Located right in the heart of the Philippines, Boracay with its
famous powdery white sand and pristine sea has been a darling of
tourists for many decades. It has received several international
recognitions such as: "The top destinations for traveling Russians for
2010" by Travel.ru awards and by Travel + Leisure magazine's 2011
World's Best Islands, placing 4th.The island's name came from a local word "borac" which means cotton, attributed to the cotton-white sand of its coast while some argue that it came from two native words: "bora" meaning bubble and "bokay" which is another word for white. Once regarded as a secret get-away for families from Panay in the 70's, it is now known as a hot destination in South East Asia. For the first timers, it is better to familiarize yourself about the most common tourist spots around the island.
White Beach
Awarded in 2007 by Yahoo Travel as the most beautiful beach in the world. It is the longest (3.5 km) and the most famous part of Boracay. White beach sits on the western part of the island and the most accessible for tourists. The beach is notably known for its azure water, tropical weather and scenic sunset. It houses most of the restaurants, caf, stores, bars and amenities like ATM's and markets. It has 3 stations namely: Station 1, Station 2 and Station 3. Each station houses different hotels and inns that suites everyone's budget. If you want to splurge and enjoy a royalty-like weekend, you may want to check out the first class hotels in Station1. For families and backpackers who are on a budget but still want to have a great time, Station 2 is the best place to look out for.
It also houses most of the restaurants and stores found in White Beach including D'Mall-- Boracay's commercial hub. Station3 offers fewer hotels and the farthest of the three. It houses the most affordable hotels with rates going as low as Php500 ($11.00) per night. If you are a kind of lay-back person who does not like huge crowds and loud music, this station will suit your personality. There are lots of activities you may try to spice up your stay aside from swimming; you may try scuba diving, snorkeling, paraw (a local sailboat) sailing and skimboarding.
Bulabog Beach
Bulabog Beach is a 2.5 kilometer long coastline of pure adrenaline rush and excitement. It is just a 5 minute walk away across the more famous White Beach. An offshore reef protects the beach; making its water shallow, warm and smooth. Being on the eastern side of the island, the winds brought around the area by the northeast monsoon picks up around November until April. Winds may vary from 12 to 20 knots making it an ideal destination for amateur and professional kite and windsurfers. Regarded as the number 1 kiteboarding beach in Asia, casual and competitive tourists will be in for a treat as annual sporting events are always held and broad casted through major sports channels. Some of the events held in Bulabog beach include: Asian Windsurfing Tour and The International Kiteboarding Competition.
Willy's Rock
Towering along the coastline of White Beach and 90 meters from the shore north of Station 1 is a group of peculiar rock formation which attracted many photographers -- amateurs and professionals alike. The unassuming rock formation serves as backdrop to the already picturesque view of its surroundings while dominating the seascape along White Beach. The formation, which was aptly called "Willy's Rock" is found opposite of Willy's Club Resort and is the iconic landmark that represents Boracay. It has a dark-grayish color which starkly contrasts to the blue and green hue of the surrounding sea.
Climb up Willy's Rock and enjoy a commanding view of the beach with a great glimpse of Nassog point to the north. Perched atop of The Rock is a small grotto dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and different varieties of plants and trees. It has adorned countless postcards and websites because of its iconic beauty; making it the most photographed landmark in Boracay. Truly a magnificent work of art only nature can produce.
Puka Beach
A quiet stretch of tropical paradise up north of Boracay. A place that might as well be from the page of a classic pirate movie -- a remote island, lush with rich vegetation, inhabited by kind and smiling natives, forgotten by civilization and enclosed in towering and craggy cliffs; an exact opposite of the busy and commercialized appeal of White Beach. Better rent a motorboat to witness stunning views leading to the beach instead of A.T.V.'s, bikes or tricylces. Spare some 30 minutes of boat ride to reach it. Because of its geography, rough waves and heavy winds might occasionally greet you. However, these are just prologue to the magnificent experience that awaits you; peaceful ambiance, warm crystalline water and mild rhythmic gush of seawater touching its silica rich sand.
CNN's travel site, CNNGo ranked Puka Beach 41st on its list of "World's 50 Best Beaches." It is a great haven for people who plan to enjoy nature and get away from the hustle and bustle down south.There are no music, no partying and only a handful of vendors will greet your arrival. It is perfect for sunbathing and bonding due to its privacy. The beach got its name from the rare Puka shells abound its white and warm coast which the locals traditionally gather for their livelihood by turning them into bracelets, necklaces and other accessories and selling them to tourists. There are only a handful of restaurants that may serve you so better visit the place after you had your meal; bringing along your own snack is also advisable.
While Boracay offers a lot of modern stuffs one can found on a typical bar -- intoxicating tequila shots, pumped up music and dizzying flashes of party lights; it is rejuvenating to know that after the glitz and glamor, nature is waiting for you to explore and enjoy what it has to offer. These are just five of the most spectacular places you might visit and enjoy.
The rest of the island's best kept secrets are out there for you to discover.
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