I have been to the island around 5 times or so. Each and every time I go, I have loved every moment of it. There is really something about the place that makes me want to live by the beach all my life.
Imagine this, reggae and house music everywhere, the sound of the sea as your background, while sipping a fruit shake under the hot summer sun as the cool breeze swifts in. Sweet, isn’t it? 
This summer, I got to spend my Boracay vacation with a bunch of cool people… my officemates, some were Boracay virgins. It was one heck of a trip. 9 people in 4 flights. All for the hope to escape reality, even for just a while.
I flew via Zest Air. I got the tickets for around P3,500 roundtrip, which was pretty decent I think, considering it was late March. Problem though was that our flight was delayed for several hours and it really made us exhausted just sitting around the airport doing nothing.
Even if I have been to the place several times, I am glad that I experienced something new. I have tried several activities. I rode a banana boat, went fly fishing, rode a jet ski, went para sailing, did island hopping, Below are the activities that I get to try this time around:
Helmet diving – a.k.a. reef walking. You get to submerge yourself in the water around 10 feet deep. Imagine how an astronaut would be on the moon, that is how it would look like, only you are in the water. The spot we’ve seen however had dead corals though there were many fishes around. For P500, you get to be underwater for 30 minutes, which felt pretty long that I had to go back up the surface before my time elapsed.
Paraw sailing – though I did this before, I went with the group because it is just the most relaxing thing to do. Feeling the boat speeding as the wind blows against you and hearing the splash of the water everywhere bring just the most amazing feeling. We went before sunset and so we saw the sun setting while in the middle of the sea (which I suggest you guys do because that‘s when the skies have wonderful colors). For P900/hour, all 9 of us willingly succumbed ourselves to this experience which was well worth the price.
If we didn’t do any of the activities, I would have been happy just the same. I’m contented strolling by the shore, touching the powdery white sand with my feet. I don’t mind walking from Station 3 to 1 or vice versa because there were just too many things to see along the way. For this trip however, since I’m done trying almost all the activities Boracay can offer, I concentrated on that one thing that is always changing on the island. FOOD.
Food to eat and where to go:
Topping my list would be Zuzuni’s Chocolate Sin (went straight to dessert, hehe). I have no objections with the name because, it is in fact, a sin to be eating that good of a cake. Located at the beach front in between Stations 1 and 2, this restaurant offers Greek dishes that are just too impossible to resist.
Villa de Oro’s Mongolian Buffet (P200 eat-all-you-can plus inclusive of bottomless iced tea) – this restaurant is located at Station 3 (beside La Carmela de Boracay). We had our first dinner there and since everybody was really hungry, I think for the price, it was worth eating here.
Breakfast in Real Coffee – I ate here once before prior to this trip but this was the first time I tasted the Calamansi Muffin (P45) which sounds odd. With every bite, the sourness and sweetness all wrapped into one very moist muffin felt like little piece of heaven. Situated in between Stations 1 and 2 (this isn’t in the main strip, but turn once you see Hawaiian Barbecue), the restaurant has been featured in several movies shot in Boracay. Also, order Tuna Melt (P200) for something heavier because trust me, a piece of muffin will only go as far as your throat and won’t make it to your stomach. 
Jonah’s Shake – ah, this one surely is a classic. No trip is complete without getting to experience the smooth creamy velvety shake from Jonah’s. I’ve tried all the mainstream varieties but my favorite remains to be the Mango Shake. Iced Tea Shake comes in a close second. The shakes had gotten quite expensive from last year. Minimum cost would be around P85 plus 10% service charge. The establishment is located beach front of Station 1.
Aria at D’ Mall is where you go to for some Italian fix. This restaurant creates just the most delicious pizza and pasta on the island. For around P400/person budget, you guys will go a long way (make sure to order their Four Cheese Pizza, yum!).
Ole’s Chicken Barbecue – now if it wasn’t for the not so good service (food took a long while to be served and when it finally did, we were served with the chicken still quite bloody, we had to send it back) me and my friends had, the experience would’ve been perfect. There was the perfect blend of the sweet and salty flavor in the barbecue sauce which I really loved. This meal, at P95 classified under Pinoy Favorites menu, is really value for money.
Hediland Deli has just enough collection of cheeses and meat on the island. Located just beside The Tides in D’ Mall, a cheese lover wouldn’t be able to resist going inside the store. I grabbed their ham and cheese sandwich before going to the airport. Customized sandwich at its best, you choose your ham (mine was farmer’s ham) and cheese (emmental or cheddar), the baguette plus P60 for them to garnish it with vegetables and sauces (a.k.a. mustard!). Quite pricey for a sandwich if you ask me (I think mine was around P230) but since it was so delicious, I will not think twice to give this a visit next time around.
Chori-burger (chorizo burger) stand right outside of D’Mall around late afternoon serves just the yummiest Chori-burger on the island. It costs P50 but their Chori-burger is way more delicious (tender and hot) than the others I have tasted.
Places to drink:
Happy hour at the Tides (Station 2, inside D’ Mall) – go to the roof deck of this fabulous hotel and be amazed by the view of the sea. There’s also a pool where you can take a dip in and the most exciting part, cocktails are buy-1-take-1. The lounge place was really cozy as you enjoy the house music at the background. Make sure to taste their refreshing Mojito!
Juice Bar – I call this the Embassy of Boracay because when I was there, the place was really happening. Up-to-date R&B songs are being played up to the wee hours of the morning. Try their cocktails especially the one called Angela, Lush Angel says it’s pretty awesome.
See the places I’ve eaten in? This was the only time I went to Boracay that I actually gained weight. No thanks to all the delicious food on the island. Hehe.
For this vacation, we stayed at Island Nook located at the back of D’ Mall. They offer very cozy rooms at very reasonable rates. Total cost for this trip was less than Php 10,000. All in. 
I miss lazing by the beach under an umbrella sipping a refreshing mojito while observing people or finishing a book. Ah, the ambiance I so miss. How I wish the island is just a drive away.
‘Til my next beach trip.
P.S. When I come back, I’ll make sure to try Shangri-la Boracay’s Dinner Buffet (around P2,000). If I’m lucky, I’ll try to stay there for at least a night. Dreaming, aren’t I?
