Island Hopping

Boracay can be summed up with one word, Paradise. From my first glimpse of it from the airplane window, I knew it was a mistake only planning to spend two days there.

 

For the geographically challenged, Boracay is a tiny island about an hour south of Manila by air (don’t feel too bad… I had never heard of Boracay before booking my ticket either). To get there, we took an equally tiny airplane to Caticlan (a nearby, larger island), and then a 15-minute boat ride to Paradise. Walking on the tarmac and riding in a puddle jumper was a bonus for me. Something about little planes with less than 20 passengers screams, “I am going to a remote location, way off the beaten path… If I get lost, don’t come trying to find me!” Who wouldn’t be excited about that???

 

 

Two days was not a lot of time, but I managed to cram a lot of fun into the few hours I had. One of the highlights was an island hopping trip, where we took a bangka out for a good part of the day to explore caves, snorkel and eat! 

Abueng even ventured onto the boat, which I was impressed with since she never learned to swim. Personally, I have no idea what that would feel like, but I imagine being surrounded by water would be a little intimidating. Especially with the weather we had, the waves were pretty big and there wasn’t a dry seat in the house (I promised Abueng that we would find a pool somewhere in Illsan so I can give her swimming lessons ASAP).

    

Anyways, the first stop on the boat was just off shore to snorkel. I quickly jumped in the water and transformed into Dory (the fish). Ironically enough, remember the scene in Finding Nemo where Dory is stung by jellyfish? Well, my transformation was so uncanny that I too became a jelly magnet. Shortly after diving in I felt my arms and ankle burning, but in true Dory form I said to myself, “Just keep swimming…” 

 

It wasn’t terrible and no one had to pee on me, so I still had fun! Snorkeling is one of my favorite beach activities! Obviously, scuba diving is even MORE fun, but I haven’t had a chance to try it, YET. While we were swimming around I saw a ton of fish, sea urchins and I even found a starfish!

 

Crystal Cove was the next stop. It was a little island with some interesting rock and seashell mosaicked buildings and cool caves! The first “cave” was more like a blowhole with a spiral staircase to get into it.

    

The second cave was my favorite because you had to crawl on all fours to reach it. At the end of the tunnel it opened into a roomy nook with a great view of the ocean and some nice spots to strike a pose!

 

Once we were back on the boat, it was a short trip to lunch! The boat stopped at an adjacent island where we dined on traditional Filipino food (pork, chicken, rice and fruit). Yummy!

After waiting 20 minutes, it was safe to get back in the water and I didn’t hesitate. Meanwhile, the other passengers on the boat not swimming had a chance to enjoy a fresh coconut (one of my favorite things about tropical areas). I was amazed at this guy who pulled right up to our boat on his surfboard-looking rig, balancing numerous coconuts and a machete. Crazy talented and entrepreneurial if you ask me.

Between the rough waters and cloudy sky, everyone on board opted to return a little early to shore. I didn’t argue because next on my agenda was a massage on the beach (my first massage EVER). I figured it would be a great way to get me geared up for some New Years Eve celebrations… and did it ever.

To Be Continued…