Our next destination after Davao was Boracay. This was the ‘holiday’ part of our trip as it was just us with no plans besides relaxing either by the pool or at the beach. Boracay is an island in the Philippines and it’s famous for its white sand beaches. It is a popular tourist destination and our family have never been there before this trip.
To get to Boracay from Davao, we had to fly to Cebu first as there wasn’t a direct flight. I mentioned in my last blog post that our flights were delayed. We got to Cebu airport and we had a few hours before our next fliight. We were in the older part of the airport so instead of waiting by the gate, I made an executive decision to book a premium lounge so we were able to wait in comfort.
Booking the Plaza Premium Lounge was such a good idea. We were tired from Davao and from our delayed flight and Joan’s back was still sore. Being in the lounge was awesome as it was clean, comfy and we had food.
We were able to relax and eat. It was so worth it. When booking it, I think it said there was a maximum of 1-2 hours but they didn’t kick us out and we were able to chill there before our flight. Our flight to Caticlan was also super delayed and Cebu airport/Philippine Airlines organisation that day was horrible. When we waited at the gate, the signs were wrong, it was chaotic and we waited so long to get on the bus to the plane.
When we landed in Caticlan Airport, it was getting dark. Caticlan Airport is the smallest airport I’ve ever been in. Our hotel booking included a shuttle from the airport to the ferry terminal and the speedboat across to the island. I’m so glad this was all booked and included so we didn’t have to think. Everything was sorted by the resort. We were meant to arrive in the afternoon so sadly the ferry ride from Caticlan to Boracay was dark.
We were all so glad to arrive at our accommodation, Hennan Crystal Sands Resort. Our traval day consisted of: drive to Davao Aiport, flight from Davao to Cebu, Cebu to Caticlan flight, shuttle from Caticlan airport to the ferry terminal, speedboat to Boracay island, shuttle from the ferry terminal to our hotel. We were exhausted.
Joan and I shared a room and we were so glad when we made it. Our room was nice and we had two big beds and a nice bathroom.
My parents were in a different room, also a nice one and they had a cute surprise for mum. My cousin knew someone that used to/works at Hennan so she asked for a birthday favour for mum. It was past her birthday but it was still very cute as parents were greeted by these treats when they got in their room.
We quickly checked in to our rooms, had a little breather before dinner. Seeing this view at the end of the hallway was amazing. I was excited to explore the resort and a few days of relaxation here.
We chose this resort after sending a few options to my family but I’m so glad we ended up here.
As we were tired, we didn’t venture too far for our first dinner in Boracay. Right beside the resort is Hakata Japanes Restaurant. Our family loves Japanese food and it’s our go-to cuisine besides Filipino food. This was a great start to our trip.
After dinner, we checked out the other pools. Hennan Crystal Sands resort has multiple pools.
The pools were one of the main reasons I wanted to book here and the location is also beachfront within Station 1.
Boracay has different stations and have different vibes within these areas, you probably should consider the stations when you book your accommodation. Station 1 has the famous clear water, white sand beach area, luxury resorts and nice restaurants. Station 2 is mostly for shopping, bars and partying – this is the busiest and gets quite loud at night. Station 3 is further, is quieter and have more budget and backpacker accommodation.
The next morning, I woke up and checked out the hotel breakfast (more on this later) and walked along the beach.
It was nice and quiet in the morning. This beach gets really busy throughout the day.
Then we spent the rest of the afternoon by the upstairs pool. You can the view of the beach and there’s a poolside bar too.
Joan and I ordered some drinks and food by the pool and I read on my Kindle.
This was a great first day and we all started feeling relaxed. I basically read by the pool for hours and dipped in and out of the pool.
After a while, I decided to check out D’Mall which is a strip of shops within Station 2. It’s a close walk from our hotel. Walked around and checked out the shops and I had to get Halo Mango. I miss Philippine mangoes so much.
Then we made it back to the upstairs pool area to watch the sunset. Boracay is also known for its beautiful sunsets. I can’t remember what we did for dinner this night but Joan and I had gelato.
Then I read my book by the pool until I finished it. I read China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan as it was on my Kindle.
The next day was pretty much the same. We had no agenda, no itinerary and no set plans during our time in Boracay. We had buffet breakfast. We didn’t plan on going together but we saw our parents this morning.
Our parents relaxed and caught up on much needed sleep, I chose to be by the pool and Joan relaxed in the room as she couldn’t stay in the loungers for too long due to her back.
It was nice our parents joined us though! We haven’t seen mum get in the water for years but we all got in the pool that day.
After some pool time, I ventured off into town in search of this cafe. Unfortunately that was closed but I ended up finding a different coffee shop.
I ended up at Blackfish coffee. I haven’t a decent coffee since Makati so it’s been a while at this point. Blackfish coffee was great.
The sand in Boracay is so fine. I now understand why it’s such a tourist destination. The white sand is so fine and the water is pretty clear.
Then I went back and I opted to chill by the other pools. I found these pools were quieter as the upstairs/rooftop pool had a bar with music blasting. This pool area was more relaxing and I could read in peace. It was so much quieter and barely anyone swimming in these pools. It was great.
At night, we met up with my cousin and auntie (my mum’s brother’s wife) who happened to be in Boracay at the same time. It was great to see them and catch up with our cousin. We had good food at Balicay restaurant but unfortunately their pinacolada was not good.
The next day was actually rainy which I didn’t mind. It was still hot and humid so being outside by the pool wasn’t an issue.
I ended up chilling by the pool reading on my Kindle for hours.
When I got hungry, I ventured out to D’Mall again and had some food. Ube Mama is so good!!!
Then I decided to spend some time by the beach. I loved being the pool because of the peace and quiet. The beach is busy and in the Philippines, the beaches aren’t like in NZ. There are heaps of people, vendors and little kids asking if you want your photo taken (for a price of course). It was hard to be left alone for 10 solid minutes. Anyway, I tried to enjoy it and I had a dip in the ocean and watched the sunset.
Afterwards, Joan and I grabbed dinner and dessert. Night time in Boracay is so busy, loud and buzzing. There is music everywhere, there’s a marching band that parades up and down the beachfront and there are people everywhere. We found a quieter spot above this restaurant then grabbed dessert on the way back.
The next day, I took Joan to Blackfish coffee after breakfast.
They had a resident cat too which was cute!
Afterwards, I went back to the rooftop pool for a few hours. It was cloudy but so humid!
In the afternoon, I bumped into my parents around the shops in D’Mall. Mum was shopping and then I got sucked into trying the crystal kayak thing. There were so many vendors asking tourists if they want to go on the crystal kayak for photos. It was pretty cheap so I said yes, why not?! It was the most touristy thing I did in Boracay. My parents weren’t too keen on island hopping and Joan’s back was too sore too.
The clear kayak experience was hilarious. The guy who manned the kayak was so funny and I swear every tourist experience operator in Boracay are photographers. They would direct you on the angles and poses. They know how to get the shots. LOL
I had so many photos in my cameral roll. It was hard to keep a straight face but he did get some nice shots. For $7NZ, I’m glad I did it and I’ve got these photos as souvenir. Hahaha
We also had a last minute idea of booking a spa while we were here. Since this part of our trip was for relaxation, we booked different spa experiences. Joan and I went together and we were there for hours. We ended up booking at a different Hennan Resort as they had the spa there. I had hours of bliss at the whirlpool bath, steam and sauna, fully body massage, body scrub and facial. It was amazing. I got back to our hotel room dazed in the best way possible.
The next day was our last day in Boracay. It was actually super sunny on this day but was too hot so I’m glad we had some cloudy days. It would’ve been unbearable to be outside in the heat and humidity.
Joan and I went back to Blackfish for coffee as it was the best coffee we’ve had since Makati then we had our last buffet breakfast at the hotel.
The Hennan Crystal Sands Resort buffet breakfast was amazing. They had a great selection of Filipino food and more continental breakfast options. I always go for the rice first but they also had ube champorada which my family devoured. I didn’t take many photos there because I was hungry and it’s a busy place but it was great.
Then sadly we had to check out and take the hotel shuttle to the speedboat so we can take our flight back to Manila.
Our last few days in the Philippines were spent in Manila and that would be my next post to finish off our Philippines trip. Our trip to Boracay was nice as we got to relax. I spent so much time by the pool and in the pool and I read a few books in my Kindle.
I’m glad we finally got to go to Boracay but as a reflection, it’s not the place to be for ultimate rest and relaxation especially if you’re staying within Stations 1 and 2. The island is busy as it’s such a popular tourist spot and if you are used to peaceful and quiet beaches like in NZ, Boracay beaches are different. There’s music blasting almost all the time and people everywhere. I did miss the tranquility of NZ beaches while I was there but I’m still grateful we got to go and had a few days to ourselves. Staying at Hennan Crystal Sands was amazing too. I loved it there.
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