Mabuhay Boracay (Welcome to Boracay) - Boracay Island, Malay, Philippines - Stop #1 White Beach Relaxation

     We were welcomed to Boracay Island by the friendly staff at Mika’s Beach Resort on Diniwid Beach.  It was already dark after a long day of travelling but we knew right away this was a perfect place to stay. 

They had lots of valuable info to share as well as some Fillipino whiskey to greet us there.  Surrounded by turquoise seas and tall palm trees, we got used to this salty breeze with ease - I'll have another San Miguel please!  


We enjoyed breakfast on the beach every morning...

and gorgeous sail boat sunsets over the ocean every evening (we even caught a rainbow).

The beach was filled every night with people gathering to watch the sunset. It was fun to see all of the kids playing and running around - the beach is their playground. 

    The room was simple, but cozy and comfortable. The refreshing breeze and rustling trees created an awesome ambiance every day and night. 

We even had a friend stay with us a couple of nights (mostly in the bathroom). 

He was the bug bouncer at night, making sure we had no uninvited guests at our parrrrty!























Boracay is a small island but there is plenty to do. Here's a little summary of some things we did:

Island Hopping  

   We were convinced to try this out after several commissioners persistently stopped to offer us deals. 

After hearing the same deals over and over again, you want to bargain for something sweeter. Or, at least get creative with us when offering. One man said something clever that caught our attention: "Open your heart; open your mind; open your wallet". A good sense of humour works on our hearts most of the time.

Crocodile Island - can you tell?!

Snorkelling (finding and following a sea snake was a highlight - highly venomous - also highly awesome)

Called Walo-Walo in filippino - walo means eight, because if they bite you, you have between 8 sec and 8 days to live - no antivenom

Check out a vid of some highlights!

D'Talipapa Fresh Seafood Market 

Imagine all of the clams, oysters, shrimp, crab, fish,

and biggest lobster you could ever want in one place and you are in a seafood lovers paradise.























Choose what you want, bargain a price, 

 











then have it cooked the way you want(which any sane person would have it doused in butter and garlic obviously).

 
  
















Mmmmm...butterrrrrrrr

Mount Luho 

   With a complete view of the entire island, Mt. Luho made for an easy first mountain to conquer as there was a road most of the way up and stairs to the top viewpoint.

Another friend we made along the way :) 

spot the sailboat?

Night Life in Boracay

   

   We enjoyed going out with our new Filippino friends. We taught them how to play beer pong and they loved it!   

Filippino style drinking - they enjoy freshly caught and grilled Marot fish with a vinegar based dip with their beers.  mmm mmm mmmmmm

  There was a lot of other activities to do on the island (including the very popular kite boarding), but overall we feel like we conquered Boracay. 

Here's a few more highlights from Boracay!


Puka Beach - Gorgeous, no buildings or hydro

White Beach - Tons of tourists, commissioners, shops and bars

You can get a 7 minute, $2.50 Haircut at the D-Mall market (first time I paid for one in years, take notes Canada)

Local Brew - Mig Light (San Miguel). We bought our beer from a little shop by our hotel for only 28PHP each (less than a dollar). 

Local Fisherman

Happy hour drinks and dinner on the beach - key for a good night sleep ;) 

    And finally, a farewell to our friends in Boracay. We loved our time spent at Mika's Beach Resort; the people were so kind and welcoming and they definitely made our time there memorable. We will surely miss them! 

...now, onto the next adventure.....