Blogworthy & Travel: Boracay 2013

View from our villa

I was going through my photos and I saw my 2013 Boracay photos. I checked my past entries and was surprised I didn't post a single entry for this trip. Call me weird, or whatever you want, but I really want to (still) blog about this because our stay here deserves a post... two years after.

✰ This post is going to include LOTS of photos ✰

My family and I are Shangri-La fans mainly because they have the best service ever. There are other 5-Star hotels in the Metro and in places like Boracay, but in our hearts and minds, we are sure that nothing will ever beat their service.

1. Arrival at Caticlan Airport ✦ Shangri-La Lounge

As we arrived at the airport, there were already people from Shangri-La waiting for us and they assisted us with our luggage - we didn't have to pick them up. They asked us to tell them which were ours and they would do all the job. I had to mention this because the expressions of their personnel didn't show any hesitation with all the help they give. They always talk to you in smiles unlike other personnel who makes you feel that they're just doing their job. These people have the "happy to serve you" face all the time.

I was pretty delighted to find out about the lounge. If I remember it correctly, there were three lounges: Shangri-La, Discovery Suites and the general lounge. Obviously, it was air conditioned, they had nice and soft couches, super friendly staff (as usual), and they served juice. We only stayed at the lounge because we were waiting for the speedboat that would take us to Boracay. The waiting wasn't really that long; I know because I didn't finish my juice and I am a sucker for Calamansi Juice.

2. Speedboat to Boracay

In my other Boracay entry, I posted there a photo of the boat we rode. Of course, this would be far better since there's actually no cheap room in the hotel so they just better give you a good ride.

My brother would usually get seasick, but this short ride from the airport to Boracay didn't make him feel dizzy or anything. Personally, I liked the white - it kept the simple yet sophisticated look. The seats were very comfortable, I must add. 

3. Villa 8 ✦ Villa Kanluran

Welcome to Villa 8 ✦ Living Room / Receiving Area

This is my favorite (smoking) spot. Wouldn't you enjoy this view?

4. Rooms

Master's Bedroom & Bathroom

Master's Walk-In Closet + Display & the other bedroom and bathroom

I'm telling you - they aren't just photogenic. It would even more appropriate if I say that it looks even better in person. The ventilation and temperature were perfect. The pillows, bed, towels - they were all soft and smelled really good.

...but these photos do not give justice yet. Here's my favorite part of the Master's Bedroom:

Paradise at your doorstep

Yes, that's right. When you leave the curtains on the side, you have a view of the ocean and the sky. Isn't it AMAZING?! It has access to the back part of the villa. I was slightly disappointed to know that my mom didn't know that it was a door, not a full window. Nevertheless, she enjoyed her view before sleeping and waking up.

The villa included two butlers (yes, butler): One during the day and one during the night. If you're seated on the porch and you want water, juice, or anything you like, you can just call or text him and he would bring you what you requested. And yes, it came with a cell phone. That's where the butler's number is (well, duh).

5. Restaurants: Vintana Cafe & Sirena

Vintana Cafe

So these are the only photos I have of the restaurant. We had lunch here after checking in. I remember ordering my all-time favorite, Adobo. My brother had Steak, and forgot what my parents ordered. Regardless, we all know Shangri-La restaurants serve good food.

This is also where the breakfast buffet is held.

Sirena

From their website:

Perched on a cliff top above crystal-blue waters, Sirena, the resort's signature seafood restaurant, provides a casual, carefree dining experience.

Sirena serves culinary creations fresh from the market and a wonderful selection of wines from around the world.

Food was great, as usual. It's the experience I wanna talk about. Never in my life did I imagine that I'd get to have dinner by a cliff. Spending this quality time with your family is another thing.

Exemplary Service:

My brother was whining about his eye being itchy, and the waiter who was serving us noticed and asked what the problem was. When my brother told him about his eye, he excused himself and came back with an eye drop, and told him to keep it. Again, this is with no hesitation and was done with his lips smiling from ear to ear. Well, let me reiterate - we didn't request for an eye drop. 

Random words:

I was browsing through tumblr when I saw this photo:

I feel overwhelmingly blessed to have experienced this while it's on most people's bucket list. I need not to explain, but this photo, that spot, is exactly where we were seated (as seen on photo above). When I saw this on my feed, I immediately thought, "hey, this looks familiar". 

Given these, can you just imagine how I'm pretty pissed with myself for not blogging about this earlier? 

and YES, we had our own pool. 

MORE PHOTOS:

Unforgettable Week in Paradise

It took me quite a while to post this entry since it's really hard to put down my experience into words.

October 21

We booked our ticket when we found out about a promo so we can't really expect good seats/a good departure time. Our flight was at around 5:30PM (Manila to Kalibo). In Kalibo, we had to ride a van for 2 hours to get to the port where we are to ride a boat to Caticlan. I don't want to talk about the 2-hour van ride.

Boat to Caticlan

I forgot what time we arrived in Caticlan but I'm pretty sure it was late at night and there weren't enough "fun" activities for us so we just checked in, and went to the stations for late dinner.

October 22 - 25

Activities

The different activities offered by different Water Sports Companies were all tempting and fun but we only availed of the Parasailing, Parao (Sunset Sailing), FlyFish, and the Paddle Boarding. I was so happy I got to play volleyball too! I don't remember the last time I played. All other parts of the day was spent on the beach! Cool water + fine sand = perfect chill place.

At night, we'd either drink in our room or drink at the stations while listening to live bands. I never really admitted it to myself... but I really enjoy listening to live bands while drinking my beer and laughing with my friends. A little hookah is not bad too!

Food

You didn't go to Boracay if you didn't get shakes from Jonah's Fruit Shake. I must say: I thought it was just a fad or something that most people to to just because it's famous. Their shakes are delish! I'm a fan of pineapple shakes (since I'm into sour drinks) so I ordered Pineapple Banana. It sounds weird, I know. But you should try it! We ate in different places for lunch and dinner every day and night but almost all the restaurants we ate at serve Filipino cuisine. 

I am a Starbucks person therefore I won't let anyone stop me from going to Starbucks Boracay. Okay, so my Iced Venti White Chocolate Mocha (Non-Fat, No Whip) tastes the same in Boracay, but the experience wasn't. Obviously, you're in Boracay. That's one. Two, since I/we always stay at smoking areas, we chose to go to the rooftop where I can drink my coffee under the freakin stars. Three, as part of their job description, the baristas speak different languages so they can communicate better with the foreigners. They can speak Korean, Spanish, Italian, French, and Chinese. They probably know more, but those are the only languages I heard.

My favorite part would be eating good food under the stars. It can never be replaced. It is number one in my heart. 

Hostel

We stayed at Bambooze Hauz. Yes, I know. It is indeed spelled Hauz. It was far better than I expected. The room wasn't big but it was enough to fit four adults and it had a kitchen so we cooked our breakfast inside the room. We also cooked dinner on some nights. If you're concerned about the smell, just leave the door open while cooking.

Bambooze Hauz Hotel - Php 1,500 / night ( 4 adults )

This sums up my great week in Boracay.

Please watch the following videos.

The first video was made by Nika Peralta and I made the second one.

 

Vacation: Necessity or Want?

Hong Kong

Early November 2013, my best friend and I went to Hong Kong just for fun. Well, we're aspiring travelers. We call ourselves the "travel buddies" since this was our third trip abroad together. It was very fun in many ways even though for two days (I think), I had severe headache. When we arrived at the airport, neither of us knew how to get to the hotel. People would think that it was very stressful; given we were "foreigners" in HK, but it was very fun for us. We asked around, and ended up taking two trains to get to the hotel. We finally figured out that we could travel all of Hong Kong using the MTR, so that was what we did the whole time. Food, shopping, and sights were all good.

Boracay

My Boracay trip was on the last week of November 2013 as well. It was my birthday weekend, and me and my family stayed at Shangri-La Boracay. I kept on saying this trip was the cherry on top of my birthday week. It was, actually. We stayed at a 5-Star Hotel, with VIP treatment. What else could you ask for?

Hi, I'm still the depressed me. It's been a good Monday and Tuesday, but nothing's changed. I'm still in this shit hole. I guess this is one of the times I really need to go on vacation. When I'm around friends, I tend to forget my worries. I smile and I laugh. When I'm back home, I'm tired from work; and then I remember what happened last Friday. I'm very desperate for a chance to be away from home, away from the people who hurt me, and reflect on myself. I know I'm in this situation right now because of a stupid mistake that I made, but I still don't get how I've been stepped on too much.

I mentioned my two recent vacations because I remember how my whole self was at peace during these vacays. I've gotten to know more about myself during these times. In Hong Kong, as seen above, we went to The Peak. If you're unfamiliar with it, you are to ride a tram all the way up to see the whole of Hong Kong. Wonderful, right? As I was staring at HK's city lights, the bad experiences I had at work came flashing right back at me. Then I realized how blessed I was to be staring at an astonishing view; and that all my troubles were gone. Not really gone, but I was able to understand all the things I didn't get to understand minutes, hours, days, and weeks after a horrible experience. My trip to Boracay, on the other hand, was a vacation where I was able to have an additional check to my bucket list: dive off a cliff. Yes, I did it! There were three points: 5meters, 10meters, and 15 meters. I was able to jump the 10meter-high cliff, but got pretty scared with the 15. I wanted to, but I guess I wasn't ready at the time. I'm going back sooner or later, and I vowed I'd jump the 15. If I were to describe the feeling while jumping off a cliff, it is a feeling that you won't get from the city. All you can see are blue skies, happy people, free alcohol, blue water, and a happy you. Jumping, although with a little nervousness, helps you release all the bad, sad, and negative things in you and I'm not even exaggerating!

So after another long explanation, I guess what I'm trying to say is that when you're below rock bottom, it is a necessity to go on vacation. Anywhere outside your real world is fine. I'd suggest you go for the beach, cause it's way more than relaxing. The heat of the sun may make you go crazy, but the blue sky, the sand (even if you're not in Boracay), the trees, and mostly the ocean - these will give you a different vibe. It helps you think clearly. Another piece of advice: bring someone who can help you forget the world. Lastly, bring a pack of cigarettes and beer and you're off to a good vacation.