How To Get To Boracay Without Getting Lost

As a world-renowned tourist destination, the beautiful Philippine island of Boracay in Malay, Aklan is now very accessible.  The newly-renovated Kalibo International Airport is just an hour and a half away and the trip from the airport to Boracay is a scenic one.  The town of Malay also has its own airport, which caters to smaller airplanes, and it is just minutes away from the Caticlan Jetty Port, your jump-off point to Boracay.

Since millions of local and foreign tourists flock to Boracay every year, a lot of improvements have been done to various facilities and to the roads going to and from Boracay.  As a pure-blooded Aklanon, I have first been to Boracay when I was 8 years old.  The road then was so dusty that I was all covered in dust when we arrived in Caticlan.  The boats plying to Boracay then were small and there were only a few resorts on the island.


Now, transportation to Boracay has been made a lot easier and faster. Concrete roads have been constructed and improved to accommodate the various vehicles that go to Caticlan.  The highway from Kalibo to Caticlan is also a part of Philippines’ Nautical Highway so it also a major thoroughfare for buses that ply the RoRo or Roll-on/Roll-off route.  Moreover, many jeepneys, L300 vans, and shuttle buses now transport passengers to the Caticlan Jetty Port.


If you are not sure where to go, you can always ask the friendly public transportation drivers or locals for direction.  Once you arrive at the Caticlan Jetty Port, you are just one boat ride away from Boracay.  And speaking of boats, you can choose between a regular boat and a fast craft.  If you have already booked in a Boracay hotel, chances are, they have their own boat to ferry their guests to and from the island.  Whatever the case may be, don’t forget to don on a life jacket.  Jetty port authorities won’t allow boats to leave the dock if even a single passenger is not wearing a life jacket.

GUILTY! A Look Into The Most Common Fashion Mistakes Committed By Middle-aged Women

They say that 40s is the new 30s and I guess most women will agree with that.  Middle-age is not considered now as a time in women’s lives to go all frumpy and dowdy but a time to reinvent themselves.  There are many options available now, especially in the realm of fashion, to middle-aged women for them to still look good and feel good. 

But even with these various opportunities for women nowadays, there are still those who still commit fashion mistakes that would induce anybody to raise an eyebrow.  The challenge to still look good and appealing even with maturing age is not an easy one; but it is also not an impossible task, to say the least.

Fashion trends keep on changing year after year and most middle-aged women can’t keep up with these.  There are many reasons why women commit these fashion mistakes but let us just take a look at the most common fashion mistakes committed by some middle-aged women.  If you are guilty  of at least one, it may be time to reconsider your fashion style and to overhaul your wardrobe.

v                 Short hemlines and deep necklines.  Showing too much flesh with short hemlines and deep necklines is a big no-no when you are in your late 40s up, most especially if these are in one outfit.  Whether middle-aged women like it or not, wrinkled and/or saggy flesh comes with maturing age.  If you still have great “assets”, it is better to balance it out; if your hemline is a little short, for example, dress up with a full coverage top and vice versa.  But an absolute rule here is to avoid very short hemlines and very deep necklines, period.

v                 Frilly pink things.  Anything frilly is for babies and little girls, especially those that come in various hues of pink, of the sweet cotton candy pink variety.  But if some women think that frilly prink dresses and blouses make them look younger, then they’re in for a big disappointment. 

v                 Super tight trousers/pants and leggings.  Skinny jeans and the like are in, some middle-aged women jump in into the fashion bandwagon.  But unless one is tall and well-built for such garment, one should totally avoid it altogether.  Instead, opt for well-cut pants of good material as these can go well with almost any top.  As for leggings, it is best to wear them under tunics and dresses. 

v                 See-through and fish net blouses.  I have seen many middle-aged women who sport this kind of outfit and I couldn’t help but cringe.  I think they’re so downright tacky and very unflattering. 

v                 Bra straps peeking out.  There had been a time when bra straps peeking out, especially colored ones, have been a fashion trend but it did not last long.  I guess it is excusable to see a teen-ager or a twenty-something with bra straps peeking out of their tank tops but I think it would be tacky for a forty-something.

v                 Shorts or culottes.  These garments generally look good on young people but women in their late 40s or early 50s can still wear them…as long as they’re at home.  They should avoid wearing them when they go out especially when they don’t have the legs to carry it off.  Women’s legs show signs of aging during middle age and get a little saggy in some parts so shorts or culottes would be generally unflattering at this age.

v                 Overdone makeup.  Some women think that if they hide their wrinkles, crow’s feet, and the like by dumping pounds of various makeups on their faces, they will look younger.  But doing so only creates the opposite.  There are ways in applying makeup to get the desired effect.  It is not a case of ‘the more the better” but of the right amount at the right place.  Also, remember that very bold makeup colors should be avoided at all cost.

v                 Too much plastic surgery.  Many women want to hide the fact that they are getting older and many would opt for plastic surgery to hide the signs of aging on their faces.  Pinched noses and artificial-looking facial features brought about by plastic surgery only highlights the fact that natural beauty is more beautiful than one created by science.  And really, it is not the face alone that experiences aging.  Even if the face looks younger, the sagging flesh in other parts of the body will still be a testament of maturing age.

v                 Getting a tattoo.  This is not to discriminate middle-aged women from getting a tattoo as anybody of legal age who can decide for herself can get a tattoo anytime.  But ostentatious and big tattoos that really show off and screams “Hey, I just got a tattoo!” would not really look good on any woman especially at middle age.  If you really want to get one, have it done in some discreet place or body part that is not usually exposed to public eye.  Another thing, remember that tattoos are not fashion accessories that will go well with everything.

v                 Wearing heavy perfumes or colognes.  As a general rule, this is a big no-no for women of any age.  Doing so is, I’m sorry to say, very irritating.  But I have noticed that older women are more predisposed to this and to wearing rather strong musky scents.  If I may say, wearing heavy perfumes or colognes only make middle-aged women seem older.

Aging is something nobody can totally hide.  Instead of masking it up, why not let age take its course and go gracefully with it and with style?  For starters, stick to the classics.  You can also experiment on various fashion styles, especially the latest ones, and choose outfits that look good on you.  As a rule, whatever that carefully hides your flaws and emphasizes your assets are good for you.