The one thing I hated when traveling in Panay is commuting on the road. I once expressed my disdain about it here. But that has changed since I found out about Southwest Tours.
Southwest Tours provides a simple, affordable and hassle-free vehicle transfer service from Kalibo to Boracay. For only 650 PHP, you get a one-way door-to-door transfer inclusive of the terminal, environmental and other miscellaneous fees.
After payment is made, Southwest Tours will take care of everything so there’s nothing else to do but to just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride to Boracay.
Stationed at Kalibo Airport, they have buses that go to and fro Caticlan every day. You can check their bus schedule here.
I must point out that their air-conditioned buses are clean and modern. I love how everybody gets a seat!
About midway in transit, the bus makes a short stop at Ibajay Rest Area so passengers can relieve themselves, stretch or buy snacks.
Thanks to Southwest Tours we didn’t have to go through the hassle of registering and paying fees upon arriving in Caticlan. We were given access to an Express Lane and just breezed through all the lines as we presented our Southwest Tours badge and tickets.
They also have a chartered boat transfer from Caticlan to Boracay. Absolutely convenient!
Upon arriving in Boracay, a van was already waiting for us and we were then dropped off to our designated hotels door-to-door.
Southwest Tours made our trip easy, comfortable, seamless and stress-free! Their excellent service and unbeatable prices make me wanna travel with them again. I highly recommend them!
Do note that airline rates vary daily from airline to airline so I suggest checking Skyscanner to score the best deals.
HOW TO GET THERE BY SEA
As far as I know, Kalibo has no major ports. However, there are other ports within Aklan that are only about an hour or less away from Kalibo. These said ports are in Caticlan and Dumaguit. Check out Romblon Shipping Lines (formerly MBRS), Moreta Shipping Lines and 2Go (formerly Negros Navigation) for more information.
HOW TO GET THERE BY LAND
From Iloilo
Go to Tagbak Terminal and take a bus or van that is bound for Kalibo. Fare is more or less 230 pesos. Average travel time is 3 hours.
From Roxas
Go to Pueblo de Panay and take a bus or van that is bound for Kalibo. Fare is more or less 120 pesos. Average travel time is 1.5 hours.
From Antique
Go to San Jose Terminal and take a bus that is bound for Kalibo. Fare is more or less 250 pesos. Average travel time is 5 hours.
Actual fares may vary without prior notice.
WHERE TO STAY
There are a lot of factors involved when it comes to finding a place to stay and that includes the location, your budget and the type of amenities you are looking for. I recommend that you check the following websites to find out what place would suit your needs best:
Agoda
I’ve booked hotels through Agoda a couple of times and I love it. They have a great network of hotels to choose from at competitive prices.
AirBNB
I’ve also booked through AirBNB and this is a personal favorite. AirBNB offers the most unique travel experiences that can perfectly suit your budget and needs.
Booking I personally haven’t used Booking before but they also have good deals and a wide selection of hotels to choose from.
All of the websites I’ve mentioned are secure, fast and easy-to-use. It is highly recommended that you book several months in advance. Not only will you get good value for your money, you will also have more and better options. The last thing you want to happen is settling for a shoddy place or worse – not be able to find a place to stay at all!
WHAT TO WEAR
Rule of thumb: Wear something comfortable. Remember you’ll be out in the streets all day long so wear light, airy fabrics (something you don’t mind getting soiled) that allow you to move freely and shoes that are made for walking.
WHAT TO DO
Plan Ahead Familiarize the site, know your routes and set a schedule of your activities.
Charge Up
Make sure to charge all your batteries and carry extra battery packs for your gadgets with you if you can. You don’t want your phone or camera dying on you, right?
Stay Connected Should you be traveling with friends, make sure to obtain their phone numbers and set up meet-up rules in case you get separated during the festival. But if you’re traveling solo, let some people around you know about your plans, make friends along the way and store emergency contact details.
Beat the Heat
Keep yourself protected from nature’s death ray a.k.a. The Sun by wearing a pair of sunglasses/cap/scarf and putting on some sunscreen.
Stay Hydrated Drink lots of water and have a bottle of water with you at all times to avoid dehydration and nasty hangovers (if you’re drinking that is).
Drink Responsibly Should you drink, drink sensibly, pace yourself and make sure to know your limits. Never get black-out drunk because you then get to miss out on all the fun.
Eat Well
Going out on an empty stomach is always a bad idea. Eat energy boosting foods that can help sustain you for the entire day. Trust me, you’ll need it.
Stay Safe Although Ati-atihan Festival is the safest festival I’ve been to, it still pays to prepare for the worst. Use your common sense, secure your belongings, always be aware of your surroundings and know where to get help in case of emergency.
Carpe Diem
Social media updates can wait. Enjoy and live in the moment.
Relax
When you’re feeling tired, take some time out to cool down and rest.
I hope you found this post helpful! If you haven’t read my Ati-atihan blog nor seen the vlog yet, you should.
Disclaimer:
Some images used on this post are taken from the web and believed to be in the public domain. Credit is given where it is due.
Boracay is all about having fun with the 3 S’s: sea, sun and sand. And I think the best way to enjoy all three of them is to be a mermaid! Yes, you read that right!
They have a team of experienced and professional mermaids who can teach you their fabulous “mermaiding” ways with strict adherence to safety standards, of course.
You can rent out a mermaid tail for only 500 PHP an hour (there are a lot of colors to choose from by the way). But if you want to learn how to swim in them, you’ll need to shell out 1500 PHP.
Being a mermaid is a lot tougher than it looks. With both feet locked together, it can feel a little constricting and any movement which involves the lower extremities would become unnaturally difficult. But with proper instruction and practice, it gets a little easier.
It was so much fun being a mermaid that I won’t mind doing it all over again!
If you like to see me mermaiding in action and the rest of our Boracay adventure, please check out our vlog:
Five months ago, my boyfriend and I had another epic adventure in the island of Panay. Our first agenda: Kalibo, Aklan.
For the first time, I was able to experience Ati-atihan Festival – the oldest festival in the Philippines which goes all the way back to the 1200′s and has been celebrated for more than 800 years now.
Coined as “the Mother of all Festivals”, the Ati-atihan Festival is held annually in January to commemorate
Sto. Niño, the patron saint of Kalibo. But before the Spanish colonization, it was originally a pagan festival to honor an anito god of the Ati people, the first inhabitants of Panay Island.
Ati-atihan means “to be like the Ati people”. If you’re Filipino, you know that word repetition may denote roleplay. Think “balay-balay” or “bahay-bahayan”.
The major streets of Kalibo were filled with an endless sea of people participating with what the locals call “sadsad”, a nonstop parade of street dancing and merrymaking as a thanksgiving devotion.
The steady, rhythmic pounding of the drums and xylophones never stop. Echoing late into night till the sun rises again – it literally goes on for days. The beat is so intoxicating that one cannot help but just dance away without care.
Adorned with elaborate, colorful costumes, the blackened street dancers also parade and dance to the beat along the streets of Kalibo.
Unlike other festivals we’ve been to, Ati-atihan allows everyone to be a part of the joyous, colorful parade and not just be mere spectators.
If drinking is your thing, be ready to take free shots from strangers in the most unconventional ways possible.
And yes, that guy is drinking beer right out of a plunger. Don’t worry. That’s clean and brand new, of course, in case you’re wondering.
Night and day, day and night… It is unfathomable how the people of Kalibo are able to sustain such festive momentum. The flow of their energy is unparalleled.
Popular practices on Ati-atihan festival include dancing, parading, costume play, feasting and many more.
Ati-atihan festival is like a cosplay convention, gay parade and Mardi Gras rolled into one. It’s definitely my favorite Philippine festival so far!
Just when think you’ve seen everything, you haven’t. Check out our vlog to see more of this year’s Ati-atihan Festival. The video may not be viewable on some mobile devices.
We strongly recommend that you use a conventional PC or MAC.
If you like seeing more of our videos, please give us a thumbs up on YouTube. Enjoy!
If you want to book an upscale hotel stay in Cebu City, Radisson Blu is the place to be.
Ranked 13th in the Top 25 Hotels in the Philippines in the 2014 Travellers’ Choice Awards by Trip Advisor, this exceptional 5-star hotel exudes an elegant and sophisticated atmosphere that is perfect for a pleasure or business trip.
Welcoming every hotel guest is a vast contemporary atrium lobby which serves as the focal point of the hotel.
As someone who has never been in a ritzy hotel before (promdi represent!), I was in sheer awe as my eyes scanned the glamorous expansive space. The lobby is so spacious you can drive a car inside (but obviously this is not permissible).
Outside the hotel is a terrace which offers a view of the city attractions and leads out to the Pool Bar.
The Pool Bar is an ideal venue for alfresco dining. They offer a fantastic selection of cocktails, beverages and mouth-watering dishes.
My boyfriend and I were lucky enough to get an invitation to indulge in a lavish feast of local and international dishes.
I didn’t know where to start digging in… Everything was utterly divine!
Salads
Fresh Seafood
Desserts
Japanese
Chinese
Look at those siopaos! Too cute to eat!
Local
International
As we dined, we listened to a live band, watched a pyro show and soaked with the city’s atmosphere. It was an experience like no other.
I can’t wait for us to go back to Radisson Blu… But next time, we better stay for a night or two.
Radisson Blu Cebu is located at Serging Osmena Boulevard, Corner Juan Luna Avenue, Cebu City. You may call them at +63 32 402 9900.
Little Kitchen Restaurant is a popular snack house in Gensan which is owned and managed by a doctor.
Originally built to cater the doctor’s patients and other people within the vicinity, Little Kitchen Restaurant unexpectedly turned out into a flourishing food business.
With the cozy atmosphere, it’s too easy to feel at home here. The wait staff are accommodating and the service is prompt.
For appetizers, we got complimentary garlic butter toasts. Loves it! Who doesn’t love free food? Hehe 🙂
For our supper, we had Shrimp Scampi Pizza. It had a crispy crust topped with olives, mushrooms, shrimp and cheese. This is one of their best sellers.
I know the pizza sounds really good on paper but it was a little too bland for my taste. It was a huge letdown for me because I really wanted to like it. Just everyone else does.
But despite being disappointed, I’d still like to go back there and sample other of their food items. I’m sure I’ll find something I’d love.
Brewing since 1998, Blugre Coffee is a coffee shop chain based in Davao which is known for exotic durian coffee blends.
Why Blugre Coffee has made its way in Gensan is no surprise as one of the major franchisees is the power couple, Manny and Jinky Pacquiao.
Walking into the coffee shop, I was caught off guard by a strong whiff of durian aroma lingering in the air. To be blunt, the scent was a little bit off-putting because I am not particularly fond of durian… However, it was bearable.
While Blugre Coffee specializes coffee, they serve pastries, desserts and other hot and cold beverages as well.
And although I was never a fan of durian, I braved myself for one of their durian coffee blends: Durian Arctic Blast… Which I painfully regretted.
Well, at least I tried. Let’s face it, it’s not for everyone. I read awesome reviews about it though and is certainly a hit with all the durian lovers out there.
Blugre Coffee is a great place for study, work, hangouts, or meetups. You don’t have to be a durian connoisseur to be here. When in Gensan, visit them at Robinsons Place or at JMP Building.
General Santos is the hometown of Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao, the “Fighting Pride of the Philippines” and the first and only eight-division world boxing champion.
Whether you’re a fan of his or not, his chain store Team Pacquiao is one of the must-go-to places in Gensan.
With several branches nationwide, Team Pacquiao carries various products and limited edition collectibles especially made for all the Pambansang Kamao fanboys to covet.
They offer Pacman must-have items like graphic tees, polo shirts, jackets, caps and other novelty items.
Spotted on their high shelves are some kick-ass memorabilia that you can’t get anywhere else in the world but here (and other Team Pacquiao branches of course). And out of everything I’ve seen, the Mad Mickey toy figure is something I’d like to bring home with me (but didn’t). I’m not gonna lie, they don’t come cheap at all.
They also have autographed items such as boxing gloves, coffee table books and more.
And just like a kid in a candy shop, my boyfriend was in a state of utter fascination. I swear his eyes were sparkling with joy. Haha.
When in Gensan, you should definitely swing by the flagship store of Team Pacquiao which is located at the ground floor of Robinsons Place General Santos.
Just a real quick post here while I can still sneak in some time to blog before I leave for CDO today.
For Day 3, we had our brunch at Classic Savory – SM Lanang branch.
I’m not a fan of Filipino-Chinese food at all. But after constantly being prodded by some friends to try Classic Savory’s chicken, I raised my hands as a sign of surrender and decided it was finally time to give it a try.
Behind us is a photo collage of Manila during the 1950’s. It proved to be a nice distraction as we waited for our order.
The loose top I wore here made me look 20 pounds heavier, I know. Too lazy to liquify myself on Photoshop. Also, I didn’t care to fix my hair that day. Bah.Haha.
Our order came earlier than expected. Which was a good thing because we were really hungry already.
I got myself a value meal that came with a piece of chicken thigh, slivers of fish fillet and some gravy on the side. My boyfriend had a similar order. Just with a different side dish. I forgot what he had. And I don’t know why we didn’t take a photo of his order. It totally slipped out of our minds.
Anyway, the fish fillet was tender and delicious. I like the sauce that it came with. It was creamy and it complemented the fish fillet really well. I just wish there was more of it though.
The chicken proved to be the star of the meal. Marinated with their special secret sauce, it was delicious to the bones. Although the chicken wasn’t done perfectly (it was dry and a tad overcooked), I still enjoyed it for its timeless taste nonetheless.
Would I go back? Yes, because I would like to give their chicken another try but most likely from another branch. Hopefully, it’ll be juicy and tender as they claim it should be. Also, I need to have a platter of their fish fillet all to myself!
Click here to check out other food items from their menu. Prices usually range between 150 to 250 pesos.
After that not-so-good breakfast, we booked ourselves at D’ Counter Pensione (we got our bags back of course), freshened up and took some much needed rest… And before we knew it, it was already 2 o’clock in the afternoon and we should go out to have lunch already.
We didn’t know where to grab our lunch so we thought to just to go to Abreeza and decide when we get there. But one thing’s for sure though, we wanted something fast, convenient, affordable and preferably something we never had before…
Chicken BonChon is a fast food chain that originates from South Korea.And as the name suggests, they primarily serve chicken but they do have other food items on their menu as well. Such as salads and rice meals that have nothing to do with chicken at all.
Chicken BonChon has a global cult following on their crispy, less greasy (I won’t say non-greasy) double-fried chicken.
Let’s see if they get us to join the bandwagon…
My pink hair has faded into this ombre color. I digress. Waiting for our chicken thighs and kimchi.
We got the 3-piece chicken thigh ensemble for 185 pesos (exclusive of the rice and kimchi). It is a tad pricey for a fast food meal… But since my boyfriend and I shared it, I think it’s not bad considering that a 1-piece chicken meal from Jollibee is around 70~80 pesos minimum.
The thighs were paper thin crisp and glazed with their signature soy garlic sauce (we had the spicy version) that everyone seems to go bananas about. And truly, the sauce itself is delicious. But the chicken, hmmm not so. It was bland to the bones. And just to counter the lack of flavor, I was hoping they’d have some gravy or dipping to go with it… But there is none. In all fairness though, the chicken was moist and juicy.
I guess I just had my expectations so high up that I got really disappointed.
But frankly, we came for the chicken and not the sauce. So I don’t think we’d come back here anytime soon. Sorry guys. Not jumping on this bandwagon.
