Third Time’s the Charm: A Family Escape to Boracay

Boracay has always held a special place in our hearts. For Jan and me, it’s already our third time visiting this little slice of paradise. But this time it's different. We brought the family along. 

We flew in early July, right as the habagat season was starting. True enough, it started raining the moment we landed, and for a second, I braced myself for angry skies the entire trip. The rain stuck around longer than we hoped and kept us inside our suite on our first night. But surprisingly, the rest of our stay were all sunny.

Instead of the usual island hopping (which, to be honest, was a bit of a letdown during our last visit), we decided to do something new. A land tour! It was our first time exploring Boracay this way. We visited the Boracay Mangroves, wandered the shores of Puka Beach, admired the rock formation at Keyhole, and took in the scenic views at Newcoast. It was refreshing to see a different side of the island.

Jan and I also managed to sneak in a run, which has somehow become a tradition for us whenever we travel. But this time felt extra freeing. I went for a run in just my sports bra, and for once, no one batted an eye. No judgment. And no second looks. There’s something incredibly empowering about that kind of freedom, especially in a place that feels so safe and accepting.

During our 4-day stay, the clouds did deny us that iconic and breathtaking sunset. But that didn’t take away from the joy we found in everything else. One of my favorite moments from the trip was simply sitting on the shore with the family, munching on green mango and bagoong, watching the slightly wild waves roll in, and not having to think about a single thing.

Boracay might be a familiar destination for us now, but every trip has its own story. And this one, with the family in tow, sunny surprises, and small joys, felt like the most special one yet.