Beautiful Philippines
For a long time, the Philippines has been a bit of a mystery to me. It's not a destination I am asked about a lot and I think it it quite often forgotten when people plan their beach escapes. Fiji, Bali, & Thailand are always the first choice. When I was given the opportunity to explore the Philippines on a study tour offered by Philippine Airlines and MW Tours recently, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to learn more about this unique destination and experience it for myself.
Our first stop was Cebu. Our stay was only short, but we were able to explore Cebu City and many of the beautiful, historical sites that it had to offer. Fort San Pedro, Majellans Cross & Basilica of Santo Nino. There was so much history and our guide was so knowledgeable and had so many stories to tell. Definitely a must do for those who want to learn more about the culture and heritage of this stunning area.
Our next stop was what I was looking forward too most, beautiful Boracay! On arrival into Caticlan airport, we took the short 5 minute transfer to the ferry terminal and then a 20 minute speedboat which took us to Boracay Jetty. From there it was around a 30 minute drive to our resort which was the Fairways & Bluewater Resort located on the north side of the island.
Our first day was spent out on the water. A snorkelling trip to Crystal Cove Resort which offered stunning underwater scenery, gorgeous clear blue waters, secret underwater caves and beautiful private beaches. It was postcard perfect. The water and beaches were some of the best I have ever seen. Once we were back on the mainland, we headed to the Station 2 section of Whitebeach. This is the main touristy area of Boracay and where you will find the majority of your restaurants, bars and shopping. D'Mall is the hub and has over 100 little shops and boutiques to satisfy the shopping bug. The shops, restaurants and bars open straight out onto the sand and there is such a great vibe in the evenings with live music in most bars.
Boracay is broken up into 3 main areas, Station 1, Station 2 & Station 3. Station 1 is where you will find most of your high end, luxury hotels and resorts. It is quieter and more relaxed and the beach is even more stunning up this way. If you walked 20-30 minutes along the beach, you will come to Station 2 which I have spoken about above. There are still some beautiful resorts located in this area and if you want to be right in the heart of the action then this is definitely the place to be. Station 3 is still being developed and it is where you will find the majority of your backpacker style accommodation. There is so much to see and do in Boracay and it is perfect for those travellers who would normally go to Bali, Fiji etc but are looking for something a bit different. The locals are beautiful and it is so cheap to eat, drink and shop once you are there!
Our last stop was in Manila. I had heard many opinions of Manila, and for some reason they had never painted a very nice picture. I was looking forward to getting here and experiencing it for myself and oh my was I pleasantly surprised! Makati is definitely the best area to stay in. The Greenbelt Mall is stunning and full of great shopping, bars, restaurants and cafes and it has a fantastic vibe! It is mostly open air and has lots of landscaped gardens which makes it feel very relaxed. The Bay area where I stayed at the Conrad Manila is also great, but it is 20-30 minutes away from Makati depending on traffic. Manila is rich in Spanish history as well. We had the opportunity to explore Rizal Park, the Walled City, Fort Santiago and the stunning Manila Cathedral. I loved the city and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it or stay there again myself on the way to the islands!
If you have any questions or are interested in visiting this beautiful part of the world, don’t hesitate to contact me!
A x