A tour with happy (mis)adventures 04: Boracay Finally!
Day 5, Friday. We barely made it again, but this time the flight was on. After the check-in staff gave us our boarding passes, they put the “closed” sign. One of them monitored s through the terminal fee and security check until we reached the gate as it was on its final boarding process. Wohoa!
The flight was uneventful. I like flying on those smaller crafts as they don’t soar way up high above all clouds and I can see the land, sea and everything below. We arrived at Caticlan on a very hot sunny noontime. We liked it that there is no more haggling for tricycle prices. All passengers pay at a booth – P25 each for the trike ride to the wharf (even just P50 for three pax) plus P50 each for “environmental fee” whatever that is!
My companions were wondering why the boat did not seem to be heading for any of Stations 1, 2 or 3. They were not aware that this time, all boats head for the pier. I explained that yes, there is already a pier on the island and that passengers will still need to ride either multicabs, tricycles or habalhabal to reach their respective resorts. That pier is on the southern tip of the island nearest to mainland, thus, a bit of distance from any of the main beach strip. Yes, I explained too that it is not anymore what everyone was used to – landing directly on the sandy beaches – not allowed. So we rode a tricycle!
Have you heard about ‘Blue Waves Beach House’ on Boracay? Me neither hehe! But that was our destination for the day. The house (building actually) is on Boat Station 1 AND that is the only thing that we knew since my friend who booked us did not ask for landmarks nor any of the well-known resorts nearby. Thus, on reaching the ‘tricycle station’ at Station 1, we got off and started asking around. The usual reply was “malayo pa yan” or “doon sa dulo”. People did advise us to take another ride but I suggested we walk. And I apologized to myself and my companions for offering such idea hehe!
It was still far but not that far. C’mon, we have all walked from station 1 to 3 in previous visits! That was the main rationale of my lowly mind to suggest that we walk. But some things were different hehehe. Like it was not a leisurely walk since we were all lugging our backpacks. And at noontime, walking on the paved streets, is nothing near leisurely. Pave streets? Well, yes… we attempted to walk by the beach but it was high tide and a bit rough so we were concerned our things could get wet… thus the walk on the road.
Whoa! We already reached the end of the road and it started to bend towards the right (that we all know is the inner and hilly part of the island. I asked a guard for the location of ‘Blue Waves’. He told us to enter a dirt-road path that climbs a bit up some houses of local residents. High up there, we were told to descend via a “stairway” carved out of the rocks and mud. Whew! Next we mazed through the back of some houses and voila, we arrived at our dear Blue Waves Beach House via its rear area – which I did not quite appreciate hehe!
OMG to the nth degree! Our dear little Blue Waves is actually that little resort right beside Discovery Shores. Had I/we known about it, I could have looked for Discovery Shores and I knew of a way, the usual way going in and out of there. Well, that was a trek that may not be reversed so… charged it to experience hehe! Okay done!
As we sipped sodas by the beach front, the lady in charge processed our check-in and she advised that they could only take us for the night and will need to be transferred to another resort (behind) also owned by them. She was kind enough to still accommodate us arriving on a Friday when it should have been a Wednesday. Kind enough? I can explain that…
Blue Waves is one of the few cheap beach front accommodations on the island. And these such family businesses are small at about 3 to just 4 rooms. So they technically don’t have a lean seasons. So, we said fine with us to transfer the day after. Hey, I never expected our rooms would be that dainty clean. They’re all too beautiful compared to how the house looks from the outside. Quality of everything inside compares to most hotels have. There is even a DVD player and an IPod dock! Whoa! And the verandahy looking out to sea is grander than any at Discovery Shores. Why? Because this house is way at the beach while Discovery had make use of a lawn frontage for gardens and a pool that makes their rooms far way from the shore! Peace Jun P, peace!
Rest of the day was the usual fine Bora things like swimming, roaming, just sitting on the sand, drinking, parting and all those things that would be boring to hear, right?!
Okay now, breakfast was by the little frontage of Blue Waves some inches from the water – and cooked at their little sari-sari store in our full view. Hmm, we liked the comforts of this place. On the outside it looks like a very barriotic residence, but the rooms could compare to any 3 or 4 star – even better than some. Well Kasbah is a step away to the left, while as I said, Discovery Shores is another step to the right hehe. Noontime came and we had to get out of the water to transfer our things to the “other” resort called ‘MR Holidays Beach Resort’. Bigger and looking more of a hotel, I thought I would not have liked it there, since its at the back of our original accom. I was wrong hehe! The rooms are more modern and obviously were formally wielded by an architect and an engineers wand! Our rooms still had a view of the sea and yes, the back of Blue Waves. Meals are served at roofdeck overlooking the roofs and rooms of Discovery Shores to the right and Ambassador to the left.
Fastforward to the time we went out of Bora. Again, the very disciplined four of us overstayed at the beach and overstayed at ‘Ideal Coffee’ so that we had to literally run for our boat and flight back to Manila. Argh! We arrived at the Caticlan airport with our flight already being boarded and just two more seats available. There was another flight though due to leave also for Manila in just 10 minutes. Yep, some folks opted to get into our flight when check-in counters closed and there were still available space. So, quick decision… I and another companion took our original flight while the other two would take the next flight – which has also started boarding. Aw!
Nice flight. We arrived at Terminal 3 to sit around for 10 minutes waiting for out other companions. I checked my phone and I had a missed-call from one of them. When they arrived, I asked her what was that call about. She said that while we were running to board the flight, they realized they had no more cash to pay for terminal fee and attempted to ask us (I didn’t hear the call as were near the propeller of the plane). She says good thing the Caticlan airport has a money changer and she still had Singapore Dollars. Oh well!
I am not done yet!
As we waited for the father of one companion to fetch us, I received a txt msg from a sibling advising me to just have lunch at or near the airport as there was reportedly heavy traffic along EDSA. I literally loudly said ‘shit’ and my companions asked why. How could I possibly go home to QC and be back at this airport for my 5PM flight to Cebu if there was heavy traffic. I called home to tell them I won’t go there anymore, so we four continued our tour, this time of Ayala Center in Makati – until it was time for me to go back to NAIA!
Oh well! The end of Day 7 is a few minutes away so I better wrap this up and unpack/pack things for tomorrow I continue the roaming (to Tacloban). Hopefully the misadventures ended today as I'd probably can eat anyone if anything is happening to my flight later this morning. It leaves at 6AM... arghhh!
The flight was uneventful. I like flying on those smaller crafts as they don’t soar way up high above all clouds and I can see the land, sea and everything below. We arrived at Caticlan on a very hot sunny noontime. We liked it that there is no more haggling for tricycle prices. All passengers pay at a booth – P25 each for the trike ride to the wharf (even just P50 for three pax) plus P50 each for “environmental fee” whatever that is!
My companions were wondering why the boat did not seem to be heading for any of Stations 1, 2 or 3. They were not aware that this time, all boats head for the pier. I explained that yes, there is already a pier on the island and that passengers will still need to ride either multicabs, tricycles or habalhabal to reach their respective resorts. That pier is on the southern tip of the island nearest to mainland, thus, a bit of distance from any of the main beach strip. Yes, I explained too that it is not anymore what everyone was used to – landing directly on the sandy beaches – not allowed. So we rode a tricycle!
Have you heard about ‘Blue Waves Beach House’ on Boracay? Me neither hehe! But that was our destination for the day. The house (building actually) is on Boat Station 1 AND that is the only thing that we knew since my friend who booked us did not ask for landmarks nor any of the well-known resorts nearby. Thus, on reaching the ‘tricycle station’ at Station 1, we got off and started asking around. The usual reply was “malayo pa yan” or “doon sa dulo”. People did advise us to take another ride but I suggested we walk. And I apologized to myself and my companions for offering such idea hehe!
It was still far but not that far. C’mon, we have all walked from station 1 to 3 in previous visits! That was the main rationale of my lowly mind to suggest that we walk. But some things were different hehehe. Like it was not a leisurely walk since we were all lugging our backpacks. And at noontime, walking on the paved streets, is nothing near leisurely. Pave streets? Well, yes… we attempted to walk by the beach but it was high tide and a bit rough so we were concerned our things could get wet… thus the walk on the road.
Whoa! We already reached the end of the road and it started to bend towards the right (that we all know is the inner and hilly part of the island. I asked a guard for the location of ‘Blue Waves’. He told us to enter a dirt-road path that climbs a bit up some houses of local residents. High up there, we were told to descend via a “stairway” carved out of the rocks and mud. Whew! Next we mazed through the back of some houses and voila, we arrived at our dear Blue Waves Beach House via its rear area – which I did not quite appreciate hehe!
OMG to the nth degree! Our dear little Blue Waves is actually that little resort right beside Discovery Shores. Had I/we known about it, I could have looked for Discovery Shores and I knew of a way, the usual way going in and out of there. Well, that was a trek that may not be reversed so… charged it to experience hehe! Okay done!
As we sipped sodas by the beach front, the lady in charge processed our check-in and she advised that they could only take us for the night and will need to be transferred to another resort (behind) also owned by them. She was kind enough to still accommodate us arriving on a Friday when it should have been a Wednesday. Kind enough? I can explain that…
Blue Waves is one of the few cheap beach front accommodations on the island. And these such family businesses are small at about 3 to just 4 rooms. So they technically don’t have a lean seasons. So, we said fine with us to transfer the day after. Hey, I never expected our rooms would be that dainty clean. They’re all too beautiful compared to how the house looks from the outside. Quality of everything inside compares to most hotels have. There is even a DVD player and an IPod dock! Whoa! And the verandahy looking out to sea is grander than any at Discovery Shores. Why? Because this house is way at the beach while Discovery had make use of a lawn frontage for gardens and a pool that makes their rooms far way from the shore! Peace Jun P, peace!
Rest of the day was the usual fine Bora things like swimming, roaming, just sitting on the sand, drinking, parting and all those things that would be boring to hear, right?!
Okay now, breakfast was by the little frontage of Blue Waves some inches from the water – and cooked at their little sari-sari store in our full view. Hmm, we liked the comforts of this place. On the outside it looks like a very barriotic residence, but the rooms could compare to any 3 or 4 star – even better than some. Well Kasbah is a step away to the left, while as I said, Discovery Shores is another step to the right hehe. Noontime came and we had to get out of the water to transfer our things to the “other” resort called ‘MR Holidays Beach Resort’. Bigger and looking more of a hotel, I thought I would not have liked it there, since its at the back of our original accom. I was wrong hehe! The rooms are more modern and obviously were formally wielded by an architect and an engineers wand! Our rooms still had a view of the sea and yes, the back of Blue Waves. Meals are served at roofdeck overlooking the roofs and rooms of Discovery Shores to the right and Ambassador to the left.
Fastforward to the time we went out of Bora. Again, the very disciplined four of us overstayed at the beach and overstayed at ‘Ideal Coffee’ so that we had to literally run for our boat and flight back to Manila. Argh! We arrived at the Caticlan airport with our flight already being boarded and just two more seats available. There was another flight though due to leave also for Manila in just 10 minutes. Yep, some folks opted to get into our flight when check-in counters closed and there were still available space. So, quick decision… I and another companion took our original flight while the other two would take the next flight – which has also started boarding. Aw!
Nice flight. We arrived at Terminal 3 to sit around for 10 minutes waiting for out other companions. I checked my phone and I had a missed-call from one of them. When they arrived, I asked her what was that call about. She said that while we were running to board the flight, they realized they had no more cash to pay for terminal fee and attempted to ask us (I didn’t hear the call as were near the propeller of the plane). She says good thing the Caticlan airport has a money changer and she still had Singapore Dollars. Oh well!
I am not done yet!
As we waited for the father of one companion to fetch us, I received a txt msg from a sibling advising me to just have lunch at or near the airport as there was reportedly heavy traffic along EDSA. I literally loudly said ‘shit’ and my companions asked why. How could I possibly go home to QC and be back at this airport for my 5PM flight to Cebu if there was heavy traffic. I called home to tell them I won’t go there anymore, so we four continued our tour, this time of Ayala Center in Makati – until it was time for me to go back to NAIA!
Oh well! The end of Day 7 is a few minutes away so I better wrap this up and unpack/pack things for tomorrow I continue the roaming (to Tacloban). Hopefully the misadventures ended today as I'd probably can eat anyone if anything is happening to my flight later this morning. It leaves at 6AM... arghhh!
Wow great, i liked the way how to write your memorable experience moment in boracay. How is your vacation, is it great?
ReplyDeleteTanya Gemarin
always is great being there so far. what i just am not keen about the island now is its getting too urbanized
ReplyDelete