Before the pandemic arrived, my gal and I typically vacationed in Boracay twice a year, sometimes three times if our writing workload was clear. Station 2 was always our area of choice since it was in the middle of the island, and a closer, 700 meter walk to d’Mall, and because we were a mere 100 meters from the glorious white sands. But my favorite activity among the many was racing the go karts.
We always left from our condo in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and took the 2 Go ferry out of Batangas that left at 9 p.m. and arrived at 6 a.m. By the time we arrived at our room it was a little after 7 a.m. If you go, book a cabin. You have a private space for 4 with a TV, refrigerator and comfort room.
The Calypso is fantastic but a bit pricey at 5,000 pesos ($100 plus) a night, especially when most of the time is spent outside the room.
While we sometimes stayed at the Calypso Dive Resort right on the beach, it was eventually sold and the new Italian owners also bought the Pinjalo Resort 120 meters away. Thereafter we stayed there for half the cost as the Calypso.
They have nice grounds and there are of restaurants nearby, and the staff is quite friendly and accommodating.
After arranging our things in our room and checking for any important work emails, we’d take a speedboat around the island. I forget what it cost us but it was a blast.
Afterwards, we would head for the go kart track. I always liked to start in the back, and as a former race car driver, had no trouble passing everyone at least twice. Note the attached GoPro on the helmet.
After a few rides, we would head back for a quick swim and some relaxation. Our room had a nice patio overlooking the pool.
Later in the evening we would dine at a Spanish restaurant and at night drink a few beers and watch the fire dancers on the beach.
The rest of our typical 5-day vacation consisted of riding the go karts again, sun tanning, eating, buying souvenirs for friends and family members (in the US and Philippines), and then riding in a sailboat.
Of course, strolling from station 1 to station 3 was always a pleasure, as was shopping, taking a lot of pics with the camera and a GoPro Hero, and just enjoying life.
Before leaving, we usually made reservations in advance to take advantage of a bigger discount for our next vacation.
