Boracay v2.0
Boracay — what used to be a pristine white sand island with clear blue waters, and probably the most popular tourist destination in the Philippines — shut down for 6 months!
Due to the number of people flocking to the island for leisure, for partying on Labor Day weekend, not to mention aspiring entrepreneurs and developers opening new hotels, resorts, in an already cramped space, without giving much thought to proper sewage and waste disposal, extreme measures had to be implemented to somehow “undo” the damages to the island.
Island locals were concerned, obviously, because tourism was Boracay’s bread and butter, but they probably saw it coming too. On the bright side, if it meant that a few months would give Boracay time to heal and recover in the long run, then why not?
Sacrifices had to be made, weddings and parties rescheduled, but finally, when the re-opening was announced in October 2018, Boracay revealed a 180-degree transformation.
Baggage claim area 
Road and sewage fixes
I must admit, it’s still not perfect though– baggage claim was still manual; roads and side streets were under construction. However, the ‘Bora’ we knew before is slowly climbing back to its former glory (and even more)!
(Not in photo) While in transit, we were stunned to see a giant fountain in place of the plaza area of D’Mall. In our minds, this was not the Bora we’ve always known. Good thing our driver mentioned it’s for wastewater treatment, which reassured us that the local government is really doing their part to rehabilitate and future-proof the island.
It is a work in progress, after all.
The Beach
The highlight of the trip was of course– the beach! Bora would not be Bora if not for its fine white sand and crystal clear blue waters. The verdict?
WORTH IT.
No doubt that everyone – hotels, locals, government, tourists – participated in the cleanup effort because the tangles of algae that used to line up the shore were all gone. Now I can freely swim and lounge by the beach, sip my Jonah’s shake, and take in the amazing view of Boracay island!
*This photo was taken from Station 1
Some noticeable changes: When we visited, there were more Korean and Mainland Chinese visitors than Filipinos. Were they more see and experience Boracay? Probably.
Not only that. There were more Chinese restaurants than local street food or eateries. You know, the ones with aquariums and live seafood outside!
Another change was the party scene. Late night parties by the beach are no longer allowed since the reopening. A cutoff time of 11pm is now implemented.
Transportation
When we landed at the airport, we did not have prior booking for van or boat transfers. Just a few steps outside the arrivals area there are airport transfers (vans) waiting to be filled with passengers. It only cost us Php 800 per head to cover the ff:
- 10-minute land travel to the jetty port
- 10-minute boat ride,
- Transfer to Two Seasons hotel where we stayed for the weekend
- Environment & admission fee of Php 75
To go around the island, there are several sustainable transportation alternatives such as solar-powered vehicles and e-trikes. We took e-trikes most of the time from our Station 1 hotel going to Crimson Resort (where our friend’s wedding was), which cost us only Php 20/head, one-way.
To top it all off, we celebrated with our friends’ at their beach wedding in Crimson Boracay.
Stunning, isnt’ it?
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