A Milestone Trip with Family from Afar
This wasn’t just any beach getaway; it was a trip of firsts and reunions. Our youngest, Riley, was just seven months old and ready for his very first flight! Making the trip even more special, my sister Lauren and her partner Ben flew all the way from England to join us for some island sunshine.
We caught a midday flight to Caticlan from Manila, and since we were staying at the Henann Palm Beach Resort, the vacation started the moment we landed. They picked us up with their private boat service, whisking us straight across the turquoise water to the island of Boracay.
Pool Access and Pizza Nights
Located right on the world-famous White Beach at Station 2, Henann Palm Beach was the perfect base. We checked in for four nights into a pool access room, which I can’t recommend enough if you’re traveling with kids. Being able to step straight from our room into the water made life so much easier with a baby and a five-year-old.
Once we settled in, we headed over to D’Mall for our first island meal. We chose Aria Cucina and filled up on pomodoro pasta and pizza. While the rest of us feasted, Riley was still happy with his baby food! Jacob and Joe made sure to save room for a small tub of gelato for dessert before we ended the evening with a ride on the D’Mall carousel and an early night.
Taking to the Skies: Parasailing Adventures
The next morning was all about the water. After a big hotel breakfast and a swim in the pool, Lauren and Ben headed off to explore on their own. We wandered back to D’Mall for the legendary Coco Mama coconut ice cream before heading back to the hotel to grab our gear. We spent the rest of the morning at the beach swimming in the ocean, and Riley absolutely loved it.
In the afternoon, we regrouped for something a bit more high-flying: parasailing! Lauren, myself, and a very brave Jacob headed out. We took a boat to a floating platform in the ocean before jumping onto the parasailing boat. I was so proud of Jacob—he absolutely loved being suspended high above the blue water. We finished the day with a delicious meal at Royal Indian Curry House before resting up for our island tour.
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Exploring the Island: Mangroves and Keyholes
On day three, Joe had us all organized with a private island tour. We hopped into an electric tuk-tuk and our driver took us on a grand circuit of Boracay’s hidden gems:
- Lugutan Mangrove Park: A peaceful, green escape from the beach crowds.
- Bulabog Beach: Watching the kite surfers catch the wind.
- Newcoast: Where we saw the famous Cujo’s Keyhole and the beautiful Ilig-iligan Beach.
- Puka Beach: Our plan was to lounge here for a while, but the midday sun was getting a bit too intense for the little ones.
We finished the tour at Diniwid Beach for some photos before heading back to the comfort of our hotel pool.
A Stunning Sunset Finale
For our final day, we kept things intentionally slow. We spent most of the day lounging by the pool, letting the kids play and soak up the last of the resort life. As the sun began to dip, we headed out for a sunset sailing tour on a traditional paraw. There is truly nothing like a Boracay sunset from the water—the colors were stunning, and it was such a peaceful moment to share with family.
After the sail, we were all pretty hungry. Joe and I took the kids to Sunny Side Cafe for some food, while Lauren and Ben headed to Nigi Nigi Noo Noos for a drink. We had to get to bed early to catch our transportation off the island in good time to get to the airport, as our next adventure was already awaiting us.
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