It was three in the morning and with the perimeter winds of typhoon Karen blowing overhead, I silently prayed that our flight out would be cancelled. I wanted one more day in paradise…another 24 hours in Conde Naste’s number 1 island in the world…Boracay.
I think that some of the best travel plans are made on the fly…so off we went three days ago, to the world’s best beach. We managed to snatch a weekend from our busy schedules and less than a week, booked a flight and reserved a room at our favorite hotel on the island – Discovery Shores. Discovery Shores is one of the older 5-star hotels on the island… but its service remains topnotch.
From the moment we stepped into the Boracay airport, I felt my jaws unclench, my shoulders pulled back and the crease in my brow slowly relax. The pretty lady with the Discovery Shores logo ushered us to a waiting van to take us to the private dock they share with other 5-star hotels. The transfers went smoothly and within the hour we were settled in our room and ready for the beach.
I love the island’s vibe…how it can be jumping and fun and chaotic on one side and serene and quiet on the other. Both facets of this jeweled isle are part of the Boracay lifestyle. My husband often says, Boracay is a democratic place. There is something for everyone and they all manage to coexist peacefully.
Of all the activities available in Boracay, I have two favorites. Both are simple…the first involves only a sunbed, my sunglasses and a mojito beside me. The other being long walks with my hubby with the surf on one side and the sugar white sand between my toes.
While lounging by the beach waiting for the girls to come back from surfing lessons, the hotel staff hovered close by anticipating what I needed. More ice, another drink…nuts or chips perhaps? Let me clean your glasses ma’am, said the lovely lady behind me.
October is considered lean season on the island. The beach is relatively free of frolicking children, hordes of tourists angling for the best selfies and vendors hawking everything from sunglasses to pearls. The island is still busy, but not throbbing with people. This is my favorite time to be here.
On our second precious night, I treated myself to a Beauty & Bliss treatment at the Terra Wellness Spa on the second floor of the hotel. The girls were engrossed on their mobile phones , hubby had gone out in search of his current food craving , so I was left to my own devices.
The Terra Spa is located three floors above the hotel lobby, away from the boisterous banter generated by the pool gang and overlooking the beach. I was ushered into the Sandalwood Room – one of the treatment rooms equipped with its own sauna and private bathroom.
All treatments start with a warm foot bath and a soothing pot of ginger and lemongrass tea. With that out of the way. I surrendered the next two hours of the evening to the expert hands of my assigned therapist. A rather petite lady with the cheerful smile and soft voice. Her stature bellied the confidence and strength of her strokes as she kneaded worry and tension ( due to the tyrphoon) out of my back.
After an hour, it was time for a facial that promised to exfoliate and revitalize my stressed out skin. When they covered my eyes with cool cucumber slices, I lost all sense of time. Slowly, gentle fingers massaged alternating warm and cold gels with the loveliest scents of pineapple and calamansi teasing and lulling me to sleep. I barely felt it when they cleaned out the grime that took root in my pores.
I made it back to our room before the rains poured, relaxed, relieved and rejuvenated.
The typhoon passed without our flights being cancelled. And just like that , our weekend jaunt came to an end. Time to head home…time to plan our next visit to the world’s #1 island.
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Tips: PAL flies to Caticlan 5x daily.
Check out Discovery Shores at www.discoveryshoresboracay.com
By: Sandee Siytangco – Masigan
