The Island
From the moment I set foot on the island I knew I this was where I was going to take my mini vacation from traveling. The island is home to one of the top beaches in the world and was awarded Asia's number one island by Travel+Leisure magazine. You can get anywhere in the island by catching a Tricycle on the main road that runs north and south parallel to White Beach (the main beach). Its only 10 pesos (about 25cents) to get just about anywhere or 20-40 pesos to go to the furthest points of the island. If your not in a rush you can just walk along the sandy beach walkway and get just about everywhere in under 30 minutes. Once you start to make lots of friends on the island it takes a long time to walk along the foot path as you get stopped by various friends. Sometimes I walk along the water to avoid being stopped so I can avoid being super late to meet up with friends. However, like many other countries they have "Filipino Time" which means that everyone is always late for everything.
Wild Nightlife
Often we start the night off with a couple of bottles of Emperador (the local brandy) or Tanduay (the local rum and drink on the beach. You can by a liter of brandy for about 100 pesos (about 2USD)
(playing drinking games on the beach)
The next stop is usually Exit Bar, which is a big sand bar made of bamboo with loud music and a crowd that usually overflows into the walking path. here you can have beers and mixed drinks for 50 pesos (about 1USD). This is a good place to talk and meet new people.
Another one of our regular stops is Coco Bar, which is another place where you can talk and play Jenga. In fact I always called it Jenga Bar and am still not sure if the name is Coco Bar.
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After a certain point everyone is done talking and we head to one of three places: Summer place (almost always here), Juice Bar, or Epic. This is where the music is too loud and we dance the night away!
(pretty girls giving out free shots)
The first two weeks of staying on this island I went out almost every night. In fact, after midnight people on the island will always tell you good morning because most people stay out so late that they don't get up in the morning so the only time you can say good morning is late at night.
High Season = Awesome Events!
It just so happens that I came during Holy week and after Holy Week is Labor Day weekend so Filipinos flock to the island (mostly from Manila) and all the clubs and bars have events, local celebrities make appearances, also free shots and goodies everywhere. The fun is non stop and you don't sleep during this time.
Bartending at Sand Bar
Thanks to my friends on the island I got to bartend at Sand Bar during a Jack Daniels promotion. I got a free Jack Daniels T-Shirt, a free meal, 1,000 pesos, free drinks all night, and I got to give free Jack Daniels to everyone for 5 hours while dancing and drinking!
Me, an underwear model?! haha
One night my friend texted me to come do an underwear modeling gig with her. I told her I don't really have an underwear modeling body. She said who cares its 2,500 Pesos! so I rushed to the event and am so happy I did.
AXN Comes to Boracay!
You know that show where people do the obstacle course to try to win money and then you watch them fall on their ass? we got to be on the TV show!
This also meant tons of free games and goodies
and local celebrities
Magical Sunsets
House warming party at my new apartment!
I found an awesome apartment less than a minute walk from the beach with an airconditioner, a full kitchen with a fridge, a balcony, and even a dining table. All of this for only 10,000 pesos a month (220USD). I had everyone over for my first time making Chicken Adobo and lots of brandy and rum.
More fun!
Mellow Yellow Sunset Booze Cruise!
Since I referred some friends I got to go for free :)
This cruise kicked off the party at 3pm and somehow we kept it up until 7am the next day
Island Hopping
Skim Boarding!
(a small boogie board that you skim over just a few inches of water)
BBQ at Joseph's
Football for Charity on the beach!
(I got to play a football game with Aly Borromeo, the captain of Philippines national football team!)
Playing games to win a GoPro
(slip and slide water hockey)
Videoke!
(Videoke should be the national sport of the Philippines because everyone is crazy about it)
Banana Boat!
(Yup, we managed to tip this thing over)
Pub Crawl
(in the silent disco, everyone wheres headphones and listens to the same music)
Handstand, one of my short-term goals
(Man! the world is so heavy and the sun is so hot on my feet)
Chie's Family Visits
Birthday Dinner and pre-gaming
(Brionne, a friend I met in Vietnam but originally from NYC arrived on the island just in time for the birthday bash)
Balot!
Balot is a duck fetus inside the egg shell. Starting in the evening and throughout the night men will walk around with Styrofoam containers full of Balot. You have to eat one before you can become Filippino. I got this task out of the way as soon as I arrived in the island. And never again will I do that again. Crunchy bones, feathers, and beaks, mixed with veins in wrapped around an egg yoke. I was gagging the entire time.
A Beautiful Island
(The sunrise)
(Stars)
With tons of activities, the most amazing friends, natural beauty that makes you sigh every time you leave your apartment, crazy fun night life, quiet night swimming under the shooting stars, relaxing sunsets, delicious food, cheap fresh markets, always new people on the island, I have realized why this was awarded best island in Asia. Already, I have been here for a month and I don't know where the time went.
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