Think of ya’self as quite the beach bum? WELL LUCKY YOU, because Cebu Pacific Air is flying 3 Aussies (+ their mates) to The Philippines so that they can complete their degrees in da good / chill AF life. Enrollment’s easy: just fill out your application form HERE and explain why you’d be an A+ student (ie. chiller) in an epic video to Vimeo / YouTube. Laid-back livin’ awaits.
Chilly nights are the the pits. They’re even worse when strung into a miserable / consecutive three months, which is why we PRAISE JEBUS that summer is finally a’knocking.
The shitty truth though? Winter will always come back to mess you up annually. UNLESS, fellow sun lovers, you find a way (or, more specifically, a place) to avoid the cold completely.
Enter The Philippines. Yeah it rains, but when it’s hot all-year long that downpour is refreshing – almost as refreshing as the endless supply of pristine beaches you can dip into on the daily.
Behold the lush AF watering holes you can frolic, surf, socialise, dive in / on:
1. MALCAPUYA, CORON, PALAWAN
Photo: Instagram / @adrianquintos.
“It’s a tiny island absolutely untouched and completely perfect – crystal turquoise water, powdery, white sand. When I was there, there was even a man who was a retired ex-boxer with a pet bird on his shoulder that spends his time giving massages to people on the beach.” – Christina Rita.
2. PORT BARTON, SAN VICENTE, PALAWAN
Photo: Instagram / @irisuquins.
Photo: Instagram / @nhvalentin22.
“It was a mix of being less crowded / popular then El Nido, and because it was the ‘wet’ season, we were able to explore the beach and village as if we were the only non-locals there.
We had a beachfront cabin that was dirt cheap and were able to do private boat tours that hopped around beautiful islands and pristine snorkelling spots. Highlights were a private lunch and the beach to ourselves on Paradise Island, swimming with a sea turtle and having squid for every meal.” – Ben Russell.
3. NACPAN BEACH, EL NIDO, PALAWAN
Photo: Supplied.
Earlier this year a Canadian vlogger, Christian LeBlanc, hailed Nacpan Beach as “the most beautiful beach in the world“. Yuge call, but, look, it doesn’t suck. Twin Beach, pictured above, is a real goer for that summin’ different.
4. ALONA BEACH (+ BALICASAG), PANGLAO ISLAND, BOHOL
Photo: Instagram / @jahmes27.
“There are heaps of bars along the beach of varying budget / quality, and heaps of companies that run scuba diving boats out to the nearby island, which is a protected island with lovely wall reefs, turtles and eels. The visibility when diving there [Balicasag] was incredible, like 40m.” – Brendan Hogan.
5. WHITE BEACH, BORACAY, MALAY, AKLAN
Photo: Supplied.
Photo: Instagram / @travel_shooter.
“I’m still confused at to how picture-perfect the sand is, and the water is so, so clear. Like, the pictures are accurate. The water is that perfect.
We took advantage of that with a spot of helmet diving, and it was so cool to chill out with with the ocean life just a couple of minutes from the beach itself. The place changes after dark, and it more or less becomes the nightlife hub of the entire island. It’s pretty wild to see such a serene beach transform so quickly.” – David Adams.
HOT TIP: Be sure to check out the sunset at Station One White Beach while you’re in Boracay – it’s easily the best on the island.
6. SUMILON ISLAND, CEBU
Photo: Instagram / @travelers.guide.
Photo: Instagram / @t0mmy__23.
SHUT. THE. FRONT. DOOR.
The oceanic waters of Sumilon are beyond, clearly (geddit lel). The coral island was created in 1974 as a marine sanctuary and is pretty as all heaven.
7. CLOUD 9, SIARGAO
Photo: Supplied.
Photo: Supplied.
Cloud nine: A state of perfect happiness.
Definitions don’t lie, people.
On top of its clear beauty, it’s hailed as one of the world’s best surfing spots ’cause of its dramatic reef break.
Now that we’ve gotten you all hot n’ bothered about a steamy vaycay in The Philippines, it’s our duty to tell ya’ how you can get over there FO’ FREE. Cebu Pacific are sending three 18-24 year olds (and their +1’s) to the islands of Cebu and Siargao as part of their Beach Bum Academy. To apply, just fill out your application form HERE and upload an epic video to Vimeo /YouTube. Your degree in laid-back living ain’t going to complete itself.
LET’S GO TO THE BEACH EACH, LET’S GO GET AWAY.
Photo: Instagram / @amberhalleday_mta.
