SPEAK the tongue.

When you travel the globe, it is of utmost importance to know about the place you are visiting, the culture, the people, and, yes, the language.

Or at least most important words in any culture's vocabulary -- hello and thank you. Speak these in the native tongue and your trip is guaranteed to be one of the best and memorable.

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Although "hello" and "thank you" are globally known, verbalizing these polite words in the place's local tongue will surely draw smiles from everyone you meet. Such a small effort that will reap tons of good, positive vibe.

But it is a different case in the island paradise we all know as Boracay. This shore is a haven for people from different nations and culture. Thus, there is the thrill of finding out what language to speak that can "break the ice" and get a great conversation rolling.

In this instance, being knowledgeable in several polite foreign words is certainly a plus. Then you can move to the "tongue" you can have both can speak -- musical tongue, literary tongue, cinematic tongue or whatever tongues you just found out you have in common. It's a great way to make friends from all over the globe in one single amazing spot.

And these spots are all over the island. A wave, a smile and a few words can certainly fill up your friends list without even logging to your favorite social networking website. This beats Facebook anytime since you get to view faces real time but of course FB can be nice to stay in touch especially when you have to share your documentation of the great times you just had.

The shore by day and the party scene at sunset and beyond. These are the magical Boracay moments that can broaden your social network and perhaps your affairs of the heart. Like what the residents have been saying, "In Bora, it's either you make it or you break it." That's pertaining to relationships.

Everyone visits the place to relax and have a great time and the unexpected can always happen -- like falling in love -- but don't go around chasing hearts more especially when you had a swig or two of your firewater of choice.

That clouds your judgment and spares yourself from the complications that come along with it.

When sunset came on the recent visit, the music drew everyone to one tent on the northern part of the white beach. Lounging on the cool sand or standing, everyone got to enjoy the Bora sunset that was beaming its gorgeous autumn colors of red and orange across the sky as it bade another day farewell.

As it did, we welcomed a great evening with Absolut Vodka (and so much more choices at the bar) on hand with great smiles and cheerful conversation with everyone around. Fab faces and great bodies, singsong voices, and infectious laughter filled the tent.

Flash that smile and raise your glasses, move around and make friends. One party invite can lead to the next, say hello, bonjour, hallo, ciao, hola, and this can fill up your anything-can-happen Bora social calendar.

If you find yourself having a great time and happily hopping from table to table making friendly conversation with everyone, you have just stricken with the Bora H1N1. And that, my friend, is the local vibe, the local tongue -- the party tongue. How else you wish to use your tongue now is really all up to you.