boracay

we went to boracay during our vacation in the philippines.  i have been to a several beaches in different parts of the world, and i have yet to find a beach with sand more beautiful than boracay's.  

i've been to boracay with my friends before and this is my family's first time.  everyone had a good time.  

 

 waiting for the flight to kalibo

 ati-atihan

 the beach

 relaxing at astoria boracay

 

relaxing by the beach

 polvoron from boracay!

 this is as deep as my mom will ever get in the water

 

hotel review:

the good - astoria boracay is nice and new.  the facilities  are really beautiful.  the pool is very small but real estate in boracay is expensive so resorts would rather use the space for rooms instead of a bigger pool.  the manager seems really nice.  mas nauuna pa sya bumati sa guests kesa sa sariling nyang staff. 

the bad - the layout is very poor.  i think the architect or designer went for form instead of function.  i didn't like the lobby/dining room combo.  it's so weird to walk into the space after spending time at the beach, all covered in sand while other guests are enjoying their meal in the dining room.  there's too much traffic in one confined space. service is ok, staff could use more training and improve their customer service skills.  for the price that i paid for, i expected to have conditioner in my room.  it's the little details that takes a hotel from being good to great.  would i stay there again?  unless prices are dirt cheap, not really.  just being honest.  i want the hotel to do well but i wasn't blown away by anything. 

food:  i don't remember where we ate.  nothing really stood out but none of them where bad.  meals are very expensive...everything is expensive in boracay.  we were at d' mall looking for beach toys for the kids.  one store said P250 daw, another said P380, pareho walang tawad.  konting lakad pa at nakita namin ang palengke and a similar toy goes for only P150.  sold!  so magpunta kayo sa palengke at doon bumili ng supplies na kakailanganin nyo like water and snacks, you'll get it for half the price. 

while the sand in boracay is perfect.  it bothers me that it is so commercialized.  it's very different from my first trip back in 2004.  i had a better time in coron, bohol, and maui.  i like beaches that do not have too many people.  siguro if we stayed at shangri-la, my opinion would be different.  but we can't afford to pay for 12 people to stay at shangri-la boracay.  not now at least, sana someday we can!  =D