MANILA, Philippines -- Wet weather welcomed us when we arrived at Boracay, an island that needs no further introduction. Pre-Chedeng, the gray clouds scurrying across the sky were from a monsoon buildup, therefore less threatening. But the idea that the group would spend the next couple of days in one of the world's blondest beaches under this gray sky-the color of cast iron-was just dispiriting. After all, what we were chasing was the tail-end of summer: the rainy season, Boracay's off-peak, should still be a good two weeks away.
After 20 minutes or so negotiating through Boracay's interior terrain-starting with a flat ride parallel to the famed White Beach and then progressing to a steep, winding climb-our van finally brought us to Alta Vista de Boracay where we would stay. What would greet you is the sheer enormity of it: clusters of building with a tropical, Balinese feel perched on a hill, its 500 rooms having a bird's eye view of some of the most spectacular scenery of the island. Alta Vista, located in Brgy. Yapak, is easily the biggest at all fronts: number of rooms, land area and possibly, landscaped terrain.
A project of DMCI Homes, one of the most respected real estate developers, Alta Vista is actually a string of condominiums whose units have been purchased either as a second home or a time-sharing investment. Most of the owners actually opt to turn over their rooms to the management of DMCI PDI Hotels, Inc. which will then offer them to the public as resort accommodations. Aside from having their very own place in Boracay whenever they choose to visit, the owners get the added bonus of earning another stream of income from their units.
Despite the enormity of the leisure development-at a staggering 3.8 hectares-Alta Vista still feels intimate, perhaps because it is located off-tangent and far from the White Beach (a free shuttle service ferries guests every hour to and from D'Mall located in Station 2). Everywhere you look, it's just cliffs and walls of greenery, with a sliver of sea beckoning from a distance. It is perfect for those who want to define their stay in Boracay with a laid-back, peaceful, easy-going feel. If they choose to succumb to the temptation of the white sand, the bars, and the now ubiquitous fire dancers, they can just hop onto the service van and join in the merriment.
However, the rooms-configured into studio units and loft suites-will make you want to linger. They are the most spacious and family-friendly accommodations you can find in the island: the studio is 46.5 sq.m., while the loft is 65.5 sq.m. Each unit is outfitted with a 32-inch LCD television, individually controlled air-conditioning unit, complete toilet and bath amenities, microwave oven and refrigerator. And what I have said earlier, they open to gorgeous views: ours revealed thickets full of Asian glossy starlings (birds with high-varnish black feathers and intense red eyes), a sweep of the mountain and intimation of the ocean.
The day after we arrived, the sky was still overcast, issuing fine drizzle. We took our place in the restaurant located near the swimming pool. Having given up hope for a fine day, we took our breakfast morosely. An hour later, the sky opened and poured intense light onto the island. The trees shook off their wetness as temperature climbed a couple of notches, announcing that summer had changed its mind and was now returning to bronze skin and make the white sand shimmer.
