The
Island Boracay
Boracay
Boracay
is a tropical island located approximately 315 kilometers or about
two-hundred miles South of Manila and two kilometers off the northwest
tip of the island of Panay in the Western Visayas Region of the
Philippines. It is one of the Philippines' most popular tourist
destinations because of numerous resorts situated in the island.
Partly
because of its wind and weather patterns, tourism in Boracay is
at its peak during the Amihan season. During Amihan, the prevailing
wind blows from the east. Boracay's main tourism area, White Beach,
is on the western side of the island and is sheltered from the
wind. During the Amihan season, the water off White Beach is often
glassy-smooth. On the eastern side of the island, hills on the
northern and southern ends of the island channel the Amihan season
wind from the east onshore, onto Bulabog Beach in the central
part of the island's eastern side. This makes the reef-protected
waters off that beach ideal for windsurfing and kiteboarding/kitesurfing.
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).
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.
The
well-known Ati-Atihan Festival takes place each January in Kalibo
on nearby Panay island. A much smaller Ati-Atihan festival is
celebrated on Boracay, usually in the second or third week of
January.
On
the island, the two main modes of transport are via motor-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.
