Boracay, Philippines: The World's Finest Beaches

Located in the Visayas (central Philippines) is Boracay, an island famed worldwide for its powdery white sands beaches. There is kilometer after kilometer of this famed white sand.  And there are crystal clear waters and very shallow waters near the shore (you can wade out often to 100 meters and still be only knee deep in the water). The temperature in the water was always perfect -- just tepid (neither too cold nor too hot).

This island is just seven kilometers long but it is (along with destinations such as the Seychelles or the Maldives) one of the best beach destinations in the Indian-Pacific region.

White Beach

Boracay has dozens of beaches but the main tourist beach is White Beach. Walk along the beach, sunbake, go wading, go snorkelling: la dolce vita on this beach has many choices!

Massage is a pleasant experience to be had here. Many visitors have a massage every day of their visit. A massage on the beach will cost you P300 per hour or in a shop it will cost P350 per hour.

White Beach is one of the place to see wonderful sunsets. The local people commonly dub these sunsets "egg yolk sunsets" suggested by the views of the deep orange sun which seems to rest on the sea horizon. One memorable activity is to go sailing at sunset!

Apart from the great natural attractions, many visitors enjoy the warm welcome of the friendly and courteous local people. 

Restaurants

Lots of great restaurants with all sorts of sea foods (for example, Boracay crab and calamari) and all kinds of cuisine -- Filipino, Mexican, Indian, Italian, Greek, Japanese. 

Nightlife

Boracay has developed quite a nightlife. There are bars and restaurants open along the main beaches such as White Beach. There is something for everyone: just stroll along and you can choose the kind of music and the vibe that suits you.

There are quite a few spots around Boracay Island which offer great water sports opportunities including diving, parasailing, wind surfing, kite baording, kite surfing, and  jet ski rides. 

Bulabog (on the other side of Boracay from White Beach) frequently has quite strong winds which makes if one of the world's best kitesurfing venues.

For ordinary people who are not expert at water sports, you can try snorkelling.

But another interesting option is to try helmet diving. You are taken out to sea on a speed boat where you are transferred to a floating barge. A helmet is placed on your head and air is constantly pumped into the helmet via an air tube. You put on aqua shoes to protect your feet. You descend slowly down a ladder till your reach the ocean bed (about six meters or 15-20 feet deep). A skilled professional diver is beside you and is guiding and watching you and your safety each step of the way. 

You will be down there for about 15-30 minutes. You walk around the corals and feed the fish that come by. You can even play ball! A set of photos of you underwater is taken by the diving company as part of the experience. 

Boracay can get quite crowded in the peak season; so I would suggest that off-peak Boracay is a best way to enjoy the island.

Boracay is often criticized for over-commercialization. It is true that it is no longer the tranquil, laid back tranquility of years gone by. Apart from throngs of people, the traffic can get bad, made worse along the island's narrow roads. Lots of development is happening all over. Tourists are coming not only from Western countries but from other parts of Asia (Japan, South Korea, and now China). One could say that Boracay now caters more for the younger generation and for those into nightlife.

On the other hand, one should remember that Boracay is still not as overdeveloped or as overpriced as the beaches in Hawaii or Bora Bora (Tahiti) or Ibiza. The marine environment is quite well protected. You are not even allowed to smoke on the beach. There are still pristine and peaceful beaches in the northern part of Boracay Island (such as Puka Beach).

Some people complain about the "touts". These hawkers are trying to sell their wares -- mostly trinkets and activities (boating, fishing, etc) -- on the beach or the street. Remember that these are just ordinary people trying to earn some money for their families; so why not buy something from them? I find that if you tell the vendors you are not interested, they will leave you in peace.