LittleSandyBeach

On our last two days on Boracay island we made the most of the amazing weather and spent two days on the beach relaxing, sunbathing, reading and swimming. It was fantastic!

On our penultimate evening we went to a well rated restaurant called Smooth which is directly off the main beach. It’s got an amazing menu and the atmosphere is great with a live saxophone player every night.

The food we had was amazing and very reasonably priced for the quality, atmosphere and service.

All along the beaches in Boracay the locals make huge sandcastles which then people pay a small amount to take a picture with. They even light up at night.

The thing we noticed the most about Boracay was how clean everywhere is. Before you get on the island everyone pays 300 peso for an environmental fee but unlike most places this is actually used correctly and the island is spotless from the roads to the beaches that are cleaned everyday.

On our last evening there were very clear skies so the stars were absolutely amazing down the quieter end of the island where we stayed.

We also stumbled across a lovely church called Iglesia Ni Cristo Boracay (Church of Christ). It holds services not only for locals but also tourists who are visiting.

We went and said goodbye to our new friend just down the road from our hotel as she’s always very friendly when we walk past…

On Saturday it was time to leave so we packed up and started our journey. First we got on the bus to the port, then jumped on the ferry and lastly a short tricycle to the airport. The departures hall was so small that the check in desk was just one small room and then only two waiting rooms.

After getting on a coach and being driven down the runway to the plane we boarded and even left early! A short flight later we landed back in Cebu and got a Grab to our hotel.

Yesterday we went to check out Mactan Newtown which is just a short walk away from our hotel. It is a new 30 hectare mixed use development and is the first integrated township built by Megaworld Corporation outside of Metro Manila.

There are many western brands including Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and even a Savoy Hotel. We even walked past two Gordon Ramsay restaurants, one being a very British themed fish and chips restaurant!

In the centre of the new development is The Mactan World Museum which is currently under construction and is expected to open in 2027. Just outside was a statue of Ferdinand Magellan who was a Portuguese nobleman and mariner. On behalf of the Spanish he sailed to the Philippines to discover routes to trade spices. He is believed to be the first European to make contact with the Philippines and after he was killed in 1521 his crew returned to Spain making them the first people to circumnavigate the earth in history.

Today we are leaving the Philippines on a flight with Cebu Pacific to… Hong Kong! We’ve loved the Philippines (especially being called Ma’am and Sir everywhere!) and will definitely be back in the future to explore some different islands! We’re very excited to explore the famous region of China and learn all about its history. We have 5 days there so we’ll be very busy!