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4 Money Talk: Can You Trust Your Advisor?

5 Education Talk: Model United Nations @ Dulwich College Shanghai

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11 Beauty Talk: Signature Jade Lifting Facial @ CHI, The Spa At Shangri-La 14 Dining: Sober Company, Cyclo Found 158 and FIELDS’ Best Places To Picnic

Blown Away

By Boracay An Itsy Bitsy Island With A Big Personality

Spring17 TalkMagazine

Cover image courtesy of Shangri-La Boracay Resort And Spa

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Blown Away By Boracay Nyima Pratten

An Itsy Bitsy Island With A Big Personality

Located an hour’s flight south of Manila and then a short boat ride from Caticlan Airport, the island of Boracay has long been famous for its white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and magnificent sunsets. Whether you’re looking for lively bars and clubs, or a luxurious, secluded resort, this thin stretch of land has all you could ask for and more.

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W

hen you think of Boracay, you probably conjure up images of a blinding white beach reflecting the light of the midday sun in an azul sky, with palm trees swaying in a gentle breeze and the crystal-clear sea lapping at the shore.

This image, synonymous with the popular island of Boracay, is quite probably a postcard, or more likely Instagram post, you have seen of White Beach, the tourism hub of the island.

White Beach is broken down into three sections; Station One, Station Two and Station Three. Station One is the most bustling of the three areas, playing host to a wealth of restaurants, bars, clubs and shops at the most northerly end of the

beach. The stations decrease in revelry as they transition from one to another, making the small restaurants and hotels in Station Three the perfect place to hang out away from the noise of the “city” (as the locals call it) a.k.a. Station One, yet within walking distance from all the action.

If you are looking to do a bit of partying on your holiday, sign up for the infamous Boracay Pubcrawl, where you and a group of other young foreigners will be plied with cheap shots and made to play party games as you traverse the beach front hopping in and out of bars. If this version of enforced fun doesn’t sound appealing, head to Aplaya The Beach Bar in the centre of Station One for a more relaxed vibe. You can sit on the beach, enjoy a few drinks and shisha pipe, whilst people

watching and counting the times the pub crawl passes you by.

White Beach is even more beautiful by day. The wide expanse of sand is usually full up by midday of tourists on beach towels, an assortment of hotel deck chairs and locals trying to sell boat tours, snorkelling lessons and waterproof smartphone pouches, but that all adds to the fun. The water is shallow, with barely any current, and has great visibility, which lends itself perfectly to the range of water sports on offer; parasailing, banana boat racing, sunset boat tours and much more.

Hire a paraw, a double outrigger sailboat native to the Philippines, for a couple of hours and sail around the entire island. The whole trip only takes an hour, so get your captain to drop anchor in the south of the island to go snorkeling and stop at Puka Beach in the north, to experience a wonderfully deserted beach,

which we were told reminds residents of what White Beach once looked like, 20 years ago before becoming so poplar with tourists.

For dinner, head to D'Talipapa Seafood Market located in Station Two and set back one road parallel to the beachfront.

This is the best way to ensure that you are getting the cheapest, freshest seafood on the island. Buy a variety of jumbo prawns, crab and brightly coloured fish directly from the fishermen and then take your catch to one of the stalls opposite to be cooked. Make sure you barter hard in the market, and have your fresh fish steamed.

Pilipino-style cooking methods are also available, so it is a great opportunity to become accustomed with local food, as the beachfront restaurants tend to focus on international cuisine.

If you want to escape from the crowds to enjoy your holiday in the peace,

tranquility and indulgence of the island’s best hideaway, check into Shangri-La's Boracay Resort And Spa. Guests staying at the resort are able to take advantage of the speedboat transfer service, with a pickup at the airport in a private bus before being whisked onto one of the hotel’s speedboats to make the short, 10-minute journey from Caticlan to Boracay. You will be welcomed onto the jetty by local Pilipino drummers and singers, and the service does not end there! Guests are then transported around the vast expanse of the tropical, landscaped resort by golf buggy.

Facing the west, guests can appreciate stunning sunset vistas from panoramic viewpoints throughout the resort, both in their rooms as well as in the public restaurants, bars and entertainment areas.

To truly relax, book a spa treatment at Chi, The Spa. Located on a rocky

peninsula and looking out over a private bay, the spa has its own swimming pool and a village of private sanctuary rooms for you to fully unwind under the expert care of the highly trained therapists.

In the evening, grab a drink at either Cielo, the poolside bar, or Sirena, a clifftop bar and restaurant, and watch the sun slowly sink below the horizon. Two for one happy hour on selected drinks starts at six, which is conveniently the same time as sunset.

After dinner, head over to the awardwinning Italian restaurant, Rima.

Situated in the treetops and overlooking the hotel, this romantic restaurant is the jewel in the crown of the resort.

And, after a lavish evening, if the bright lights of White Beach are still calling your name, the hotel offers free and regular bus transfers into the city, so feel free to party the night away.

Spring17  TalkMagazine

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COVER STORY

Shangri-La Boracay Resort And Spa A Destination Within A Destination M

arrying luxury and comfort with a reverence for nature, Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort And Spa is a deluxe destination that encompasses 219 locally designed rooms and suites with private outdoor balconies, and well-appointed villas in 12 hectares of lush grounds.

Dining is incomparable, with a milieu of culinary options, comprehensive leisure and family-friendly facilities, access to 350 metres of secluded beachfront and a thriving ecosystem of diverse, even rare, flora and fauna.

Upon arrival of guests at Caticlan airport, a private van takes them to the resort’s exclusive lounge, Mabuhay Centre, where they can take a breather and freshen up, before making their way to paradise via speedboat transfers that takes them directly to the resort’s jetty port.

With two private beaches and an infinity free-form pool

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that looks out to the ocean, the resort offers a myriad of recreational water and land activities for adventures of any kind. The Entertainment Zone and Adventure Zone offers indoor fun and play for the kids and kids at heart.

Dining is second to none, featuring seven restaurants and bars such as the Lobby Lounge with its breath taking ocean views from the balcony; an all-day dining restaurant, Vintana Café; poolside restaurant and bar, Cielo and Alon; seafood restaurant and bar by the cliff with stunning views of the sunset, Sirena and Solana; and a treetop restaurant, Rima.

Those looking to soothe weary senses can head over to CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La, a sanctuary surrounded by calming views of verdant hills. Walk in to the sanctum that leads out to a spa village with a lap pool, yoga pavilion and treatment villas for a rejuvenating treatment.

Whether a family holiday or a romantic retreat with a loved one, Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort And Spa is the idyllic island destination in the Philippines.

Web: www.shangri-la.com/boracay