by: Jon Karlo Aquino

There are a lot of things to love about islands and oceans.  More than their vastness, depth, and complexity, what I love about them the most is their capacity to seemingly heal parts of us that need healing. I have been to different places, walked on several shores, and seen pristine beaches that brought tranquility and peace to my soul, and one of my favorites is the beautiful island of Boracay.

Boracay is known for its powdery white sands and its turquoise-colored waters. Its distinctive splendor has captivated not just us Filipinos but many visitors from all around the globe. Most of them don’t just visit once. There seems to be something the island has that makes visitors want to go back again.

I didn’t have the chance to come to the island before its closure for rehabilitation, but based on the information that I have heard and read, the rehabilitation brought so much change to the island despite the short amount of time.  A lot of people rejoiced when the government decided to let Boracay recover before it reveals its beauty to the people again. 

My flight to Kalibo was an hour delayed. I was worried that I might not be able to book a hostel if we arrive by midnight. Luckily, we landed at exactly 9:36 in the evening. Before the trip, I found out that it’s better to stay overnight in Kalibo than to go straight to Caticlan if the time of arrival is about midnight. The tricycle fare is fixed at P150 from the airport to my hostel, but there was a couple who was also headed to the same hostel I planned to stay in, so we just split the fare equally. 

My alarm went off at exactly 5:30 a.m., giving me enough time to catch the 6 a.m. trip. The couple I met last night was also at the lobby of the hostel, waiting for the van to arrive. We had a chat, and the man mentioned that he is from Slovenia, and it was not his first time in Boracay. Despite not getting enough sleep, I chose to be awake for our entire two-hour trip to Caticlan, and I was so surprised at how clean the streets of Kalibo were.

The moment I set foot on the island, I felt utterly happy as I have been looking forward to the trip for quite some time. I spent my first day roaming around; I walked more than a thousand steps from the hotel to the grotto at Station 1 despite the scorching heat of the sun. I noticed that the sand gets finer as I get closer to the water. It was tiring, but I enjoyed wandering and watching the surroundings, especially the children who were enjoying the waters and making sandcastles.  

My second day was the highlight of my trip as I went on an island hopping day tour,  and I conquered my fear of heights by doing parasailing. More than fear, I felt butterflies in my stomach because of excitement. I opted for the maximum height for the exhilarating 10-minute experience because I wanted to make the most of it. While I was 250 ft. above the water, I felt powerless. There’s nothing I could hear but the howling of the winds. It whispered fear in me, and it echoed in my soul. I kept imagining terrifying scenes. I focused on my breathing and tried to relax. I unleashed the kid in me and had fun pretending that I was walking on air. It is definitely a must try, and I can truly say that it was one of the best and most thrilling moments of my life! I am sure that I will do it again. The experience taught me that sometimes, all we have to do is let go, face our fears, and just look at whatever the outcome of my actions will be. Only by challenging ourselves can we prove that our courage is way stronger than our fears.

The island hopping tour included visiting Puka Beach, Tambisaan Beach, and the coral garden. I faced and braved the raging waves in Puka Beach. Despite falling down whenever the waves hit me, I felt a deeper sense of calm, and that gave me the strength to keep standing up. I looked at the waves as if they were the hard times that I faced in life. Those times surely knocked me down, but then I learned how to rise from every fall. I fathomed that “waves” in life are inevitable, but I need not let them frighten me. My experience has taught me to have the courage to face challenges, even in times when I doubt myself.

 The tour was a whole day activity, and the best part of it was catching the most awaited Boracay sunset. I sat by the shore and appreciated the silhouette of different people and paraw sailboats with the magical sunset in the background. Back then, I didn’t like sunset as I thought that it only darkened my existence. Now, sunsets bring me peace – the kind of peace where I accept that the sun always has to set and that, eventually, darkness will prevail, but I hold on to the fact that it wouldn’t last, for in a period of time, the sun will rise again to give light, hope, and chances.

Just like Boracay, there comes a point in our lives where we get broken because of countless possible reasons. We have to rise up and recover because we can’t stay broken forever. Healing is never easy, as the first step is admitting that there is something wrong and that help is necessary. Not everyone can admit that they need help because of the stigma that seeking help equates to weakness, when in fact, this is not true because seeking help is actually an act of bravery and courage, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I chose to go to Boracay because I wanted to witness its recovery; I wanted to embrace the fact that even if it us, humans, who unfortunately damaged the island, we can still be the key and the solution for it to regain its beauty and magnificence. If we were able to do it in Boracay, I believe that we can all work together, hand in hand, to restore, save, and protect our community, our environment, our country, and eventually, our Mother Earth.

I felt immensely joyful that I was given the chance to experience all of this and for being able to tick off items from my bucket list.  My trip to Boracay made me realize that I have the ability to turn challenges into life lessons, and I believe that it is a gift – a profound gift that I’d love to explore more and share with others.