The Undisputed Island

The Philippines is composed of 7,107 islands and this beach is considered as one of the most scenic destinations in the world. Boracay is a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is also one of the country’s pioneering tourist destinations. Picture the most perfect white sand in your toes, the brightest sun shining on your back, and the most serene sound of waves gently crashing into the shore. Have you seen it yet? Now, that is Boracay. Every person who has ever stepped foot into this undisputed island will always have a story to tell, may it be good, exciting, radical or life-changing. If you ever get the chance to travel to this place, we have a few things we’d want you to try!

Groto

Boracay on a budget is possible with the infinite number of restaurants in the island. Smoke Resto is a simple bistro that is located in D’mall, Station 2. It is most popularly known for its beef salpicao which only costs at a jaw-dropping P95! Since we’ve been trying the beef salpicao on our past visits, we decided to try new dishes. The first one we tried was the Chili Chicken, which was the perfect blend of Asian flavors namely chili and sesame. The Kao Pad is a spicy pork that is served with mango, caramelized onion, and bagoong rice. Once eaten all together, the flavors easily complement each other. This is a must try for those who are looking for a sulit meal at very affordable prices!

Chili Chicken

Kao Pad

Jonah's

Boracay will never be a complete experience without trying the famous Jonah’s Fruitshake and Snack Bar. It offers a wide variety of fruit shake flavors. The Philippines is popular for producing  tropical fruits, that’s why it’s no wonder why Jonah’s shakes are fresh every single time. Once it is taken out, the shakes come in their signature look which are contained in a plastic bottle. Some flavors that you should try are the watermelon shake, mango shake, banana choco peanut shake, and melon milk shake.

CV Tip:The watermelon shake is best enjoyed without adding milk, so as to taste the real freshness of the fruit!

Watermelon shake

Mint and Pineapple Shake, Mango Lemon Shake

 Lemon Café is a fancy restaurant located at D’mall, Station 2. The great ambiance and interiors are the restaurant’s redeeming qualities. Since it was a hot day, we ordered the yummy shakes namely the Mint Pineapple and the Mango Lemon. Lemon Café serves complementary Ciabbata bread to the customers upon ordering. The food we ordered was the breakfast steak with mushrooms and baby potatoes. It was also served with 2 eggs that are cooked according to the customer’s preference. The breakfast steak itself was quite tough but the flavor was marinated just right. The egg was requested to be cooked over medium and poached which turned out perfectly well!

US Angus Breakfast Steak with baby potatoes and mushrooms

Seared Mahi-Mahi

Our second order was the seared mahi-mahi served with baked potatoes. Although the dish looked promising on the menu, we were disappointed with the lack of flavor of the mahi-mahi. It tasted dry because it was overcooked to the point that all the juices of the mahi-mahi were lost. 

CV Tip:All in all, the total expense in Lemon Cafe was over-priced so we suggest that if you’re on a tight budget, refrain from eating here.

Paraw

Sunset

There are many activities that you can do in Boracay. There are a number of water sports like diving, helmet diving, banana boat, fly fish and kite surfing to name a few. Locals usually approach you right and left to insist you into trying any of the above.

CV Tip:Locals’ prices for water sports vary. It’s best to talk to different locals first to canvass the prices before settling. Never forget to haggle!

For those who want a less extreme activity, we suggest you try Paraw. Paraw is the perfect way to enjoy the view of the whole Boracay while comfortably sitting on a boat. What’s more amazing is that the boats used for Paraw aren’t motor-powered. They rely solely on the wind to navigate through the water. To enjoy your experience even further remember to bring a good bottle of wine, your iPod speakers and most importantly, your lifevest!

CV Tip:Paraw is best enjoyed at sunset! Try to start at 430pm and end when the sun goes down.

For every 5 hours, Paraw usually costs P700 and P200 for the succeeding hour.

Snorkeling is also available if you ask from the locals. All you have to pay for is the rent of the goggles which are P50 each.

There are still an infinite more activities and restaurants to try in the beautiful island of Boracay so if you have any stories to share with us, let us know through our official e-mail.

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Happy reading!