LittleSandyBeach

The flight from Cebu to Boracay only took 50 minutes so was nice and quick. The views coming into land were amazing of the island. It was a rather rough landing as the runway is only 1,800m long!

Boracay is getting more popular as a tourist destination so they are currently building a new terminal as the one still in use is absolutely tiny…

After getting our bags we hopped on a tricycle for 5 minutes which took us to the port to then catch a 5 minute ferry across to Boracay island.

After arriving we found the pick up point for the hop on/hop off bus that goes around the whole island every 15 minutes. Our stop took about 20 minutes and then we had a short walk to our hotel.

On the first evening we went to the main beach called White Beach that runs along the west coast of the island for 4km. It is very famous for having amazing sunsets and it didn’t disappoint!

On our second day here we went to check out another beach near us called Diniwid Beach. It’s a lot quieter than White Beach and has a nice walkway that links around the small cliffs. Just be prepared to dodge the people getting their photos!

We then walked down White Beach so we could admire the palm trees that run the whole way along the beach and also check out Willy’s Rock. It is a small rock formation just off the beach that has a shrine of the Virgin Mary built on top. The current statue was installed in 2010 as the previous one was destroyed.

In the evening we found a very highly rated Vietnamese restaurant called Hanoi Pho so we had to check it out. We both got the Beef Pho and it wasn’t far off what we loved in Vietnam. Definitely one of our favourite dishes still.

On Monday we decided to walk the whole length of White Beach and check out a couple things on the way. The first was D’Mall, which is a collection of hundreds of small shops and restaurants all outside. It’s a maze but very handy as it’s directly accessed off the beach.

We also checked out some of the small stalls that run along the beach that sell mainly clothes and souvenirs. It was also a nice way to hide away from the sun!

After a few hours we made it down the beach and then turned around and headed back. The beach is absolutely amazing, lined the whole way with palm trees and the sand is powder soft. At this time of year however there are algae blooms especially further down the beach towards the mainland that result in large patches of green algae. It’s harmless and will be washed away when the storms begin again.

For lunch we tried another popular fast food restaurant found across the Philippines called Chowking. It’s Chinese food with a Filipino twist. On the left is a traditional Halo Halo dessert which is made with crushed ice, condensed milk and various sweet ingredients. On the right Pancit Canton which is a noodle dish similar to Chow Mein.

In the evening we went to our favourite place to watch the sunset from Mai Tai Beach Bar. It has a nice selection of beers and a great rooftop. The views at sunset seem to be getting better and better as well.

Yesterday we walked to the northern part of the island to check out yet another beach. This one is called Puka Shell Beach. The sand is not as soft there and the sea is a lot rougher however we walked right to end of the beach and it’s almost deserted with no one else around.

Just near Puka Beach is also where you can get a helicopter ride around the island for 10 or 20 minutes. The views must be incredible and it’s very popular as throughout the whole day it’s always going past.

To get around the island most people use the electric tricycles that are everywhere. Just make sure you get the public shared ones as it’s nearly three times cheaper than getting a private one!

In the afternoon we went to the east side of the island which is where all the water sports happen, especially popular is Kitesurfing. We had a great time watching the locals show us how it’s done.

A short walk down the coast we checked out a short raised pathway through a small mangrove forest.

Another sunset from last night…

On our walk back to our hotel last night we noticed everyone taking pictures of the sky and then noticed the moon was red. After a quick Google we found out that it was a total lunar eclipse also known as a blood moon.

Today we’ve relaxed down at the beach near us and caught up on some reading. We have also enjoyed swimming in the crystal clear water especially the fact that you can walk out about 100 metres and still stand up.

We don’t leave here until Saturday so a couple more beach days ahead of us!