Fom Singapore to the Philippines – time to relax in Boracay

I had an overnight flight from Singapore to the Philippines, which meant I still had a full day in Singapore. During the day, I tried not to do much. It was hot, it was humid… and I wouldn’t access a shower until I got to Boracay, which would only happen the next day.

Last hours in Singapore

I stayed in my hotel room until check-out time, relaxing, and then went out to visit the National Gallery, somewhere with air conditioning where I could kill at least a couple hours. It is definitely worth visiting if you are an art admirer and have some extra time in Singapore. The building has a very nice blend of contemporary and classic architecture, and it boasts an amazing collection of art.

I was also aware I wanted to spend some time at the airport. Singapore Changi Airport is in itself a landmark, and so I didn’t mind spending some hours in what ended up being the most comfortable airport I’ve ever been to. And if you have the need for any shopping, that can be done in the Jewel, where one of the main attractions is located – the Rain Vortex. It is indeed quite splendid, especially when the lights turn on at night.

But I had had a little bit of a hiccup. The moment I stepped off the bus to the airport, my phone’s screen started to light up with notifications from my bank account. Random transactions were being made, with small amounts, and I knew instantly hackers had managed to get my details. In a panic, sweating with my heavy backpack on me, I froze the card immediately in the app and transferred the money to another bank account. I had received an email earlier that day from Microsoft with a code to access my email account. The email stated if I hadn’t requested the code, I could safely ignore the email as someone would have likely typed it by mistake. Well. My mistake was precisely to ignore this email. It was Good Friday, and I know hackers tend to attack people’s accounts during big holidays when you are usually distracted. For now, my money was safe, and they had taken just over £100 from my bank account, which was thankfully refunded by Monzo.

I usually use Monzo for travelling, as you can pay internationally without fees, and can withdraw up to a certain value abroad without any fees as well (depending on membership). It is similar to Revolut. And I was really proud of my past self for having opened an account with Revolut that I could then utilise in my remaining month and a half of travelling. So here’s some advice – always have at least one backup card when you go travelling! You never know what can happen.

With this sorted, and after exploring a little the airport, I sat and relaxed for a bit. My next destination was the one I was most nervous about. The Phillippines. I would be spending 3 weeks there, and it was not an easy one for me to organise, to the point I almost gave up on this destination. Planning where to go was a nightmare, as I realised nowhere seemed easily accessible. There always needs to be a stopover somewhere to travel from island to island, and you basically have to drive a scooter or else you’re screwed. I didn’t want to adventure myself driving one when I never had. And so my itinerary was simple – I was going to spend some time relaxing in Boracay, then I would go to Palawan to visit Puerto Princesa, Port Barton, El Nido, finishing in Coron. 

Arriving in Boracay

After much research, I decided to spend a few days in Boracay aiming to take some down time and relax. Boracay is definitely a holiday destination and I was somehow convinced it was going to be a much chiller place than ended up being.

The airport is located outside of the island, so you have to then organise transport from the airport to the port, and then take a ferry to Boracay. I bought a return package in Klook and everything went smoothly. It’s a little more expensive than if you sort it out yourself, but honestly after hours of flying and a sleepless night, I just wanted to have everything already booked and not have to run around sleep-deprived. Plus, I found Klook’s package far from expensive, bearing in mind that includes transport from the airport to the port, the ferry, and then transport to your hotel. You can find information here.

I had read that Boracay controls the amount of visitors, as the island had already had to close a few years ago for rehabilitation. This happened in 2018. The beaches were overcrowded, and there was sewage pollution and dense seaweed tides. The island was even described as a “cesspool” by President Rodrigo Duterte. Of course, the closure was controversial as it would come with consequences to the local economy, meaning the loss of many jobs and the closure of businesses. It was sadly a necessary measure to protect the island. It opened up to visitors about a year later, but then Covid hit…. In 2022, the closures were considered successful in rehabilitating the island. Personally, I observed bad practices and nothing actually being done to limit visitors. There are way too many hotels, cafes and restaurants too close to the beach.

To make things worse, I had forgotten that even though I was travelling and days and weeks sort of looked the same, the major seasonal events still went on. It was Easter week. So of course the place was crowded with holidayers, including Filipino families who would take over large portions of the beach.

The beach was stunning, incredibly beautiful, with white sand and turquoise waters. But just so busy. Not just with people, but with boats and sellers. I often felt harassed by the constant nagging. I had been lucky to have met travellers with whom I spent time in Singapore and now again in Boracay, and I have to say this made things easier as we would spend time on the beach having quite interesting conversations. It was nice to have company to go out for dinner and for a drink or two, which I struggle with when alone in these sorts of destinations. We met at a boat tour where we visited another island and did some snorkelling. 

During my time in the Philippines sometimes I felt I was living in a musical production, as the Filipinos would burst into song at any point, and for no reason whatsoever… and how come they ALL sing so well? They have been gifted with unlimited joy and optimism, much like Disney characters who truly believe in happy endings.

Whilst the beach on the west side of the island was calm, a walk to the other side (between 20 to 30 minutes) takes you to a beach known for being perfect for windsurfing. It is very windy on this side of the island and I found it impossible to stay there even just to watch the number of enthusiasts defying the gusts of wind, using it in their favour to tame the waves. 

It was in Boracay that I saw the most magical sunset of my entire life. And I had already seen some pretty good ones on my trip, specifically in Thailand. The golden hour turned into pink, clouds in the sky like cotton candy, the calmness of the sea, the dark figures of the boats, the swimmers, the families. And then a rainbow formed just behind me, facing the sea. A perfect seven-coloured arch, the spectrum of light. The stillness was incredible, and I felt such a deep privilege of being alive and getting to see this. Nature at its best. (the photos below have not been edited AT ALL)

Boracay is definitely a great place for a holiday, but it is very very commercialised and I fear they might have to go back to closing the island if things continue the way they are. As I travelled I kept facing this truth – that while the democratisation of travelling is an amazing thing to see, every country needs to invest in regulating their tourism, impose sustainable measures and ensure these are implemented. 

Love,

Nic