We slept with the drapes drawn wide open, offering a full view of the city’s main avenue—lamplight and car headlights reflecting off its rain-slicked streets. The Capitol building, seen from our window, quietly resting beneath a drizzling Iloilo sky. By the time I awoke, fully rested and ahead of my wife and kid, the scene had changed. Soft morning light filtered gently through Days Hotel’s translucent curtains; the rain had passed, and the city was beginning to wake. I dressed quickly, excited for a morning walk along the nearby River Esplanade—ready to be embraced once more by the City of Love.

DAYS HOTEL ILOILO

I stayed at Days Hotel Iloilo several years back during an Iloilo–Antique media tour that extended all the way to Guimaras and Boracay—days spent with a budding romance, a crazy whirlwind that now feels like a lifetime ago. Today, I return with the same person—now my wife—and our young son in tow. No longer traveling with a heavy backpack, we now carry two suitcases. Say hello to our new chapter of travelling.

➤ SEE: BORACAY TRAVEL GUIDE

Still wet from an afternoon of frolicking on a white sandy beach, we hurriedly packed our stuff, walked through the forest, and made our way back to our room. The sun was about to set and we didn’t want to miss it. From our balcony, perched high up—overlooking the Strait of Iloilo—we quickly prepared cups of coffee, brought out some chips for snacks, and savored the colors of the day’s end. It’s the perfect way to wrap up our day at Nature’s Eye Beach Resort.

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.

People go to Boracay to rest and relax. And one definite aspect of this is food. Boracay has tons of places to eat out on, but for most vacationers, the pinnacle of a Boracay food trip is by trying at least one buffet lunch or dinner by the beach. And Boracay does not disappoint, the island probably has the most concentration of buffet restaurants in the Philippines in a single area.

Featured here are the complete list of buffet restaurants in Boracay that are available for walk-ins, that means everyone on the island (since there are buffets that are only for in-house guests), listed from the most affordable to the most expensive. If I missed something, let me know down on the comments.

After a couple of days of gloomy weather, the sun finally showed up. We’ve been frequenting the other beaches of Boracay the previous days, but this time, we finally went to the Boracay White Beach for a midday swim. The sun was out in full; the water, calm and azure. A few wisp of clouds floated idly by. It was the perfect beach day on arguably the Philippines’ finest beach.

“Where to next?” That’s the usual question we have after spending a day or two at Boracay’s White Beach. And the usual answer is Puka Beach or Puka Shell Beach—as it was known for the puka shells littering its shore before Boracay became famous.

WATER, SAND, LIMESTONE, TREES AT PUKA BEACH

It is arguably the second most famous beach in Boracay—not counting Bulabog Beach, of course—which is popular by default since it’s where the water activities are located when the Boracay White Beach is being battered by the Habagat Winds.

But I digress. Let’s head over to Puka Beach, shall we.

The morning was bright and the sky was cobalt blue in color. Shaded from the morning sun by a huge rock cliff facing the beach, we spread our blue blanket on the sand—laying our toddler’s sand toys right beside it. Completely ignoring his toys, he ran straight towards the waters—us, quickly scrambling to catch up with him. It seems Diniwid Beach’s aquamarine waters has won our son’s heart on first sight.

We were in Boracay and it was time for the sunset. The water was clear and calm, the sand—pristine and fine. Except for a few tourists and local kids swimming and playing about, we almost had the whole stretch of beach to ourselves.

Not really a common statement when in Boracay. But, if you’re at Bulabog Beach, you can definitely experience this.
But, Bulabog Beach? That dirty backside beach? Really?

Well, after Boracay’s rehabilitation, Bulabog Beach has been revived to a good enough alternative to the more famous Boracay White Beach.

Not a few people are daunted by staying for more than a few days in Boracay—not because of fake sick leaves that might eventually be found out by the boss—but by how expensive staying on the island is. And this is a very valid point, not only are the lodgings expensive, but the food as well.

CARINDERIA MEALS IN BORACAY

During our three-week stay in Boracay, we managed to trim down our food expenses by bringing along a ton of foodstuff with us, along with a small rice cooker. But that’s not to say that we didn’t eat out the whole time we were there—eat out we did. On a few occasions we dined on expensive restaurants and Boracay buffets, but mostly, we ate on inexpensive eateries where most locals also dine in.

LUGAW AND FAST FOOD MEALS IN BORACAY

Here are a few of the affordable food places with meals priced at less than a hundred pesos that we ate on during our stay in Boracay.

“Go and say good morning to your friends, A.” So goes our usual morning conversation with our two-year old son as we exit our room to have breakfast. Those said friends aren’t from the Team RH crew—who also flew to Boracay, the moment they learned we were there—but the Ferra Hotel & Garden Suites Boracay’s staff, who have genuinely became our son’s friends while on the island.

More than its tourist spots, Antique Province is known more for its legendary folklore of aswang and mananangal creatures. Those mythical legends probably have kept tourists from pouring in to the province, making Antique one of the most unexplored places in the Philippines. But during my brief visit to this off-beat province, I found places, culture, and eco activities that are at par with any famous tourist spots in the Philippines. Allow me to welcome you and peel the mystery behind the province of Antique.

Guimaras is an island province located in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. It is sandwiched by the province of Iloilo and Negros Occidental. The island is known for its fine, white sand beaches and its sweet mangoes—which is renowned worldwide. Tourist and backpackers flock the island especially during summer for its crystalline waters and a few historical sites.

Most travelers usually consider Guimaras as a day-tour destination forming the usual side-trip from Iloilo City, but with this travel guide, I’ll let you in on a little secret, the province has a lot more to offer more than its usual tourist spots and frequented beaches. Check out the 2-day and 3-day itineraries I’ve prepared for those wanting a more intensive Guimaras tour.

“That’s expensive.” The lady hovering around for our orders said when I told one of my friends what I wanted to eat. I looked at her, then back at my friends, and we all chuckled. We knew we weren’t the best dressed tourists in Boracay, but that’s no way to treat customers. We let the slight pass. We were supremely famished and we were ready to eat anything. Even her. Kidding.

WALKING FROM THE FAR END OF STATION THREE

Coming all the way from the end of White Beach’s Station 3, one of not-so-popular things to do in Boracay, we walked ourselves silly right to the happenings at Station 2 just to find a place to have lunch. We were hungry and we could’ve jumped on the first eatery we passed, but no, we wanted to eat on a restaurant unique to Boracay.

J was screaming for Shakey’s, but even though he’s gonna be treating us, we dragged him away from the popular pizza parlor. “We can have that when we get back to Manila,” we chorused.

From a lackluster afternoon sky, the heavens slowly flared into deep reds and fiery oranges, the waters reflecting the fire above. We watched from a rock outcrop near Balinghai Beach, elevated fifteen feet from the waters, bottles of beer in hand temporarily forgotten as the lightshow commenced; Boracay’s famous sunset has never failed us yet.

BORACAY WEST COVE’S UNUSUAL GAUDI-ESQUE FACADE

It was an unexpected invitation. We were lounging at the White Beach, our tummies full from the feast at Obama Grill, when we were told a sunset cocktail awaited us at Boracay West Cove. We’re all too familiar with the resort, with its white Gaudi-esque facade, from our numerous Boracay island hopping escapades, but we can only afford to have a passing glimpse of the exclusive resort from tour boats.