Boracay : Getting to know the Island Paradise
The Philippines is composed of more than 7,100 islands with tropical climate. This explains the flock of tourist, both foreign and local for its beaches to relax and refresh. One of the most well known and loved beach is Boracay, an island located approximately 315 kilometers south of Manila. The island comprises the three barangay – Manoc-manoc, Balabag, and Yapak, and is under the administrative control of the Philippine Tourism Authority in coordination with the Provincial Government of Aklan.
Boracay is The World’s Most Popular Beach! According to Yahoo! Travel engine in 2007 and the fever has not waned since then. Known as the gateway to paradise because of its natural beauty of sprawling white beach of finest sands was also voted by the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook as one of the best beaches in world in 1990. It was also given distinction by the British publication TV Quick as the World’s Number One Tropical beach in 1996.
Tourism in the island started in the early 1970’s years after Aklan was proclaimed as an independent province. It is said that this paradise island was accidentally discovered by a foreign movie crew, others claim that it was the German traveler – Jens Peter, who included rave reviews of the island in his book that spark and transformed Boracay from a quiet secret to what it is now. Whichever is true, at around those times when it has ceased to be a private traveler hideaway and become one of the major tourist destinations in the Philippines.
Boracay have two primary tourism beaches – The White Beach which is located in the western part and Bulabog Beach situated on the opposite sides of the island. Several other small beaches are located on the white sprawling island. White Beach is known as the main tourism beach with a number of resorts, hotels, restaurants, lodge houses and other businesses. While Beachfront Path is a footpath of about two kilometers in the central portion that separates the beach from the establishments along it.
Being the secondary tourism beach, Bulabog Beach a bit less populated compared and heralded to its opposite beach but is actually a haven for the windsurfing and kite-boarding enthusiast because of the presence of stronger wind.
Weather in Boracay is generally divided into two seasonal weather patterns known locally as the Amihan and Habagat seasons. In the Tagalog language, Amihan means a cool northeast wind, and Habagat means west or southwest wind; south-west monsoon. These two seasons are generally associated with the El Niño and La Niña global weather patterns. Amihan season is exemplified by moderate temperatures, little or no rainfall, and a prevailing wind from the east. The Habagat season on the other hand is typified by hot and humid weather, frequent heavy rainfall, and a customary wind from the west.
Boracay generally expected to be in Amihan season sometime in September or October to around May or June and Habagat season for the remainder of the year. However, wind direction plays primarily for the season transition which sometime occurs abruptly. There are times that in a week or two the wind will switch between Amihan and Habagat several times before settling into the pattern. These dates can vary in individual years, though. Temperature ranges from 25-32°C at the beginning of the Amihan season which usually is during the month of February/March increasing to 28-38°C range. At the start of Habagat, the temperature moderates back to 25-32°C. Tropical storm, usually are present during the Habagat season.
Boracay Island is separated from Panay by a narrow strait. The island is located opposite the Barangay of Caticlan in the municipality of Malay, Aklan. Transportation across the strait is provided by boats operating from the Caticlan jetty port.
Two airports in Aklan province serve Boracay, Kalibo Airport in Kalibo and Godofredo P. Ramos Airport (commonly referred to as “Caticlan airport”) in the Caticlan.
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