Everything under the sun (and the moon) in Pink Patio

You think because summer is over, life stops in Pink Patio, Boracay? Far from it. Fact is, as the year draws to a close, life gets more exciting and things get hotter on this side of the beautiful island paradise. That is because the island community and its resorts like Pink Patio have something to offer for every occasion and event of the year.

Halloween, for instance, was a big affair on the island. It is one of the biggest revenue earners of the year for the tourism industry. There were Halloween parties on the beach, best costume contests and all kinds of gimmicks cooked up by the resort and bar owners, as well as spontaneous fun activities (like games) initiated by the vacationers themselves.

Pink Patio, a resort located a few meters from the island’s white sand beach donned itself well for the occasion. Jack-o-lanterns, spooky adornments, all the works to create a perfect Halloween atmosphere, were all over the place. Even the garden was transformed into a life-like graveyard – really gave one the creeps walking through the white crosses in the dead of night, while everyone else was partying at the beach, and you imagined the spirits to be the only ones treading this deserted place.

That was only your imagination, of course, because Pink Patio was far from deserted that night. It was, on the contrary, filled almost to capacity as tourists took advantage of its special three-day two-night Halloween package from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. The package included, in addition to the usual amenities and Halloween treats, a chance to have one’s fortune told by an authentic manghuhula (fortuneteller) stationed at the resort the entire three days.

Very recently, Boracay became the site of a big international event – the Miss Earth beauty pageant. The contestants were billeted in several hotels on the island. Pink Patio had Miss India, Miss Gibraltar, Miss Ghana, Miss Honduras, Miss Hungary and Miss Guatemala. They stayed at the hotel for four nights.

For five days, vacationers and residents of the island enjoyed the rare treat of watching the world’s beauties parade on the beach, bask in the sun, swim and try their favorite aquasports in the surrounding waters, maybe exchanging hellos and making friends with them. But the biggest enjoyment was on the part of the beauty contestants themselves, who instantly fell in love with the place.

Who wouldn’t with the tropical beauty of its beaches, the freedom and diversity it offered, and the warmth and generosity with which the local people received the guests? From the time they arrived, when a grand welcome of flowers, music and dance met them as they landed on the shore, the visitors got nothing less than honest-to-goodness Filipino hospitality at its truest. It was an immediate connection. Within minutes from the moment they first set foot on the island’s fine white sands, the girls were already dancing to the step of the native Ati dance and the rhythm of the bongo drums.

At Pink Patio, the six ladies billeted at the hotel took time from their hectic schedules to try the resort’s facilities. They tried everything – the pool, the Jacuzzi, the bar, especially the restaurant, where they had a hard time controlling their diets with the appetizing Chinese cuisine served at Golden Bamboo. They tried the massage and the sauna, and of course, made good use of the resort’s ample gym facilities to stay fit and maintain their figures. They even tried some rock climbing on the resort’s 11-meter high rock wall.

"They were very impressed with Pink Patio, and impressed with Boracay," says Jonah, Pink Patio’s guest relation officer who personally attended to the girls. Jonah quickly won the girls’ friendship and confidence. Miss Ghana was so amused when Jonah identified her with the native of Coron (a place on the island inhabited by dark-skinned people) that when her companions addressed her as Miss Ghana, she would tell them, "No, I’m Miss Coron."

Jonah also shares that one time, immensely enjoying and feeling so happy with the place, Miss Honduras commented, "I feel that this place brings me good luck." And true enough, Miss Honduras came out first place in the pageant and was crowned Miss Earth!

One thing that the Miss Earth contestants loved about the island was the carefree mood and the fact that they could do anything the way they wanted. Anything goes. They could wear anything, walk barefoot on the sand, they could shop, swim, play – it was almost complete freedom.

But of course, they were there for the pageant, and schedules for rehearsals, photo sessions, programs, even rest and recreation had to be strictly followed. Feeling they haven’t really enjoyed the place to the fullest, that there is so much more yet to do, many of them intend to come back to the island, with their boyfriends or their families.

Already, Pink Patio is starting to prepare for Christmas and New Year when the island will be bustling with fun and leisure activities for holiday revelers. So you see, activity never stops in Boracay. Every occasion, any event under sky, can be reason to celebrate when you’re in Pink Patio, Boracay.