By Bernadette Marcello
With a copy of the Lonely planet in hand, I travelled a couple of years ago around our beautiful country together with 4 Danish friends. Here are some snapshots I’d like to share with you.. so sit back, enjoy and be inspired!
1st Snapshot: BORACAY 
We went to Boracay for a week, our first destination from the line of places we planned to explore around the Philippines. I’ve always loved Boracay, no doubt about that. It’s the glorious place for sun-worshippers, manileños, and of course, for the foreigners may it be from Europe, America or Asia. It’s the perfect island getaway, with its warm blue waters, powder-fine white sand and ohh so beautiful shimmering water in the morning. The white beach is still above sea level and it’s so nice to walk around barefooted and just feel the warmth of the sand against your skin.
At night, the island transforms into one exciting hub for music, dancing and party for people out to relax and have some fun. Dress code in Boracay is strictly informal. The lively discos have the beach for a floor, giving dance a new sandy twist. From dusk to dawn, the island turns into one big party place where everyone is welcome to join in.
Boracay also offers great restaurants with different kinds of cuisine, great bars, and nice shops for souvenirs, henna tattoos and different kinds of stuff for everyone. Our favorite hangout there is a place called Café del Mar. For the whole week we were there, that’s the place we go to from the time we wake up till sundown because it’s a bar/restaurant in front of the beach, where they have very big rattan comfy chairs that you can just sit around on to kill time, sun bathe and relax. At night time, it turns into a bar and is always packed with people. It’s a great place for beach-bummers.
Another must try in Boracay is the famous Jonis for their mouth-watering and thirst quencher fruit-shakes. At times when the sun is so hot, it is best to have your fruit-shakes. It’s not expensive but tastes like a classy drink. When you get tired of swimming and bumming around, you can always go island hopping, do some water sports or have a heavenly massage - this is a must try because they have very good masseuses which just adds more flavor to the relaxing aura of Boracay.
For many certified sun-worshippers the world over, paradise goes by one name - Boracay. For a beach bummer like me, I would certainly agree. I had so much fun relaxing and enjoying the paradise that I want to call it my second home..
2nd Snapshot BOHOL
Next stop was Bohol. We went to Panglao and as true as I’ve heard about the place, Bohol is one of the best tourist destinations for the many things it has to offer for visitors. It’s not only good for vacationers who want to relax and see the place, it is also the great for diving. According to my diving friends, Bohol has one of the best diving sites in Asia. They have beautiful coral reefs and good marine life that they preserve and take pride on. It’s a quiet island compared to Boracay, not many bars, restaurants, and parties lasting ‘til dawn, but it definitely has other things to offer.
Bohol is beautiful for its great sunsets, amazing food, and rich cultural heritage. Bohol is also famous for the smallest primate in the world called the Tarsier, a nice little fragile creature that is a must see, not to be found elsewhere. It’s so cute and tiny that it’s only as big as the palm of your hand and it won't jump around or bite you. My friends and I must have stayed there for an hour just looking and enjoying the Tarsier.
And let’s not forget what has put Bohol on the map – the Chocolate Hills. Yes, what you may have already heard is absolutely true. The chocolate hills are so breath-takingly awesome. Going to the chocolate hills, my friends and I rented motor bikes instead of hiring a van because we want to enjoy the view and experience a little adventure for ourselves. It was just wonderful driving around the city and seeing the lakes, old churches and the trees all over.
The first time I saw the chocolate hills was from afar while on the motorcycle. The first thing I said was ‘Oh my God, this is heaven’. The hills look like giant mole hills and they were all over the place. They consist of more or less 1,268 hills in total. It was a gorgeous sight indeed with so many hills surrounding us. Some were turning brown, hence chocolate hills, but some were still green covered in grass. And to think that this is not a man-made work of art makes it even more unbelievable. For me, the best part in going to Bohol is to see the chocolate hills that I just used to see in books and magazines. It is with no exaggeration, a jaw dropping view.
Apart from Bohol’s most famous site, the place also offers much more - dolphin and whale watching, old Spanish churches, markets, the islands and of course, the warm hospitality of the nice and gracious boholaños. It is not a party place compared to Boracay, but I love it just the same..
3rd Snapshot: PALAWAN
I have always dreamt of going to Palawan. If you hear someone say that they have been there, you can’t help but feel jealous. Friends, newspapers and television all speak of Palawan as the last frontier and the best place in the Philippines.
As the last stop of our journey, went to Palawan and it turned out to be an absolute dream vacation. Our first stop was Puerto Princessa. There were a lot of places to go around the area, but since our stay was just limited. we just went to see the Underground River in Sabang. We took the monkey trail through the beautiful jungle of the national park which takes two hours to trek. After 2 bottles of mineral water and plenty of stop over, it was totally worth it because in the end of the trail, we found the glorious underground river.
We then went to El Nido, the most famous island in Palawan. They have 45 enchanting islets and each island has its own unique features, whether soaring cliffs, hidden lagoons, pocket white sand beaches, or ancient caves. With the many islands in El Nido, it is impossible to see all of it. Some cafés offer tours where you can go to 3-4 islands in one day. The most popular tourist destination is the Miniloc Island for its big and small lagoons. The island has crystal clear saltwater swimming holes that are good for snorkeling. The lagoons are surrounded by beautiful and dramatic cliffs which makes the effect more enchanting. You can either go by boat or kayaking, but whichever way you choose to get there, one thing is for sure - will find the lagoons breathtaking.
Another famous island in El Nido is the secret beach. It’s hidden from the outside of the island and you have to swim under the cliff to see it, and believe me it’s worth the effort It also has a bizarre Matinloc Shrine where you will find a revolving statue of Mother Mary. There are so many islands to explore in El Nido such as Snake Island, Helicopter Island, and Simisu Island to name a few. As for the accommodation, it is very safe and economical and as what we always perceive, El Nido is not too expensive compared to other islands, although electricity usually gets cut out at midnight till 1 pm. They don’t have banks or atm machines, but some restaurants do accept credit cards. At some point, it can be a hassle but afterwards it’s not a big deal anymore.. The most memorable place we discovered while being there is the bar/restaurant called Balay Tubay. It’s this native, homey and lively place to end the night at. They have live acoustic bands were everyone jams with wonderful artist who play and talk to you. On our last night there, it was sad because we have gotten too attached to the people there that we promised ourselves we will definitely go back and see the place and the beautiful people of El Nido again. Undeniably, El Nido is one of the most spectacular places I have been to. Don’t take my word for it, go and experience it yourself…
