was like a giant raft that is pulled by a boat. They did not mention the fact that the raft would be lifted into the air while the boat speeds through the water! EEEKK! I can say this was one of the scariest things I have ever done in my life!
It was wonderful to get back on land after that horrifying experience! We found some markets and visited a pedicure place where tiny fish ate our dead skin off our feet. Interesting day to say the least....
We layed out on the beach our last day and soaked up the sun! Overall the experience was unforgettable and so much more than I could have asked for. I would highly recommend this spot to anyone who wants to see a third world country but still wants the luxury of a resort town.
