Boracay is a premier resort island in the Philippines where there is good swimming, bright tropical weather, and fine stretches of white sand beaches. On average 90 percent of the time spent in Boracay will likely be used to enjoy the beach and the temperate water. If not, you’re probably doing something wrong. Or dirty.

That is, dirty in an outdoorsy kind of way. The resort island of Boracay is not just about the beach, as Philippine Tour is reminded once again during our last visit to the Mulligan Golf Hotel in Boracay. Island charms of Boracay includes the so-called “bug cars,” Mt. Luho, golf hotel, cocktails by the beach, floating spa, underground caves, the list goes on, really.

And why take the trouble discovering it all in Boracay? Just because.

Trek—See Boracay in a new light, high up in the island’s highest peak called Mt. Luho, with the surf crashing in the shores not far away, and with the crisp sea air refreshingly cool.

Mt. Luho gives a view of Boracay that not many tourists have seen (Read: The path that leads up to the peak is not exactly for the vacation set, as it consists foot-high steps hacked out from the mountain wall). To put an adrenalin fix when scaling Boracay, rent an all-terrain motor bike portentously called “bug cars.”

Golf—There is something nice in an island when a really neat golf course is available, like the golf hotel in Boracay of Mulligan’s Fairways and Bluewater. If the sport can get close to you even in Boracay Island, there must be few things else that are not available in Boracay.

Shop—Boracay is bazaar haven and its most colorful part is that side of the island where trinket sellers, henna tattoo artists, zipline dancers, and shop owners do business. They can be found in the public beaches across the island. Since the Mulligan Hotel in Boracay sits on an exclusive beach, frequent trips to the local markets can be a problem.

Watersport—Walk on the ocean floor, some 20 feet underwater, and swim with the fishes. Or go parasailing, jet skiing, or spelunking through the underground caves of New Coast Beach where the Mulligan Golf Hotel in Boracay is located.

Pamper—Get a taste of the island at the Pirate Den and Lookout Point of the hotel in Boracay of Mulligan Golf. Feast on bounties from the sea, chori burgers, hotdogs, baked oysters, beef kebabs, all with the dramatic seascape of Boracay in the backdrop. Also, massage from the resident masseuse, cocktails from the poolside bar, or simply lounging in the hotel’s Paradise Cove complete the island pampering available here at the resort in Boracay of Mulligan Golf Hotel.

Summer in the Philippines is largely about the beach. It is not entirely one’s fault to overstay in the temperate waters of the Boracay Beach when the sea is at its calmest and the air is crisp.

Sometimes, though, a time away from the beach is satisfying, too, like sipping cocktails at the beachfront of Mulligan Golf Hotel, getting a massage in one of the floating cabanas at their hotel in Boracay, hitting the greens of their championship golf course, or simply finding one’s own stretch of beach at the exclusive Boracay Resort of Mulligan Golf Hotel.

The Mulligan Golf Hotel in Boracay is a property of the Fairways and Bluewater Country Club, a premier golf destination in Boracay, Philippines, that boasts of a Graham Marsh-designed, 18-hole, and par-72 golf course. The Mulligan Boracay Hotel is open even for non-members who can now experience staying in an exclusive and celebrated golf hotel in Boracay Island.

Located at the Newcoast Beach Front in Barangay Balabag, Boracay Island, the Mulligan Golf Hotel is refreshingly off the beaten path of a Boracay Beach Holiday, with an exclusive beach all for its guests, and resort facilities in the class of a luxury golf hotel. Mulligan Golf is a resort hotel in Boracay from which to see the island’s charms in a whole new light.

CITIES change when progress marches in. Little by little the Southern Philippines city of Iloilo is beginning to look like its counterparts in Metro Manila as the city gets its share of high-rises, organized transport system, and commercial centers. Not in downtown though, where signs of progress like business hotels stand side by side with heritage sites, cultural treasures, and local neighborhood, creating “authentic” locations in Iloilo City that dab local colors to the way it hosts visitors in the city.

Eon Centennial Iloilo Plaza—The eight-year-old hotel in Iloilo City of Eon Centennial Plaza is an offshoot of the economic growth experienced in Visayas, Philippines, in the late ‘90s. Getting a foothold in a city known for old churches, new-found beaches, and sunny streets, the Eon Centennial Plaza Hotel combines a sense of comfort and convenience to its country-style modern hotel rooms and distinctly Iloilo hotel facilities.

Each room at the Iloilo Hotel of Eon Centennial is bright, cool, and contemporary, equipped with an array of modern hotel amenities, and refreshingly removed from the daily city grind. The Eon Hotel in Iloilo City also boasts of guestrooms that radiate a bucolic feel, and an array of hotel facilities and services reminiscent of Iloilo City. While the hotel’s Millennium Hall and business centers provide international-standard facilities, the Buffet Plaza Restaurant is there inside their hotel in Iloilo City to offer guests an authentic Ilonggo treat of local food and delicacies.

Amigo Terrace Hotel and Mall—Modern isn’t always the opposite of what Iloilo City has, as the Amigo Terrace Hotel and Mall will make its guests feel. Warmly-lit, spacious, and elegant, the hotel in Iloilo City of the Amigo Terrace could be any of those chic hotels in Metro Manila. The similarities don’t end there. The Iloilo Hotel of Amigo Terrace has its own mall and strings of bar and restaurants on a par with a first-class city hotel. Yet the Amigo Terrace Hotel in Iloilo is one of the oft-visited events destinations in the city frequented by Iloilo city folk.

The hotel in Iloilo City of Amigo Terrace sits on a lot adjacent to the Amigo Terrace Mall, providing a city accommodation full of convenience and the luxury of ease. Inside the Iloilo Hotel is the same level of comfort that its location offers. Each hotel room is well-appointed and snug, affirming its similarities with chic city hotels. The hotel in Iloilo City of Amigo Terrace likewise offers premium conference rooms and business centers, hotel-standard services and room amenities, an outdoor pool, among other hotel facilities: A hotel, in short, that provides a convenient getaway to Iloilo City and its neighboring islands.

Luxury, by its nature, tends to seek the higher ground in the Philippines. What is luxury in places where five-star establishments offer the same treats and extras? Luxury has its tendency to push the limit further. And in the end, it all comes down to what luxury gives in exchange of its cost.

The Philippines is where hard-earned money can go very far, a nice place to buy into. Vacation islands in the Philippines like Cebu, Bohol, and Davao can be really cheap or be really expensive. But, if you know your way around, you may have a Philippine vacation where every penny spent is worth it.

Sanctuary at Davao Pearl Farm (Under $120 a day) Refreshingly far from Manila and the giddy island beat of Boracay, the Samal Island in Davao has made a name for its idyllic atmosphere and dramatic coastline. Its Davao Pearl Farm Resort offers luxury, native-inspired rooms that flank the Davao beachfront.

Pearl Farm combines indigenous touch and modern living to refreshing effect in its Davao resort. Leisure, spa, and conference facilities are available, too, but the real luxury in staying at Pearl Farm consists of swimming with turtles, getting close to sunken war vessels, or simply finding your own stretch of white beach far from the madding crown.

Heritage tour in Cebu City (Under $110 a day) Called the “Queen City of the South,” Cebu is magnificent in the right places. Centuries-old churches and forts stand in the same locale as the commercial hubs in the port city of Cebu. A day at the Crown Regency acquaints hotel guests with the modern ethos of luxury hotel living, then with the quaint charm of Cebu City the next day.

With the tree-lined Osmena Boulevard as backdrop, Crown Regency towers above the Fuente Osmena in Cebu City and brings guests to the nightlife center and cultural hub of the island. Equally interesting is the Peak Restobar at the 23^rd floor of its hotel in Cebu, the tallest in the city, which gives guests a panoramic view of Cebu while sipping cocktails and taking comfort food.

Bohol island adventure (Under $140 a day) Composed of posh beachfront villas, each with it own plunge pool, balcony, and landscaped garden, the Amorita Resort in Bohol offers the perfect place to enjoy the sun, beach, and crisp sea air of the island. With a Mandala Spa set to break cover in its resort in Bohol, Amorita guarantees luxury and comfort in island living.

But Amorita is more than just for relaxation. The water off the Amorita Resort in Bohol is a marine sanctuary, where a glass wall can be seen enclosing an area to protect an array of marine life. From here to the far reaches of the Bohol Sea, various natural wonders, old houses, and cultural sites await resort guests for a tropical island adventure.

Not to miss is a lunch on a boat ride down the Loboc River in Bohol, with thick rainforests sliding along as you feast on favorite Philippine delicacies.

Hit the books and the beach with the kids this summer via the season offerings of El Puerto Marina Resort in Pangasinan and the Matabungkay Beach Resort in Batangas. With their eclectic mix of outdoor recreation and education activities, Batangas offers sleep-away camps not only for kids but for parents as well to enjoy the summer of 2008 in the Philippines.

For fans of Gabby and Sharon who can still remember the chase scene in their 80s movie PS I Love You, the Batangas resort of Matabungkay Beach strikes a romantic chord. Now, with the 2008 Matabungkay Summer Beach Camp, even the kids can enjoy this resort in Batangas without ever knowing what happened to the fated love affair.

The 2008 Summer Beach Camp at the resort in Batangas of Matabungkay offers a three-day fun factory holiday for kids ages 6 to 15. With a lineup of outdoor activities supervised by the Philippines Center for Outdoor Recreation and Education, the Matabungkay Summer Beach Camp in Lian, Batangas, is poised to acquaint kids with camaraderie and fun.

But there is more to the Matabungkay Beach Resort in Batangas than the summer camp for kids. Parents can enjoy the bohemian-inspired beach resort in Batangas at the same time that their kids are having fun. Renowned as the premiere destination in the Philippines for belt-tightening vacationers, the Matabungkay Beach Resort offers choice beachside sauna/massage huts and seafront accommodations at low prices.

El Puerto Marina, on the other hand, has lined up anew a bunch of attractive tour packages at its resort in Pangasinan. Families and groups can choose from a wide variety of interest tours that range from the Hundred Island Day Tour to Manaoag Church Pilgrimage and City Historical Tour.

Home to one of the more established communities in the Philippines during the Spanish period, Pangasinan has provided setting to numerous important historical dates and site of a number of old churches in the Philippines. Pangasinan is likewise a port province, gifted with a healthy commerce that thrives in the middle of natural environments like the Cape Bolinao Beach, Lingayen Gulf, and Masloc and Villacorta Caves.

Family suites, cottages, and rooms at the Pangasinan resort of El Puerto Marina mix contemporary design with traditional furniture for a touch of local atmosphere. With rates starting at P1800 a night, be it for historical or pilgrimage tour the resort in Pangasinan of El Puerto Marina provides the perfect jump-off point for vacation-seekers on a budget.

Forget about flowers and chocolates. February is not just any other month. To be sure, flowers and chocolates still have their age-old charms. But they are simply not for this month of hearts, when almost every couple tries to figure out a way of conjuring some special “moment” with their valentine.

So brush up on those tried-and-tested lines and get ready to be swept off your feet this February. With the champagne sunsets of Boracay, its dramatic beaches and private coves, love is very much in the air in the seduction capital of the Philippines.

From lively beach parties to relaxing spa sanctuaries and sheltered escapes in the Island of Boracay, Pinoy Tour acquaints you with the top Boracay gems that can help you love-drunk with the person who believes in the same dreams you have been dreaming of.

A separate peace at Boracay Paradise Garden—Nestled between the impressive Boracay seascape and the five-star charm of its private resort in Boracay Island, the Paradise Garden Hotel combines luxury and island romance to serene effect. With its lovely island hotel atmosphere, the hotel in Boracay of the Paradise Garden makes even mundane activities like evening saunters, picnic at dusk, or poolside rendezvous a starry-eyed moment.

How to get there: The Boracay hotel of Paradise Garden lies 20 minutes by boat from the Caticlan Airport. Hotel guests can arrange pick-ups to and from the Paradise Garden at the same time they make a reservation or take a virtual tour of the resort through the Paradise Garden Boracay resort hotel website

Floating Spa at Mulligan Golf Hotel in Boracay—The Mulligan Golf Hotel is the perfect place in Boracay Island to get away from it all. Flanked by an 18-hole golf course and its own strip of White Beach, the Mulligan Golf Hotel removes guests from the crowded Boracay Beach scene. But nothing in Mulligan Boracay Hotel could be more helpful to your amorous intentions than the Floating Spa offered by the hotel at its Paradise Cove. Pampering is always good to romance. Add to that the backdrop of the Boracay Beach at Mulligan Hotel and the look on the face of your lover could easily make your heart soar.

How to get there: The Hotel in Boracay of Mulligan Golf has a full-amenity Welcome Center in Caticlan. Guests coming from Kalibo, Aklan, can avail of the air-conditioned buses of the Mulligan Golf Hotel to take them to Caticlan. From Caticlan the 49-seater ferry boat of the hotel will take guests to a 15-minute, sun-drenched ride to the Mulligan Golf Hotel in Newcoast, Boracay. Land and sea transfers, as well as reservations and room rates, can be checked at the official Mulligan Golf Boracay hotel website

Not every one will always have Paris, just as it is in that movie, but romantic memories at the Philippine seduction capitals of Boracay and Baguio City are easily there for the taking. For everyone. An inn along the dramatic coastline of the Boracay White Beach, and one on top of misty Baguio City that overlooks to the mountains—with everything just right for you and your beloved this Valentine’s Day.

Boracay Microtel Inn—While the struggling-for-breath eventuality at any of the watersport activities in Boracay Island may not look romantic per se, hanging out in the sun-kissed patio of the Microtel Inn Boracay is. Sitting on one of the stunning coastlines in the Philippines at the Diniwid Beach in Boracay, the Microtel Inn provides an impressive seascape to set the tropical island mood of a perfect Valentine’s Day retreat.

What’s even more impressive is the $65 price tag of a Boracay romantic getaway at the Microtel Inn. Add to that the chiropractic-approved beds at the Boracay room of Microtel Inn and its full-size bathroom facilities with hot and cold water. And, of course, the justification provided by the sea and the sun to impress your beloved with the body you have worked out for at some gym back in the city.

El Cielito Inn Baguio—See what the mountain chill can do to romance at El Cielito Inn Baguio. With the pine-scented streets and relaxing greenery of Baguio City, the love bug is just around the corner at El Cielito Inn in Baguio. For couples looking forward to a fruitful Valentine’s Day retreat, there is also the “Fertility Hut” at the artists’ community in Tam-Awan Village, Baguio City.

Located at No. 50 North Drive in Baguio City, the hotel in Baguio of El Cielito Inn shares the neighborhood of the city’s major recreation and leisure centers, like the quaint throbbing strip of the Session Road in Baguio City. Not to miss while at the El Cielito Inn Baguio is the Asin Hot Springs, where a soothing swim is the perfect way to cap off a Valentine’s Day in Baguio City.

The sun and the sand of Boracay in the Philippines is a considerable departure from the concrete jungle of Manila. And this change of scenery can do every one every good. But, as extensive and impressive the coastline of Boracay is, it could get dull and soporific. Suddenly you miss the nightlife of the big city like Manila, its cultural scene as well as the colorful personality that makes Manila a booming city.

This, however, does not make Boracay any less charming among the tourist capitals of the Philippines and the world. That is, if one knows his way around the tropical island of Boracay. With a feel for the place, creativity, and a little help from your friends, Boracay visitors can experience island life without feeling to have left the vibe of the city life in Manila. Here are the top three places in Boracay that can make every minute of a beach holiday eventful.

Top 3 places where one can't feel alone in Boracay Beach

1. Tides Boracay—The emerging party capital of Boracay, this fashionably chic boutique hotel in Boracay is gaining renowned for bringing the party scene of Manila to the island. Tides Boracay Hotel is owned and managed by some of Manila’s top partyphiles, including the charmed little group that introduced The Embassy to Manila’s party landscape. Need we say more?
   
2. Bolabog Beach—Home to the strongest trade winds in the island, the Bolabog Beach in Boracay is favorite among kitesurfers, most of them Russians and Australians. With two of the world’s International Tossposts kings in one place, it couldn’t get any better than the Bolabog Beach when beach party and watersports are at their peak. And residents of the Philippines couldn’t have done any worse.
3. Boracay Sandcastles—Boracay wouldn’t be Boracay without island adventures. And there is little place else on the island that is a perfect mix of “frontierland” and city pace than in Boracay Sandcastles. It acquaints guest with the island of Boracay through diving, cave exploration, kayaking, mountain bike riding, all while the outdoor cafés, bars, and restaurants wait on guests for a night of island party and leisure.

There is a saying about Boracay that has become quite famous: What happens in Boracay stays in Boracay. It can be the right place for a Boracay Beach holiday, if only you know where to look for it. For the lowdown on how to make the best possible beach holiday in Boracay, visit the Boracay Sandcastles and Tides Boracay websites.