Boracay Island stands out among the Philippines’ more than 7,000
islands. Its 7-kilometer stretch of sand as smooth as silk is the
best shoreline any tourist will ever see.
It is now over 30 years since Boracay first
attracted international attention. The people of the beautiful
island have worked hard to provide the facilities that visitors want
while protecting much of the local ambience in the process of
upgrading the facilities.
The primary draw of the island has always been the White Beach- approximately 4 kilometers of powder-fine white sand. The British tourism authority named Boracay "the best beach destination in the world" back in 1974, and has continued to gain recognition ever since.
It has also received citations from Conde Nast’s Travel magazine, the Sun Herald, Harpers & Queens Magazine and the Pilots Guide TV program. Nick Hanna, of the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook, invariably describes it as the best beach in the world; while the Singapore Business Times commented that Bali paled in comparison to the island. A recent survey on Asia-Hotels.com showed Boracay to be well ahead of any other beaches in Asia. Whilst White Beach gains most of the attention today because of the solitude that it offers to its visitors. Yapak Beach, on the other hand, gained fame in the 1970’s for the Puka shells that spawned a local industry to supply the global fashion industry. Up to this day, Yapak Beach continues to be popular to those who want to explore beyond the main beach.
For those who want more activities, there are plenty of water sports available, from swimming, snorkeling to PADI diving provided by various dive shops on the island. For those who want to be on the water, there are traditional outrigger sailing boats and power boats as well as fun rides like jet skis, banana boats, flying fish and para-sailing.
Bulabog Beach is the home of the windsurfers and kite boarders because of the strong winds that visit the beach for most of the year. Beach soccer, beach volleyball and other outdoor recreational activities like horse riding, mountain biking and ATV joyriding are also available.
There are many recreational events throughout the year, it includes: Boracay International Fun Board Cup, part of the Asian windsurfing tour; the Inter-Collegiate Beach Volleyball Tournament, and the International Paraw Regatta.
For those who want pure relaxation, there are a variety of massages to choose from. It ranges from locals offering their services, to spas - like Mandala Spa - where you can avail treatments for several hours.
For those who are more interested in nature, the climb to Mount Luho, the highest point on the island, rewards the effort with panoramic views. A visit to the Bat Caves will be rewarded by the sight of giant fruit bats searching for food in the area. The Dead Forest, a place where a dam failure once flooded a mangrove swamp with seawater, is considered a romantic spot surrounded by tales of ghosts and goblins.
There are over 300 establishments on the island that provide food and refreshments ranging from bars and fast food outlets to a wide variety of European and Asian restaurants with choices of German, Greek, Italian, Indian, Mongolian BBQ, Thai, Japanese, Portuguese, Korean and French cuisine. Those establishments along the White Beach are especially popular in the afternoons - when they serve customers who watch the sun set over the water, and evenings.
Finally, there is an 18-hole Philippines golf course.
Boracay
Golf
The primary draw of the island has always been the White Beach- approximately 4 kilometers of powder-fine white sand. The British tourism authority named Boracay "the best beach destination in the world" back in 1974, and has continued to gain recognition ever since.
