One Boracay Weekend

With its four-kilometer stretch of powdery white sand beaches and clear blue waters, lush tropical environment and the warm hospitality of the locals, Boracay is undeniably a favorite island destination not only in the Asia-Pacific region but in the world, as well.

Both local and foreign tourists flock to the island paradise all year round to relax, unwind and simply have fun. Aside from basking in the sun and shopping around the "talipapa" for some native knick-knacks, one can also go diving and island hopping, two common activities which I highly recommend.

With all the well-appointed resorts, from budget to the more extravagant ones, accommodation is not a problem in the island. But I suggest you make reservations through your favorite travel agent and inquire about SEAIR's LEP (Leisure Escape Packages) specially during peak season. LEP offers reasonable packages which already includes round trip airfare, trip transfers (airport/resort/airport), resort accommodations with daily breakfast.

An array of restaurants which offers local and international cuisines await every guest. Yes, according to your cravings at that very moment. Boracay is not called a party place for nothing. What, with the lineup of bars along the stretch, one can never call it a night without going with the flow and go bar hopping, enjoying the sea wind with bottles of ice cold beer, the famous Boracay slush, jamming with the acoustic bands or simply engaging in a "tete-a-tete" with some new-found friends.

With the beauty of the island and the fun moments spent every visit. I go back there at least once a year. So when my very good friends from SEAIR (Southeast Asian Airlines) headed by Vis-Min Regional Sales Manager Anne Tan and Destinations Specialists' Inbound Manager Lenlen Ebora together with Philquest Asia and its head, Mahlon Estrada invited me to join the media and travel agents familiarization tour for a weekend in Boracay, I never had second thoughts in accepting the invitation. Thanks for that, dearies! The tour group was composed of Lenlen Ebora; Anne Tan; Maricar Marasigan, Lilou Martinez and Anette Senerez of SEAIR; Mahlon Estrada; Renz Noval of Philquest Asia-Cebu; Liza Licudine of Sunbee Travel and Tours-Cagayan City; Richard Ramos of What's On; Emelyn Bacalla of Olvis Travel and Tours; Anna Laburada Destinations Specialist; Pia Virtudazo of Sunbee; Cheryl Apostol of Holiday Bound-Iloilo City and Arnel Vitalino of West Travel-Baguio City. No less than SEAIR's young and well-built EVP Patrick Tan, flew-in from Manila to join us.

Into the Scene would also like to thank Boracay Tropics Resort Hotel, Boracay's newest 5-star resort hotel along Station 2, our "home away from home", Director of Sales Onelle Pacheco and Resort Manager Ramon Pacificar; Crystal Sand Beach Resort for the sumptuous welcome lunch; Prince Hendrick Café at the Boracay Regency Beach Resort and Convention Center; Willy's Beach Club Hotel and its amiable owner Madame Bebot Gadon and her equally hospitable son-in-law, Douglas Fabilane who spent one whole night with us 'til the wee hours at Club Paraw at Station1; Patio Pacific (formerly Pink Patio) for a gastronomic dinner feast; internationally-acclaimed Mandala Spa and Villas for that revitalizing and relaxing spa treatment; Maricar and

John Marasigan who really made us feel "at home" in the island.