Pictures of white sand beaches, strips of classy restaurant and hotels, massage offerings, etcetera fill the mind of a traveler when the word “Boracay” is mentioned. Everyone seems to have memorized the shops you see from Stations 1 to 3. I mean who doesn’t now the famous D-Mall, Willy’s Rock and Summer Place- names that yuppies seem to include in their conversations even while at office. Why not? It’s cool to be in Boracay.
Trivia: Station 1-3 are called that way because back “when the sands were sugar-white and bats ruled the sky” in Boracay (1980 up till the early 90’s) these are Boat Stations, were locals park their outriggers from a day of fishing. How I wish I was able to visit the famed island during those times.
Anyway, I would like to share some spots that can be visited in a day; unfrequented mainly because tourists are concentrated on Stations 1-3. Warning on the last spot, dude!
Puka Shell Beach. I go here after waking up late because of too much partying the night before. This could have been the nearest look of Boracay White Beach in the 80’s. My fave spot in the whole island as this is a bit far from the hotels. Eco Village takes care of this beach and no one is allowed to build a structure. I love this as I can just spread my blanket and just lay below the coconut tree not minding the time.
Take your shirts off and have some tanlines. Your sandals, carry it? A leisurely walk would might tempt you to visit the nearby Carabao Island (already a part of Romblon). Don’t worry about getting sands in your nails, as you can always have your nails made when you’re back at home. Today your feet wants the coarse sand and little shells.
If you are really bothered, you can bring some comfy shoes while having a nice beach walk.
Puka Beach untouched, (located at the northern part of the island, see topmost image)
Take get back to Station 2 by noon to have some lunch and then you go to…
Mt. Luho. I first saw this while having my training run last year at the outskirts of the island. Just about 10minutes of hike on the eastern part, near Bulabog beach where kite surfers congregate. The upper deck has 360° view payoff, a must for every visitor as this is the highest elevation in the island. You can also see a mini-zoo here, although I’m not a fan of this because I want this poor creatures to be free in the wild.
Entrance fee: Php50
Bulabog beach as seen from Mt.Luho (can be found on the eastern side, Brgy. Balabag)
Just below this hill, walk about a mile and you will see
The Dumpsite (or what they call as Municipal Recycling Facility). As a traveler, I am very wary of those who doesn’t take care of the environment and trash their garbage in any place they wanted. For those who love Boracay, you should take a look at the dumpsite at Brgy.Balabag. Here goes all the trash, plastics we bring. It’s like a mini-Payatas where scavengers abound. Not really a tourist spot, but an eye-opener.
Boracay Dumpsite, this is where all our trashes go (located at Brgy. Balabag). Photo credit: C. Tan
I just thought that this would somehow bring back conscience to the frequent visitors. Let’s not wait until all of the island looks like this.
Go back to the white beach and maybe try skimboarding, this is a fusion of surfing & skateboarding. Just for a few bucks and get some dose of adrenaline when you get to learn riding it.
Must be hungry for dinner already, have some carbs and don’t end the day within chillin’ at Bombom Bar (Reggae and Acoustic Music) or if you are into partying, go to Summer Place or Club Paraw (party starts at 12mn).
____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Besides what other Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ shared for this 5th edition of Blog Carnival on the “Best One Day Itineraries,” I offer you my untouristy itinerary in the renowned white sands of Boracay.
Special thanks to Travel Photographer Karlo de Leon of4AM Chronicles, http://www.karlodl.com. You can also click the blog carnival logo to view the past editions, I tell you all are must-read. 🙂
You’re right, Puka Beach is the closest thing you can get right now if you want to experience Boracay back then when only a few backpackers knew about this paradise. The sunset here is also spectacular minus the frantic crowd 🙂
James, I don’t know the names of the malls in Boracay. I’ve never been to Boracay. And I’m not excited to go there as well since I’m not a fan of nightlife and crowds but your post made me want to go there. Thanks for sharing this and for the eye opener of what effect our trash may bring. I wish there were more responsible tourists here in the Philippines.
I have been to Boracay twice and each time for two weeks. Im sorry to say the longer you are there the less you seam to really enjoy it. Reason ” FILTH” !! Im sorry but it is true. If you walk the beach from one end to the other you will see black stuff coming from a pipe in the water. could be street drain water, but it looks very bad. Trash on the streets. Over 100 police working the beach, sounds great but most are doing nothing. The streets flood easy when it rains. I think it would be better to have 50 Police and the other 50 cleaning drains and cleaning the street trash. to many people trying to sell stuff on the beach board walk. every 2 seconds someone ask you to buy something, it is so bad. There are so many poor people there that there is no reason in the world that the local people can’t be employed to clean the streets and trash. Dump sites beside hotels. Proof just down the path to the beach from the Boracay holiday resort on the right side is one of them. Boracay could be and should be kept clean to bring people from all over the world to stay there. I came from the USA to see this, and was sadden. Im telling you all this so you know the truth about what you will see there. If you can over look all of this then yes Boracay is a great place. White beaches, live bands at night, fire dancing and so many more things to do. One other thing , when you are looking at the beach and water it is so very beautiful. I wish the local government would relize these beaches are their bread and butter, so make it as clean and beautiful as you can to make everyone want to come there. God blessed the people of Boracay with everything they need to make anyone fall in love with Boracay, so clean it up and let them money come rolling in.
Yesss Puka beach is love!
what?! may mini payatas sa Boracay?
and it will be as big as payatas kapag di natin inalagaan ang isla. sad right?
hmmm.. garbage hill?! baka naman may plano sila mag-harness ng methane in the future (biomass electricity source)… alternative
The more na nagiging popular ang boracay (though uber sikat na), nagiging prone to sa mga pasaway na peeps na walang habas na nagkakalat kahit saan.. I just hope na with all the campaigns to take good care of Boracay and other islands in PH, sana eh gawin naman ng mga tao ang share nila… 🙂
actually, yung garbage problem ang di ko alam kung paano sosolusyonan. Clueless kung ano dapat gawin?
Been to Puka Shell Beach twice just last week James. The first super ganda talaga, but yung second may mga kalat ng mga trees. Malakas din hangin at alon last Thursday.
That I don’t like about when we take advantage of our tourist spot..we visited places to relax and enjoy but we left rubbish that destroyed the place…the rubbis is an eye sore….so disheartening.
looks like Puka beach is the place to be when in Boracay… thanks for sharing…
“I just thought that this would somehow bring back conscience to the frequent visitors. Let’s not wait until all of the island looks like this.”
This should also raise awareness among us travel bloggers/writers. Instead of emphasizing the touristy aspect of our trips, we should also delve into societal immersion.
that pic was taken years ago, i dont know the latest situation now, i hope its better now or else we might not see our children and grandchildren enjoying this part of paradise.
thanks for the comment, i agree with you. more to come!
it’s good that you posted about this. there are already efforts on how to rehabilitate Boracay to regain it’s paradise image. i’ve spoken to one of their aggressive volunteers that they are doing everything they can in order to make the island clean as it should be.
that’s good news! please update me with the rehabilitation schemes and its development. i’ll visit this place when i visit boracay this year. thanks a lot sir!
The dumpsite does not look nice at all!
and that’s the trash of 2006…
been in boracay recently.. it’s really AWESOME!
you must have had your eyes closed to the trash around you as many do. really open them up and see it all. Don’t focus on just the fun you have , because it is a fun place, and it is beautiful if you are only looking out across the beaches. They need to get rid of the tricycles. to much noise and smoke. golf carts would be a much better way to transport people, but I forgot the roads fill with water. since the trash has the drains backed up. really look next time if you should go there again.
Pingback: Couple Pinas Traveler » Aklan again for the month of April 2012!?
Hey Guys! you can also check cheap hotels and resorts at http://boracayresorts.ph
Re: their version of Payatas, I really hope their local government has the foresight to take care of and sustain the beauty of this island. 🙁
i’ve been wanting to visit the island again to check on the situation. last year, i took lots of pictures of this place, unfortuantely, all was gone.
Hi James,
Nakita mo ba yung treatment center nila for septic waste? I remembered hiking the road to Mt. Luho and there it was, spread like bagoong 😛
yuck!
i saw that before, wala paring pagbabago?a where do the millions go?
The Puka beach is indeed very amazing and so clean or should I say natural. I bet local people do all they can to keep it that way and I really do respect them for doing this.
I’ve never been to Bora but my parents have been here last year during the holy week. My mom described Boracay as, “wet market for skinless foreigners.” I thought it was a paradise there.. 🙁 BTW, Puka beach is a lot more beautiful =)
what a description. your mom should blog haha
I’ve been to Boracay last year with the whole family and i really love the puree white sand but not the crowded place of Station 1-3 🙁 We’ve reached the Puka Beach when we have our land tour..and i can say that i fell in love with it 🙂 aside from the white sand, it is far quiet and clean than the famous station 1-3. Oh! it so sad to see that there is too “little Payatas” in the island! I just hope the restos owners from around should be aware to consider of how they will preserve the beauty of Boracay and not just on how they will earn with their businesses. Stop using styrophors, plastics and the like non-biodegradable materials that soon will ruin the Boracay island. Now i know why Boracay is not in your Top 10 lists. I hope and pray that i could also visit more places like you do because i am really a fan of God who created those places and aprreciating His creations bring glory to HIM! God less and more blogs!
*bless
Great blog about the reality of Boracay Island. Hope you can help us spread the word: Sustainable Tourism NOW for the island, before it’s too late! Sustainable Tourism Training Program for Destinations – both public and private stakeholders/stewards of the Boracay!