Sail away to Bora

Ok, so I admit. I took the plane going to Boracay (thanks to Cebu Pacific). It’s just that long boat trips scares the crap out of me, despite the fact that I’ve traveled with SuperFerry before. But I made a promise to SuperFerry’s Judd Salas that I’ll take the ship going back to Manila, which later on I discovered, wasn’t that bad. Well, it wasn’t bad at all. I just thought that it’s going to be a long ride from Aklan to Manila. I enjoyed the trip, especially the food – grilled tilapia, fried bangus and kare-kare. While on board the ship, one can just go to the deck and enjoy the view of the ocean, the islands and if you’re lucky, you’ll even see dolphins. Or you can always make new friends in the ship, share stories of that dream Bora vacation come true. With SuperFerry opening its new route to Caticlan, the gateway to Boracay island, the world famous beach has become more accessible – and cheaper at that.

The palm-studded island of Boracay – with its talcum-fine white sand, balmy weather, and warm, crystalline waters – is like a hypnotic magnet. In this tiny, butterfly-shaped island at the northwestern tip of Panay in Western Visayas, days can be spent simply lazing on the beach while nights are for indulging in the tropical party lifestyle.

The dress code here is strictly informal. There is an undeniably easy atmosphere in the island, where walking barefoot is the rule rather than the exception. During the day, tourists having a soothing massage under the shade of a coconut tree beside the shoreline is a common sight. And from dusk to dawn, Bora turns into one big party place where everyone is welcome to join in.

Having been here several times, I was glad that SuperFerry gave me a totally different experience, other than beach bumming and party hopping. I never realized that with over 400 establishments scattered in the island, the possibilities of looking for a diversion are practically endless.

On the eastern side of the island is Bulabog Beach, just a 10-minute walk from D’ Mall. A boardsailor’s mecca that draws enthusiasts from all over the world, especially during the peak season from November to March, it is also the site of an International Funboard Cup.

Borrowing from wakeboarding, windsurfing, power kite flying and many other active sports, kitesurfing was originally dismissed as a "fad", said local kitesurfing expert Ken Nacor. While windsurfing is the oldest "imported" sport on the island, kitesurfing is fairly new. One can either rent Gaastra and F-One kites or take lessons from the guys at Ocean Republic, and later relax in its little restaurant called Café Tabou, overlooking Bulabog Beach. The center is certified by the International Kitesurfing Organization (IKO), the international governing body for the sport. They implement guidelines for teaching practices and safety procedures, which are essential to make kitesurfing both safe and enjoyable.

Ken, who represents the country in various international kitesurfing competitions, explains that Bulabog makes for a perfect spot for kitesurfing because of its waist-deep water, its reef fringed 800 meters offshore and stretches over three bays for 2.5 kilometers, providing a huge shallow play area for beginners to intermediate kitesurfers. Depending on how much time you have, there are a variety of courses to choose from, ranging from the Kite Intro (for only ) to Kitesurfing IKO Level (5). For those who are interested, log on to www.oceanrepublic.com.

The Boracay Butterfly Garden is one of the often-visited eco-tourism areas in this island. It is situated on a 1,600 sq.m beachfront property near Ocean Republic.

Boracay Butterfly Garden was established in 2002 and opened to the public in April 2005. What started as a hobby of Patrick Manion, a retired chemist from New Zealand, metamorphosed into the creation of a sanctuary of butterfly varieties. A must-see for travelers, this tropical garden contains hundreds of live Philippine butterflies of many different species, and more than 100 plant species. New butterflies arrive almost monthly from the country’s other regions.

Adela Jaudian, who hails from Dumaguete City, said that her husband Patrick put up the butterfly garden to also impart knowledge on children about these species. In the nursery section, the caterpillars and pupae can be closely observed. The classes of butterfly that could be found in the garden are Papilionidae, Danaidae, Nymphalidae and Pieridae.

The Butterfly Garden is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an entrance fee of R100 for foreign adult visitors, R50 for the locals and R25 for kids. It holds a Wildlife and Collector’s Permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and is registered to breed butterflies.

The adjoining gift shop sells handicrafts including Romblon marble sculptures, nito and abaca products, and Aklan pottery. One of its specialties is providing live butterfly releases for weddings and other occasions. It has a restaurant serving light snacks and hot/cold drinks, and the place may also be rented for private parties.

Trekking or mountain biking in Bora can also bring the intrepid to the island’s quaint interior villages and to some scenic rocky cliffs, discovering along the way many hidden coves with isolated beaches far from the tourist crowd.

Watch local artists at work, get a henna tattoo or have a hand-painted T-shirt at the Plazoleta, a new place in the island where you can shop for the best in native arts and crafts. There are little shops selling unique souvenir and gift items, unusual jewelry, hand-made leather bags, musical instruments, paintings and beautifully made handicrafts.

Sunsets here are also quite a charm, and what better way to really enjoy them, than by sailing on a "paraw" or a glass bottom boat. A sunset cruise is a perfect way to end a perfect day.

SuperFerry’s OLOM sails to Caticlan and back to Manila, thrice weekly. Package tours are available for as low as R7,051, which includes a roundtrip tourist class accommodation (without meals), land and boat transfers and three days/two nights stay at Boracay Tropics Resort with breakfast.