White Boracay Island & Beaches
"The world famous tropical island..."

Boracay Island & White Sand Beaches

A tropical typical grass-roofed beach shade and loungers on Boracay Island

What makes Boracay Island famous & attractive!

Is it the blue water, star fish, white sand, coconut trees? Surely, it is more than what your naked eyes can perceive.

First, we might agree that the beach in nature has its innate power to capture anyone’s attention. It draws one’s inner self to its irresistible natural charm in a natural world, which is true to Boracay itself.

Second, Boracay, as an island with many beaches, has long stretches of white sand below and above the turquoise water. Early developers, then, lined the beaches with palm trees (coconut trees) and other tropic plants that add more aesthetic beauty in addition to the endowed natural splendor of the island.

In addition, it is the atmosphere and air of freedom and space that captures you when you set foot on the island. You would suddenly feel the sense of being with nature and would soon forget all your troubles away.

Yes, you can be very philosophical in expressing some reasons, and some erudite people would counsel saying that beauty, mystery, or symbols cannot or should not be explained or they will exist to be so…

Let’s see what we can do or enjoy with at this marvelous place…

Boracay Island Activities: Leisure, Adventure, Relaxation

Scuba, snorkel & such…

The advantage of having a vacation or short break at Boracay is that you don’t worry bumping into gigantic cruise ships and other such structures because they don’t exist there.

So, you can scuba dive or snorkel to observe and swim with the colorful fishes and other creatures under the sea.

Windsurfing, kiteboarding, boating, island-hopping, and other possible water activities for the physically active and adventurous ones are available.

White beach on Boracay Island

Playing Golf on the beach?

Yes, Boracay island has a golf course too for those who loves the beach but hates to get wet or adventurous. Boracay has an 18-hole par 72 golf course.

It is designed by a famous golf designer Graham Marsh. Marsh is an Australian golfer who won 64 tournaments internationally and successful on all five of the world’s major tours (www.gmgd.com.au).

Because golf clubs in other countries and expensive many foreign visitors spend their time golfing not only in Boracay but also in various parts of the Philippines, including Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, among the big places.

Accommodation, Bars, Pubs...

Boracay Island has both high-end and 5-star quality hotels and budget accommodation. Even you didn’t book ahead, there’s always a room for you in the inn. However, it is always advisable to visit sites or your agency to book for you your rooms for some discounts or other promotion offers.

Of course, you won’t get hungry as long as you can pay the affordable exotic and international cuisines. Aside from the high-class and budget restaurants, Boracay has bars, pubs, and nightclubs.

Birth of a Name

As I already mentioned above, symbols and mysteries should not be explained. However, for the sake of getting a minute idea of Boracay’s name, if you are wondering, let’s try discovering.

Some say that the word “borac” means ‘white cotton’, which is the characteristic closer to the color and quality of the island’s whitish powdery sand.

Others say that that such terms as “bora” means ‘bubbles’ and “bocay” means white.

While another version they attributed to the Spanish era, the word “sagay”, means shell and “boray” refers to the local word for ‘seed’ (Wikipedia). Whatever the origin is, probably it’s best to keep it unknown to keep it more interesting.

Finding Boracay Island

Boracay is an island but not a small one. It is located about more than 300 kilometers South of Manila and about 2 kilometers off the Northwest end of Panay Island, Western Visayas, Philippines.

How to get there?

Two airports provide service to Boracay visitors: Kalibo Airport (Aklan Province) and Godofredo P. Ramos Airport (or “Caticlan Airport”) in Malay (Aklan Province) in the Visayas, Philippines.

Another way is by “land travel”. I put it in quotation marks because you can take the car or bus via ferries.

The Western side of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH – an integrated network of highway & vehicular ferry routes in the Philippines) passes through Caticlan with vehicular ferries (from Roxas in Oriental Mindoro) and dock at Caticlan Port.

There are various bus lines that operate using the nautical highway routes so as to reduce the travel time. Such buses include: ALPS, Dimple Star Transport, Ceres Transport, Bachelor Express, Valisno Express & Philtranco. If you want more details, you may contact this site or Google yourself for extensive information.

Getting Around Boracay Island

If you want to move around the Island to see it in various perspectives, you can either take a motor-tricycles (a motorbike with a sidecar just like the one popularized by Germans in the movies), or you can walk along the beach.

Other forms of transports are available for rent: bicycles (mountain bikes) and quadcyles. If you want a faster ride, you can also rent a motorbike. Using a motorbike nowadays is getting a lot easier since you don't use a clutch anymore but only accelerator.

Brief history

Boracay belongs to a municipality called Malay of Aklan Province. The Island of Boracay was originally a home to indigenous tribe called Ati, a Negrito group who speaks Visayan language called Inati.

The island started to become a tourist destination around the 70s. Around ten years later, it became a popular destination of backpackers. Another ten years later, Boracay rose to fame and listed as one of the best beaches in the world.

Windsuring competition in Boracay Island's great waters

Tourism Exciting Events

A traditional festival called Ati-Atihan is being held in Boracay every second or third week of January. Ati-Atihan Festival is a religious festivity in honor of the infant Jesus, which is celebrated through dancing where dancers wear colorful costumes and paint their bodies black.

But, the original and popular Ati-Atihan is held in Kalibo at the same time at the nearby Panay Island. It is in Kalibo that most visitors both foreign and local come to either join the dance or just watch.

More sports & interesting events on Boracay Island

There are various fun and interesting beach games and competitive sports being held regularly all year round on Boracay Island.

Even if you are not interested to enjoy the beach, you would certainly enjoy any of the events being held by various sports organizations of both local and international organizers. Here are some of them in this writing.

Dragon Boat Race

It is being held annually and is under the management of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation. Other Asian competitors also join in in order to enjoy or win a prize. This race is usually held in April or May every year, which are actually summer time in the Philippines.

Frisbee Competition

Master throwers of this disc-shape sports instrument would certainly love to watch this competition on the island. This competition commenced in 2003 and is an ongoing event every summer -- April and May.

Windsurfing Competition

It is another fun competition to watch on but something very intense for the competitors themselves riding atop the waves. Windsurfing is being held in Boracay, almost every year, but certainly an event that everyone anticipates to happen on this island.

There is a popular center that promotes this sports on the island and it also teaches lessons to interested individuals who dreams of learning how to ride the waves through a board. Green Yard Funboard Center is where you can get more information regarding surfing events among other services it offers via its website.

Kite surfing is another form of competition which is really fun to watch on this island. This is usually being held and co-sponsored by both local and international sports organizations.

Boracay Island relevant links

The following are some of the interesting and useful links regarding Boracay Island's travel and sports resources.

http://www.boracayisland.org/

http://www.boracaywindsurfing.com/

Well, there’s only one way to find out if you haven’t been there yet.
Thanks for browsing and have a sea of fun!

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