Picture your idea of a desert-island paradise—white sand, crystal blue waters and palm trees—and add just enough plush amenities that you don’t have to build your own shack. That pretty much sums up four-mile-long Boracay, a sandy-shored speck of an island in the Philippines that seems like it should exist off the grid. It’s accessible by an hour-long flight from Manila to Caticlan, followed by a 10-minute ferry ride. When you visit Boracay, you’ll find, aside from the idyllic beaches, a vibrant nightlife, good spas and some of the best snorkeling in the world. Adding another layer of paradise, travel to Boracay is also pretty affordable, too. Read on in the Boracay travel guide to discover this little island yourself.
Things Not to Miss in Boracay
• Go barefoot to experience the soft sands of White Beach • Explore Puka Shell Beach • Go “island hopping” to snorkel or check out sea caves • Get an authentic Hilot Filipino Massage, using coconut oil • Go out to Ariel’s Point for canoeing, snorkeling or kayaking
When to Go to Boracay
The weather in Boracay is beautiful all your round, but the prime Boracay travel season runs from the Christmas holiday season until May (with an extra jump in crowds around Easter). The shoulder season, when temperatures tend to be a little cooler, lasts from October to December, but if you want to save the most money, come between June and October, when you risk getting some rain showers as a trade-off. One reason that January is the high season: the Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festival, the Philippine version of Mardi Gras, and the annual water-sports competition, the International Funboard Cup.
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