Beautiful islands in the Philippines

Boracay is a small island 315 km south of Manila in the province of Aklan. Famous for its powdery white sands and pristine blue waters, Boracay is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines. It has over 350 resorts and about 2, 000 rooms to accommodate guests, which range from luxury hotels to budget-friendly inns.

This island has something for everyone, from water sports, scuba diving, and snorkeling, to nightlife with great pubs, bars, and restaurants, to a relaxing and tranquil environment.

If you do go scuba diving or snorkeling, you’ll see many species of aquatic life that are indigenous to the Philippines. You could also take the opportunity to go helmet diving, which is where you simply put on a helmet with glass plates, climb a ladder down ten feet to a (shallow) ocean floor, and walk around as if you were on land.

The Beaches

The best and most famous beach in Boracay is the White Beach, which has been called the "finest beach in the world.” In 2012, Boracay Island was named “Best Island in the World” by international travel magazine Travel + Leisure. Puka, on the northern side of Boracay, was also on CNN's 100 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World.

While the western side of the island is known for the White Beach, the eastern side is home to Bulabog beach, which is a great place for extreme sports like wind and kite surfing since it has strong winds all year round.

More Details

When to Visit: Waters are calm off of White Beach from November through May. Monsoon winds blow June through October. Unless you enjoy being soaked, aim to visit between November and May, though you'll have fewer crowds June through early October.

How to Get There: There are no direct flights into Boracay. To get there, you either need to fly into Caticlan (the closest airport) or Kalibo (an airport further away that sometimes offers cheaper flights). Then, you’ll need to take a vehicle to Caticlan Jetty port for the 10-20 minute boat ride to Boracay.

What to Do: For extreme sports, visit the east side of the island for your fair share of kite and windsurfing. For the resort lifestyle and relaxing on the beach, stay on the west side and party it up at night.