The Lind - Boracay, Philippines
We landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila around after lunch time. The transfer process wasn’t as straight forward as I thought. In fact, it was troublesome – we had to collect our luggages then walked to another building’s waiting area before we were transferred to another terminal. The journey between terminals took at least 10 minutes, if not longer, by airport shuttle. Our flight to Catilan was delayed by about 30 minutes if not more. It probably would have been a better idea to fly from Hong Kong to Kalibo directly, even though it will take another 2 hours land transfer to Kalibo jetty, then a boat trip to get to Boracay island.
The flight from Manila to Caticlan was around 1 hour. By the time we landed in Caticlan, I was very keen to get to the hotel. We were picked up at the airport by hotel staff from The Lind Boracay. It took about 2 minutes to get to the jetty. It then took another 7 minutes to reach Boracay island. Though I felt slightly tired after the time spent waiting for connecting flight in Manila, I started to feel more relax and knew we were in good hands and that our holiday has officially started!
Boracay is a small island located in the Western Visayas, which is about 315km south of Manila. It is one of the islands that has received many awards from all over the world on its pristine beaches. Besides, it’s also famous for being one of the world’s top destinations for relaxation. (It has been on our to-visit list for quite a while now!)
The Lind Boracay, a-5 star and newly opened hotel is situated about 20-25 minutes by car from the jetty. It is on the exclusive part of station 1 of the White Beach.
Upon our arrival, we were welcomed by the friendly staff. I absolutely love the contemporary and trendy design of the hotel. Check-in process was quick and smooth.
I was really impressed by the Seaview room, which is very carefully and tastefully decorated. It comes with a King size bed that looks so comfortable to dive in! The room opens up to a huge balcony, which offers the magnifient view of the turquoise sea – very breathtaking indeed! The room comes with a separate toilet and bathroom. I am more than happy with the room , it’s modern and trendy – my kind of hotel room.
There is a fitness center that overlooks the garden and swimming pools. Besides, a kid’s club that offer different activities for children of different ages. A gigantic swimming pool is at the beach level, which is just next to the restaurants – Tartine and Crust. There is also infinity pool, situated at the same level as the lobby lounge/bar area, which is also where you could enjoy the open space area and the view of the ocean.
In terms of restaurant, Tartine which is located at the beach level, offers all-day dining with many choices to choose from the menu, both Western and Asian. It is also where the breakfast is served. Traveling with a toddler means it’s great to learn that they offer kids friendly meals. For the first night, we had our dinner there and were happy with the quality and the portion of food. Little one truly enjoyed his pizza that was freshly made and cooked in a wood oven!
Next morning, we had our breakfast at Tartine, where we had our dinner. The breakfast is buffet style that boasts great varieties of Western and Asian dishes. Being able to dine outdoor, almost on the beach and not far from the beautiful turquoise sea was a luxury for me!
The plan in Boracay is to do almost nothing but to enjoy the time as a family on the beach. The white powdery beach at the hotel front is no joke! The sand is so fine and white, comparable to Maldives! The big stretch of beach is great for the little one – he got so excited when he saw waves and really enjoyed his time playing on the beach. It’s a paradise for him!
I really appreciate the strategic location that gives us the convenience to be able to walk along the beach to restaurants and bars in other stations. Near to station 2, a place called D’Mall is basically the commercial centre where you can find restaurants and shops.
The Lind Boracay is truly a 5-star hotel, which I think stands out from the crowds. It was a wonderful stay – really comfortable and we pretty much found ourselves at home instantly. I’m glad I have found this gem on this beautiful Boracay island!
