Boracay Island
About White Beach Boracay. Boracay is a ten square miles island right in the heart of the exotic Philippine archipelago. Travelers from around the world awaits magnificent beaches, an excellent infrastructure, plenty of leisure activities and extensive shopping opportunities. A delicious dinner and the exciting nightlife ends the day.

The Island of Boracay is located about 300 km (186 miles) south of Manila, 1 km northwest of Panay Island and in 10 minutes distance to Caticlan Jetty Port by boat. It is surrounded by the deep blue water of the Sulu Sea westwards and the Sibuyan Sea in the east. These warm and clear waters around Boracay are awesome for snorkeling and scuba diving. Carabao Island and Tablas Island are only a short boat ride away and can easily be seen in a day trip.

Boracay is one of altogether 7,107 tropical islands in the Philippine archipelago. The isle is 7 km (4.3 miles) long, 1 to 4 km (2.4 miles) wide and divided into three Barangayas (communities). Yapak in the north, Balabag in the center and Manoc Manoc in the south. Boracay Island is a province of Aklan and belongs to the municipality Malay. The local time on Boracay is UTC/GMT +8 hours. Daily sunrise in Boracay is around 6:00am. 12 hours later, the sun going down the horizon.

Despite the relatively small size of Boracay it has much to offer. Boracay hotels comprise a wide selection of 1-5 star accommodation. Most hotels, resorts and guest houses are within a stone's throw to White Beach. Thus, in March 2013, Boracay's White Beach with its crystal clear water and fine white sand has been chosen by TripAdvisor users as the No.1 Beach in Asia.

The two main and largest beaches in Boracay are White Beach in the west and Bulabog Beach in the east of the island. The beach side of Bulabog is popular with kite boarding and windsurfing freaks. Meanwhile, visitors at famous White Beach finding excellent conditions for swimming and snorkeling in shallow water. Boracay offers countless opportunities to practise water sports activities. The vast majority of service providers in that range are located along White Beach. Unfortunately, algae bloom may occur in the warm seat the west coast of Boracay between December and May.

Outrigger boat (bangka) on White Beach Boracay

About 12000 local residents most of them Catholic Christians are living in Boracay. The majority speaks the Filipino language Tagalog many also fluent English. The official national language in the Philippines is Filipino that is largely based on Tagalog. Residents in Boracay live primarily on tourism, which is the main source of income since the eighties.

From a health point of view Boracay Island is basically harmless. But the geographical location of tropical Boracay and the intense sun radiation has to be taken into account. Drinking plenty of water and consistent skin protection avoids dehydration and sunburn. Tap water should not be drunk in Boracay. Bottled drinking water can be bought everywhere for reasonable prices.

Following hospitals offer basic medical treatment in case of minor illnesses and injuries:
Boracay Island Hospital, Metropolitan Doctor´s Medical Clinic, Island Clinic Boracay and the Diagnostic Center. Hospitals in Kalibo, Iloilo or Manila provide care and treatment for those with serious injuries and illness. Certain vaccinations are not recommended, when traveling to Boracay.

The Tourist Center Boracay is located at the beginning of Boat Station 3 directly on White Beach. A variety of services are being offered here. E.g.: postal matters, telecoms and fax services; safe deposit boxes, money transfer with Western Union, internet, and basic shopping options. The Tourist Center includes also a travel agency where flights can be booked departing from Caticlan Airport to other countries in Southeast Asia and within the Philippines.

Please not: Smoking and littering are prohibited on the White Beach of Boracay and is punishable by a fine of 1000 PHP or imprisonment.

Sandcastle on White Beach Boracay