Boracay Beach

Boracay

Is the destination of choice for most locals and foreigners alike. The white san ds and the cool waters of boracay is the backdrop to the hippest parties and events. They party the night away with great music and drinks coupled with a mix of fun-loving people. Tourist flock to the beach of boracay the whole year round. And it has become probably the most b usie st beach in the Philippines.

An island of the Philippines located approximately 315km (200 miles) south of Manila and 2km off the northwest tip of the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Boracay is also known as gateway to paradise due to its natural beauty. In 1990, it was voted by the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook as one of the best beaches in the world and again in 1996 by British publication TV Quick as the world's number one tropical beach. In 2007, Boracay island topped the list of the World’s Most Popular Beach according to Yahoo! Travel.

The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak (3 of the 17 barangays which make up the municipality of Malay), and is under the administrative control of the Philippine Tourism Authority in coordination with the Provincial Government of Aklan.

So if you are looking for that great sunny getaway then look no further. The beaches of the Philippines caters to everyone. We have beaches for surfers, divers, party goers, for families and couples who just want to spend a quiet time at the beach. Take your pick and visit Philippines today!

History

The island was originally home to the Ati tribe. Boracay is part of Aklan Province, which became an independent province on April 25, 1956. Formerly undiscovered, it wasn't till the 1970s that tourism began to develop in Boracay, and the island became popular with backpackers in the 1980s.

Years ago, Boracay Island was a well-guarded secret, almost possessively so that only a few knew of its existence.

It was only in the 70s when, it is said, a foreign movie crew accidentally "discovered" this island paradise. Others maintain that it was the German traveler, 'Jens Peters' book, which included rave reviews of Boracay that changed the island’s pace from that of being a quiet secret to eventually being voted as having the best beach in the world.

Whichever story is true, it was around this time that Boracay Island slowly ceased to be a private travelers hangout and eventually became one of the major tourist destinations in the Philippines.

Geography

Boracay Island is located off the northwest corner of the island of Panay, and belongs to the Western Visayas island-group, or Region VI, of the Philippines. The island is approximately seven kilometers long, dog-bone shaped with the narrowest spot being less than one kilometer wide, and has a total land area of 10.32 square kilometers.

South-facing Cagban Beach is located across a small strait from the jetty port at Caticlan on Panay island, and the Cagban jetty port serves as Boracay's main entry and exit point during most of the year. When wind and sea conditions dictate, east-facing Tambisaan Beach serves as an alternative entry and exit point.

Boracay's two primary tourism beaches, White Beach and Bulabog Beach, are located on opposite sides of the island's narrow central area. White Beach faces westward and Bulabog Beach faces eastward. The island also has several other beaches.

White Beach is the main tourism beach. It is a bit over four kilometers long and is lined with resorts, hotels, lodging houses, restaurants, and other tourism-related businesses. In the central portion, for about two kilometers, there is a footpath known as the Beachfront Path separating the beach itself from the establishments located along it. North and south of the Beachfront Path, beachfront establishments do literally front along the beach itself. Several roads and paths connect the Beachfront Path with Boracay's Main Road, a vehicular road which runs the length of the island. At the extreme northern end of White Beach, a footpath runs around the headland there and connects White Beach with Diniwid Beach.

Bulabog Beach, across the island from White Beach, is a secondary tourism beach and Boracay's main windsurfing and kiteboarding area.

Boracay is divided, for land use and conservation purposes, into 400 hectares of preserved forestland and 628.96 hectares of agricultural Land.

Accommodation

A number of accommodation types are scattered all over the island, ranging from luxurious hotel types to budget, spartan rooms. Guests can also choose according to location--Station 3 is where most of the cheaper lodgings are located, while Station 2 is meant for those who want to be within proximity of the bars. Station 1, meanwhile, is where you can find the more isolated accommodations, offering peace and quiet to those looking for a respite from the usual action-packed Boracay night scene. These are usually for the more upscale vacationers.

Boracay is the site of a world-class 18-hole par 72 golf course designed by Graham Marsh. In addition, Boracay now has in excess of 350 beach resorts with more than 2,000 rooms ranging in quality from five-star to budget accommodations, so tourists are sure to find whatever they are looking for.

Boracay also offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs that bop until morning.

Most Boracay hotels and resorts have Low and High Season price levels, with High Season prices generally coinciding with Amihan Season dates. Some have additional "Super" Peak Period pricing during periods of heavy tourism (usually including Christmas / New Year, Easter / Holy Week, and Chinese New Year periods).

Events

Boracay is one competitive venue for the Asian Windsurfing Tour, with the week-long Boracay International Funboard Cup competition usually held in January on Bulabog Beach. In 2010, the event dates are January 25 – 31^[update].

The well-known Ati-Atihan Festival takes place each January in Kaliboon nearby Panay island. A much smaller Ati-Atihan festival is celebrated on Boracay, usually in the second or third week of January.

Dragon boat races are held annually on Boracay under the auspices of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation, with teams coming from around the Philippines and from other Asian nations to compete. The races usually take place sometime in April or May.

Since 2003, the Philippine Ultimate Association has been organizing the Boracay Open Asian Beach Ultimate Tournament, an ultimate frisbee event, which is usually held during summer.

The Olympic Council of Asia has announced that Boracay will host the 2014 Asian Beach Games.

The Boracay Dragons, Boracay's ultimate frisbee team, is ranked #1 in the Philippines. They competed in Brazil for World Championship Beach Ultimate 2007. All of the players on the Boracay team were shorter than the shortest players on every other team combined, and only half of the team could afford to fly to Brazil. Nonetheless, the Boracay team took home the most awards undefeated against every other team until the final match in which they lost. Despite being second place in the tournament, the Boracay Dragons are considered to be 2007's most formidable Ultimate Frisbee team.

Transportation

Boracay island is separated from Panay island by a narrow strait. The island is located opposite the barangay of Caticlan in the municipality of Malay, Aklan Transportation across the strait is provided by boats operating from the Caticlan jetty port.

By Air

Two airports in Aklan province serve Boracay, Kalibo Airport in Kalibo and Godofredo P. Ramos Airport (commonly referred to as "Caticlan airport") in the Caticlan.

By Sea

The western part of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) passes through Caticlan, with car ferries from Roxas, Oriental Mindoro dock

ing at the Caticlan jetty

port. Several bus companies operate provincial bus routes from Manila which pass through Caticlan via the SRNH.

On the island

The two main modes of transport are via m

otor-tricycles along the main road or by walking along the beaches. Pedicabs are also available for transport along the Beachfront Path. Other means of transportation include mountain bikes, quadbikes and motorbikes, all of which can be rented.

To explore around the island's coast, motorized bancas and sailing paraws are available for rent. These are outrigger canoes and are common sight in waters around the island. The sailing paraw is a narrow hulled boat with outriggers either side and with passengers sometimes seated on a trampoline platform between the outrigger supports. These are extremely fast off the wind, but can be unwieldy for inexperienced sailors.