Awaking from a boozy night dancing under the stars and DJ Decks at the enigmatic Jeepney Hostel & Kite Resort, we were surprisingly fresh and raring to go for the day’s adventures. The team at Jeepney Hostel were on hand and rallied round the squad with cups of coffee in hand, making sure we were all looking lively! This kind of start to the day we have become accustomed to staying on White beach, check out our drone footage of the best beach in the world here!
D’Arcy’s enthusiasm for the adventure sparked a mass briefing amongst the mountain bikes, with other guests even asking if there was there was for them to join the group. Explaining in detail the plans for the day, we were keen to get on our bikes and get going, after our team huddle of course!
What to Bring:
- Swimwear
- Change of clothes
- Watershoes / comfortable shoes
- Waterbottle
- Waterproof camera
- Your appetite!
Turning left out of the hostel, we were immediately on the beach front, great start! This set a precedent for the rest of the ride. Cycling vigorously through the sand, keeping one eye on the kite surfers to our left who were getting some serious air in the wind, and the other on the rest of the group in front of us, it wasn’t long until we reached the jetty port.
Like clockwork, Annie, one of the Filippino members of D’Arcy’s team and a ball of energy, headed inside to grab our tickets. She kept us entertained for the entire day! Our bikes were stacked on the roof of the little wooden boats that make the regular trip between Boracay and Caticlan. As we made our way across the water, the journey across was an adventure in itself! It was a nice surprise to learn we’d be doing a little island hopping as well as mountain biking and tubing on this adventure.
Related: 10 Awesome Things You Have to Do in Panay 
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Mountain Biking Adventure
Reaching the other side, we hopped on our bikes and made for the road. D’Arcy making a pit stop only a few minutes into the journey to preorder some ice cold beers for our return. What more could you ask for? Along the route toward the opening of the jungle path, we were greeted by beaming children on their way to school. A similar atmosphere to that of the Banaue rice terraces in the North. Careering further through the rice fields, we were reminded of our time spent in Batad as local farmers tended to their crops. The jungle deepened and after several river crossings with our bikes in tow, we reached our resting point for lunch.
Laying the bikes under the trees we made our way down to the crystal blue river which was oh so inviting after our bike ride. Taking it in turns, we climbed onto the makeshift bamboo bridge before diving, bombing and somersaulting into the pools below. Having cooled off it was time for lunch and what a lunch it was! We massively underestimated the lunch part of the journey, which turned out to be a major and unique experience from our Philippine trip.
A large handmade wooden table, nestled in the shallow riverbed, greeted us. In true Filipino style, banana leaves were carefully strewn across the table which was abound with hearty authentic Filipino dishes cooked by a local family. Fresh river prawns were cooked to perfection in delicious garlic butter, whilst the chicken and pork were as fresh as you like. As if this wasn’t authentic enough, D’Arcy explained that the only way to eat was with your hands! We weren’t going to argue with that, so we got stuck in!
Read: What to Eat in the Philippines: Dishes You Need to Try
Tubing in Nabaoy River
After our lunch had settled we used the failsafe method of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” as adopted by D’Arcy, to select what size inner tube each one of us would have. Grabbing the rings, we headed for the hills where we would start our journey on the river.
After a slow and steady start, the river picked up pace and carried us along its path. Twisting around rocks and darting down mini waterfalls, local children jumped into the river to try and keep up and bamboo rafters sailed past. The river turned more serene and we were left admiring the true beauty of the unspoilt villages. After almost an hour, we were back at our resting point. All this tubing was thirsty work and right on queue fresh coconuts and beers awaited our arrival. We lazed in our tubes as we drank the afternoon away with our newfound adrenaline junkie friends. Bliss.
Having deciding one of two routes we would take back to the jetty port, the group opted for the more scenic route giving us chance to pop in to the local eco-park to admire the butterfly enclosures. Set inside the park was one of the most awesome treehouses we’ve ever seen. Climbing the concrete steps to the top of the branches, the views extended over Boracay. It was a special moment that with all the adrenaline fuelled activities throughout the day and the hustle and bustle of Boracay; we could stand and admire the view in total harmony. Having contemplated life, we got back on the bikes, polished off our ice cold beers on the beach front before heading back on the boat.
Arriving at the Boracay jetty port as dusk fell, we eagerly made our way back to Jeepney Hostel for the night’s events. As we biked through the town, excitement rushed through us as we saw the restaurants and bars getting for the night to kick off! The perfect end to an amazing day, we would sleep well tonight!
Overall, escaping to the mainland for an afternoon was a great break from the hustle and bustle of Boracay Island. The bike ride was scenic but lazing around the river was also as enjoyable. Recommended for those looking for something different to do while on their holiday.