Travel PH | Strolling in Boracay Whats to See
We all know that Boracay is home to the best beach in the world (when you ask a Filipino), so aside from the fine white beaches, what is there to see?
D'Mall
Is their equivalent of a mall in the island of paradise. Here we can find a big supermarket and most of the restaurants and shops in one location. This place is a popular and easy destination so sometimes this place has been designated as pick up points of tourists by their hotels. You will see them lining up on one side while they await for their rides. A terminal for tricycles also is here for those who are not part of a large tour groups. This place is so jampacked with people in the late afternoon that you will have to avoid this place unless you want to eat or buy something here.
Inside D'Mall is a shop called Halo Mango. Its always lined up with Koreans and we don't know why. We tried buying here but we end up annoyed by the long queue and very slow service. Maybe the mango ice concoction is so sweet and nice that these Koreans really love this stuff. With lots of Koreans on the island, it will take time for us to really know how great this dessert is.
Fastfood
If you are wary of eating in restaurants in Boracay, you are not alone. For this writer, its either I can't eat because its 1) too expensive for a local or 2) I can't read the menu as its written either in Korean or Chinese. A welcome respite for most of us is the presence of these famous fastfoods like Andoks, McDonalds, Jollibee and KFC
Side Streets
In between the dense structures of restaurants, hotels and shops, you can find your way back to and from the beaches. These side streets is only passable by these motorcycles so people mostly fill these pathways. Mostly they are just sand, so expect them to be with potholes.
Along these side streets, here you can find some cheap or budget restaurants. So if you are cheap like me, then having your Php60 meals is no problem in paradise. Serving sizes maybe a little bit not to your liking but still, cheap meals in Boracay? That's great!!!!
Main Street
Its easy to move around in Boracay. There's only one main street or major road here that you just have to take an E-trike or Tricycle to go where where you're going. Stations 1 to 3 are accessible by this road. It may take a while to find your transportation as most public vehicles are chartered or contracted so have patience when you do take a ride.
Along the main street is where most of the banks are, so know where your bank is situated. They have an ATM there most likely. Finding an ATM on the beach will be a problem.
Aside from banks, lots of 24 convenience stores abound, from Ministop to 7-11s, you will find your fix here on the main street or road.
D'Talipapa
This place has long been gutted by fire, as most of your Manila friends would tell you. So buying ingredients at market prices will prevent you from cooking your food on the island. Fret not, the market is alive and well as the locals created a make shift wet market among the ruins of the old one. So if you want to save up on some of your vacation cash, you may buy here and cook some delicious cheap food in your rooms (if a kitchen is made available for you). For the uninitiated, this place can be found near D'Mall but is located in a side street so keep your eyes peeled on these side streets.
White Beach at Night
After sun down, the beach transforms itself to another level. The place suddenly comes alive with all colorful lights and sounds. Each beachfront establishment either they are restaurants, hotel or bar, really wants to entice guests into their fold. Here you see flashing lights, acoustic and electric bands blaring out great music, fire eaters, fire dancers abound in the beach front. Restaurants and bars extend their foothold near the water so dining and drinking areas are now doubled or tripled even.
Whatever you fancy, they are mostly here on the beach. Security is still tight here and you can see lots of policemen at every corner and with some roving ones as well. Partying is safe on this island.
Along the same beach you will find lots of souvenir shops and surprisingly, the prices are not tourist traps. I was wowed by this fact, imagine key chains for only Php20 with your name and a design on it for free. These shops are open from morning till night and stretches mostly on Station 2 only. They are also present in other beaches but sparsely I noticed. On Bulabog Beach, there's no souvenir shops available there. Maybe because this is the beach where the waters smelled funny due to the presence of seaweed.
Boracay is fun if you lots of money to spend on the island. That's why its over run with Koreans and Chinese. For a moment on the island, I thought I was on Jeju Island (I haven't been there yet). Even some of the Boracay locals know how to converse in Korean already, I was surprised by this fact.
Boracay is so commercialized that restaurants, hotels and shops densely populate the area especially in station 2 that finding the side streets are not easy anymore. Even the presence of lots of foreigners doesn't help either. They create a lot of human traffic on the beach front that you can't have romantic walks by the beach anymore. So if you think of being romantic with your date here, avoid station 2.
If you forgive Boracay for being over run by Koreans and Chinese, and the commercialization they offer, then this place is for you. Boracay offers lots of activities, lots of food to morsel on, beaches to conquer if you have the moolah. The fine white sandy beach is truly to die for, the water (on station 2 only) is great still. Night time when the place comes alive, nothing beats it except the cities of Manila, Cebu and Davao maybe.
I may have misgivings about the island, but I can't deny the fact the beaches here are great and can rival the best in other countries. I do hope we can maintain Boracay in way that we can still be proud of it.