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Showing posts with label boracay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label boracay. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
PRISMA: The Best Cocktail Bar in Boracay

I have been to Boracay for four times now and one of the things that people look for would be the drinks. Since the island is part of the Philippines and is of a tropical nature, drinks on this majestic paradise needs to be refreshing and delicious. That's what PRISMA does for its guests. It elevates the drinking scene to another level that it uses only premium liquor to create artisan drinks.
With specially made bitters and house created syrups, different mixtures of flavors find its balance with regards to the drinks their bartenders make. Be it sour, sweet, and even down right delicious, you can expect nothing less than spectacular from each concoction they make. Being the sister bar of ABV, you know that you will be in for a treat. The difference is that ABV has that speak easy background while PRISMA goes for the tropical and chill relax vibe that Boracay has to offer.
If you do find yourself there, please come on over and talk to the staff. The bartenders are all friendly and could even recommend a drink for you. They tend to go off board and even change an ingredient or two based on your preference. On the left, is the general manager, Andrei Campian. His passion for drink creation is legendary. He has trained and created most of the drinks on the list. With the help of the likes of Max (guy on the right), one of the recent winners of the first ever Don Papa Cocktail Competition in the Philippines, you could be sure of the amazing creations they have in store for you.
Upon sitting down, Max here shaked and stirred the JACK DATES. Made with Jack Daniels and a burnt lemon and dried dates on top, the cohesiveness of the parts really works. Personally, I'm not a fan of Jack on its own, but the dates went extremely well with everything.
Mojito lovers would enjoy the Black mojito. This is not your ordinary mojito as special care is given to create the right blend.
Bacardi fanatics would enjoy the LA NINA. With egg whites on top, you get that amazing texture to go with the drink.
To go with these drinks, PRISMA BORACAY has this peanut mix to offer. One would think that it's super spicy but it isn't. Although it has hints of pepper, it actually works with each drink that they have on the menu. I can't wait for them to sell these nuts as they are addicting.
Guests that stay in the HUE HOTEL are quite lucky as they have an amazing pool to frolick in. The fact that it opens up to the bar is just an amazing feature that Prisma has.
As I finished my drinks, I realized that everyone is well taken cared of. The staff are very passionate about giving you the best advice and drinks they have to offer. They also have amazing insights on what to drink and what to go for. There is initiative and coherence in everything that they do.
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Prisma is located in Boracay's first and only food hall, streetmarket. Part of the compound Station X, you could also find Hue Resorts and Hotel here. It's in Station 2, Main Road, Boracay.



RELATED LINKS:
ABV: Steak and Fries and Drinks!


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Tuesday, October 3, 2017
HENANN CRYSTAL SANDS RESORT BORACAY: One Heck of a Stay

 Boracay is definitely an international tourist destination in itself. Guests from all over the world flock to this tiny island to enjoy the beach, sand, and the different activities it has to offer. One of the newest resort that just opened to the public, HENANN CRYSTAL SANDS might be the place for you to visit and stay at.
 Found in Station 2, this magnificent piece of property recently opened just last week. Once you enter via the beach front entrance, you are greeted by 2 amazing pools. Some patrons have the option to have their rooms upgraded with instant access to the pools. In a few weeks, their gym and infinity pool overlooking the beach would also be open.
 There are basically three room categories. Deluxe rooms are found at the back. This are the entry-level rooms that they offer. Premier rooms have views of the pool and are closer to the beach. The best rooms would be those that have instant pool access.
 Rooms have a number of amenities that would be essential to travelers. As you enter, luggage storage and the safety deposit box would greet you. Everything that you might have forgotten at home could be found here. From umbrellas to slippers and even towels and comfortable bath robes.
On the other side, would be the washroom. Installed with a rain shower head and a bath tub, this would make anyone enjoy and take their time freshening up.
 
 Tired and weary, one could prepare coffee and just enjoy the night away at their lovely veranda.
 Sleep wise, everything was perfect. The bed was comfy and there were sockets just at the headboard along with switches to dim the lights. If you're not yet sleepy, the view outside is just amazing. You could just sit and relax and let the night slip away or head on out and visit a bar or two.


 The morning after would be best at SAPPHIRE. The in house restaurant of Henann Crystal Sands, this place would be the best to cure your hangovers and have your breakfast. There are different viands to choose from. A make your own noodles and egg station is present. Fresh fruits, salad, and cheese and meat platter is also served. Bacon and Ham is always there.

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 Boracay is one amazing place. Choosing where to stay makes a big part of it as well. Henann Crystal Sands Resort is an ideal place to stay at especially if you plan to spend a lot of time going around station 1, 2, and 3. Their beach front is clean and ready for you to relax at and enjoy the sun.
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Hennan Crystal Sands Resorts has just opened to the public last September 28, 2017. Although still in soft opening phase, this property has a lot of potential. Located along Station 2 in Boracay, it is a stone throw away from D'Mall.


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Thursday, March 10, 2016
SPICEBIRD POP-UP: From Boracay to Manila


SPICEBIRD has an amazing take on how to properly cook and marinate chicken and other meat. Plus different spices and sauces to partner it with. Fortunately,  for the first time ever, SPICEBIRD from Boracay has opened up a pop up event in Edsa Beverage Design Studio in Mandaluyong City for a one night only pop-up.

Upon entering the second floor of EDSA, can't help but feel the laid back and chill vibe. Perfect place to offer a pop up.

No expectations were set. Just delicious grilling and an amazing time.

Drinks provided by the EDSA Group were pretty awesome. Home brewed soda flavors that could be spiked and even mixed and match with other add-ons. Flavors like Lychee Grapefruit, Aviation, Sangria Passion, Almond Fig, and PCR.

While waiting for the freshly cooked dishes of SPICEBIRD, the sauces made an impression.
The hotbird sauce is what its name suggest. A little goes a long way so be careful. The salsa verde is somewhat minty. The perfect mix though would have to be the garlic and lime along with the piri-piri sauce. One is to one ratio would work. A dash of hotbird for a little kick if you want.
Such was the case when I tried the appetizer. The PIRI-PIRI PULLED PORK SLIDER. I mixed and match the sauces and it went well with everything. Before that though, I tried the slider on its own. The meat was barbecuey. If only it was bigger.
After getting a taste, the main course was served. The SAMPLER. The PIRI-PIRI Pork Belly, Chicken and the CHICKEN SKIN all in one dish. The meat was moist and marinated well. The flavor was there but as I said, it was the sauces that gave it depth.
Special mention though would be the chicken skin. It was so good that I wanted more. Maybe next time though.
For dessert, DOUBLE HAPPINESS SUNDAE gave our tummies a delightful treat. Dark chocolate and chips were given a different touch with the addition of sea salt and a dash of caramel.

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SPICEBIRD is an amazing concept that is perfect for Boracay. Bringing it here in Manila gave a taste of island life to city dwellers. The flavors and the sauces are great and perfect for everyone. If only they brought some of those sauces so that normal folks like us could store them in our refs for the next grilling. Can't wait to go back to Boracay and have another taste of SPICEBIRD. 



SPICEBIRD
D-MALL, Station 2
Boracay, Aklan

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Disclaimer: wrote this based on my experience. Was invited to this pop-up event. Thank you very much Nowie for having us. I had a great time enjoying the food and sauces. Now, how can I get some secret stash? Cheers.
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Tuesday, June 30, 2015
MNL-CATICLAN-MNL: Traveling to SHANGRI-LA BORACAY

A couple of weeks back, I traveled to BORACAY via CATICLAN and back for a little RnR. Granted that summer was coming to a close, I enjoyed relaxing in BORACAY since there were less people and it wasn't as crowded as LABORACAY.

When going to BORACAY, you could either choose KALIBO or CATICLAN. CATICLAN is closer to BORACAY and the transfers are cheaper. When you pick KALIBO, you would take a land ride that would last around 90 minutes from the airport to the JETTY PORT.
ALL of the CATICLAN flights of PHILIPPINE AIRLINES depart from NAIA terminal 3. I suggest you get there at least 2-3 hours before the flight itself. 

Since the airport I chose was CATICLAN, we had a smaller plane. A turboprop, if I am not mistaken. Caticlan Airport can't really accommodate huge airplanes and as such can only be reached by smaller ones.
Good to know is that the government is expanding Caticlan airport and hopefully a year or two from now, it could accommodate huge planes from international flights.

In the mean time, you would be waiting for the plane at a ground level lounge in NAIA 3.
 And would ride a bus going to the airplane itself.

As I mentioned, the plane is a turboprop so it was a little nerve wracking but none the less, safe.

The seating arrangement were 2 x 2's. I was pleasantly surprised as the leg space was generous on this plane. 

As I said, CATICLAN AIRPORT caters to smaller planes because their runway isn't big enough. True enough, our plane was diverted to KALIBO because of weather issues.
 If for some reason the pilot can't land his plane in CATICLAN, they usually divert it to KALIBO. We waited in the plane for around 20 minutes for Philippine Airlines to fix this. As such, we were given free shuttle service going to CATICLAN JETTY PORT.
 It was a scenic 90 minute van ride. Old schools and a mountain range.

When we arrived at the JETTY PORT, SHANGRILA BORACAY took care of everything. 

DID I mention, we were staying at SHANGRI-LA BORACAY? It pays to get the best and for them to take care of everything.  At the jetty port, they have their own dock and lounge.

The lounge is clean and has a relaxing vibe. While waiting for everyone else, they give you all the welcome refreshments you could want. Cold towel for the humid weather and some drinks as well. The washroom is also clean so you might want to do your business there. 

Since the water wasn't calm, we were transferred to a beach nearby. It seems SHANGRI-LA went above and beyond and got a nice place that could accommodate its guests. The waves were better here and we were helped onto the boat. Thankfully, it wasn't like the small outriggers that I saw previously. 

We then arrived in BORACAY in one piece. We docked in FAIRWAYS and BLUEWATER since the waves over at Shangrila's own dock was also not calm as we wanted it to be.

After our vacation in Shangri-la, we took the same route back but this time, we docked at CATICLAN JETTY PORT. Since SHANGRI-LA has their own place, we went there.

After relaxing in the lounge, we checked in at CATICLAN AIRPORT. Here, Shangri-la even has a staff member that assists its guest with their luggage and booked their flights.

TIP: IF PAL tells you they have an earlier flight, go for it. Although there might be a chance that it might be delayed due to congestion in NAIA, as a rule of thumb always go for the earlier flight. You would never know. 

The waiting area is pretty small even if there is a second floor.
 It could get crowded even if they usually cater to CEBU PACIFIC and PHILIPPINE AIRLINES. 

Thankfully, SHANGRI-LA has their own lounge on the 2nd floor. It has a flat screen tv with cable and also damn good a/c.

The Caticlan Terminal offers free WIFI although it could get slow.

Sometimes, the plane maybe early but the problem would be NAIA's congestion. How real was it? We were on top of Metro Manila for a good 20 minutes. I even saw the EDSA TRAFFIC and my house up north. Yes that bad. 
 In any case, I hope they get to fix the Airport in CATICLAN and also in Manila so that more tourists would have a pleasant and safe trip.

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Glad we arrived safely... Next share, my BORACAY SHANGRI-LA EXPERIENCE.




Disclaimer: Wrote this based on my experience. Paid for our trip.
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