What happens in Boracay...

..stays in Boracay. At least for my friend Pressia and her Belgian waffle. We spent four days and three nights in this famous tourist destination, burning our skin in the day and wasting the nights away, despite the occasional rain.

Up until the time I was at the airport, I did not know what to expect. My boyfriend was stressing out the entire week freaking out at the idea of two girls spending four days alone in an island famous for its wild parties and hot summer affairs. I thought he was exaggerating but it turned out Boracay can be your temptation island..especially at night.

For an off-peak season, the place sure is packed. We were not able to book at the Regency because it was full but fortunately we were able to get a room at Nigi-nigi. We even got a family suite, a big room with a loft which can accommodate up to 6 people and with nice native interiors, very rustic.

During the day, the island looked just like any other beach. There were children playing along the shore, families eating at the different restaurants, massage services and women lying under the sun. But when night falls, the whole place suddenly transforms into every pubescent boy’s fantasy. As soon as happy hour starts, island girls in skimpy clothes can be seen hanging-out at the local bars befriending the only people I see now who drink pale pilsen, the white men (young or balding). At around 11 to midnight, dancing at the bar starts and island gays, not to be outdone, begin to strut their own stuff. In Boracay, I realized I had to sharpen my gay-dar because it was normal to see women who look like gays, gays who look like women and gays who look totally straight.

While there is a designated dance floor, dancing can take place anywhere, on your seat, on the table or on the bar (I think I was able to do all) or dance with whoever you feel like dancing with. There were white men dancing with brown women, white women dancing with brown men and white men dancing with brown men.

I realized that the best way to enjoy Boracay is when you’re hooked or you want to get hooked. Since I can be classified as neither, I had to amuse myself with the extraordinary sites to see such as couples making-out on the dance floor, black gay dancing to Beyonce and one man or woman (I am still not sure) dancing with a bamboo pole in his/her bra top and white thongs.

What I found most enjoyable in Boracay, is the experience of going out to drink and dance in your shirt and slippers, actually walking home at 4 in the morning and waking up to a glorious sunshine and beautiful beach. Probably because of its tourism-orientation, service in resorts and restaurants was also very remarkable. Just about anything can be found on the island from crepes to Persian food, decadent cake to tequila sunrise, internet cafe to treadmill, which made me wonder how come people call it a get-away or vacation.

It was fun not waking up to the alarm, bumming in the beach for hours and drinking at 5 in the afternoon. But somehow, the entire time, I felt like I left my heart in Manila.