Boracay Island is one of the most loved and most hated island beaches in the Philippines, depending on who you ask. It has one of the finest—if not the finest—white sand in the country, has clear aquamarine waters, and boasts of, not one, but ten white beaches throughout its coastline. The island is also a favorite for watersports; parasailing, banana boats, and jetskiing, you name it, Boracay has it. Below the surface, there are quite a few snorkeling and diving sites around its immediate vicinity. And all these has led to the island being voted by numerous travel publications as one of the best beaches in the Philippines, and even the world.

Ironically, this is also why people steer clear of Boracay. The island has now become so famous that people arrive in droves and development has mushroomed uncontrolled. Add in its wild nightlife, and you get people shaking their heads and moving on to quieter vacation places.

But the reality is that this island really isn’t for that idyllic holiday; this is the Philippine’s party island. Once you accept that, you’ll find that a trip to Boracay can be quite unforgettable.

Wake up at eight. Have a hearty breakfast. Go out to the beach and swim until our tummies clamor for lunch. Eat somewhere cheap. Take a nap and wake at around four. Head over to the beach. Lay on a blanket until the sun sets. Find a place for dinner. Rinse. Repeat.

So goes our daily routine for our three week-vacation in Boracay—well, twenty two days to be exact.

Two cold bottles of Red Horse beer were slid down our wooden table. In front of us, the late afternoon sun was filtering through the coconut trees. On the beach, a group of kids were playing a serious game of Frisbee while tourists frolic across the glittering waters of Boracay. On the horizon, a row of paraw boats were waiting for the sun to set. We were at Cocoloco Boracay—with sand under our feet and a cold beer in our hands—it probably can’t get any better than this.

Two Seasons’ barLO Restaurant was filled to brimming, but we didn’t really mind waiting. The sun was out, and the water at Station 1 was uber calm. We braved the ungodly noontime hour, and with sunblock on, frolicked at Boracay’s White Beach with total abandon.

A feast of feast was spread across our long table—familiar Filipino dishes but dressed nicer than your usual meal at home. The table was set outside The Lind’s Tartine Restaurant—along Boracay White Beach’s premier location, Station 1—but no one seems to be minding the banquet. The sun was setting and everyone had rushed to the shore to take photos of the famous Boracay sunset.

The first two weeks of our stay in Boracay was spent near Bulabog Beach—the first week at Ferra Hotel Garden Suites, and the second, at an apartment lent to us by a friend of Blissfulguro. By the third week of our stay, we finally transferred to a beachfront hotel, and at no less than the White Beach.

GOLDEN PHOENIX HOTEL BORACAY’S LOBBY

To be honest, we wouldn’t really have booked a beachfront resort due to their prohibitive prices. It was just pure luck that we chanced upon a discounted rate on a booking app for Golden Phoenix Hotel Boracay. For ₱1,200.00 per night, we got a room for two—toddlers are free of charge—with complimentary breakfast. Totally not bad for a four-star rated Boracay beachfront resort.

Having tried the cheapest food in Boracay during our three-week stay on the island, we decided to splurge a bit during the latter part of our trip. And splurge to us meant buffet, a proper Boracay buffet. We looked at the options, most of which are found on Boracay White Beach, and decided to be a bit modest with our food splurge. We chose a buffet that’s not too expensive, but is still a feast for the eyes—and of course, our tummies.

One sunny day in Boracay found us looking for the cheapest buffet we could find at Boracay White Beach. We actually saw a ₱250.00 buffet, but found their selection to be too carinderia. I mean, we like carinderia food and we’ve actually eaten some of the most affordable food in Boracay, but we wanted something else for our buffet—perfectly roasted, juicy, and tender pork liempo, specifically.

We thought of going to Andok’s instead, one of the cheapest places to eat on in Boracay, but a single serving of their liempo costs more than a hundred pesos—that’s quite expensive for multiple orders. After much walking, we eventually found the best restaurant that suited our craving, Sunset View Restobar’s lunch buffet.