Boracay Trip 2016 with the Queens

While we were in Davao, we talked about how much we missed Boracay. Dayanna has been wanting to go there as she kept hearing good stories about it. Therefore, we decided to fly to Boracay immediately the morning after we landed in Manila. Thanks to Lady for securing our free Skyjet tickets. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to join us. Gosh, imagine how tiring our Davao-Manila-Boracay-Manila 6-day trip was! But no regrets 'cause we had so much fun! Well, it would have been more fun if the weather cooperated.

Anyway, we would like to thank the following for the quick but fun trip:

-Skyjet
-Henann Lagoon Resort
-White Sand Aquasports
-Wave Bar
-The Pig Out Bistro
-JB Alonzo Law Firm
-Caticlan Airport Officials
-Manila, Cebu, and Boracay friends

Sharing with you our post-Boracay video.

A Quick Boracay Summer

So there I was again, without any plans of going to Boracay, I got dragged by a friend who wanted to celebrate her birthday at the island. I was only able to make up my mind on the last minute. And because we took Air Asia, it meant another delayed flight, so we waited for more than 2 hours. 

We flew from Manila to Kalibo International Airport, where we met up with our friend who came from Dumaguete, but flew via Cebu. It was already midnight when we got to the boat from Caticlan to Boracay. The boat rates really inflate at those hours so it's better to take day flights. We got to the island at 1am and we just headed out for a quick meal before going to bed.

So basically we did a lot of eating, photo op, and partying (without even drinking much). But I would say that eating was the highlight of our trip haha! In fact, this was the only Boracay trip wherein I have completed all the daily hotel breakfasts. It's because we've been going to bed early because we're not drunk. Talk about change! haha

It's also great to find out that some other friends were there too, so I got to hangout with them. Anyway, here's how the trip went on:

Boracay Getaway from Roycie S. on Vimeo.

Day 1
Station 2 - Friend got a Henna Tattoo
Two Seasons - Oyster Sisig and Four Cheese Pizza (never fails!)
Station 1- Photo Op and a bit swimming by the beach until sunset
Olé - Late dinner
Summer Place - Friend met up with a guy from Tinder but ended up being with a better person we met by the bar
Epic - I met up with my friends from Manila and hung out 'til the break of dawn

summer girls :) #summer2016 #boracayhits #islandlife #citygirltravels #girlsquad

A photo posted by Roycie S. (@royciepoisie) on Mar 31, 2016 at 4:56am PDT

Day 2
Puka Beach - Swimming and chilling (super pretty beach but the drinks were overpriced)
Spider House - Dinner with new friends
Epic - Party (and some drinking)

Day 3
Real Coffee - Lunch
Don Churros - Churro and Lava Cake fix
Jonah's Fruit Shake - Of course, we won't miss this
Las Brisas - Swimming and bonding by the pool
Station 2 - Buffet Dinner (another must for every Boracay trip)
Epic - My friend's birthday celebration
Then while we're a bit tipsy 'coz of our drinks, we had to go back to the hotel to get our stuff; then we headed to the port then the Kalibo Airport to catch our red-eye flight. However, our flight was ultimately delayed for like 4 hours, so we wished we just stayed and rebooked our flight (it's free anyway).

A photo posted by Roycie S. (@royciepoisie) on Apr 2, 2016 at 5:19am PDT

And that's another quick but awesome summer trip! Where to next? Just wait for it! :)

Labor Day Weekend 2014

It's been a tradition of my multiple groups of friends to go to Boracay during the Labor Day weekend, which usually happens from May 1 through May 5. It's actually where I get to see friends whom I haven't seen for a long time. I think this Labor Day Weekend, which is called Laboracay by many, has already become a beach music festival of some sort.

So what happens during Laboracay? PARTIES! Lots of it! From sunset parties, to multiple brands' gimmicks/promotions to international DJs, name it, Laboracay has got it! The most sought after parties are usually sponsored by the biggest brands of liquor, clothing, shoes, telecoms, mobile apps, etc. In my couple of years of spending Labor Day weekend in Boracay, the brands I have encountered in parties are Vans, Smart, Globe, Marlboro, Nestea, Vaseline, Hennessy, El Hombre, Nivea, Havaianas, Jose Cuervo, etc. This year, more brands came in such as Guess, Viber, AyosDito, BeachHut, Solar, etc.

Anyway, so how did I spend my Labor Day weekend? Here it goes:

May 1 - Arrived in Boracay and had lunch at Jonah's. Of course, we cannot miss the famous Jonah's fruit shakes on our first day. Checked-in at Whitehouse, had dinner with my El Hombre guy friends, had a couple of glasses of Glen in the hotel, had dinner at the Whitehouse resto, dropped by the Smart event in Boracay Uptown, had some pizza and drinks at our friend's room in The District. We weren't in the party mood that's why we didn't attend the sunset party in Whitehouse.

boat to the island with Darlene and Con

and I never get tired of this view

lunch at Jonah's

food trippin'

with my girls

May 2 - Just had lunch in the hotel, went out for a walk at the beach, then came out by sunset for the Guess Beach Hotel party. It's a wet and wild one! And since the sound system got wet, the organizers had no choice but to stop the party, just when everyone's getting pumped up. Instead of going clubbing that night, we just had a house party with our Iloilo friends in Boracay Regency Hotel.

using our Headware as tube tops

nautical theme (thanks Pearly Pop Swimwear)

w/ Thina of Vans (my Rayban flash lens from @poshop_ph)

oh my selfie stick! :))

with my friend, Apple David

sea of people

soaked!

house partying

crispy pata of Boracay Regency is just sooo good!

May 3 - We had lunch at Mamita's, then had some photo ops by the beach. By sunset, we came out for the Vans Summer Block Party. We started at around 5pm and I was already knocked out by 9pm. I was asleep  in our hotel while my friends were partying at Globe's event in epic, the concert of Cedric Gervais. Oh yeah, I missed that Summertime Sadness. Haha sorry! :))

lunch at Mamita's (we had tapsilog and we liked it)

playtime!

with my friend, Wanda

Vans girls :)

gone cray cray :))

all sweaty 'coz of the crazy partyyyy :))

Farah and I with Misa Campo (please excuse the wasted face LOL)

May 4 - We had lunch at Two Seasons. Of course, we couldn't miss Oyster Sisig and probably the best Four Cheese Pizza in the planet! Then by sunset, we headed out for some photo ops, dinner, and again, party! This night's sponsored by our friends from El Hombre, Smart and Ayosdito.ph. We left the party early and had late dinner at Aria and headed back to the hotel. Then I was given a free ticket for Steve Aoki's set in Epic so I headed out again. We're supposed to leave early the next day so we left right after his set. Steve Aoki nailed it! I was impressed with the bouncers and the whole security group of the organizers because they were able to control the crowd outside after the walls were accidentally torn down. And it happened just right behind us by the VIP area. I really thought I would die from stampede but I was glad it didn't actually happen.

my girls :)

catching sunset (Angelia using my coverup. Thanks to Southshore Beach Shop)

some calls it "wefie", while some call it "groufie" haha

don't eat, inhale, and don't breathe for photo ops purposes LOL!

pretty sunset

El Hombre party w/ these girls and the El Hombre boys

so we discussed how we died the previous night haha

with THE Ramon Bautista

my good friend, Bang of AyosDito.Ph

yet another sweaty me :))))

look at that crowd! everyone's having fun!

with DJ Ace Ramos whom I've known for 8 years already (he wasn't as big in the scene back then)

grabbed a friend's flash lens 'cause it matched my outfit LOL

dinner treat of Manny at Aria

THE Steve Aoki

watched it with these girls

view from our table

the commotion

May 5 - We left the island quite late and we got a flight to catch in Iloilo City. Iloilo-bound vans from Caticlan already ran out by 9am and we got no choice but to take the bus which was and hour and a half slower. From the bus station in Iloilo, we took a cab to the airport, and that was already the time of the departure of our plane. Good thing we got a friend working at the Iloilo airport who's there to keep us posted. Apparently, our flight was delayed, thank God. But the bad news was, the only ATM machine in the airport wasn't working and we didn't have cash nor credit cards anymore. We ended up borrowing from our friend, Steph in the airport, just to survive dinner at the Iloilo airport. haha! See, it pays to be friendly!

thanks to my friend, Steph of PAL for saving us haha

So that's how my immune system and my wallet survived Laboracay! Thanks to my friends who sponsored almost everything -- hotel, food, booze, concert tickets, etc.! :)

xoxo,

city girl

Finally Found the Right Way to Fly with AirAsia Zest!

Flying to my favorite local and international destinations at affordable prices is now possible as AirAsia and Zest have now partnered! With its new brand name, AirAsia Zest, I am sure it has a lot in store for us dear travellers. And the best part is, AirAsia Zest flies from Manila!!! No more hassle driving too far because the flights depart from NAIA Terminal 4. How cool is that? :)

Ok, so now that I found the Right Way to Fly, it's about time for me to make new travel plans. Here's my AirAsia Zest destination (local and international) wish list:

#5 TAGBILARAN, BOHOL

I haven't been to Bohol but I've been wanting to visit the place to see the Chocolate Hills, the old churches, the white sand beaches, and to dine at the floating restaurants in Loboc River. Although the recent 7.2 magnitude have destroyed many of these tourist spots, it won't stop me from going there. I wanna see how the people of Bohol are recovering from the tragedy and I would like to extend a helping hand too, even in my own little way. Also, I am a fan of old churches as they take me back in time. I was saddened that the old churches of Bohol are now turned into ruins; but still, I would like to visit them and pray. And of course, being the beach bum that I am, I would love to have some jump shots at the sand bars of Panglao's white sand beaches! :)

This BEFORE and AFTER photo of BOHOL churches is from

(http://www.pinoystop.com/news/world/2429/magnitude-72-earthquake-hits-central-philippines-kills-20)

#4 CAGAYAN DE ORO

This is another must-see travel destination in the Philippines, which I haven't been to. Being an adventurous person that I am, I know that I will definitely enjoy CDO because first, it's where I can try whitewater rafting at the first time; and second, it's also my gateway to Bukidnon and Camiguin. With just a ferry ride, I could get to Camiguin to see the Underwater Cemetery and of course, more white sand beaches! Also, with just a bus ride, I can get to the Dahilayan Adventure Park and try the Asia's Longest Dual Zipline plus get a taste of the best pineapples in Bukidnon.

Whitewater rafting photo from my friend, Josh Reyes' Facebook page.

#3 KALIBO (BORACAY)

Boracay will always be my sweet escape. Whenever I wanna relax or just get away from the busy city, I always head to Boracay. It's just my happy place. In fact, I've already had some local friends there, whom I've met in my many Boracay trips in the past. I just find the place very relaxing, most especially at the Puka Beach. Nothing beats the feeling when I am seated by the shore, my feet buried in the sand as I drink some fruit shake or cocktail, while reading a good book or chatting with my friends. Besides relaxation, Boracay also gives me a really fun nightlife experience. This island is the place-to-be for the best summer parties and sunset sessions. I super love Boracay that whenever I meet new foreign friends, I always tell them not to miss Boracay when they travel in the Philippines.

me at Puka Beach in March 2012

But besides spending time in Boracay Island, I also want to explore Kalibo, the home of the Ati-Atihan festival. I've been to a lot of festivals in the Philippines but I haven't experienced Ati-Atihan yet. I also wanna take a walk in the eco-trail of the Bakhawan Mangrove Forest. And of course, I would like to have a taste of authentic Aklanon cuisine, which I know tastes good and is very affordable.

a fire dancer

 sunset at Puka Beach :)

#2 KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

I haven't been to Malaysia but I know Kuala Lumpur is the home of the Petronas Twin Towers. I have always admired my friends' photos in this popular tourist attraction and I want to have my own photo with it too. I am a fan of cityscapes and I wish to capture a typical night scene at KL. Shopping and dining are relatively cheap in Malaysia so I want to take advantage of that. Plus, I also want to visit my Malaysian friends, as they promised me before that they'll show me around.

A photo of the Petronas Twin Towers from (http://www.cuti.my/Sub/Kl/guide_kuala_lumpur_petronas_twin_towers.htm)

I've also heard of other tourist destinations such as the Batu Caves and other Buddhist temples in nearby towns/provinces, which I wanna visit. And of course, being the Lego fan that I am, I must not miss Legoland! Well it's actually far from KL but I've heard they have comfy buses from the city going there so I don't think transportation would be problem. And besides, I can also have a side trip to Singapore, which is just a few hours away from Legoland. It's a place where I have a lot of Filipino friends I wanna visit.

#1 INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA

Of all the Asian countries I have been to, I would say that South Korea is my second favorite, next to Japan. In terms of culture, they're pretty much the same; but for me, South Korea is more laid back. It was my first time in South Korea in November of last year via Incheon and I would say that it's one of my best international trips so far. I have visited a lot of tourist attractions in Seoul because my friends and I took a hop on-hop off city tour bus. We've also been to Everland, Nami Island and Petite France, which weren't too far from Seoul. The farthest we've gone to was at Gyeongju City where we visited many of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. It took us a 2-hr bullet train (KTR) ride one way just to get there.

Autumn 2012 in Seoul

ancient tombs in Gyeongju

Me at Nami Island, where Winter Sonata's first kiss scene was shot.

Gwanghwamun

Just last August, I have attended a Korean travel seminar where I've learned a lot of must-see tourist destinations in South Korea. I realized I haven't seen much of what the place has to offer because I haven't explored its provinces. In fact, I gathered a lot of travel brochures and maps from the seminar so I could plan my next travel to South Korea very well.

some of the brochures I got from the Korean travel seminar

SHOPPING and EATING are the top 2 things I really enjoyed doing in South Korea, particularly in Seoul. I wanna come back to shop for more beauty products and clothes, and to do another food trip! I just love the "samgyeopsal" and the coffee shops of different themes! I also wanna visit more of the shooting locations of my favorite Korean dramas and hopefully see some K-pop artists haha! I feel like I won't run out of things to do when I'm there that's why it's my top 1 in this list.

healthy and yummy Korean cuisine!

so here's a photo of me at Petite France, wishing for another awesome trip to South Korea :)

So that's how my list goes. I really hope I can travel in Asia with AirAsia because I haven't tried flying with them and I heard some good reviews about it from my friends, so I want to experience it myself.

If you're a foreigner who wanna travel in the Philippines, there are a lot of places here that you shouldn't miss; and you can visit these places at affordable prices via AirAsia Zest too. Just click the photo below to visit their website.