Boracay - Roxas 2017
Okay. I know this travel happened so loonnggg ago. I never thought I'd put this adventure out there. You see, days after this trip, my mom passed away. So, I never had the time to journal then eventually lost my interest.
But I AM BACK!!! I guess, this is now timely since Boracay will re-open soon after it's rehabilitation period is over.
It a very good thing Roxas is just 2 hours away from Kalibo, that's why I thought, why not hit two birds with one stone? 😜
I was so surprised to see Caticlan Port so developed compared to 6 years ago. Outside are full of commercial spaces and bus/van terminals. Inside is a more systematic terminal. And too much fees at that!
In Boracay is a more busier port. I saw 7/11 now. Commercial buildings are put up or being put up. There is a tricycle terminal which we can take with a group or for a special trip. Since we wanted to be dropped exactly at our hotel, we opted for a special trip.
On the way to our room, I noticed this tiny island is like a city on its own. I was wow-ed see huge change. Traffic was so heavy for these tricycles and there are traffic officers everywhere.
ALOHA Boracay Hotel
We stayed a night at Aloha Boracay Hotel. Located at Station 2, is a 2 minute walk to the beach. I got a special rate for a premium room when we visited a Travel Mart few months back. And this is the reason why I love going to Travel expo - because hotel accommodations are lit! 👌
It was also hot in Boracay. That's why after checking in at 2PM, we just stayed in our airconditioned room.
The whole afternoon was spent strolling. We went to buy Pasalubong at D'Talipapa. So, still mesmerized by the powdery white sand and blue waters. It was sad seeing the greenish water near the shore and what's more sad is that locals are still in denial that the color is just normal, that they say it this color is just normal during these months.
However, before we came, news were around about the water condition in Manila. I tried to go to the farthest where the color is no longer green but gave up halfway through. I just couldn't bear the thought of dipping myself in a cesspool. It was awful.
So we contented ourselves, like the others, by sitting on the sand and watching the sun set. It was a beautiful thing.
After eating dinner somewhere not fancy, we went back to our room and just drank some alcohol in the balcony of our room while my kid watched cartoon in the room. What a great way to end our day.
That night, I still had to work. Thank god for the strong wifi in our room!
MARCH 23, 2017.
Breakfast. Our accommodation comes with a free breakfast for 2 in their cafe. I love their breakfast! It's yummy and comes in a big serving!
Then after breakfast, we decided to check out the beach for the last time.
This is the end of our Boracay Trip! Overnight isn't really enough. But oh well. Next time. When it re-opens after it's rehabilitation period.
I forgot the place where the van dropped us off but it was definitely a terminal. From there, we rode a tricycle going to our hotel for P50.
URBAN MANOR HOTEL
I booked an airconditioned room through Travelbook for only P1,120 (Pay at the hotel option). That comes with a free breakfast for two.
Love the wifi here, also strong. What I don't like is that staff here are not so accommodating.
In the afternoon, we decided to eat dinner in one of the restaurants near People Park. We took a tricycle going there.
People Park is similar to our Manila Bay, only a smaller version. What I like here is people can swim in the beach, unlike in Manila Bay. There are playgrounds too for kids. There are street food with chairs and tables lined up for those who wanted to eat. This place turns into a tambayan at night.
Hailed as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines, I was expecting a fresh seafood overload everywhere. I also thought seafood would be cheap since it's abundant here, but no it wasn't the case. I was disappointed. Maybe it's just the restaurant we've been in - Coco Veranda or probably, we weren't at the right place.
Oh well....
Moving on.... we left People's Park and rode a tricycle going back to our hotel.
MARCH 24, 2017.
The next day, after breakfast, we started our walking tour. I searched a paid tour online but there are only few that offer and very expensive. So, we decided we'll just do it on our own. Good thing there are blogs about the walking tour that we used as our guide.
Here's how we did our tour in order. We started in the town plaza and so from our hotel, we took a tricycle going there.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL
CAPIZ PROVINCIAL CAPITOL AND CITY HALL
BANDSTAND AND OLD CAPIZ BRIDGE
In the town plaza, landmarks such as the church, municipal hall, city hall, bridge, gazebo, museum are pretty near each other. We wanted to go to Roxas ancestral house but the people we asked do not know where it is!
We rounded up our walking tour by heading onto Spanglo's to try their buko pie! Their buko pie didn't fail us. It was the best I've ever tasted!!! 😊
THAT'S IT for our Roxas trip!
People here aren't as welcoming compared to other touristy places. Probably because not much of tourists visit here.
An overnight Roxas City is also not enough. I know there are other things and other nice places to visit. Maybe some other time.
This is a two-part trip.. Manila to Boracay, then Boracay to Roxas.
Initially, I just wanted to go back to Boracay because, well, it's been a long time since my family visite - 2011. But then Roxas lingered in my mind because....
I love seafoods! And where else to go splurge?
In the the Seafood Capital of the Philippines - ROXAS!!!!
In the the Seafood Capital of the Philippines - ROXAS!!!!
It a very good thing Roxas is just 2 hours away from Kalibo, that's why I thought, why not hit two birds with one stone? 😜
MANILA TO BORACAY VIA CEBU PACIFIC
March 21, 2017.
March 21, 2017.
We landed in Kalibo International Airport quarter past 9PM. Although there are vans plying to Boracay 24/7, we decided to just stay in Kalibo because.... 1) Wanted to experience Kalibo town even for just a while, 2) It's cheaper to spend few night hours in Kalibo than in Boracay.
We rode in one of the tricycles parked outside the airport. Dropping us into our accommodation, we were charged P150 pesos, which I think is overpriced. Naku, Kuya driver even tried to outsmart us by saying he didn't have a 50 pesos change to the 200 pesos we gave him. Buti nalang, my hubby had 50 pesos pala in his pocket.
We stayed in RB Lodge. I booked it thru Travelbook, credit card payment. I selected a non-air-conditioned room with shared toilet and bath for only P473. Very cheap right?!! We only needed few hours to sleep anyway. Or room is located at the ground floor. Luckily, we were the only ones checked in at the ground floor and so the shared toilet were all ours!
What I like in this Lodge is their strong WIFI in our room (Yey! I was able to work that night!). The room is fairly well-kept. What I didn't like though is that aside from being hot, we could hear people chatting and vehicles especially tricycles all night from the outside, since our room is just beside the street.
Walking distance from our accommodation is Andok's, the restaurant type. It was already 11PM whn we went there and we just walked in the silent streets of Kalibo town without any fear.
MARCH 22, 2017.
Just right outside our accommodations are vans going to Caticlan. Vans are pretty common, just like the UV Express here in Manila. After we checked out and stepped out of our accommodation that early morning, we hopped on the van and seated for 1 1/2 hours until we reached the Caticlan port.
The van wasn't full when it left the terminal. Along the way, people hailed and then some dropped off. The experience wasn't bad, it's just similar to riding a van here in Manila.
CATICLAN PORT
We rode in one of the tricycles parked outside the airport. Dropping us into our accommodation, we were charged P150 pesos, which I think is overpriced. Naku, Kuya driver even tried to outsmart us by saying he didn't have a 50 pesos change to the 200 pesos we gave him. Buti nalang, my hubby had 50 pesos pala in his pocket.
We stayed in RB Lodge. I booked it thru Travelbook, credit card payment. I selected a non-air-conditioned room with shared toilet and bath for only P473. Very cheap right?!! We only needed few hours to sleep anyway. Or room is located at the ground floor. Luckily, we were the only ones checked in at the ground floor and so the shared toilet were all ours!
What I like in this Lodge is their strong WIFI in our room (Yey! I was able to work that night!). The room is fairly well-kept. What I didn't like though is that aside from being hot, we could hear people chatting and vehicles especially tricycles all night from the outside, since our room is just beside the street.
Walking distance from our accommodation is Andok's, the restaurant type. It was already 11PM whn we went there and we just walked in the silent streets of Kalibo town without any fear.
MARCH 22, 2017.
Just right outside our accommodations are vans going to Caticlan. Vans are pretty common, just like the UV Express here in Manila. After we checked out and stepped out of our accommodation that early morning, we hopped on the van and seated for 1 1/2 hours until we reached the Caticlan port.
The van wasn't full when it left the terminal. Along the way, people hailed and then some dropped off. The experience wasn't bad, it's just similar to riding a van here in Manila.
CATICLAN PORT
I was so surprised to see Caticlan Port so developed compared to 6 years ago. Outside are full of commercial spaces and bus/van terminals. Inside is a more systematic terminal. And too much fees at that!
In Boracay is a more busier port. I saw 7/11 now. Commercial buildings are put up or being put up. There is a tricycle terminal which we can take with a group or for a special trip. Since we wanted to be dropped exactly at our hotel, we opted for a special trip.
On the way to our room, I noticed this tiny island is like a city on its own. I was wow-ed see huge change. Traffic was so heavy for these tricycles and there are traffic officers everywhere.
ALOHA Boracay Hotel
We stayed a night at Aloha Boracay Hotel. Located at Station 2, is a 2 minute walk to the beach. I got a special rate for a premium room when we visited a Travel Mart few months back. And this is the reason why I love going to Travel expo - because hotel accommodations are lit! 👌
It was also hot in Boracay. That's why after checking in at 2PM, we just stayed in our airconditioned room.
The whole afternoon was spent strolling. We went to buy Pasalubong at D'Talipapa. So, still mesmerized by the powdery white sand and blue waters. It was sad seeing the greenish water near the shore and what's more sad is that locals are still in denial that the color is just normal, that they say it this color is just normal during these months.
However, before we came, news were around about the water condition in Manila. I tried to go to the farthest where the color is no longer green but gave up halfway through. I just couldn't bear the thought of dipping myself in a cesspool. It was awful.
So we contented ourselves, like the others, by sitting on the sand and watching the sun set. It was a beautiful thing.
After eating dinner somewhere not fancy, we went back to our room and just drank some alcohol in the balcony of our room while my kid watched cartoon in the room. What a great way to end our day.
That night, I still had to work. Thank god for the strong wifi in our room!
MARCH 23, 2017.
Breakfast. Our accommodation comes with a free breakfast for 2 in their cafe. I love their breakfast! It's yummy and comes in a big serving!
Then after breakfast, we decided to check out the beach for the last time.
This is the end of our Boracay Trip! Overnight isn't really enough. But oh well. Next time. When it re-opens after it's rehabilitation period.
~ o ~
BORACAY TO KALIBO
MARCH 23, 2017.
We were back in Caticlan Port. There are a lot of buses and vans waiting going to different parts of the province. We asked around how to best reach Roxas City and was told to take a van.
Our situation inside the van in a video below. We were crammed at the back and then my kid was so bored. It was a three-hour drive in a more province-y place. The ride was more curvy, because we passed through mountains.
Our situation inside the van in a video below. We were crammed at the back and then my kid was so bored. It was a three-hour drive in a more province-y place. The ride was more curvy, because we passed through mountains.
I forgot the place where the van dropped us off but it was definitely a terminal. From there, we rode a tricycle going to our hotel for P50.
URBAN MANOR HOTEL
I booked an airconditioned room through Travelbook for only P1,120 (Pay at the hotel option). That comes with a free breakfast for two.
Love the wifi here, also strong. What I don't like is that staff here are not so accommodating.
In the afternoon, we decided to eat dinner in one of the restaurants near People Park. We took a tricycle going there.
People Park is similar to our Manila Bay, only a smaller version. What I like here is people can swim in the beach, unlike in Manila Bay. There are playgrounds too for kids. There are street food with chairs and tables lined up for those who wanted to eat. This place turns into a tambayan at night.
Hailed as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines, I was expecting a fresh seafood overload everywhere. I also thought seafood would be cheap since it's abundant here, but no it wasn't the case. I was disappointed. Maybe it's just the restaurant we've been in - Coco Veranda or probably, we weren't at the right place.
Oh well....
Moving on.... we left People's Park and rode a tricycle going back to our hotel.
MARCH 24, 2017.
The next day, after breakfast, we started our walking tour. I searched a paid tour online but there are only few that offer and very expensive. So, we decided we'll just do it on our own. Good thing there are blogs about the walking tour that we used as our guide.
Here's how we did our tour in order. We started in the town plaza and so from our hotel, we took a tricycle going there.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL
CAPIZ PROVINCIAL CAPITOL AND CITY HALL
BANDSTAND AND OLD CAPIZ BRIDGE
In the town plaza, landmarks such as the church, municipal hall, city hall, bridge, gazebo, museum are pretty near each other. We wanted to go to Roxas ancestral house but the people we asked do not know where it is!
We rounded up our walking tour by heading onto Spanglo's to try their buko pie! Their buko pie didn't fail us. It was the best I've ever tasted!!! 😊
THAT'S IT for our Roxas trip!
People here aren't as welcoming compared to other touristy places. Probably because not much of tourists visit here.
An overnight Roxas City is also not enough. I know there are other things and other nice places to visit. Maybe some other time.
Comments