In and Around White Beach: Boracay

I was surprised at the changes I saw in Boracay, but I kind of expected it. Boracay's backstreets now looked like Bali, less the high end shops and great restaurants. I think Boracay should develop these areas as well, and not just focus tourism on the beachfront.

From Astoria, we headed to Bulabog Beach, to see what's happening there. Unfortunately, Bulabog was calmer this season, while White Beach had more of the waves perfect for kite boarding.
So we just strolled along the tranquil shores, and looked at the resorts. We wanted to see 7 Stones, as it was a Fuego Hotel development, but we were denied entry. It didn't look that nice anyway.

So, we went back to White Beach for lunch. And there we saw the kiteboarders, who gracefully rode the waves using a kite. Kiteboarding looked very difficult, especially after my failed attempts in wakeboarding.

We opted to dine in Station 1 since we wanted to try out this Moroccan restaurant that we heard from a friend. We didn't know the name, so we decided to walk around to find the place. And it was called Kasbah.

Kasbah was a treat, because it was a perfect place to unwind and have great food. I was wondering why we were the only customers though. This seafood dish (forgot the name) was very delicious, fresh and full of flavor, but not overpowering. It was served with well cooked couscous. We also ordered my stale chicken kebab. I can't remember the rest that we ordered.

The day went by quickly. After lunch, we spent the entire afternoon on Station 1's glorious beach. By sunset, we headed back to Astoria to prepare for dinner. And we had it back in Station 1's arguably most popular resort, Discovery Shores.

I said most popular, because it's what people say the best in White Beach. But I don't agree to that. I really think Discovery Shores is one of the most hyped resorts in the island. It doesn't look luxurious even. I like the design of Astoria even better.

However, they serve really good food, although expensive. This grilled shrimp dish (really sorry for the lack of names) was heavenly - huge grilled prawns cooked perfectly with a fusion of pumpkin and Asian spices.

After a pleasant dinner, we went around the resort, and went up to their street entrance to get a tricycle to D'Mall.

We did some shopping in D'Mall and got some dessert. I came around this interesting store that offered unique halo-halo crepes. I wonder what it tastes like. I was too full to buy one, so I didn't make the effort already. We went for a massage, and then headed back to Astoria.

The next morning, despite already having breakfast at the hotel, we made a visit to the popular breakfast joint, Real Coffee.

It was very near Astoria, so it wasn't hard to find. Just take note that it is located inside an alley near Yellow Cab, before you reach Astoria if you're coming from D'Mall or Station 2.

My daughter had her breakfast there, since she woke up late. I tasted their "must-try" offering, the calamansi muffin. It just tasted like lemon cupcakes, but it paired perfectly with their coffee.
That night, we had dinner in Prana, the vegetarian restaurant of Mandala Spa. I've heard good reviews for the restaurant tucked away in an old style Filipino house inside the world renowned spa.

I'm not a vegetarian, and thought the menu was very limited and uninspiring. We also ordered the Nasi Goreng, which was really a disappointment. I found very little effort to use vegetables and non-meat products in a rather ordinary menu.

We literally ate our way in Boracay, and who wouldn't? I mean it's part of the ultimate vacation destination in the Philippines. Other restaurants we tried were Aria (still the best Italian restaurant) and Zuzuni (also the best Mediterranean restaurant). We weren't able to revisit Cyma Boracay, since they were full. I wanted to know if Cyma still had the stars it once had when Boracay was their only venue. I think Cyma has become too commercial, that it now suffers in quality.

So, before I move on to my last post on Boracay, I want to end our adventures in and around White Beach. And I'm glad to say, that after all these years, Boracay is still one of the best beaches in the WORLD.