Disclaimer: This was in August 2015. I was still chubby. I was on my 4th month of dieting.
Supposed Perks of Off-Season Vacations
An off-season visit to tourist destinations in the Philippines has its perks: less crowd, hassle-free travels, all-around discounts, and ultimately, peace of mind while on vacation (which is what any vacation should be!).
My off-season (July) visit to Siargao, the philippines surfing capital, met all these expectations. Which is why, to this day, I still relish the fun I had in that short visit. (see my post https://steemit.com/steemit/@tianiclao/surfing-in-july-siargao-philippines for details)
But #boracay, the country's Party Island, is a different breed altogether. It is the standard summer (that's from late March until early June) getaway in the country . If you wanna party and show-off your hard-earned money and summer body, it's the place to be. Which is why a summer visit to this island is a bit daunting and intimidating. So, I visited in August.
Off-season Expectations in Boracay
A visit in August should be different from a visit in May. For one, August is a rainy month while May is downright balmy and humid (a bit discouraging for an island visit). Also, August is a work month. Midterm examinations in universities are usually scheduled in August and office work is just about as hectic and demanding as always. Hence, there shouldn't be much crowd at this time, which is what I prefer. So, I took a scheduled leave from work to spend a 4-day getaway with my family in Boracay.
What It's Actually Like, Off-season in Boracay
Again, Boracay is a different breed. A comfy off-season visit to the island isn't at all as comfy as the one I had in Siargao. At the onset, our flight (without warning) got diverted from Caticlan (the town where Boracay island is) to Aclan (a 2-hour bus ride away from Boracay). We had to travel by bus for 2-hours before we reached Boracay.
flight diverted from Caticlan (direct to boracay) to Aclan (2-hour bus-ride away)
Since August is rainy, we arrived in Boracay all drenched in rain and its main streets flooded. There's so much commercial establishments (a few are still on on-going construction) in the island which makes its main streets too narrow and a bit congested. Which is probably why flood water don't drain quickly. If you visit off-season on a rainy month (like August), expect to tiptoe on narrow streets to avoid flood water. Though surprising, this didn't catch me off-guard tough. It is expected at some point that once a place gets commercialised this much, flooding and narrow streets are expected.
flooded narrow streets due to constructions
Woah! Too Much Crowd in August
But what caught me off-guard was the crowd. The volume of the crowd in August (off-season) was still impressive. I didn't expect at all that this much crowd visits this small island this time of the year. The main streets of the island and narrow paths by the the shorelines are actually filled with Foreign and local visitors alike.
a bit crowded for an August visit, right?
Right then I knew that a calm and peaceful vacation in Boracay is off the books. So I turned my party groove on! While I prefer a calm and peaceful vacation, I am still young enough to go crazy on parties! Plus, I was with my family at that time and most of them are the craziest people I know. So, the party started!
We arrived in Boracay around 9 PM, after that dreadful 2-hour bus ride. It was a rainy night but still party music can be overheard from our hotel room. We were already in party mode the moment we arrived. But the rain was a bit much to muster so we decided to begin the party where we're at, at our hotel room. A few bottles of vodka and beer made it for a night cap! We slept soundly despite loud party music in nearby bars.
Hitting the Beach by Morning
We slept soundly despite the noise. Thanks to the vodka! That was enough sleep to get us started for a day-long beach escapade. On the get go, we hit the beach.
Boracay beach in August
In August, our beaches here aren't as picturesque as when it's summer. Sun bathing would be incremental and often strong winds make the tides appear a bit intimidating. So an Island hopping in boracay is often discouraged. In fact, the location of the island hopping tours changed to some place other than its usual location (we didn't visit it so I really couldn't tell where exactly). But that didn't stop us to enjoy the shore.
ready for a swim
Most of my aunts still wore their swim wears and we fooled around by the beach for hours. Actually the fact that the sun wasn't as glaring as usual was encouraging. Some of my aunts were overly too conscious about their skin tone. That it was rainy than sunny actually made them enjoy the beach even more.
Lunch: Where to Go?
quick shakes before lunch
For lunch, we had a couple of options. Our morning beach photo-shoot got us all famished and we were all craving for Sinigang (hot fish/pork soup) and lechon kawali (fried pork loin). First, we dropped by Jonah's Fruitshakes for a quick drink and head to Jerry's Restaurant for a big lunch.
big lunch
A Stroll Around Boracay Island
The island is actually quite small. But it's jam-packed with a lot of things. Right on the beachfront, there's actually McDonalds, big Hotels, and atms.
What's unique about Boracay though are in it's nook and crannies: the Talipapa Market, for instance, where fresh seafood are sold and cooked and where local products such customised shirts, souvenir blings, caps, and tokens are displayed at bargain price. If you visit off-season, in August, a stroll in these areas at high noon (12 NN- 3 PM) is recommended. That way you might just avoid the rain. When it rains, it gets flooded. And it's a little discouraging to brave the murky flood water in the narrow paths leading to these places.
famous d'Talipapa. At its entrance is a BBQ vendor (spread all over the island) selling yummy BBQ at 20 pesos each. Must try!
inside d'Talipapa Market
inside d'Talipapa Market
local artists
more souvenirs
Night Life in Boracay
The big events in this Island happen at night. It's a small island but it's crazy how there are so much bars and clubs to choose from even off-season. A night stroll in the island is quite exciting. So festive!
beachfront events at night
beachfront events at night
We partied in three clubs on our first night. That's after scouring through several other party places. There are open parties by the beachfront. We preferred visiting bars and clubs due to the rain. Among those we visited, I recommend Wave Bar and Lounge of Henan Regency Resort.
@ wave bar and lounge, Henan Resort
*the only bar open till 2 AM. There's curfew in Boracay, apparently. *
Overall, A Party Island Indeed
We call boracay the "island that never sleeps" that's because there are tons of things to do in this small island, which only means you have to prepare enough budget and energy for you to make the most of your visit. Had it not been for my aunts who shouldered our accommodations and food, I wouldn't have enjoyed that much. Plus, I wouldn't even think of visiting since it's really not my cup of tea for a vacation.
But it was fun!
And I will be back so long as I'm with someone who'll shoulder again my accommodation and food hehe
(kidding but half meant haha)
_kristian