Ayala Triangle lights up for the 2011 Symphony of Lights

If still haven't been to this side of town, well, I'm gonna tell you that you've been missing a lot! Because this Yuletide cheers that Ayala and Makati City have prepared for us is the one that I considered the best treat that you'll get this Christmas, and everything is for free!

I'm a Makati corporate slave, and believe it or not, it was just last December 23rd that I finally had time to catch this show. As beautiful as the one we saw on the flick "Avatar" by James Cameron, Ayala Triangle Garden just made our Christmas colorfully brighter with this year's Symphony of Light, a music and lights show.

Dancing to the heart-warming Christmas songs are these thousands of twinkling Christmas lights making the world of Pandora real, something that young and old can enjoy for free.

Aklan: The 365 Christmas Days at Sampaguita Gardens Resort

Anyone (and I mean everyone) who loves the spirit and joy that Christmas brings to us can enjoy its everlasting magic as the Province of Aklan shares and invites everybody to this magical, lovely place called Sampaguita Gardens Resort!

After my wonderful solo trip to Boracay, I had quite an ample time to explore Kalibo, Aklan. I never knew that the main island of Boracay offers an astonishing rural life that anyone would love. And though this place is located at the next town named New Washington, I spent an awesome time feeling the love and joyful spirit of Christmas through this place's lovely designs.

Sampaguita Gardens Resort offers a great space for every visitor of the province to experience a unique and lovely time while enjoying the peaceful surrounding of the whole place. With three building which are the Sampaguita Garden Resort main building, souvenir shop and chapel, visitor can relax and enjoy the whole lot and just fall in love with it. I fell in love the place, that's why I'm highly recommending it to you guys.

Boracay: White-sand Beach and Many More

More than its pure white sand and sizzling night scene, Boracay is also a nest for bustling small tourism business. And during my visit there, one that really emptied my pockets are these small trinkets that I bought as "pasalubong" for my family and friends.

It was my first time to visit the island, so I am not really aware as how expensive everything will be. But surprisingly, aside from the affordable food finds, I also got to take home some colorful, cute and lovely souvenirs from this piece of heaven at very affordable prices.

From key chains, ref magnets, cell phone holder, shirts and many more, I'm sure that you'll enjoy shopping here in Boracay too!

Boracay: You Are All Mine on Day 3

I woke more energized on my last day here in Boracay, without having no clue as to what's happening outside. I packed all my stuff back to my bags before wearing a new swim wear. Yes, I'm planning to swim on the White Beach that morning! It's my last day here, so just to know what's the difference of White Beach to Puka Beach, there I was, wearing a new set of swim wear ready to conquer the island!

My shuttle service back to Aklan is scheduled at 12 noon, and so by 8 in the morning, I was already having breakfast at the hotel's lounge while enjoying the cool breeze of air. Yes again, no morning sunshine to welcome my last day here in Boracay. But despite of it, I'm still going to the beach. So after some attempts to make me enjoy the breakfast that was prepared for me, I stood up with my camera and tripod on my hands ready to see Boracay on a Sunday morning.

Gran Prix Boracay is situated on Station 1, the said Boracay's most "sosyal" place, but to be honest, it wasn't. The beach here is just like the one in Station 2 and 3, maybe it has the most expensive and popular hotels here, but the experience was actually the same.

Boracay: A Day 2 to Remember

My second day on this island started a little differently. With a bright sun shining outside my window, I suddenly felt that this is the Boracay they've been talking about and not the one that I had yesterday, gloomy, slow and unpleasant.

I had my first breakfast on the island courtesy of the hotel that I'm staying in, Gran Prix Boracay. As expected I didn't enjoyed it. Hehe. Anyways, one thing that made me sweat as early as 8 in the morning was when I realized that there's this moist on my camera lens and I couldn't take a good shot! But magically, as I take a stroll down to Cath and Abe's hotel to pick them up for our Day 2 Boracay adventure, my Nikon D3100 went back to is normal shooting skill, hence I got these nice shots. :-)

Their hotel, even though it is located on Station 2 is far more beautiful than my Station 1 hotel. Hehe. I picked them up there and continued our post-summer Boracay escapade. Its the couple's last day on the island, and to make sure that this trip is worth remembering, we decided to see the said "most beautiful" place in this island - Puka Beach. 

Boracay: From the Eye of a First-timer

Believe it or not, this is my first-ever visit to this island. Now hailed as world's 4th top destination, Boracay Island isn't really an ideal island for me then. I've been to a lot of white-sand beaches before, so Boracay's white sand wasn't really attracting me that much then. My turn off to the island made even worst by the undesirable news I've been hearing about it. But since I won in a contest that entitles me for a 3-day, 2-night stay on the island, heck, let's kill this "Kill Joy" in me, and let me experience the so-called "Boracay life."

Flying in via Zest Air (which is a bad idea, believe me) on a typhoon infested weekend, I'm thankful that I arrived at Kalibo International Airport safe and sound. It was a pre-arranged trip, so I really do not have any control as to what airport I should land on and what airline I could take, but I'm still thankful though that I'm hitting two stones in one trip. (I'll let you know later.)

Before this vacation, I already have a planned itinerary - Day 1, 2 and 3 1/2 at Boracay and the remaining 1/2 at Kalibo. This is my first solo travel, so I braved myself in and prepared for it. But really, Kalibo seemed so friendly and peaceful when I got to see it, so that kinda excites me more than seeing Boracay.