The search is over for my favorite place in Boracay.
We were walking along the stretch of the island's fine white sand towards Station 3, with the goal of finding a good spot to see the sunset, without the crowd, vendors, and loud thumping party music.
And there it was, almost at the end of the shoreline, past Angol Point. A stone throw away from the haunted-looking abandoned villas and a 5-minute walk from the last resort at Station 3, Asya Suites.
It was nearing sunset when we saw a hut with blaring reggae music. Red Pirates Pub almost looked like a shack from afar, and with trinkets and fishing paraphernalia found all over the place, I felt like walking straight into a pirate's isolated cove. There's an overgrowth of shrubs and vines in front of the hut and when we stepped inside the bushes, we found seats made of driftwood. On the shore were several chairs and tables, mats, and hammocks too - strewn all over the area.
Local fishermen and foreign guests alike were having their bottles of ice-cold beer on the pirate shack. Beer was sold at an happy hour rate of P40 per bottle. It suited our Boracay-for-P5000 goal (including the parasailing fee -- more of this in another post).
A couple of guys were on the beach playing frisbee. I learned that one of them was the owner, Joey. He owns and manages the pub with his wife Jen.
Red Pirates is casual, to the point of being ordinary, but in a place where almost every establishment tries to send off a city-like vibe of luxury and party-all-the-time mood, I will gladly choose the unassuming hut. Plus it's location in Station 3 rarely gets visited by flocks of people (and vendors too). I hope the pub can keep its seemingly authentic vibe.
We took a chair and couple of bottles of beer, sat and watched the sun go down. The sunset, a beer in hand, and Buffalo Soldier playing in the background was just perfect.
Captain Joey also offers paraw sailing for up to 10 guests, with published rates of P800 per hour/boat. They also hold BBQ buffet feasts on Friday nights, complete with reggae and chill-out music. At night, the warm glow of the torches make the pub more inviting. The next time I'm in Boracay, I'm definitely going to spend more time in Red Pirates.
Red Pirates would surely please those who want to drown the loud sound and avoid the throng of party-goers.