Fun Activities You Should Try In Boracay

There are various land and water activities you can try in Boracay. There's cliff diving, helmet diving, parasailing, banana boat, island hopping, sailing, zorbing, bike tour, ATV rental, motorbike riding and many more! We actually had less sleep because we woke up early in the morning to do some fun activities before heading back to Iloilo. 

Helmet Diving

This activity allows you to climb down a ladder until you reach the seabed while wearing a helmet glass which makes it possible for you to breathe underwater. Imagine being able to walk 10 ft. under the surface! We paid 350 PHP each (there were four of us) and it includes the boat ride to the site, assistance from diving instructors, helmet dive equipment and free souvenir pictures and video! 

our kind diving instructor took photos

Helmet diving may seem scary and unsafe at first, but once you're underwater, you will enjoy feeding fishes and walking on the seabed! Don't be frightened, the dive instructor will make sure you're safe underwater.

Our head looked smaller. Hahahaha!

ATV and Buggy Car

We paid 350 per person for this activity and it includes 1 hour tour, sight seeing at Mt. Luho, entrance fees and shuttle pick up from the hotel, tour at the butterfly museum and a ride at the Sky Cycle. We used the ATV since we wanted to drive on our own. It was my very first time to drive a buggy car and it felt like I was driving a motorcycle! This activity is perfect for adventurers!

It's pretty natural to feel nervous at first!

Uphill drive to Mt. Luho

Take note that you have to pay a specific amount (sorry, I forgot!) for the entrance to the viewing deck.

Sky Cycle

This ride looks like a roller coaster and you have to pedal along a track to make it move. I guess this is better compared to the terrifying roller coaster ride. The cost is already included in the package that we got (350 PHP). 

Lovely couple Ashley & Rodney riding the Sky Cycle! (photo from Rodney's Facebook)

You don't have to feel scared because all the activities I mentioned are safe, you just have to follow the guide's instructions and be a little more behave, or else..

We fought over a piece of plastic! This creature's tough!

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Hotel Review: La Carmela De Boracay

We chose La Carmela De Boracay because of it's beach front location (Station 2) and room rate. It's an off-peak season so we only paid 2,200 PHP for a night and it comes with free breakfast for 2. There's a 2,000 PHP security deposit fee which is refundable upon check out. It's probably 3-5 minutes away from D'Mall.

 La Carmela De Boracay's child-friendly pool area

The room is actually good for 4 because there are two double beds. I love that the room is very clean and spacious. There's a fridge, television, aircon and a safety box. There weren't enough toiletries though, we had to buy shampoo and soap outside. 

Our non-smoking hotel room

It has a small cabinet, table, TV, air conditioner, and a chair.

Toilet area

  Shower area!

 No scenic view from the balcony

The breakfast wasn't that "surprisingly delicious", I must say. The breakfast is free, but if you want to have a buffet breakfast, you just need to pay 100 PHP.

 Hotel's facade at night

 
I love the friendly staff and the good service of La Carmela. We were supposed to check out at 11AM, but because there were some delays in the activities that we did, we went back to the hotel at exactly 11AM  and the staff gave us an hour to shower and pack our things-- with no extra charge. 

 

For more information about La Carmela De Boracay, visit their website:

www.lacarmeladeboracay.com

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Review: Lola Nanny's Surf Retreat and Restaurant

Lola Nanny's is a budget-friendly accommodation located in Urbiztondo Beach, San Juan, La Union. It is owned by Lola Nanny, Luke Landrigan's (Billabong Surfer, owner of San Juan Surf Resort) mother.

Lola Nanny's Resort

We chose this budget-friendly accommodation because  we prefer a simple, clean and a beach front resort. A fan room w/ shared bath is 500 per night and 100 per hour beyond the check out time.

They do have aircon rooms w/ private bath, but I'm not sure about their rate. You can easily find this place because it is located just beside Hacienda Peter & Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa. You can just tell the bus driver to drop you off at Sebay or San Juan Surf resort and you can walk at the beachfront to find this place.

Common Area.

Our fan room.

Our fan room.

Shared bathroom.

Our room.

Check in is at 2:00 PM and check out is at 12:00 PM. Anyhow, I would still love to go back to this place again!

For more information about their rates, you can contact:
09154184034

Oh yes, Happy Surfing! (If there's a surf break! Haha!)

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22nd: Puerto Princesa, Palawan

I celebrated my 22nd birthday in Palawan with my honey. Since we were on a budget, we tried to do the cheapest way possible to have a city tour in Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan.

In Puerto Princesa, we met Kuya Dhong, a tricycle driver who offered to tour us around the city for PHP 700 (2 pax).  It is much cheaper compared to the city tour package of the travel agencies.

Viet Ville (or Vietnamese Village) is a small village in Sta. Lourdes, Puerto Princesa. It was a refugee village for Vietnamese when the Vietnam War ended. We had our lunch at Viet Ville Restaurant. Spent a total of PHP 545 for two.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Vietnamese delicacy (Kakanin yan, hindi gelatin!)

Vietnamese noodles with Thai basil and sprouted mongo (It tastes weird, actually.)

Vietnamese rice toppings (Pork)

Palawan Wildlife and Rescue Conservation Center (formerly Crocodile Farm) Entrance is PHP 40 per head. Tour starts every after 30 minutes. Nothing much spectacular here, only the officials... I mean, the crocodiles, and other animals. 

Picture with the baby croc costs PHP 30 per person.

Bear-cat.

Rancho Sta. Monica, is also known as Mitra's Ranch. According to Kuya Dhong, the place is owned by Ramon Mitra.

If you wanna take a picture with the horse, you must give a tip or "donation" to the horse keeper.

The view is simply romantic.

Baker's Hill is just a few minutes drive away from Mitra's Ranch. 

They have a bake shop that sells cookies, brownies, hopia and other delicacies. We spent around PHP 860 pesos for the "pasalubong."

Parrot? Bird? Rooster? I don't know.

The spectacular view.

Meet Sadako.

You can take a lot of pictures here.

Puerto Princesa Cathedral

Puerto Princesa Baywalk

There's actually a festival-thingy going on when we went there, and there were food stalls everywhere! We had our dinner there and spent around PHP 300 for two already.

Rice meal costs PHP 90 each.

Breakdown of expenses (for two):

Viet Ville Restaurant (lunch) - PHP 545
Crocodile Farm (PWRCC) entrance - PHP 80
Picture taking with baby croc - PHP 60

Picture taking with horse @ Mitra's Farm (donation) - PHP 20

Souvenir shopping @ Baker's Hill - PHP 860

Dinner @ Puerto Princesa Baywalk - PHP 300

Kuya Dhong's City Tour - PHP 700

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PHP 2565

*Tricycle to Puerto Princesa Airport costs PHP 40 only. PP terminal Fee costs PHP 40/head.

*Our airfare to Palawan costs PHP 2500 (sale, the terminal fee is already included as of August 2012) via Tiger Airways, and the fare back to Manila costs PHP 3800 via Zest Airways. I DO NOT recommend Zest Airways because we (and my co-workers) have experienced 1 hour delay in our flight.

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Accommodation: The Circle Hostel in Zambales

The Circle Hostel is a budget-friendly accommodation located in Sitio Liw-Liwa, San Felipe, Zambales. Sitio Liw-Liwa in San Felipe, Zambales is known for surfing and skim-boarding.

How to get there:

Ride an Iba or Olongapo bound Zambales bus at the Victory Liner Terminals in Cubao or Caloocan.

If you take the Iba-bound Victory Liner bus, it will pass through the town of San Felipe. Tell the bus driver to drop you off at the Bobulon Elementary School in San Felipe OR at the San Felipe Public Market. From there, you can ride a tricycle to Sitio Liw-Liwa (2 kms. away).

If you ride an Olongapo-bound Victory Liner bus, the last stop would be at the bus terminal in Olongapo City. From there, you can either take the San Felipe ordinary bus or Iba-bound buses (Victory Liner). Tell the driver to drop you off at the Bobulon Elementary School OR the San Felipe Public Market.

Cubao to Olongapo - 207
Olongapo to San Felipe - 61
Tricycle - 30

It'll take about a five or six hour bus ride from Manila to San Felipe. The tricycle ride from the public market to the hostel will take about 10 minutes.

Rates per night:

Bunk bed (w/ mosquito net) - 350/head

Hammock (w/ built-in mosquito net) - 250/head

Pitch a tent - 250/head

There's actually a co-ed single dorm bed and a female single-dorm bed. For the tent, you have to bring your own. :)

the hostel

reception area

tent and hammock

lockers

bunk beds

There's also a common area where you can charge your batteries or drink with friends and meet new people! (Remember, there are no strangers!)

There's a shared bathroom. (3 shower area, 3 toilet)

The hostel offers surfing lesson:

With surfboard and instructor - 400

There's "karinderya" or food store just across the hostel:

Food costs from 60-100+ pesos.

The beach is 2-3 minutes walk from the hostel.

 huge stones!

mountains!

lagoon! (it's hidden!)

no waves yet!

Cost of damage (without surfing):1278

Air-con Victory Liner bus (Cubao to Olongapo) - 207

Ordinary Victory Liner bus (Olongapo to San Felipe) - 61

Tricycle from Bobulon Elementary School (San Felipe) to the Circle Hostel in Sitio Liw-Liwa - 30

Bunk Bed - 350

Dinner - 90

Breakfast - 70

Tricycle from Hostel to San Felipe Public Market - 30

Ordinary V. Liner from San Felipe Public Market to Olongapo terminal - 80

Lunch - 60

Air-con V. Liner Express bus from Olongapo terminal to Manila - 300+

For more information about The Circle Hostel:

www.thecirclehostel.com/

Victory Liner Website:

www.victoryliner.com/

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