Boracay

A world-famous white-sand island with 4 km of powdery white beach, sailboat sunsets and water sports; it reopened after its cleanup and is again gaining popularity with Chinese travelers.

Boracay lies just off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the central Philippines, in the municipality of Malay, Aklan province. The island is shaped like a dog bone, about 7 km long and less than 1 km wide at its narrowest, with an area of just 10 sq km. On its west coast is the 4-km White Beach, whose fine white coral sand and pale green water have made it world famous. From north to south it is divided into Station 1 (the finest sand and the most upscale hotels), Station 2 (home to D'Mall and the greatest concentration of dining and shopping) and Station 3 (guesthouses and the backpacker area). On the east coast, Bulabog Beach has become a well-known kitesurfing spot in Asia thanks to the monsoon winds; Puka Beach at the northern tip has coarse sand, no crowds and is the most natural; Mount Luho in the middle of the island is the highest point and a viewpoint; and Crystal Cove Island and the small islands off the southeast are destinations for island-hopping and snorkeling.

In 2018 the government closed the whole island for 6 months to deal with sewage and illegal construction. Since reopening, it has limited total visitor numbers and banned beach parties and commercial sandcastles, and the environment has clearly improved.

Climate: Nov–May is the dry season of the northeast monsoon (Amihan), when White Beach is calm with deep blue skies, the best time to visit, and Dec–Feb and Easter are the busiest. Jun–Oct, the southwest monsoon (Habagat), brings rain and typhoons, with rough seas and seaweed on White Beach; water sports move to the east coast, and prices are about 30% lower.

Getting there and around: Fly to Caticlan Airport (MPH; 1 hour from Manila and 1 hour from Cebu, with some seasonal charter flights from China), which is a 10-minute drive from the jetty, then take a 15-minute outrigger boat to Cagban Jetty on the island. Alternatively, fly to Kalibo Airport (KLO, with more international routes) and take a bus for 1.5–2 hours to the jetty. Arrivals must pay an environmental fee and terminal fee of about ₱300 and show a hotel booking. On the island, get around by electric tricycle (₱20–150) and on foot. We suggest 3–4 days.

Good to know: smoking, drinking, building commercial sandcastles and setting off fireworks on White Beach are prohibited and carry fines; UV is very strong from 2 to 4 p.m. in the dry season; buy water sports from licensed operators and check the safety equipment; during typhoon season, watch for flight and ferry cancellation notices.

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