A ‘fun-filled’ itinerary in Boracay in the pandemic era- January 2021
Gone are the days when having ‘fun’ in a trip was never perceived as a hiccup. In fact, traveling was undertaken for fun and enjoyment. Unfortunately, year 2020 has casted an ill-fated shadow on our lives instilling a sense of fear and panic in us whenever it came to stepping out of our homes and it continues to be.
Breaking the shackles of distress which was tied to our feet since the onset of the pandemic, we planned for a visit to Boracay and reached the charming destination on January 15, 2021 at around 12.30 PM from Manila (Philippines).
Boracay is such a stunning beach destination with white sand beaches and clear green sea that has the power to attract beach lovers from all over the world. Being a conglomerate of serenity and amusement, it is ideal for both peace-lovers and fun-seekers, for friends, couples, families and solo-travelers. Activities like scuba-diving, helmet-diving, paddle boarding, snorkeling, island hopping and jet skiing have kept on fascinating tourists since a long time.
Although Boracay was closed for tourists due to the prevalence of the pandemic, it was finally reopened on Oct 1, 2020 for domestic travelers with a strict health and safety protocol.(Click here to know more)
Now let us dive straightaway into the itinerary.
Day-1 (Jan 15,2021)
It was almost 12.15 PM when we stood right in front of a huge banner bearing the name, ‘BORACAY’.
Yes, the one I am talking about is given below and located near the Boracay jetty :
Bereft of traveling since a year, we could not contain our exhilaration and taken our next step towards exploring the wonderland by taking a ride on a tricycle to reach Red Coconut beach hotel. Located on White beach, Station 2, the hotel offers a spectacular panorama of the clear green waters of the Sulu sea gradually merging with the light blue sky.
Amidst the wave of the pandemic and as a measure to control the spread, wearing of masks in the common areas like the lobby, front-desk, restaurant was made mandatory as part of the hotel policy. On entering, hand-sanitizers were available along with thermal screening. It took around 8–10 mins to complete the check-in process along with sanitization of the luggage. Totally famished, we headed towards the restaurant within minutes post freshening up and the menu card offered a great choice for food patrons like us.
Delicious food, a splendid view of the fine white sand beach, the waving leaves of coconut trees and the sea evoked in us a sense of tranquility. It reminded me of a colorful image in the story book which was one of my favorite reads during my childhood in which I envisioned myself enjoying on a sea shore surrounded with breezy coconut trees.
The accumulation of dense nimbus clouds had snatched the glamour of the sky and lead to a sudden downpour causing an unwanted chaos amongst the beach goers. Gradually, with the deceleration of the shower, we stepped out of the hotel in our aqua clothes and shoes.
Finally our feet were on the finest sands of the White beach.
A pleasant weather created by the rains and cool sea breeze added to our relaxation therapy. The incessant drizzling had resulted in minimizing the crowd on the beach except few touts who came and started convincing us for paddle boarding. After a short period of price negotiation, it was finally agreed at 12.5 USD for a span of 15 minutes. Although a good paddle boarding requires a non-cloudy sky, sunny and a little offshore wind, we had a very different experience in a super-cloudy and windy weather. Not being professionals, what we did was more of enjoying rather than focusing on the intricacies of the watersport. The allotted time passed with the blink of an eye so we requested the tout boy to allow us another 15 minutes and we succeeded in doing so.
After the session, we awaited to be two of the proud witnesses of the setting sun but unfortunately, the dense clouds stood as a shield masking the event. While we were relaxing on the beach, colorful glittering lights of the beach-side restaurants amidst the branches of the coconut trees became visible compelling us to make a move towards our hotel, freshen up and come back to witness the nightlife of Boracay.
Without wasting a speck of time, we stepped out again, masked and carrying our hand sanitizers (this time with GoPro Hero 8) to capture the vibrancy, diversity and the candidness of the nightlife in Boracay.
As Boracay allowed domestic tourists only when they had their Online Health Declaration card along with negative RT-PCR test results, we were somehow feeling safer to hang around amidst the pandemic. A series of contiguous eateries and bars fell in our sight once we began walking towards the left of Red Coconut beach hotel. An unsettling fact was that many restaurants were temporarily shut down and those which were not, had a handful of customers.
Few snapshots of the somber scenario are posted below :
The nightlife might not be as bubbly and flamboyant as it used to be in the normal times but still it had a soft touch of tranquility. Moving from one eatery to another, we checked the food menu cards and finally placed ourselves on the seats at ‘The Hobbit Tavern' to relish shrimp gambas and roasted chicken gambas.
Being in a drained-out state, we returned to our resort, get some good sleep to get ourselves recharged for the next day.
Day-2 (Jan 16, 2021):
What can be more alluring than a scrumptious breakfast by the prepossessing sea? It was an unforgettable experience that penetrated deep into our souls like a flash of light.
As mentioned earlier, island hopping is one of the common activities in Boracay and they charge 1500 PHP (30 USD) per person (charges are higher for foreigners). You will find many tout boys available on the beach offering all sorts of watersports. Well researched and reviewed, we had planned to opt for island hopping for the day.
As it was a shared tour, the tout boy gathered some more customers before we finally set out on a motor boat.
Thus, our adventure began on a super-wavy sea filled with the excitement of visiting the following islands :
- Puka Shell beach
- Crystal Cove island
- Crocodile island
- Bulabog beach
We were lucky enough to visit Puka Shell beach and the Bulabog beach as the weather was not complacent enough resulting in monster waves that did not permit us to stop by Crystal cove island. It is such a magnificent place clad with rocks and thatched rooftop houses which serves as a perfect place for relaxation. Unfortunately, it remained unticked in our wish-list.
Crocodile island is one of the best snorkeling sites but the snorkeling spot was shifted to another place due to the presence of very high waves. When the boatman pointed at the Crocodile island for us to have a look, he explained that the name has been derived because of the mere shape of a crocodile and yes, it indeed resembled the reptile.
Intensely hungry, we headed towards the Bulabog beach to satiate our hunger wherein the tour guide agency had not left a stone unturned in making all arrangement pertaining to hospitality and good food.
There was ample time for us to relax on the beach, post-lunch. Sitting on the sand with my feet getting pampered by the cool sea waves, my attention was grabbed by one of the boats, tightly anchored that danced merrily to the movement of the rhythmic waves.
[Isn’t our lives so much similar to the boat? In spite of being anchored with the gravity of strong emotions, fastest minds which have made some greatest wonders on Earth, we, humans shine faintly with wavering lights when it comes to confronting the fury of Mother Nature.]
The tout boy approached and requested us to get on the boat as the weather was vulnerable and it would be perilous, if delayed. Once loaded, it started moving towards our destination with its speed peaking up in no time.
Willy’s rock — Island hopping tour was somehow not satisfactory because of its incompleteness but as done is always better than perfect, we planned to visit the famous Willy’s rock before entering the hotel.
Located in Station 1, as the name suggests, it is an iconic rock formation which has a dozen steps which will take you to a beautiful shrine of Virgin Mary and it is best experienced in presence of a low tide. This serves as an ideal spot for photography and to view the extended White Sand Beach and the pristine clear waters of the Sulu sea.
In the evening that followed, we spent our entire time on the beach witnessing the majestic sun setting in his entirety leaving behind shades of orangish-red hue for his viewers to cherish. It was such a peaceful moment.
As we were completely worn out, dinner was planned at our hotel itself in spite of having a plethora of options for dine-in outside our comfort zone. Presence of live music with mouthwatering delicacies added an element of satisfaction to our decision. A good time was spent but as time passed by, we felt a sense of heaviness in our hearts.
Only a day left on the beautiful island!
Day-3 (Jan 17, 2021):
The final day was preserved for scuba diving and helmet diving.
Scuba diving- For this, the diving agency charged 2000PHP (42 USD) per person which included 30 minutes of verbal training session at their diving shop followed by 30 minutes of actual dive with the trainer. All equipment necessary for diving were supplied by them and the best time for scuba is early morning. It is not advisable for non-swimmers.
No matter, you get to experience the wonders of marine life, be amidst vibrant-colored corals and fishes. It is totally an ineffable adventure altogether.
[Underwater images could not be shared as they have not yet been transferred from GoPro Hero8. Will upload once they are done]
Helmet diving — Recommended for both swimmers and non-swimmers, this watersport is the safest and the easiest way to explore the life underwater. It has helped me take my confidence to the next level as it was the first time I (being a non-swimmer) had broken the shackle of fear to go underwater.
We were charged 700 PHP (14USD) per person.
You will be briefed on the helmet diving station prior to the actual dive on how to communicate with the dive instructor underwater and the method of equalization (release of pressure through the ears). Helmet diving is convenient as it calls for normal breathing inside a helmet connected with a pipe to an air compressor that continuously supplies oxygen when you are underwater. The dive instructor will guide you through the entire 15 minutes underwater, click pictures with his underwater camera and offer bread to attract the fish. All you need is to walk on the sea floor and breathe with one of the hands holding the helmet handle.
Believe us, 15 mins was too short a time which passed with the blink of our eyes in the process of getting mesmerized in the paradise. One must definitely experience this in his/her lifetime.
We returned to our hotel with an utmost level of delight and contentment, ticking two of the items in our wish list. The evening was totally sorted out with an extended buffet dinner followed by a lazy stroll on the beach.
The final day came to an end with a good note with each of us heavily loaded with pleasant memories of the most amazing destination, Boracay.
With the end of the painful pandemic and everyone getting vaccinated, Boracay must be one of your next beach destinations in your wish list.
