All of us have struggled through the challenges and difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It does really affected us in ways that made survival primordial. As the safety protocols are gradually being eased out, and movement to and from other places are allowed, we should plan how we can reward ourselves for our sacrifices and survival. One of the best ways to do just that would be to spend Christmas in Boracay for a Yuletide Holiday – as a family, a couple, with friends, or even on your own – and have an enjoyable and memorable Christmas Holiday. Tourists all over the world flock to Boracay for their holiday vacations. Here are a few of the reasons why you too, should celebrate Christmas in Boracay.

There could be other reasons for going to Boracay in December: perhaps a company-sponsored holiday; a family reunion; a gathering of lifelong friends; perhaps even getting a much-deserved bonus for excellent performance. Or maybe just wanting to be alone and get away from it all.

Whatever the reason, and whichever way you cut it, when you celebrate Christmas in Boracay, it is an adventure in and of itself.

Back Into The Groove

The hospitality industry worldwide suffered during this pandemic. The Boracay Island’s tourist trade, especially, bears the brunt of the lockdowns and subsequent travel restrictions. Most survived, others, unfortunately, did not pull through the onslaught. Some business establishments were forced to close. Entrepreneurs stumped by losses far beyond recovery, and professionals and skilled workers lost their jobs.

The once-bustling party island has had a long slumber, with over a year of inactivity. However, it is now starting to wake up and getting dressed – flexing its resolve. Soon enough, the Boracay Island will once again be an apiary of revelries.

As the country’s premier tourist destination, Boracay eagerly welcomes back tourists. Having tweaked its marketing strategies, moving forward to make up for its losses by looking into volume, they are ready to offer lower, more competitive prices to attract more guests. These lower prices and more incoming tourists by the bulk are what makes the proprietors and directors happier with considerably better figures to cap 2021.

Tourists can look forward not just to better rates but more freebies and comps. Meanwhile, management and staff that are now, more than ever, are not just happy but very eager to have their jobs back and to serve their valued clientele. This is just one of the many reasons to spend celebrate your Christmas vacation in Boracay.

In A Holiday Mood

‘Celebrate Life’ is the ideal mantra after going through a harrowing experience that you can even rightfully describe as near-death, with the threat of an unseen enemy, a virus invincible to the naked eye. It is therefore imperative that we Celebrate Life in style with a host of fun and enjoyable activities in Boracay.

Famous for its beaches of crystalline white sand mixed with coral skeletons that have been crushed through the centuries and washed ashore, Boracay is an adventure. One of the best ways to enjoy Boracay is to discover and explore its several beaches and the nearby islands. This surprises newbies who think that there is only that long, solitary, 4-kilometer stretch of white sand beach in Boracay.

Scuba diving in Boracay is immensely popular. Several dive shops offer lessons and certificates. Those who offer dive certification programs continually are checked and regulated by the World Recreational Scuba Training Council (”WRSTC”). Those who are not fans of Jacques Cousteau or are not competent swimmers can opt to have a walking adventure on the ocean floor in a Helmet Dive adventure. Or stay above water in a paddleboard, wakeboard, or bodyboard. A banana boat perhaps? But if you feel like splurging, try a sunset cruise with dinner.

Air Activity Perhaps?

Not into watery fun and games? Try a sightseeing tour aboard a helicopter or go parasailing and feel the gusts of wind.

Happy being a couch potato? Walk into a spa and be kneaded very gently, like the soft but delicate dough for a millefeuille. If you feel too lazy to even step out of the comforts of your hotel room, why not beckon Mohammad, err have the spa come to you — they will gladly oblige.

The most popular activity after sunset is the somewhat infamous food-and-pub- tiptoe-and-crawl. The crawl normally takes places until the wee hours of the morning. However, with the pandemic and the curfew, it has been, fortunately, or unfortunately, cut short, very short. But there is hope. It will once again be a rite of passage for newbies or de rigueur for those who frequent the island.

A Yuletide Feast

Eating in Boracay is a gastronomic adventure and more than anything else. This is the most popular topic of conversation, even among strangers gathered or thrown together by the force of circumstance, a gathering that surely scours the most IG posts and boasts.

Indeed, Boracay has become and metamorphose from a “brace yourself at mealtime and eat whatever is available” to an island of gustatory adventures and a dizzying array of choices. Even gastronomes feel at home here. With so many options that are as numerous as the activities on land, in the water, and up in the air, everything is possible.

Take your pick from international to local cuisine and satiate your hunger pangs and reward your palate. You can go to places like elegant five-star establishments where you sort of pay for the ambiance or dare dine in a lone, undraped, and unsteady table outside a hole-in-a-wall kitchen. There are of course, and thankfully, numerous in-betweens in these epicurean explorations.

Budget Conscious

Those who need to stretch their budget go to the public market and eat in food stalls. You can mimick rhe locals and long-stay tourists just by pointing at whatever they fancy in a table laden with food choices. Or you can buy your ingredients and have them cooked in these same food stalls for a fee. That is an off-the-menu adventure right there.

In essence, whether you are in Boracay to celebrate Christmas or any other holidays, food will always be great regardless of the location and season.

Think of what you want to have for Noche Buena and start making arrangements as early as you can. Whether you will be dining in, opting for take-out, ordering it for delivery, or receiving it with panache, meaning they not just bring the food but will set up the table for you and your loved ones, planning early will help you stretch your budget.

Since this is a Celebrate Life Moment, have a cosmopolitan menu and add to your traditional Filipino dishes. Some authentic international food prepared by nationals from other countries would also make a great addition. Like Mom-and-Pop eateries, these have sprouted all over the island, catering to the desire to eat food from home that tastes like home for travelers of the same nationality.

Create Unique Memories

Christmas in Boracay is unlike any other, with different nationalities, cultures, and traditions going into celebration, each one respectful of the other, coexisting in peace and harmony.

Make this Christmas a stand-out, a peak experience. Come and celebrate it in Boracay, a place like no other.

Remember, more than just a destination, Boracay is an experience.