CROWN REGENCY: Redefines Boracay

CEBU, Philippines - Pictures of old Boracay during the first few years after it was first introduced to the world as the quintessential tropical paradise would show just that – it is a tropical escape with gentle waves kissing the coast’s divine powdery white sand, a few meters away from the coast would be lush tropical foliage accented by coconut palms. 

One could simply imagine the serenity of the place and the sweetness of seclusion occasionally broken by the sudden appearance of islanders off to gather the day’s catch.

The Boracay of today no longer gives that kind of experience to its visitors, except perhaps for a few remnants of old Boracay in some secluded areas shunned by enterprising locals and businessmen, probably because of its rocky, unattractive beaches and the lack of white sand, which is, after all, what the island is about.

Island living is no longer the come on for Boracay. On the four kilometer stretch of white sand, the palm trees that bordered the coast are replaced by structures of different styles, disciplines and design.

From Chinese Imperial-inspired buildings to honest-to-goodness simple structures that simply speaks of home. And then there is the all-time favorite, Filipino-inspired structures with bamboo walls, nipa or cogon thatched roofs, and potted palms adorning its façade.

Designer beach chairs crowd the beach front, together with countless stalls for souvenirs, shirts and apparels, and services like henna tattooing, massage, and hair braiding.

This invasion of tourism facilities in the island also means an abundance of places to stay, although they claim that during peak season, the island could still use a few hundred more rooms. No wonder the chorus of metal on stone and sand on gravel has become a somewhat permanent hum heard throughout the island, all year round.

Cebuano hotel chain Crown Regency has also made a mark in the island, not just with one elegant place, but with two, plus another scheduled to start operations late this year, and still another in the drawing board.

The first Crown Regency property is Crown Regency Resort Boracay in Station 3 of White Beach. There is a story behind the property that tells of division, and now, with Crown Regency’s acquisition of the property, unity.

The resort has 41 rooms and with the adjoining property recently bought by the resort, more rooms are expected to be added. Each room is accorded with the conveniences of modern living – cable TV, hot and cold shower, telephone, and an internet line.

On the second floor is an infinity pool that looks toward the beautiful Boracay beach, the perfect place to enjoy the sunset.

The Crown Regency Prince Resort by the main road at the back of Station 1 in White Beach, meanwhile, speaks of a different hotel experience. Its come on is the 24-hour grocery store that contains almost everything that a vacationer would need – from quick munches in the evening to sunscreen lotions, and then there are magazines of both local and international titles for one to devour while lazing under the hot Boracay sun.

The Mexican-inspired architecture of the building gives it a somewhat rustic ambience. The antique furnishings, the sand tiles adorning the walls, and a mirror adorned with intricate wood carvings, give the place the feeling of rural elegance.

An upcoming attraction in the island, the Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center is an ongoing project that is set to be fully operational by 2012, although some of its facilities are scheduled to open late this year.

The place sits on a two-hectare property and it is predicted to change the reason why visitors come to the island. With its completion, Boracay would not just be a place for vacationers, but also a venue of choice for conventions, meetings, incentives, and events. A convention-cum-vacation, so to speak. This would keep the island busy all year round, and perhaps the low season would no longer be on the island’s vocabulary.

The project is envisioned to house a water park with a 1,800 square meter swimming pool, restaurants including one with an aquarium wall where underwater performers would entertain guests with stunts and graceful dances, 479 rooms, multiple function rooms, an aviary, and a convention center that could accommodate at most 1200 people.

As if that is not enough reason for visitors to come to Boracay, Engr. Jun Develos, project manager of J. King and Sons, revealed that they also plan to develop an abandoned resort into an adventure park that will offer exciting and adrenaline pumping rides like the zipline, which starts from the island’s highest peak passing through a dark tunnel and landing in the pristine white sand beach of Station 1. There would also be water slides, wall climbing facilities, a suspension bridge, and other amenities fit for group and team building dynamics.

The facility will be housed in a 1.3 hectare property recently purchased by Crown Regency.

Indeed, since its discovery in the ‘70s, Boracay has morphed into a vacation paradise, not just because of its white sand beaches but also because of the many facilities that continue to redefine its landscape.

Visitors, however, should be wary of the environmental impact of these developments. That is, if they want to continue enjoying the Boracay that was.