Destination: Boracay (Day1)

This post is waaaaay overdue already.  But oh well, better late than never and I really want to share this with all of you.

Early last 2011, I was planning on celebrating my birthday or Mom's 50th in Boracay with the whole family.  Luckily, my friend found this package from a travel agency called TNA Travel and Tours.  I got the package for only 5,800 pesos (around $135) per person which includes round trip air fare tickets from Manila to Kalibo via Zest Air, all land and sea transfers, and 3 days 2 nights stay at La Carmela de Boracay with free breakfast.  Really good deal!  I highly recommend this travel agency for a hassle free vacation.  Everything was really taken cared of :)

So we ended up going to Boracay for Mom's 50th and Jocar's 23rd instead.  We were up early for the first flight out of Manila.  It was my sister's first time to ride an airplane, thus she was excited and acting crazy all morning.  Haha!  It was also my first time to try Zest Air for a domestic flight.

Pimple Shot 1

Touch down in Kalibo!  Had some pictures taken with the Ati-atihan costumes while waiting for our baggage.  (The Ati-Atihan Festival is celebrated every January in Kalibo in honor of Santo Niño, the infant Jesus)

From Kalibo, we still have to travel to Caticlan which is a 2-hour ride.  I mentioned earlier that the travel agency arranged for all our land transfers.  A representative from Island Star Express is waiting outside the airport.  Once they confirmed that you are on the list, they will give you a sticker so that they will be able to monitor all persons in the tour.  I was surprised to find out that we are riding a bus instead of a van, which is much more comfortable in my opinion.  Plus points from me!  

Pimple Shot 2

After about two hours, we arrived at the Caticlan Jetty Port.  Here the representative from Island Star took care of our tickets.  The boat ticket was already included in the package; however, the environmental fees were not so we had to pay about 125 pesos per person.

After a quick 10-minute ride, we finally arrived in Boracay!  Again, Island Star took care of us from the port and dropped us off at our hotel.  La Carmela de Boracay is one of the most famous and affordable hotels in the island.  They offered us some welcome drinks when we came.  Since we were 5, we got two of the deluxe rooms.

Since it was also my sister's first time here, my sister insisted that we walk around after lunch.  While the others were resting, we changed into our swim suits and walked to Station 1 (the hotel was at Station 2) where the beach is wider and more flat.  Time for cam whoring!

We visited Willy's Rock, a famous landmark in Station 1.  It has the image of Mama Mary at the top.  I'm not really sure of the origin of the name though.

One of the things that I really looked forward to this trip was to try Jonah's Shakes again.  It is the most popular cafe in the island and they offer the best fruit shakes. Ever!  I got me a Choco-Banana Milk Shake :)

We sat by the beach while waiting for the others to arrive.  It was a great time to chill; just watch the people go by and the boats sail away.  I got lost in the moment and suddenly it was sunset already.

We had dinner at I <3 BBQ at D'Mall.  The funny thing is, we were the only Filipinos in the restaurant.  Most people eating there were either Koreans or Chinese.  Haha!

And so this how day 1 ended.  Day 2 and Day 3 to come up next! :)