An island resort just off the northwestern tip of Panay Island 195 mi/315 km southeast of Manila, Boracay, Philippines, is a fast-growing beach destination.
Boracay boasts white-sand beaches and offers a range of accommodations from simple bamboo huts to resorts.
Travelers enjoy sailing, windsurfing and snorkeling (the area has fabulous coral formations and reef fish) in the surrounding sea. Along with the influx of tourists and Manila jet-setters, Boracay also sees its fair share of glittering nights and beach parties. Thankfully, guidelines for sanitation as well as capacity controls on tourism allow things to run smoothly.
Visitors can reach the island in a few hours from Manila by flying to Kalibo on Panay and continuing by bus, tricycle (tuk tuks) and banca (local fishing craft). Have cash to pay the necessary tourist fees when continuing to Boracay; the boats arrive at Station 3 (the beach is divided into three stations).
Kalibo has international flights to cities such as Chengdu, Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei among others. It can handle larger aircraft; the airport supports numerous domestic flights, including low-cost options. There are also flights from Manila and Cebu to Caticlan, which is closer to the jetty port than Kalibo.
The high season in Boracay is October-January and April-May, especially during Holy Week. June is a very rainy month with storms common in the months that follow. Most tourists come from across Asia.
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