SE Asia Travel Part 2

by Noel

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Our itinerary for our cruise line vacation, on the Norwegian Jewel Ship, started on November 30 from the Port of Manila, located at Pier 4, within walking distance of Old Manila Rizal Park. If I'm correct, it is the first time Norwegian Cruise Line has departed from Manila Bay. My elder brothers Andy, Efren, Rod, and their significant others joined us. Getting aboard the ship and the cab ride from our hotel (Conrad) to the port was painful. It only takes a big cruise ship docking at the port to seriously disrupt the traffic at Roxas Boulevard. The 20-minute cab ride turned into a two-and-a-half-hour ride. The Cruise Line planning staff must be better prepared in the future for the massive chaos at the pier due to the number of people coming onboard in Manila. The infrastructure in Manila, in terms of traffic and zoning, is the worst I've ever seen in Asia, and I blame the Philippine politicians for not correcting such issues.

The large number of passengers coming aboard from all the different parts of the Philippines and visitors like us had no choice but to inhale such chaos. If you take this itinerary, I would suggest patience and more patience. It should be one of the cruise line's 'lessons learned' for future sailing.

The fun starts after getting aboard and checking in to your assigned cabin. The family chose the cabins with a balcony on the eleventh deck of the ship, starboard (right) side.

If you haven't sailed before, BE PREPARED! There are lots of activities and exciting things to do from within. For example, you have unlimited access to drinks and food, entertainment, shopping, family fun, pampering and self-care at sea, and simply relaxing and rejuvenating your soul.

Basketball, swimming, running and walking around the upper decks are great ways to stay active while aboard.

On our sea departure, the fresh air and the water waves, while the ship moved, reminded me of my active duty with the US Navy aboard an aircraft carrier. We left Manila Bay and went onto Boracay Island the next day.

One of the iconic islands frequently visited by tourists for its crystal clear and azure waters is Boracay Island, province of Aklan, approximately 200 miles south of Manila. If your mode of transportation is to fly into Aklan province, you must then take a boat taxi ride to Boracay Island.

In our case, due to the shallow sea close to the island, Norwegian Cruise Line must use their tender boats to bring us ashore at Boracay.

Upon our arrival at the pier, a group of young locals entertained us with their customs, musical instruments, and hospitality traditions. It was entertaining to hear their music and see the dances.

To roam around the island, you either try to bargain with the motorized tricycles for hire or walk along the beaches and hike. One lesson to remember is that they tend to hike up fares and prices, which is a typical style of operations on their behalf, especially when the locals know that tourists are arriving in volume.

A motorized tricycle is a great way to get around, but sometimes it's better to flag one down a few blocks from the pier. In addition, the tricycle drivers have connections with other locals about our arrival.

In other words, they often arrange for vending services to take memorable photos, sell island handicrafts and souvenirs, etc.

Be prepared to bargain when purchasing merchandise. Try to pretend you're not interested in the price and pretend to walk out from the deal, and often they will lower the cost. You will be surprised by the old tricks of bartering.

Of course, the sandy white beaches are the prize sightseeing attractions on Boracay. My wife and I, along with Michelle, Chuck, and Jonathan, ended up on the secluded part of the island near the Diniwid Beach area. The seawater waves are calm and very pleasant. We enjoyed the serene atmosphere of the waters by swimming near an iconic rock area.

I also had a local climb up a coconut tree to get me a fresh coconut - juice and white meat was delicious!

As our stomachs rumble, what better way to complement our thirst and relaxation than a local bar and restaurant at Station 3? It was called "Back Beach Burgers". To my surprise, it was delicious, the customer service was splendid, and the burgers were cheap.

After our beach shenanigans, our rented tricycle took us to the local shops and stores for souvenirs. Our curfew to return to the ship is at 6 PM, and the day went very well.

Back on the ship, we had a family dinner with everyone at the ship's Palace Restaurant, including my elder siblings and their significant others.

It was an elegant dinner with various foods, from pasta to steaks to a vegetarian menu. I fell in love with their bottle of Bodega, a Tempranillo wine. The dinner and especially catching up with the family members was astounding and was never short of storytelling about our family, careers, and parents. It allowed us to connect with solid bonding and integrity about where we came from and where we are in the present.

I highly recommend doing this same bonding with essential people in your life (I feel like Dr. Phil, lol).

That night also featured my daughter Michelle's participation in the ship karaoke contest as she qualified to compete in the finals.

Adventures of the next day in PUERTO PRINCESA will be Part 3 of my SE Asian travel blog.