Boracay Fitness 101

It’s summertime once again in the Philippines!  In Boracay Island, signs of this hot and humid season is evident in the build-up of algae on white beach, in the compression of white sand, in the growing number of Filipino tourists, and in people exercising along the shore.  Back are the days when people are motivated to get fit in order to feel confident in their slinky swimsuits under the scorching sun.  So for those who are in Boracay, don’t just drink the night away, but join in the fun and rewarding activities that bequeath this dynamic summer destination island.

If you frequent the white beach, then you know that you’re never left without activities to do.  For starters, try the most basic ones : Walking and Running. It’s fun, free, engaging and very effective.  It clears your mind and lets you connect with your thoughts, while the endorphin that your heart releases lifts you up into doing more, thus you burn more calories.  A 30-minute leisure walk already burns up at least a 140 calories, while running sheds off a minimum of 250 calories. What more if you cover the entire 4.5 km stretch of the beach and back? Or run up to Mt. Luho and down to Bolabog Beach? Or why not walk anywhere you have to go to instead of taking a tricycle? This will keep you in shape without trying.

Kayaking, like walking and running is another fun and engaging cardio workout that is found on the white beach. With a conscious seat of balance from your core, muscle strength and resistance, you can easily paddle along the island’s most-coveted turquoise sea and lose those excess flabs while having fun.  It builds upper body strength, improves breathing and tones the abdomen and shoulders.  Depending on your weight, you can burn 150-200 calories per hour with an average of 1,500 repetitions of low-impact upper body movements. Rent a single if you want to have full control of your momentum or a double if you want to share this rewarding experience with your loved one.

Going back on land, how about learning to play Beach Ultimate? It is an intense sport that involves a lot of sprints, Frisbee or disc throwing and catching, mind and body coordination, and team spirit. It starts with the basic training of backhand and forehand throwing, catching with two hands by clapping the disc horizontally and with a single hand, and gradually injecting sprints and catches, fake and long throws, and defense blocking. It is pretty much like a football match with offense and defense aiming to score at the end goals. You could burn up to 240 calories even from just a 30-minute sprint, catch-and-throw workout.  So watch out for regular Ultimate trainings on the beach.  They are usually held in the morning or in the afternoon in preparation for Ultimate competitions locally and internationally, including the annual Boracay Beach Ultimate.

Another annual competition on the island is Dragonboating. Every summer, different teams of around 20 members are found training on white beach in the morning and in the late afternoon.  A normal training consists of stretching, calisthenics, core strengthening, running, carrying out the boat, and paddling. As Dragonboating is a forward paddling sport consisting of 20 human engines, paired on either sides according to weight, flexibility and power, each member is required to build up endurance, muscle strength, and team coordination.  It also involves a drummer who conducts the pace from the head of the boat, and a steersman who turns and aligns the boat from the helm. Thus, ten pairs of paddlers stretch their upper body forward and dig their paddles into the water, shoveling it back up on their sides continuously in unison, with a fast and steady pace, encompassing a minimum distance of 250 meters. This sport is truly as exhilarating as it sounds, plus it is great in toning the arms, core and back, and it burns 700-1000 calories per hour.

If you prefer a much more liberating and adventurous water sport, which involves jumping, balancing, gliding and arm maneuvering, then get into the action of Kite Surfing.  Non-experienced wind seekers first have to enroll at a kite surfing center to learn this sport and to have the compulsory IKO (International Kite Organization) license.  Once you have gone through the learning process, you can then maneuver the kite and glide on the board independently.  For an average session of an hour you are sure to work up your arms, abs and legs and burn around 500 calories. You can join the kiting action this season in Bolabog, the eastern side of the island where the northwest wind blows, also known as Amihan (October to May). Kite surfers prefer this side because of its convex shape, which filters the wind and creates a flatter water surface for a smooth and easy glide). During Habagat  (June to October), all the kite centers move to the white beach to catch the southwest wind, which kite surfers find more erratic and doable for the advanced level.

How about immersing in the water instead through Scuba Diving? Jenny, a local Scuba Diving instructor have sworn that she lost so much weight by diving.  Well, apart from swimming underwater amid the awe-inspiring life down there, divers are also compelled to breathe through a respirator, to carry their heavy scuba gear, to get on and off the boat and then to dive again. Doing this often will eventually tone down your fats and firm up your muscles, whilst studies show that a 45-minute dive will burn approximately 500 calories. If your non-diver curiosity wants to be fulfilled, then sign up for an introductory dive at any of the scuba diving centers along white beach.

Exercise your core and leg muscles as you explore more of the lush surroundings of the island or of the mainland Panay through Mountain Biking.  A high-impact cardiovascular activity, Mountain Climbing allows you the independence and fun you get from running but with more thrill and challenges.  Explore the hidden springs and falls in the mainland and go for an off-road/uphill route with a moderate speed and reduce downhill and you’re likely to burn 400 calories per hour. You can rent a reliable Mountain Bike at Patio Pacific in Station 1.

Last, but certainly not the least is Yoga.  Derived from the Sanskrit root word ‘yuj’, meaning ‘to yoke or to join’, yoga is an ancient system of physical and mental disciplines, practiced to attain optimum health and well-being.  It is a combination of eight asanas or poses that help in stretching and toning your body, as well as in breathing, relaxation, and positive thinking.  By practicing yoga daily, you become in tune with yourself and your energy.  Your diet,  posture, flexibility, breathing, health and concentration are improved, your body is toned, you become beautiful inside out, your body and mind are relaxed, you receive inner peace and greater awareness of yourself, and you become happier.  Apart from these, yoga cures asthma, improves circulation, aligns muscles and bones, purifies and strengthens the nervous system, strengthens the joints, improves eyesight, gets rid of backaches and releases tension.  Practice Hatha Yoga with the Boracay Yoga group at Patio Pacific, or join True Yoga at True Food Restaurant for Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow and Anusara Yoga classes, or at Mandala Spa for early morning Mysore classes.

Other fat-burning activities that are available here are swimming, paddle-boarding, hiking, cross-training, badminton and basketball in the Eco-Village Gymnasium, beach volleyball and football, windsurfing and skim boarding. However, if these choices do not suit you, then search online for available gyms on the island.

Pandan: A Wondrous Escape from Boracay

There’s nothing like an impulsive excursion away from the maddening crowd in the aim of preserving one’s sanity. Naturally once you have found a place that alleviates your whims, you would not think of leaving unless you lose interest in the constant carefree and blissful vibe that you normally absorb from an inescapable paradise like Boracay.

In a case like this, the best thing to do is to get off your comfort zone and discover other naturally gifted places outside of Boracay that will pique your interest. Once you return from your getaway you will realize how precious the feeling of soft powdery white sand hugging the soles of your feet or the dynamic sunsets that heighten your day with its psychedelic shades or the picturesque sparkling water that unfailingly soothes your senses and feel that you have deserved what you had subtly taken for granted.

You do not have to look any farther. Just cast your eyes on the mainland from the white beach and imagine a scenic cross-country motorbike journey along a concrete highway encompassing raw images of carabaos munching on grass in flourishing farmlands that lead to a variety of pool resorts beside the clean Nabaoy River that supplies water to Boracay, to the virgin forests and wildlife animals of Naasug Point, to the 7 swimming basins of Jawili Falls in Tangalan, and to the cascading natural cold springs resort of Hurom-Hurom in Gibon, Nabas.

However if you take a different route from the junction in Nabas where roads leading to Kalibo and Antique meet, then why not take the latter route for a change and experience the warmth and treasure troves of Pandan in Antique.

You can charter a van or a boat or take a jeepney ride to Pandan, which from Caticlan takes about 1 ½ hours. The best thing to do though is to rent a motorbike and trail on a dirt road adventure into narrow paths and virgin forests that open up to refreshing waterfalls, crystal-forming caves, hilltops and beaches for some aqua adventures, mountain climbing and hiking.

Pandan Bay

On Antique’s South China Sea coastline, behold the glittery sand and breathtaking sunset at Pandan Bay. Here you can revel in complete serenity where you will be warmly greeted by its locals, swim with the most delicious salt water fishes like yellow-finned tuna, talakitok, tanigue, and blue marlin, and witness a variety of shells and small marbles on golden sand that glows on your skin once you get off the water.

It is quite secluded. Yet so far only one resort exists in the midst of a few native houses and lush vegetation: Phaidon Villas and Resort.

Quaint, simple and homey are the adjectives to describe this lone resort. Perfectly molded in a classic fully-furnished Mediterranean Villa by the sea, Phaidon Villas Resort provides anything that you need and everything that you want in a deserted island. They offer International cuisine, beach sports, board games, snorkeling, adventure tours throughout Antique, company seminars and retreats, family affairs, private parties and deckchairs to provide an ideal relaxation with your chosen drink in Paradise.

Bugang River

Locals say that it’s so clean it’s a shame to rinse your dirty hands in it. Well, rightfully so, especially since it has been awarded as the cleanest Inland Body of Water in the Philippines by the President for Environment. In fact, the word bugang is synonymous to “Magnificent”, which by definition is an appearance of exceptional beauty.

Thus exceptional beauty and splendor Bugang River is. It is the ultimate pride of Antique in which cool turquoise water flows 5 kilometers from the subterranean river of the well-maintained Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park with unique river corals, besieged by virgin forests, aquatic plants, crystal rocks, fertile mangroves, and natural filter, due only to Pandan’s strict Eco-Tourism Master Plan to uphold the river’s purity and to guarantee the community of its cleanliness for safe drinking.

Malumpati Cold Spring Headwater

If other places in the Philippines boast its respective natural resources, may it be rice farming, copra supplying, pina fibers, marine sanctuaries, beaches, flourishing hill tops, endangered species, medicinal plants, a variety of vibrant flowers, then Pandan obviously covers most of these. Another evidence of this is Malumpati Cold Spring Head Water.

Situated in Sitio Malumpati, just a few kilometers away from Pandan Bay, Malumpati Cold Springs is akin to a magical lake-river that replenishes your energy and naturally produces medicinal healing properties straight from the adjacent panoramic mountain springs.

You can swim in its 10 meters wide and 40 meters deep fresh pool and innocently surrender to its natural gifts. Alongside this, you can hike up its surrounding forest in the midst of ferns, orchids, rattan and fig trees where you can explore mystical caves and discover and sight rare butterflies and the most endangered and endemic bird species like the Visayan Writhed Hornbill or Dulungan (Aceros Waldeni) and the Visayan Tarictic Hornbill or Tirik (Penelopides Panini), Bleeding Heart Pigeon and White-throated Jungle Flycatcher.which are only found in Panay and Negros.

Malumpati Cold Springs, like Bugang River is easily accessible from the main road. Just prepare a minimal entrance fee per person and ask the locals where these famous places are and they will gladly give you its directions.

Pandan Public Market

Vegetables, fresh and dried fish, sari-sari stores, drug stores, school supplies stores, restaurants, vulcanizing shops, pawnshops, boutiques, furniture and appliance stores, recreation halls native handicraft shops, name it, this rural super market has it.

And because Pandan prides itself of its abundant natural resources, prices of beef, chicken, seafood like fish, especially Bangus and Lapu-Lapu, squids, shellfishes, prawns, native products made of pina, abaca, buri, and bariw, and crops like rice, bananas, nipa, ube, cassava, vegetables, coconuts, and unrefined muscovado sugar (complete with vitamins and minerals) are inexpensive.

At last, knowing that such a haven exists, I can truly attest that Pandan is one of the best alternative destinations away from the island that we all love and cherish that is Boracay.

The 7 Waterfalls of Jawili, Tangalan, Aklan

Swim in seven swirling basins and suffuse your body in a chain of lush waterfalls all around Jawili’s picturesque montage of naturalresources.

Known for its Seven Basins, Jawili Falls in Tangalan, Aklan maintains a mesmerizing composition of crystal clear pools and waterfalls, balanced with indigenous plants and multihued limestone rocks to provide the perfect getaway from the most in demand tourist destination in the world that is Boracay.

In just an hour road trip from Caticlan (Boracay) to Tangalan, one can by far absorb the radiance and realism of Mother Nature’s work of art, which is abundant in the island of Panay, much less in Aklan. Thus with the fervent support of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) under the name, “Project Bugna”, Jawili Falls’ maintenance is relentlessly executed while reforestation projects are sustained especially at the watershed of the falls to accommodate the inevitable upsurge of tourism that seeps from Boracay to the Mainland. Furthermore, with the scenic and dramatic flow of fresh water pools ranging from 130 square feet to 540 square feet and with the depth of 8-10 feet, families and barkadas can either luxuriate during the daytime or overnight in any of the quaint cottage, indisputably providing a dreamlike atmosphere for relaxation away from the vigorous lifestyle of cosmopolitan sites.

The sight of clear water cascading on colorful rocks along the entire shores of Aklan’s prominence is irrefutably therapeutic. Its water and biodiversity eliminates the mental and physical toxins that mere mortals like us are vulnerable to. One only has to admit the breath of fresh air that emanates from its rich natural resources, which consequently eases away one’s possibly disquieting mindset plainly influenced by one’s own environment.

Once when I set foot at the bottom of the 100 meter high falls, I heard a voice telling me to “let go” of unimportant things that was invading my entire being; things that were withholding me from appreciating the totality of nature.  Yet, with just the sight of Jawili Falls, my senses quickly sharpened and instantly unearthed the sanguinity that was deeply embedded in me.

The need to swim is unimportant. What is important is one’s surrender to such bequests for an hour or two in order to appreciate life’s wealth, which is what nature’s all about. Modern accommodations are also provided within an arm’s length away from Jawili’s raw structure to cater to everyone’s comfort needs.

Tourists coming from Manila and abroad can take a plane to Kalibo where mini buses to Tangalan are available.  And for those spending a holiday in Boracay, simply take a pump boat to Caticlan and ride a van or a jeepney that navigates towards Tangalan.

Don’t miss the chance to explore the raw beauty that still exists in the island of Panay before it’s too late.