OUR AWESOME PLANET

What's New in Boracay in 2010? (Part 2 of 2)

Read First: What's New in Boracay in 2010? (Part 1 of 2)

5. Battle of the Best Spa on Boracay Island!
 

Mandala Spa.

Considered as one of the best spas in Asia, Mandala continues to push the envelope in holistic wellness with its Shodhana Karma rejuvenation program and The Mandala Spa Hilot Trilogy. Recently, an innovative 24-hour stay-out Detox program was offered, where you can do the cleansing program while still enjoying the life on White Beach. Also, you can stay in the Mandala Villas and enjoy healthy food in the Prana Restaurant.

What I like about Mandala is it provides you with an escape from the busy, urban life, and it empowers you to strengthen your mind, body and soul without being preachy about it. Mandala tries its best to give you an experience of the "old Boracay" before its commercialization and before the 650,000 tourists/year trooped to this small island.

Related Posts: My Mandala Spa Experience [ The Bora Life #2 ]

Tip: Don't forget to meet Ria (also known as Batang Dagat -- check out The Real Batang Dagat blog).

Tips on Getting To and Around Boracay – 2009

by Nowie,  Fruits in Ice Cream Summer Café, Boracay

1. Landing At Caticlan

While waiting for your bags  to be brought down from the plane, fill up the tourist information sheets  at the counter.. This will save you some time at the jetty port where it tends to be more chaotic.

2. Caticlan Airport – Jetty Port

If landing in Caticlan, another way to get to the jetty port from the airport is to simply walk. As you get out of the airport, you will have to turn right and make a u-turn when you reach the end of the railing. Walk to the end of the street and onto the highway where you will turn right. When you see the hardware store on the left, turn left on the road there and that will lead you straight to the jetty port. Alternatively, you can also flag down a tricycle at the highway for P7.00 per person.

Either way is cheaper than the P50/tricycle fee at the terminal near the airport!

The Tirta Spa Difference

,m

What is the difference between a P250 Massage on the white sands beach of Bora and a P4,000 Massage in Tirta Spa in Boracay?

This debate went on and on in my mind. But the practical side of my brain is already losing the debate to the adventurous part who is yearning for a new spa experience in Boracay. Unfortunately, the debate happened when I was already in the main reception of Tirta Spa. At that time, all of my senses are now excited with the serenity and peacefulness of the place. Meeting the lovely owner, En Calvert, just fueled my desire to experience the unique spa packages that I have not seen even in Mandala Spa. It is the irrational side of me that won finally in the end because I can't resist how awesome this place is.

My Mandala Spa Experience

Let me share with you the Tirta Spa difference in Boracay...

Boracay 101: A Bora First Timer's Guide To Boracay's Best Restaurants, Must Try Food and Gimmick Places

BORACAY 101: A Bora First Timer's Guide To Boracay's Best Restaurants, Must Try Food and Gimmick Places

I realized that there are still a lot of Filipinos who have never been to Boracay. I compiled this guide to help them based on what people are raving about and based on my personal experience. I've been going back to Boracay every year and I developed a sense of what is awesome based on what restaurants people are talking about. In this guide, I compiled the following lists:

• Top 10 Best Restaurants in Boracay,
• Top 10 Must-Try-Food-and-Drinks in Bora!,
• 8 Restaurants that did not make the Top 10 list but worth mentioning,
• Top 8 Gimmick Places in Boracay!

Boracay is one of those places that you should visit in the Philippines before you die. Feel free to share this information to everyone. For those who have been to Boracay, there have been a few changes in the restaurant and night life scene in Bora. This guide will keep you up-to-date and in-the-know versus your friends even before you visit Boracay. Enjoy and we do hope that you have a great time in Boracay!

Text and Photos Copyright 2008. Our Awesome Planet (Updated: January 15, 2008)
(Picture from top to bottom: Ati-Atihan de Boracay Parade in Station 1 | Pia of Seair Marketing with Norsan and Anne, Microtel Marketing Ladies | Melo of Lakbay Pilipinas and Gail of Kutitots enjoying the Puka Beach Waves)

Boracay Escape with Pinoy Travel Bloggers

Greetings from a rainy weekend in Boracay!
Most of the travel bloggers were invited by Microtel Hotel Boracay for a "familiarization tour" for bloggers. This so-called fam tour are just offered to travel agents or traditional media. We are so happy that travel bloggers are starting to be recognized as a key influencers online for travelers and tourist. The only thing is once bloggers are invited they will be honest and you cannot force them to just write the good things about the place. Also, the blogging community is careful about bastardizing the reputation of the bloggers and we don't want to go into the "dark side" of media.

If you are sitting in your office reading this, don't you want to just catch a plane to Boracay via Sea Air? In less than an hour, you'll be lying on the beach having a massage! Sarap... Let me share with you a photo essay of what happened on our day 1 in Bora...

Top5 Bora Resto! [ The Bora Life #3 ]

Prana Restaurant, Mandala Spa

Boracay is famous not only because of its sugary fine white sands and the what-happens-in-bora-stays-in-bora beach parties, but also for authentic and delicious cuisines from all around the world. These restaurants cannot be found in Manila, and they are only exclusively available in Boracay! Here are my top 5 Best Bora Restaurant that serves good quality food that you shouldn't miss when you visit this island paradise in the South.

1. Authentic Greek Cuisine @ Cyma Greek Restaurant, d'mall, Station 2
2. Spanish Food at Travesya @ Asya, Station 2
3. Portuguese Craving @ Banza Restaurant, Station 3
4. Italian Cuisine @ Aria Restaurant d'mall, Station 2
5. Vegetarian Cuisine @ Prana Restaurant, Mandala Spa, Station 3

These are upscale restos that served good quality food that you wouldn't mind paying for additional premium. Check these out...

Beach, Boracay, Philippines, Restaurants

My Mandala Spa Experience [ The Bora Life #2 ]

This scene welcomes you as you step out the tricycle from the main street walk along a stone road full of trees and withered vines. This exact photo was described by Marc Macapagal on his Praising Prana article as:

"The open air reception, with its wooden teak floors, lounge chairs and glass tables draped with colorful woven silk fabric, and surrounded with lush tropical plans is a calming sight. You feel like you've arrived in someone's hacienda home."

Mandala prides itself for being a sanctuary for the soul, a place where you experience yourself and go for presence walks. For me, I just came from a Bora night party and stepping into Mandala Spa, I felt like it transported me not into the past or the future, but into another dimension of the present. I felt at home where the staff is friendly, the food is healthy, the air is fresh, and where I felt like the nature and the trees are hugging me as a walk around the spa. Many articles and press releases have been written about this award winning, world class Mandala Spa in Boracay. This is not a press release article but this was my Mandala Spa experience...

Beach, Boracay, Philippines, Restaurants

[The Bora Life.1] Top Ten 10 Cool Things to do in Boracay!

Our Awesome Planet is not complete without a Boracay posts and here are the Top Ten Cool Things to do in Boracay this year! Just a warning, once you finish reading this post, you'll be tempted to go to Bora as soon as you can...

1). Jonas Milkshakes -- still the undisputed dessert place. This continues to be the best place to hang out for dessert or for watching the sunset. The best part is Jonas is now open 24 hours! It continues to be a mystery as to what is the ingredient of Jonas' milkshakes? By the way, for the diet freaks you can order a Jonas Shake without milk. My favorite continues to be Banana-Choco-Peanut for P70, what's your favorite?

Beach, Boracay, Philippines