Azalea Hotel and Residences Boracay Day 2

Day 2

This is where the fun time begins.

We woke up at 6am and had our breakfast at Kuya J's—Azalea’s hotel restaurant located at the ground floor. If you are expecting a full schedule then it’s a good idea to load up from their breakfast buffet spread. For those who want a heavy breakfast, there’s rice, hotdog and sausage, tapa/tocino, longganisa and adobo. They also have several kinds of breads, jam, cereals and pastry as well as a salad bar and fruit station which gives you a lot of options.

After our breakfast, our Azalea Manager Adrian, briefed us about our adventure packed itinerary which consisted of sea, (both above and underwater), land and even air activities!

We were going island hopping and our first stop was at Crocodile Island where we got of the boat to do some snorkeling and literally swim with the fishes. Seeing the corals and the very active marine life was a different experience and helped me overcome my fear of being in the open water.

Our next stop was Crystal Cove Island, a place I never heard about till then. It was an island composed of several coves which you can explore. We opted to go to the Bat Cove, since the path would give us an awesome view of the entire island.

It was a 15 to 20 minute walk to the cove but since it was a bit slippery and you had to crawl inside a cave to get to the other side, I decided to wait for them at the entrance. Ed told me the entrance was really low and you had to go down on all fours but as soon as you are inside the cave it was high enough to stand although you still had to watch for the rocky ceilings. There weren’t any bats he said with a bit of disappointment, which wasn’t surprising since there were a lot of people going in and out of the cave. I was content with just taking photos and watched their belongings.

Lunch was on another side of Boracay called Tampisaan Beach. We enjoyed their seafood buffet of crabs, shrimps, fish, ensalada and chicken adobo.

After the lunch, we went to PUKA beach, which was actually less crowded that the Boracay beachfront. The water was even clearer but if you aren’t a good swimmer it may be a good idea to wear a lifevest since the water could get very deep within just a few feet.

We were supposed to go parasailing but decided against it because of the time and the wind condition so we decided to head back and go for the ATV ride instead. Again it was my first time to discover that there was actually a small Korean theme park in Boracay. I say Korean because there was a giant statue of Psy and a few other Korean looking characters, there’s also a few kiddie rides. Too bad as it seems the place has seen better days.

ATV driving was fun!  It was fun ride as we drove around town, and stopped for our fruit shake fix at the rooftop overlooking Boracay.  If you haven’t experienced driving an ATV, its one thing you should definitely try. If you are in groups of 4 or more there will be a guide to take you to some of the sights along the route.

It was nearly sunset so we asked to be dropped off near the Grotto or what they call Mount Luho to let Rain and Martin—our first timers say a prayer and try out the shake and chori burger!

We walked all the way back to Azalea, and was able to take a dip for a few minutes on the beach. There were lots of people on the beach, but still smaller than the summer crowd. It was another mad rush to freshen up as it was already 7pm and we had reservations at  Mamita’s—where you can find the best Crispy Pata in Boracay.

Again it was the first time I heard about the resto and the food did not disappoint our dinner feast was composed of pinakbet, crispy pata, sisig, bulalo soup—and my favorite pancit!

This is one resto I would recommend to everyone who would be visiting the island the food is prepared fresh and the servings are generous enough for those who have big appetites.

And what would be the best way to burn all those calories? Videoke of course!
We stopped by Tom Tom's Korean Coffee House to have our coffee before heading up to the videoke bar they had upstairs.

It was drizzling by the time we finished and it was almost midnight when we arrived back at the Hotel. Tired but happy about all the things we did, I was sleeping soundly in my very comfortable bed in just a few minutes.

While some of us woke up early to take an early swim on the beach, Ed and I decided to take more photos and go around Azalea. They have a rooftop pool for adults and kids which give you a pretty nice view of the island. Its also the only rooftop pool in Boracay we were told. So if you get tired of the beach you could spend the rest of the day quietly on the pool.

Like I said, I’ve been to Boracay a few times already but couldn’t believe you could squeeze so many activities in one day! As there are still lots of activities you can do, preparing an itinerary can be tricky and time consuming—it’s a good thing you could actually ask Azalea to help you with your itinerary.

All you have to do is contact them or approach the front desk and tell them about which activities you want to do. The rates are almost the same with those peddlers you meet on the shore selling you island hopping tours and some other activities, the good thing about booking it through Azalea is you can be sure of the great service you are going to get.

So whether you are a family, a group of friends or a couple who want to make the most out of your Boracay trip please do check out Azalea Boracay.

They are located at Station 2 Azalea Residences Boracay Address: Boracay Tambisaan Jetty Port Rd, Malay, Aklan
Phone: (02) 484 0080

For details and more information please visit their page
https://www.facebook.com/AzaleaHotelsResidencesBoracay/

Azalea Hotels & Residences Boracay Day 1

There’s a reason why a lot of people call Boracay Paradise—with its powdery white sand beautiful beaches and perhaps one of the most beautiful sunsets which will leave you breathless.

That’s  why I always get excited whenever there’s a chance for me to revisit the beautiful Island even though I’ve been there quite a few times.

Next to Palawan, Boracay is the only other place I think I’d never get tired of swimming on the beach. For some reason, I feel safe and relax wading in the clear azure waters, maybe because the place makes me feel at home.

My very first time in Boracay was in the early 90s when the beach was even clearer and bluer and the sand almost pure white. There was still no station 1,2 or 3.  In fact there wasn’t much yet except for the sailboats, fishermen and peddlers selling banana cue and halo halo on the outskirts of the beach. It wasn’t commercialized yet and there were only a few stores so the only thing you could really do was enjoy the beach and bask in its picturesque beauty.

It was almost two decades later when I got the chance to go back. It was in 2009 when my officemates found a good deal on plane tickets and convinced me to join them. We stayed in Station 2 and it was almost unrecognizable as compared to how it looked in the 90s-- it was a totally different island with all the restos, bars and hotels. But it was definitely more enjoyable as we went island hopping, fish feeding and snorkeling. I was also with my youngest son and it was our first travel together.

In 2015 I got invited to a media FAM Tour, but since it was for a hotel resort, we had a tight itinerary to follow-which was almost the same last year when we traveled by sea on board a ferry from Batangas to Boracay. We only had a full day to explore Boracay and had to leave very early in the morning to catch the trip back to Manila.

The Azalea Boracay Gang

Last month, I joined a group of bloggers who were invited by Azalea Boracay. I’ve already seen the hotel from my previous trip and even took photos promising myself that the next time I’m in Boracay, I would be staying at Azalea.

I guess my prayers were answered as my blogger friend Jeman Villanueva of Orangemagazine.ph and Sir Adrian Ramirez invited us to check out the resort and enjoy a more adventurous side of Boracay.

Day 1

We left Manila at around 330pm and arrived just before sunset at Azalea Hotels & Residences Boracay. We were ushered to room 579- A Two-Bedroom Suite that is best for a family or group of five to six.

It was like staying in a condo unit as it was fully furnished with a dining room a living room and kitchen.

Double Suite Room

Room keys

The Master's bedroom had an adjacent bathroom while the other had a separate toilet and bath.  I was with bloggers Ed Uy of whereiseduy.com, Martin Andrade of MartinAndrade.com and Erica of EricaYuB.com and we shared the room. It was huge and spacious not like in other hotels which give you the same amenities but in a much smaller space.

If you prefer to cook your own meals and save some money, the kitchen has a set of pans and cooking utensils as well as plates you could use. All you need to do is buy from the nearby stores or D’ Talipapa.

Since it was almost dinner time,  we only had a short time to freshen up and take a quick tour of Azalea’s room types and amenities.

Buffet dinner was at Golden Phoenix Hotel by the the seaside where we enjoyed the cool night breeze and did some people watching. We decided to walk back to the hotel to give our Boracay virgins Rain and Martin a chance to take in the scenery and check out the nightlife. If you are into bars, you might want to join the nightly Pub Crawls

Nightlife in Boracay is almost the same in Manila. Its alive with a lot of videoke, bars with sing-along bands, dancing waiters and clubs if you want to dance the night away.

Unfortunately we were exhausted from our trip, and went into tita and tito mode and decided to call it a night to get ready for the next day's adventure.

RCBC reveals new look, and tagline “We believe in you”

Believe or not, I started saving up when my kids went to college. The money was intended for their emergency college fund or extracurricular fees in school. I was working then and 70% of my salary went to that savings alone. Up until then, I learned the value of keeping up something for me and my kids. It helped a lot during enrollment and emergency.  They are all professionals now.  I still get to keep that savings though.

Now that I am alone I wanted to open up a savings account for my future travel. Until, I spotted an  RCBC branch near where I lived and decided to open up an account, and discovered that they have an amazing promo for an all expense paid European trip. I am keeping my fingers crossed for this promo.

Rizal Commercial Bank Corporation (RCBC), one of the leading universal banks in the Philippines, today unveils its new corporate logo and tagline "We believe in you,” which signals the start of a new era of providing excellent and trusted banking services for Filipinos.

“This milestone signals the arrival of a more committed, refreshed and re-energized RCBC, that is ready to meet the demands of the ever-changing Philippine banking industry,” said RCBC President and CEO Gil A. Buenaventura.

“We believe in you” is not just a tagline for RCBC, but a battle cry to show our unwavering support and trust to the indomitable Filipino spirit. At the same time, this new corporate thrust is meant to encourage Filipinos not only to dream, but to pursue their passions and dreams, and turn them into reality whether it’s traveling to your dream destination, venturing into a new business, or purchasing a new home or car,” Buenaventura stressed.

The simpler, younger and more minimalist logo embodies RCBC’s new mission of being more accessible to younger Filipino depositors, who are looking for better ways to save and grow their money, the RCBC president added.

Ces Natividad, RCBC Chief Marketing Officer, reveals that the new logo and corporate tagline are the bank’s response to the changing market.

“We wanted to know what products and services today‘s depositors actually need, and we strived to understand what makes them believe and trust a particular bank. We realized that today’s depositors need an approachable bank that responds to their needs, and believes in the value of their dreams and aspirations,” Natividad shared.

“RCBC wants Filipinos to know that the bank believes that there is no limit in the things they can achieve it they decide to start building their future early. especially with a strong banking partner, ready to advise them every step of the way. We are providing more emphasis to younger depositors, who need more guidance in managing their money,” Natividad added.

Estimates from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that 1/3 of the Philippine population are millennials. A 2015 Labor Force Survey, also by the PSA, showed that 47.1 percent of the 42 million labor force belongs to the 15-34 age group. This means that more and younger Filipinos need bank services to manage their finances.

Natividad cited a wide array of RCBC products that allow customers to save and conveniently manage their hnances. These include RCBC’s Debit Cards, which depositors can get when they open an RCBC savings or checking account. She also emphasized RCBC’s product portfolio which customers can manage online such as the Unit Investment Trust Funds and iSave, an automatic deduction from existing RCBC accounts, done every payroll, which helps depositors to set aside money for future use.

Natividad also cited the unli 0% option of RCBC Bankard, which gives cardholders the flexibility to manage their expenses.

The bank’s brand refresh comes as RCBC enters its 57th year of excellent business in the Philippines. The bank reached a consolidated net income of P1 billion in the first quarter of 2017. it also showed more strength as assets increased to P526 billion as of March 2017. RCBC’s total number of branches also increased to 489 while ATM terminals increased to more than 1,500 nationwide as of the first quarter of 2017.

“We are confident that the new brand logo and new corporate tagline, and the reenergized service of the bank, will resonate with more Filipinos. We believe that they can accomplish great things if they put their hearts and mind into it, and RCBC will always be their partner to help them succeed,” Natividad added.