True, it was beautiful. The park was on a cliff, there was a viewing deck and there were footpaths to the two caves.
Above, Alex at the foot of the stairs leading to the viewing deck.
That’s Speedy and our friend, PJ Juinio. That’s the photo that’s meant to make their boss green with envy. 
A close-up of one of the posts on the viewing deck.
Alex doesn’t like heights but there was a handrail so she just walked with the rest of us.
Sorry, no photos taken inside the cave. I didn’t go — claustrophobia. Alex doesn’t like heights; I don’t like tight enclosed spaces.
That’s Speedy after exiting Cave 2. Sam was still inside.
Between Crystal Cove and Puca Island, we did a little snorkeling. That episode is both the highlight and the disaster.
49 Responses
jennie
March 25th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
1Lovely shots…makes me miss the Philippines for the first time!
You’re right… there’s nothing better than a white deserted beach.
Connie Veneracion
March 25th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
2Yeah, we leave the city to get away from the crowds. Kinda hard to do that by going to Boracay.
Michael
March 25th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
3Beautiful photos Connie. I don’t know why, but it reminds me of the y tu mama tambien beach scene.
Kongkong622
March 25th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
4The last time I was in Boracay (2006) medyo dumadami na ang tao. Too many people. A few years back you could actually lie on the beach, have a papaya shake (no fuss for me eh), and rest. Really rest. At night you could walk around in solitude. Maybe in off-season (mga October or November) the crowds would thin out.
You’re right, Puca Beach is tops if you want solitude. Wala pa bang magtatayo ng hotel dyan?
Connie Veneracion
March 25th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
5Boca del Cielo, Michael? But my entry has no sexual undertones hehehehe
Kongkong, that was what I was thinking too. Off-season. Re Puca Island: I was thinking… that Private Property No Trespassing sign… perhaps that’s the site of a future hotel. Oh, that reminds me. I should post photos of the hotels and resorts under construction at the edge of Station 1 in Boracay. More accommodations, more people.
jennie
March 25th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
6One of my closest friend just opened a new spa. I think it’s near station 1, I should’ve known you we’re going. I can recommend you to try her spa. World class quality sya
Kotsengkuba
March 25th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
7nakakainggit kayo. hmp!
pupunta ko ng beijing, magbubungee jump sa greatwall. hahaha, asarin ba ang sarili.
gusto ko yung picture ng mga angelfish na kita sa ibabaw ng tubig. di pa din ako nakakapunta ng boracay pero may gusto ko na ata dun sa mga bagu-bagong lugar like bangui ba yun.
may compatible bang marine case jan sa rebel xti nyo?
nga pala connie, i’m planning to buy nikon d40 soon. so far dun palang kaya i-stretch (nang todo-todo) ang budget. ayos naman yun di ba? d40 din ba yung nikon nyo or something higher?
Kotsengkuba
March 25th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
8connie ang galing nung pinoy cook mo, may language translation pa. natuwa ako sa paglalaro ng language
Connie Veneracion
March 25th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
9next time, jennie.
What’s the spa called?
Kotsengkuba, sama ko sa Great Wall hehehehe
Re cam: there is an underwater case for the 350D but haven’t found any for my 40D which is considerably larger than the 350D and 400D. Re Nikon: naku, I’ve never used a Nikon. Canon kami saka Olympus.
Re translator. Haaayy… investment ‘yan. $30 din yun hehehe
Jon Limjap
March 26th, 2008 at 12:28 am
10We went to Boracay last September. Not as crowded as Holy Week, I’m quite sure. But we didn’t get to island hop. Without too many people at white beach, it was fine. It was cheap too considering my wife’s a travel agent and we had Piso-fare rates on Cebu Pac.
We brought CJ along as well. She enjoyed everything, even as a 2 year old. Pero syempre pinaliguan siya ng SPF 50 na sunscreen every hour. Hehehe.
lolay
March 26th, 2008 at 1:08 am
11I’ve been missing a lot, I know. Never been to any of those places. I think that kind of crowd is expected during lenten week since Boracay is now known around the world. I spent my Good Friday in the church for 5 hours and came out with looots of peace and feeling ready to face the world again. BTW, your cooking website is fantastic and is now my best kept secret. I became more enthused to cook and to try new dishes. How about including meal planning or give suggestions on how to combine the dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner? That is if you still have the time. he he he
Connie Veneracion
March 26th, 2008 at 1:23 am
12Naku, Cebu Pacific was quite another story. Good thing that we had PAL tickets to Manila.
dhayL
March 26th, 2008 at 3:23 am
13ms. connie did u have to arrange the island hopping trip in advance, or pwedeng doon na lang?
Carl Parkes
March 26th, 2008 at 8:58 am
14I haven’t been to Boracay in many years, but was surprised to hear that it’s become crowded. White Beach is a very long place, and I never felt the crowds as you described, but then perhaps Boracay is now reaching capacity. Have you heard the old story that Marcos attempted to buy the entire island back in the 1970s? I first visited Boracay in 1979 on my first travel around SE Asia, and loved the fact that the island had no electricity; everyone was give a gas lantern at night and it was very romantic, although I was alone.
Jon Limjap
March 26th, 2008 at 10:49 am
15dhayL,
Island hopping in Boracay is being peddled by vendors much like the private pools in Pansol. So you could just go there and hop in.
Connie Veneracion
March 26th, 2008 at 11:02 am
16It’s as Jon says, dhayL. There seems to be a centralized system though. Whichever boatman you choose, before boarding the boat, you have to register at a mini port.
faye
March 26th, 2008 at 11:53 am
17Same here, i also do not know why people are sooo in love with bora maybe just for a mere “status symbol”. Except of course, if you will go island hopping and snorkeling. Been there summer of 2001, White Beach was really crowded that we didnt enjoy it, water was also not that clean that you can even see some trashes on it especially on the seashore. Its great you still had a great vacation there!
Sleepyhead
March 26th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
18by the way, peddling ice cream seems like a delectable idea, but i hope boatmen and tourists are conscious about not throwing plastic wrappers into the ocean.
Sleepyhead
March 26th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
19hello, sassy lawyer! like this entry! at least you give your readers an idea about what else to do besides drowning oneself in an ocean of people at white beach. I’ve never been to boracay, and i might go with friends during the lean season. My friends say that the best time to go really is around the first quarter (before holy week) or last quarter (before Christmas) of the year when there are less tourists parading at the beach and better / more-reasonably priced hotel accommodations available.
peterb
March 26th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
20Great that you’ve been there Connie. Too bad it was crowded. We usually go early February, it’s not crowded yet. We once went during summer…..super crowded. One consideration is Amihan and Habagat, which affect where the calm waters are, either on white beach or at the snorkeling area. Sarap ng seafood, there was a time when we were island hopping when a small fishing boat gave some freshly caught fish to our boatman. We went ashore and cooked it - sarap! I used to remember to waking up to nothing but the sound of the waves. Boracay has indeed changed, but the combination of good food, fine sand a lively night life keep me going back. Then again, it would be nice to explore other places. Maybe Bohol.
Em Dy
March 26th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
21Connie, and I thought I’m one of the few who’ve never been to Boracay. Most of my family have been, in a trip with balikbayan relatives while I was busy with work. The other things that are keeping me from going are the many transportation modes to be taken before actually getting there and news reports of trash. How did the vendors in the water dispose of their trash anyway?
Connie Veneracion
March 26th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
22faye, you should see this pic. I never went swimming on White Beach. Ewww.
Sleepyhead, re trash. I sure hope not either.
Peterb, the food was good, no doubt. But Roxas City was much, much better.
Em, I really have no idea. We stuffed our ice cream wrappers in the empty coconut husks and the boatmen disposed of them when we got back.
jennie
March 26th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
23It’s called Tirta Spa, she turned a year few weeks ago. Send me an email if you’re heading there again.
Connie Veneracion
March 26th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
24Okay, Jennie, thanks.
Chris
March 26th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
25Hehe, that little island is only as beautiful as the first typhoon of the season with it’s 20 foot waves. =)
Sam
March 26th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
26Hindi ako magccomment para ipatanggal pictures ko. MA, TANGGALIN MO PICTURES MO.
Connie Veneracion
March 26th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
27Makes it sound attractive around August, Chris.
Sam, ‘wag ka antipatika! DI ko na nga sinama yung mga cleavage pictures, noh?
Sam
March 26th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
28Basta picture mo, meron.
Trosp
March 26th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
29May bijokehan ba dyan?
Just kidding. I hope one day to go there through Roro(?) and if I’ll be by myself, I’ll take along with me my bike.
Kaya pala tahimik ang blog mo on those days…
Paul
March 26th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
30I’ve never been to Boracay. Must arrange a business trip there someday.
Connie Veneracion
March 27th, 2008 at 1:13 am
31Sam, NOT TRUE!
Trosp, come to think of it, wala nga yata akong nakitang videoke or narinig na karaoke. Live bands lang at night.
Paul, I hope you’re thinking of going during the lean season hehehe
Paul
March 27th, 2008 at 2:08 am
32A quick day trip should suffice. How should I justify it, as a “scouting mission” perhaps?
Connie Veneracion
March 27th, 2008 at 2:39 am
33LOL Ocular inspection hehehe
dhayL
March 27th, 2008 at 3:37 am
34Jon Limjap/ms.connie, thanks for the info, i’ll keep that in mind!
auee
March 27th, 2008 at 5:34 am
35I was telling my sis to go to Bohol instead for a more relaxing experience, ok din naman ang beach. Boracay is just too crowded, ala-Ibiza na.
But I love the photos, and your cleavage huh! Talaga naman.
Next time buy the spray on sunscreen so it would be easier for you to protect yourself, not too messy with the camera-wielding-hands.
Connie Veneracion
March 27th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
36No prob, dhayL.
Auee, pinapatanggal ni Sam yung pics na may cleavage hahahaha Cropped na nga mga yan, ano? LOL Re Bohol: that’s the next stop. Panglao.
julie
March 27th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
37Puca Island looks much, much better. I have also saw a show about Carabao Island, no crowds, only locals. One can go there from Boracay using the chopper for hire
You planning on going to Panglao? That’s where hubby’s relatives live
A few more years, Bohol will be like Boracay, full of people. Dami mga Kor****
The seaweeds on White Beach, ewwww!
Ting
March 28th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
38I was quite amused by the “buko vendors”. About the ice cream vendors, sa Burnham Park sa Baguio, meron na ring nagtitinda ng ice cream sa middle ng lake. Another “onli in the pilipins” scenario.
The buko vendors remind me of a golf driving range at Philippine Plaza where you have to hit the golf balls towards the sea and there are I guess hired children to retrieve them. Men, these kids could swim too.
Angel
March 29th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
39Which resort did you stay at? We’re thinking of going back to Boracay (we were there years ago — wala pang D’Mall noon) and would be interested to hear what you thought of the place where you stayed. Panglao is your next stop? We enjoyed Panglao Island Nature Resort. Alona Palm Beach Resort was fine too. Basta maganda talaga ang Pilipinas.
Connie Veneracion
March 29th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
40Julie, yes, that’s the next target local place to visit.
Ting, oh yes, only in the Philippines. Speedy and I were just talking about it and he said it’s business after all. Hand it to Pinoys to be where profits are for the taking.
Angel, at La Carmela de Boracay. It’s okay (2 double beds, aircon, cable, T&B, veranda for smoking) except that the food in the coffee shop is so forgettable.
rina
April 29th, 2008 at 11:25 am
41hi ms connie, this is a late comment to an old post, but I hope that you’d be interested to read and maybe write about another aspect of Boracay, involving the Ati people who were among the island’s original settlers. i posted an article in my blog but the original article is from the multiply blog of a Hands On Manila staffer (http://donnmarcky.multiply.com/journal/item/9/Boracay_An_Island_Paradise).
You said in a recent post that you look for the human angle in any advocacy, well, this is definitely it. I do hope you’d be interested. Cheers!
Connie Veneracion
April 29th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
42Rina, I already wrote about that twice in the newspaper column.
rina
April 29th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
43well, obviously i missed that
can i have the links? i’d like to give them to hands on manila so they have more info; they’re putting together a program. thanks!
Connie Veneracion
April 29th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
44Rina, it’s about how natives are being displaced with all these resort building. Not specific to the Atis but the general trend about how our seas are no longer ours. You’ll have to look at the Manila Standard archives because I haven’t moved the “sassy lawyer” entries from the other domain. The date would be around a year ago.
charms
May 5th, 2008 at 11:27 am
45hi! was just wondering how much does ‘island hopping’ cost?(”,) were going there this week.. thanks!
Connie Veneracion
May 5th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
46Charms, the boatmen usually start the price at P4,000.00 but keep haggling and you can bring it down to P2,000.00.
charms
May 6th, 2008 at 8:50 am
47really?(”,) 2,000 is for the entire boat right? its not per head? and where do we find these boatmen?(”,) thanks!
Connie Veneracion
May 6th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
48They’re all over the beach, charms, peddling their service.
charms
May 6th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
49oh ok(”,) thanks! i hope we’ll enjoy bora as much as u did!
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