Exploring Boracay

Boracay is a picturesque beach town that engages the senses. The beaches are lined with palm trees, turquoise waters, beach bars and restaurants!

Getting There: After arriving to the airport, you take a taxi and water taxi to get to the majority of the hotels (which lie between Station 3 and Station 1- stations are equitable to regions of the beach). Arriving in Boracay was a bit of a shock after El Nido. It's more like Cancun or Phuket with constant hustle and bustle and filled with tourists. I would highly advise booking a hotel that will pick you up from the airport and get you to your hotel.

Rest Your Body:

We stayed at the District Boracay, which I would highly recommend. This hotel was in Station 2, which I liked. Station 3 appeared to be a bit more crowded and Station 1 was much more quiet. Station 2 seemed like a nice balance.

We paid about $185 per night, which is expensive for the area, but well worth it. The rooms are nice and many have balconies that you can see the ocean from. The breakfast/brunch (you can choose one and it's included in the room rate) is delicious. Brunch includes an omelette, crepe, and make your own pasta or salad bar. There were also several Filipino dishes available and fresh fruit daily. The hotel picks you up directly from the airport, transfers you across the sea to the island and gets you to the lobby of the hotel. The service is impeccable, and in such a busy area, it's nice to have a guide. They don't advertise this service, but they should!

Adventure:

We came across a yoga class at Mandala Spa & Villas Boracay (wellness spa) just a 5 minute ride or 20-25 minute walk down the beach. When you're there, consider getting a massage in their serene massage rooms. They also have delicious and healthy food options in their restaurant. The yoga teacher there recommended a few spots to us so that we could see a more serene and relaxed part of the beach.

Address: Station 3, Barangay Manoc-Manoc, Boracay Island, Malay, 5608 Aklan, Philippines

Phone: +63 36 288 5858

Cocktail Hour (and apps):

You must check out Spider Room. This quickly became my favorite spot on the island. Perched on a cliff, the restaurant offered a wide variety of food and beverages at a seasonable price. The views were unreal and the best part was the ladder in the corner of the restaurant that led down to the pristine, turquoise water. They even had a dock about 20 yards available to swimmers.

Malay, Aklan, Philippines

spiderhouseresort.com

+63 36 288 2350

Spider Room is a great spot to watch the sunset or head over to Zaprakav Bar where you can order a drink and food and sit under an umbrella or on one of their bean bags. It has a great beach vibe and cool music if you're into electronic music.

Culinary Delight:

Per the recommendation of several locals, we had dinner at the Filipino/Thai restaurant Sobu. The papaya salad was to die for and they had many interesting and delicious local menu items worth trying!

Make sure to try the Kiliwan- a delicious Filipino raw tuna dish much like ceviche.

Hidden Gems and Not to Be Missed: Spider Room, District Boracay,

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