‘Doing nothing’ in Boracay
This is “habagat” season in Boracay, the season of the west or northwest wind, with monsoon rains and strong gusts driving rain and sand into the resorts, shops and restaurants lining the island’s famous White Beach.As a consequence, almost all establishments have set up tall windbreakers on the beachfront, bamboo or wooden scaffolding with nylon screens or plastic sheets that allow the sea breeze to waft in while keeping out sand and rain.
Since this was our first time to visit “Bora” during the habagat, we are by turns dismayed and fascinated by the windbreakers, which at times look like messy barriers that mar the pristine landscape of White Beach, and at other times loom like other-worldly structures, the screens billowing in the wind like landlocked sails.
This also happens to be the season of Korean honeymooners, says Henry Chusuey, chair and president of Boracay Regency, the resort that played host to our group of media people, together with SEAir. Apparently, many Korean couples get married during the summer season (in their country) and increasing numbers have been choosing Boracay as their honeymoon destination.
We spot quite a number on the morning of our arrival as we stroll southwards along the beach. We even come upon a group of what looks like novice divers, all clad in wet suits, and we follow them as they make their way toward their dive boat. But before boarding, they first take time out for souvenir pictures, the group breaking into pairs and posing, first forming a “heart” with an arm arched over each head, and then kissing for the camera. The last to pose for a picture is a group of four women and we laugh, wondering what pose they’ll take. We’re disappointed though because they settle for demurely holding up their fingers in the ubiquitous “V.”
That afternoon, we spot from the verandah of our poolside room even more amorous couples frolicking in the cool waters.
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WE had been warned to bring jackets and rain gear, as weather at this time of year in Boracay can be quite “unpredictable.” But other than a downpour on the morning we arrived, the rest of the weekend is sunny and hot.
Because of the rains, this is also supposed to be the “lean” season in Boracay, but aside from the Korean honeymooners, we also spot quite a number of families, many of them "balikbayan" [visiting overseas-based Filipinos] taking advantage of summer vacation in the United States and in Europe. There are enough people on White Beach to make for a lively scene, albeit not in the bustling numbers that can make the beachfront as busy as Divisoria during the high “amihan” season.
Our media tour is billed as “The Art of Doing Nothing in Boracay,” but we find that, after a few visits, there is more than enough to do on the island. First on my and my husband’s agenda was a visit to Da Mario’s, which has come to be our favorite place for cheap but delicious pizza in Boracay. It is little known, mainly because of its location on the far southern end of the beach. In fact, for years now, there have been painted signs announcing the place was for sale. To our relief, Da Mario’s is still around, still unsold, and still preparing thin, crisp and crusty pizza.
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ANOTHER item on our agenda was to sample the breakfast at Lemon Café in D’Mall, but Jingjing Romero, PR consultant for SEAir and herself quite the veteran Boracay visitor, hijacks us the next morning to try instead breakfast in Zuzuni, a boutique hotel and restaurant a few meters away from D’Mall. It is jointly owned by Nikos Gitsis, one of the founders of SEAir, and Geny Psinakis, who also owns the Greek restaurant Mati in Rockwell.
We are not disappointed, enjoying the early morning beachfront air as well as a breakfast of pancakes, waffles and yummy “Zuzuni omelettes,” which Jingjing says her children ask her to take home to Manila each time she visits Boracay. Not to be missed either is the restaurant’s LaVazza coffee, dark and rich and invigorating. We’re even treated to the sight of two yellow Labradors being walked by their blonde owner, who it seems was training them to swim in the sea.
We do make it to Lemon Café for breakfast the next day, enjoying the sun-drenched pale yellow interiors. I order eggs benedict, while the hubby tries another omelette, and we share an order of French toast. With cool, tangy orange-lemon shakes, it makes for a filling meal, too filling, in fact for us to try the pastries which all the guides recommended. Maybe next time.
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OTHERWISE, we had all our meals at Boracay Regency, which is so far the largest establishment on the island with 285 rooms, and an additional planned 120 rooms upon the completion of another wing.
We are billeted in the Garden Wing, a new development (just opened in June) with 90 rooms, 18 of which have direct access to the pool, lined in dark blue tiles that give the water a cool, inviting look. The poolside suites have a classic neo-Filipino feel, with a king-size bed and upholstered living set.
Apparently, Chusuey and carriers like SEAir have much faith in the future of Boracay. “We have had a long working relationship with Boracay Regency,” says Patrick Tan, vice president for commercial affairs of the airline. To overcome the inevitable slump in arrivals during the “habagat” season, SEAir has partnered with Boracay Regency and other establishments on the island with special “lean season” packages. Particularly attractive is a package that goes for P9,750+VAT per person, triple-sharing, for four days, three nights, with free breakfast, transfers and air fare. It’s a great bargain, considering how much one can do while “doing nothing” in Boracay.
