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Islands, islands and more idyllic islands. There are over seven thousand islands in the Philippines. The most well known, and one of the most beautiful, is Boracay island, situated just off Panay, Visayas. Borocay is just seven km's long with a stretch of the finest white sand, the most crystal clear turquoise water I have ever seen and hundreds of tall, picturesque palm trees.

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Leeollie
2005-09-01 14:00:52

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so we opted to fly to Cebu and head to Panglao Island first and save Boracay and the dive course for when he was better.

Caught a 'Baclaran' jeepney direction domestic airport, which turned out to be an absolute nightmare. We were caught in a narrow steet, cars, tricycles, jeepneys, busses two abreast, packed bumper to bumper, exhaust pipes heaving and spluttering and the air so bad locals covered their mouths with hankerchiefs. Amidst all of this, our driver buys a cigarette (just one) from a 'mobile cigarette guy' who himself, fag in mouth, is sucking up the toxic fumes and nicotene. Wonder what the lung cancer rate is over there! So, with all that going on we opted to get out, walk and catch a cab - who cares for doing the local thing when your life is at risk!

Getting to Panglao Island
The airport is an oasis amongst the squalor. Very smart, clean and efficient. After securing our express queue ticket(for those wanting to fly immediately), we waited no longer than 10 minutes and we were ticket in hand and off direction Cebu, Panglao Island. From the airport in Cebu we caught a taxi to Pier one to catch the ferry to Tagbilaran. By this time it was pouring and we were starving having not eaten since 9am, now 4.30pm. Starting to get irritable. The weather was pretty bad, pitch black so you couldn't see a thing out of the windows and the boat was lurching and wacking onto the waves, but we made it out alive - only to hear later that loads of ferries over there don't make their destinations.

Panglao Island
From the ferry we caught a taxi to Panglao Island, Alona Beach. What a relief to see the tourist/backpacker atmosphere!(have to admit that I have grown to enjoy some home comforts while travelling). We checked into Alona Kew White Beach Resort, which is set in large grounds with bungalows ...