• • Boracay’s Best Buffet Dinner
  • Posted by admin on 8 Mar 2010 12:56 pm. Filed under Boracay News.

  • 

    The good times for our special family night out started at the beautiful lobby of Boracay’s 200 million dollar Shangri la Hotel ,  which is well worth a visit .

    

    Start Boracay’s best buffet  meal off with the cold salad bar .

    

    Follow the salad bar with my favorite part of the buffet , tuna or salmon sashimi , or sushi .

    

    Top chef s from around the globe prepare your delicious dinner at the Boracay Shangri la .

    

    Save some room for the main course . So many choices to fill your hungry stomach you’ll be in heaven.

    

    To end your beautiful dinner try some desert at the Shangri la’s chocolate fountain .

    For special occasions I like to take the family out to what I think is Boracay’s best buffet dinner at the Bintana Restaurant at the new 5 star Shangri la Hotel .It’s not cheap (P1,400.00 net)but it’s worth it as you get what you pay for and that’s delicious food and lots of it.With international chefs and first class service ,  everyone will enjoy a night out at this  200 million dollar hotel which  is Boracay’s only true 5 star hotel.The trick to saving some cash on your  bill  is to drink  the glasses of house water ,  because if you order ice tea with your buffet that will cost you P160.00 plus plus per glass . If    you ‘re a family of five than all those ice tea’s will surely add up .

    Right now until March 21, the buffet is at P1,100.00 net , as the Shangri la is putting on  a promotional buffet dinner rate to celebrate their first  year anniversary party . Congratulations to the Shang for turning one year and hopefully many more birthday’s to come .

    There are many buffet dinner’s being offered along Boracay’s White Beach but none compare to the Shangri la .I had a personal tour of the Shangri la’s kitchens  and I can vouch that they are nothing but world class offering the best hygiene techniques.Along White Beach some buffet’s are very cheap like P 200.00 for all you can eat ,  but you might end up on the toilet all night as those fly by night operations are not the cleanest on the island.

    On your next visit to Boracay ,   celebrate life with a gourmet buffet dinner at the Shangri la Hotel ,you won’t be disappointed.Enjoy the finest that Boracay offers.

    Yours truly,

    John Munro

     

• • What Was Boracay Like In 1986?
  • Posted by admin on 5 Mar 2010 7:24 pm. Filed under Boracay News.

  • 

    Picture shows my dad and brother walking along Boracay’s main pathway back in 1986 ,where tourists could stroll  from Cocomangas to Jonah’s Fruit-shakes. Today in 2010(check photo below), if you tried to stroll along the same path you’d be killed by heavy vehicular traffic.

    

    

    Picture above  shows the pathway of Boracay  in 1986 going through the heart of Barangay Balabag. No cars or motorbikes to be seen , only bicycles and people walking about on the pure white sands of Boracay. Absolute paradise!!! Picture below is from 2010  taken from the same spot (What a difference 24 years makes).

    

    

    Horses were a common sight along Boracay’s beach trail back in 1986 .The above photo taken right out front of Cocomangas Shooter Bar .Below is the  2010 photo taken from the same spot . I preferred the horse back mode of transport!!!

    

    

    The 1986  picture above shows the  basketball court at Balabag Plaza with simple stage and quaint church in the background .Below is a 2010  photo taken from the same spot .Notice the stage has been removed,the court itself has been painted with advertisements ,  and the church has grown in size with it’s beautiful facade of Jesus which unfortunately  is hidden behind a tree(but check the last photo of this blog which has a close up shot of the facade).

    

     

    What was Boracay like back in the year 1986 ? I inevitably get this question from a visitor every night while working  at Cocomangas Shooter Bar in the beautiful Philippines.  Boracay in 1986 was  paradise to perfection with the whitest sand of any beach I’d ever seen on the planet . The quality of the white sand along White Beach had a perfect powdery feel to it like no other beach in Asia or quite possibly the world . The island was a special place in 86 with no cars ,no roads , no telephones ,no Internet,no daily newspapers, and hardly any tourists, just friendly locals. 

     I recently returned  to Canada to visit my sick mom and to help with  cleaning  out her apartment as she is moving into an independent living facility in Vancouver. While at home my mom  gave away all her photo’s which she had accumulated over the years and that’s where i found the  old photo’s of Boracay from 1986 , shown above . When I saw the photo’s I remembered how unbelievably beautiful Boracay was and I said to myself , it’s no wonder why I   stayed here all these years .Imagine an island with no roads , just white sand trails passing through the villages . It really was a paradise island like you see only in pictures or in a Hollywood movie.

    One day in the early 90’s I awoke to dump trucks dumping dirt over top of the beautiful white sand trail which ran in front of Cocomangas. It was a sad day for me as i knew what the future was going to bring , a cement road with tons of traffic .The paradise island of Boracay really started to change when we got electrical power in 1992  . Electricity enabled builders to build faster with power tools and resorts offered better rooms with air conditioning and swimming pools .Commercialism arrived in the mid 90’s and Boracay has never looked back .

    To the newcomer , Boracay is still a beautiful paradise island in the Philippines ,  but to the old timers there’s nothing like the old days … 

    Yours truly,

    John Munro

     

• • Take A Ride On Boracay’s Zorb
  • Posted by admin on 21 Dec 2009 12:10 pm. Filed under Boracay News.

  • 

    Ride the Zorb . Follow the signs which  are everywhere along Boracay’s Main Road .

    

    Zorb’s are giant plastic balls . The yellow ball on the left of pic is the harness style where you get strapped inside and the blue ball in the middle of pic is the hydro ball where you slide around inside on water.

    

    The view from the top of the Zorb race course .

    

    The Zorb rolling down the hill gaining speed taking just 25 seconds to finish the course.

    When in Boracay ride the Zorb .It’s  a new attraction on Boracay Island in the friendly Philippines . You can see  there posters and fliers all over the island advertising the Zorb.I was like , what the heck is a Zorb .

    The Zorb is a massive 3 meter plastic ball of fun , which rolls down a hillside of grass with you inside laughing your guts out .They have 2 different types of plastic balls , the harness where they  strap you inside  so you roll head over heels(not for the light hearted), or the hydro ball where they pour buckets of water inside the ball , so you slide around while travelling down the hill. The hydro Zorb can hold 3 people inside at one time making it a fun event for families and friends.

    The Zorb is located at Baragay Yapak . It’s on the same road that leads to the Bat Caves .Do the Bat Caves first , than to cool off on the way back , jump into the hydro Zorb and have a blast . They charge P580.00 for single rider and P350.00 each for two or more riders. The Zorb is a quick , exciting  ride ,  rolling down the hill in just 25 seconds.

    So if your bored hanging out at White Beach , try to ride the Zorb for some instant fun and laughter.

    Yours truly,

    John Munro

     

• • Boracay’s Building Frenzy
  • Posted by admin on 11 Dec 2009 3:20 pm. Filed under Boracay News.

  • 

    Trucks parked right on the beautiful sands of Boracay’s Manoc Manoc Beach , waiting to haul construction material around the island.

    

    Boracay’s toughest job ,hauling three 50 kilogram cement bags off the boats and onto Boracay Island.

    

    Hauling wood and other construction materials into the waiting trucks at Manoc Manoc Beach, Boracay.

    

    Trucks,trucks,and more trucks , hauling tons and tons of materials everyday around Boracay.

    The busiest port on Boracay Island , in the beautiful Philippines,   is the cargo port situated at Manoc Manoc Beach . Manoc Manoc Beach is the closest beach to the mainland where Caticlan Port is located , and it’s a bee hive of activity with trucks,haulers,porters , all unloading tons of building materials . For every cement hotel being built on Boracay ,  all the construction material’s  pass through Boracay’s cargo port at Manoc. I was amazed to see so much action on the beach with deliveries of cement,gravel,sand,wood,steel bars ,and everything else you need to build a hotel or restaurant, into waiting dump trucks  .Lot’s of waiting dump trucks .

    Well before sunrise , until well after sunset, the cargo boats ply the waters between Caticlan and Manoc Manoc bringing more and more building materials. Boracay is changing quickly with bigger and better hotels being built to satisfy the room demand that over half a million visiting tourists  need. If you left the island yesterday, than already  some changes have  occurred , and if you left the island 20 years ago than Boracay is unrecognisable .Be prepared when you return to paradise for more of everything , from more hotels,  cars, trucks, tourists, bars, stores, BBQ stands , banks, malls, etc…  Every minute of everyday  that passes us by ,Boracay changes  in some way . Maybe a new hotel opens , or a roof goes up on a building , or perhaps another ten trucks arrive on the island to haul all that construction stuff around the island .Boracay is fast becoming a metropolis .

    Lucky for us , Boracay’s White Beach remains untouched and beautiful .The rest of the island can change as long as we don’t ruin the White Beach  which made this island so famous.

    Yours truly,

    John Munro

     

• • Cocomangas Sponsors Boracay’s Under 21 Basketball Team
  • Posted by admin on 5 Dec 2009 7:10 am. Filed under Cocomangas.

  • 

    The team photo of  Cocomangas- Javas under 21 basketball team .

    This action photo taken during Cocomangas round robin game at Barangay Namoa, Aklan , in the Philippines. Cocomangas players heading to team bench during a time out as the team was under pressure during the game.

    More basketball action shots of team Cocomangas during Barangay Namao’s Fiesta 09.

    Cocomangas  loves to support the game of basketball at all levels from the young kids to the order blokes. Cocomangas supported Boracay’s under 21 basketball team at the annual fiesta at Barangay Namoa last September  09 by sponsoring the teams uniforms and paying all costs with transportation and food for the players . It was worth the sponsorship as the team played well and the young guns learned more about the game of basketball .The team was made up of Boracay’s best players which made it into the semi finals .

    Unfortunately ,during the semi finals , the crowd got a little out of hand as several fans started to  fight . The Boracay Cocomangas team was forced to leave the Barangay for safety of the players and therefore lost the game to default .   It was an unfortunate situation .Hopefully next year the Barangay officials at Namoa will increase  the  security around the court-side.

    Even though this tournament ended with default , Cocomangas will continue to support Boracay’s youth in basketball . Thanks to all the players for showing a lot commitment and determination during the games.Let’s do it again …

    Yours Truly,

    John Munro

     

• • Boracay’s Spectacular Sunsets
  • Posted by admin on 24 Nov 2009 2:04 pm. Filed under Boracay News.

  • 

    Boracay’s is worth a visit just for the famed sunset’s. 

    

     A happy family enjoying a sunset swim in Boracay’s warm water .Life doesn’t get any better than this….

    

    Taking a sailboat out during sunset is hugely popular , very peaceful ,and very romantic.

    

    Long after the sun has gone down , the beautiful colors of Boracay’s sunset remain ,and so do the happy holiday makers frolicking in the water.

    

    At about the time the sun and beautiful colors are gone from the sunset  ,the bars and beach-side restaurants come alive with lights and sounds as it’s party time .Enjoy  Boracay’s famous nightlife any night of the year.

    Ah the shear beauty of Boracay’s sunset .Every traveller to Boracay has taken home a picture of Boracay’s famed sunset . Some come to the island to be married on White Beach with the backdrop of the setting sun. Others just feel the romance ,  beauty, and  tranquility of the setting sun .

    The reason I came to Boracay in the first place was to see  the beauty of Boracay’s sunset .  When I was backpacking  the world in 1986,  I met this backpacker in Bali , Indonesia , who said to me ,”if you like the sunset’s here in Bali than you’re going to love  the sunset’s in Boracay, the Philippines, as they are incredible, full of different colors, from ,blue,orange , pink , red ,peach,white, and yellow .”

    That conversation  stuck in the back of my mind for a few months ,  so when my year long trip was almost over , I decided I would check out Boracay’s sunset  ,the paradise island in the Philippines,  which I’d heard so much about . I really wanted to see the best sunset in Asia , and of course the fine white sand was worth a visit as well. I was not disappointed and decided to stay and make Boracay my home .

    Personally my favorite time of day on Boracay is the sunset hour . That hour between  5pm and 6pm is cooler than the mid day heat so the White Beach fills up with locals,tourists,skim baorders , football players , joggers, etc….Everyone enjoys the daily sunsets on Boracay  in the beautiful Philippines.Come check it out for yourself….

    Yours Truly,

    John Munro

     

• • Cocomangas Supports Boracay’s Youth Basketball League
  • Posted by admin on 7 Nov 2009 9:22 am. Filed under Cocomangas.

  • 

    Huge crowds enjoyed the Cocomangas Youth  league played under the flood lights at Boracay Island in the beautiful Philippines.

    

    Cocomangas organized and sponsored the youth basketball league of Boracay , which was played at the main plaza at Barangay Balabag.

    

    Photo of  the team from Javas Jersey during a time out at Boracay’s exciting  Cocomangas Youth league .

    

    Cocomangas organized and sponsored the youth league .The streamer in picture is the Cocomangas Pizza hot-line 288-4455.

    

    The happy winners of the Cocomangas Youth League ,Brent School of Boracay.

    

    The winners of the youngest division ,  ages 6 and 7 ,is the tough talented team from the  Boradise Resort, Boracay.

    I love basketball and I love my community here at Barangay Balabag situated on the paradise island of Boracay in the beautiful friendly Philippines. To give back to the community Cocomangas Shooter Bar organized ,sponsored and found other sponsors , so that the youth of Boracay could display their basketball skills during the week long tournament for the students and youth .

    The youngest division , 6 and 7 yr old , was my personal favourite and was the crowd’s most popular division  of the event. The game of basketball  at such a young age was full of chaos,turnovers , and hilarious moments . The other age groups involved in the week long event were ages 8,9,and 10, ages  11,12, and 13  ,  ages 14 and 15  , and 16 and above rounding out the 5 different divisions .

    At every age level you could see the different talent and basketball skills from certain individuals .I’m hoping that with this early exposure to basketball that those kids with some skills will continue to play and practice the game so that later on in life they can kick some butt in the local leagues over here in the Philippines.

    I must thank all the sponsors for making it happen;Manana Mexican Resturant,Javas Clothing Company, Metrobank,Crafts Department Store,Summer Place,Hey Jude,Aria ,Casa Asia,Scott Mackinnon,Dave Straw Inn,and Cocomangas Pizza Hot-line.Without sponsors the youth league could not happen so thanks to all that care about basketball and the youth of Boracay .

    Yours Truly,

    John Munro

    The

     

• • Cocomangas Open For Franchising
  • Posted by admin on 5 Oct 2009 7:33 pm. Filed under Cocomangas.

  • 

    The Cocomangas Shooter Bar booth at the Cebu Franchise Expo September 11-13, 2009.

    

    The Cebu Franchise Expo last Sept 11-13 , 09 was a huge success with many inquiries for a Cocomangas Franchise.

    

    At the Cebu Franchise Expo we advertised our famous Pizza, Jam Jars, Illusion Shakers, and the infamous ” Still Standing After 15…”.

    

    Spreading the word and talking with perspective Cocomangas franchisees at the Cebu Expo. Franchise with Cocomangas today.

    Breaking news from Cebu City. Cocomangas Shooter Bar , the most famous watering hole on the beautiful island of Boracay in the Philippines , is now open for franchising .With 22 years experience in the bar/nightclub business  , Cocomangas is Boracay’s most famous  brand name for nightlife and good times . With drinking gimmicks like the infamous “Still Standing After 15…” ,the massive Illusion Shakers, the unique Cocktail Jars, the yummy pizza,the pumping dance floor , the full moon parties , and the good value prices,  Cocomangas is a strong brand name and will be successful for any future franchisee.  To spread the word about a  Cocomangas Shooter Bar  franchise we entered the Cebu Franchise Expo last September 11 to 13 held at the SM Mall , where we met with thousands of potential investors.

    I’m very excited for this next phase of Cocomangas and I’m going to work hard with the franchisees to design ,manage , and market a successful bar/nightclub.

    The Expo in Cebu was a huge success and gave us an opportunity to talk with thousands of perspective clients and future franchisees.The alcohol business is a good way to earn a living . Most people like to  drink alcohol when times are good ,  and when the times are bad they will continue to drink alcohol ,  so it’s a win win situation.

    If you’re interested to invest in  a Cocomangas franchise . Send us a letter of intent to Cocomangas Shooter Bar , 0609 Main Road,Balabag,Malay,Aklan , Philippines or fax it to 63-36-288-6384.Include in the letter  your name,address, and contact details, proposed site (with site address and  location map).After receiving your letter we will make an assessment of your proposed building site,  evaluate your bio data, and do a preliminary interview .If all is approved than we will start the process of signing the franchise agreement.

    The franchise fee :Cocomangas Shooter Bar 1,300,000 peso inclusive of 12% government vat .Initial term is 6 years(renewable) and royalty fee is 5% of gross sales .Minimum area required is 300 sq meters .

    The Cocomangas concept will work anywhere in the Philippines, either in the city or on the beach  .

    Yours Truly,

    John Munro

     

• • Boracay’s New Fast Craft Ferry Service
  • Posted by admin on 21 Sep 2009 8:45 am. Filed under Boracay News.

  • 

    The sign for the fast craft ferry service advertising the reasonable 30 peso fare .

    

    The fast craft is a modern safe vessel leaving the jetty port every 30 minutes on the half hour.

    

    The inside view of the fast craft ferry service with comfortable seating ,air-conditioning ,and television sets for entertainment.

    

    The government has allocated a special docking area at the jetty port for the fast craft for easy loading and unloading of passengers.

    Boracay Island in the beautiful Philippines has a new ferry service which is clean , safe , fast ,and very reasonable at P30.00 a trip . The new ferry crosses from Caticlan Jetty Port to Boracay Jetty Port and visa versa every 30 minutes (ferry leaves on the half hour) and the trip only takes 5 minutes once the boat is moving .The new ferry service is air-conditioned and shows DVD movies while you travel in luxury .Once when  I made the crossing I was so  engrossed with the movie that I didn’t want to get off the boat until I saw the ending  .

    This new ferry , owned and operated by Montenegro Lines,  is a wonderful addition to the Island and it is  helping in promoting  safe travel to and from Boracay . The only bad thing I see with the service is that it runs  only every 30 minutes , so if you’re in a hurry you’ll have to  opt for the traditional wood bangka ferries which fill up much faster. I hope Montenegro Lines  will change their  ferry schedule and  leave every ten minutes instead .

    Make sure you arrive in style to start your holiday in Boracay  by riding on the fast craft …

    Yours Truly,

    John Munro

     

• • ATV Offroading On Boracay Is Super Popular
  • Posted by admin on 4 Sep 2009 11:39 am. Filed under Boracay News.

  • 

    All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) rental shops have sprung up in Boracay the last few years.This one called the G1 ATV situated near the Eco village in Hagdan and charging 500 per hour rental fee.

    

    Having a few practice laps at the I.V. Off-road rentals  before hitting the streets of Boracay . The rental per hour was only 300 peso  .

    

    Cruising the main road of Boracay . Using an ATV is a great way to see the island.

    

    Atvs and buggies parked at the side of the road at Mount Luho view point . Most Atv rental places take you up the back roads to Mount Luho .

    

    The biggest ATV and buggie rental shop on Boracay , the Best One Rentals , located at the turnoff to Diniwid Beach.

    There are so many things to do on Boracay Island in the Philippines . From horse back riding ,  scuba diving,golfing , to going off road on an  all terrain vehicle(ATV), Boracay offers a ton of fun activities  to keep your holiday fun and interesting. ATV is fast becoming one of  Boracay’s most popular sports . Right now there are 8 ATV rental outlets all situated in the north end past station one ,  charging between 300  and  600 peso an hour depending on the size of the ATV.

    It’s a fun safe way to see the island . Almost all the ATV companies take you on a tour of Boracay’s unused back roads which lead up to the highest peak on the island , Mount Luho.I saw at least 25  all terrain vehicles parked at Mount Luho when I toured the island yesterday .  I rented a small ATV , 80 cc, which was  automatic, and super  easy to drive ,and cost only 300 an hour.Cheap thrills.

    After Mount Luho we continued up to Yapak Beach . The whole tour took an hour and was really enjoyable .Boracay is  beautiful and needs to be explored on an ATV. If you’re looking for something to do on your next visit to paradise , rent an ATV and tour the Island of Boracay . You’ ll like it .

    Yours truly,

    John Munro

     

Next Page »