Aklan, Western Visayas · Philippines
A small island with four kilometres of powder-white sand, paraw sailboats at sunset and a lively beach-party scene, cleaned up and reborn.
Photo: Choi2451 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Boracay is a small island, about 7 km long and less than 1 km wide, off the north-west tip of Panay island. It is the Philippines' most famous beach destination, thanks to White Beach, a 4-km stretch of fine, powdery sand that is among the best in Asia. In 2018, the government closed the island for six months to tackle sewage and overdevelopment, and today it operates with stricter rules on waste, building and beach use.
White Beach is divided into three stations. Station 1 is the quietest and most upscale, Station 2 the busiest, with D'Mall shops and restaurants, and Station 3 the most laid-back. In the evening, the beach fills with fire dancers, beach bars and dining tables in the sand. On the other side of the island, Bulabog Beach has strong winds for kitesurfing and windsurfing from November to April.
Other highlights include Puka Shell Beach on the north tip, a quieter beach of coarse sand and shells, island-hopping tours, the sunset paraw sailing boats that glide on the water, and diving off the island. The island is small enough to see in three days, and it is best in the dry season.
Why visit
Boracay is the Philippines' classic beach resort, with sand, sunsets and nightlife.
Powdery sand and calm water.
Sail at golden hour.
At Bulabog Beach.
Restaurants and bars on the sand.
Flights to Caticlan and Kalibo.
Main attractions
Boracay is small, and everything is accessible by tricycle or on foot.
A 4-km strip of powder-soft sand divided into three stations, with the calmest water in the dry season.
Tip Stay at Station 1 for quiet.
Traditional outrigger sailboats that carry passengers along the coast as the sun goes down.
Tip Book a slot before 4 pm.
A less developed beach on the north end, named for its puka shells.
Tip Take a tricycle.
The windy east side for kitesurfing and windsurfing.
Tip Best from November to April.
The island's highest point, with a view.
Tip Go at sunrise.
Shops, cafés and restaurants at Station 2.
Tip Good for evenings.
Things to do
Boracay is for the beach and the water.
At sunset.
Tip Bring a camera.
At Bulabog.
Tip Take a lesson.
Snorkelling stops.
Tip Book a boat.
Coral walls.
Tip Use certified dive shops.
On the beach at night.
Tip Tip performers.
A walk on the seabed.
Tip Good for non-swimmers.
Local food
Boracay has a great range of restaurants.
On the beach.
Where to try it White Beach restaurants.
Local citrus drink.
Where to try it Stalls.
Skewers.
Where to try it Street stalls.
Shaved ice dessert.
Where to try it D'Mall.
Fruit shakes.
Where to try it Beach cafés.
Accommodation
Choose your station.
Transport
Boracay is reached via Caticlan or Kalibo.
The island is small.
When to go
Boracay has a dry season with calm seas on White Beach.
Cool, dry and windy at Bulabog.
Hot and calm.
Rain and seaweed.
Typhoon risk.
Worth planning around: The wet season.
Itinerary
Beach, boats and a sunset.
Arrive.
Snorkel.
Wind and sea.
Travel tips
A few tips help you plan.
FAQ
Three.
Yes, after the 2018 closure.
Station 1 for quiet, Station 2 for action.
Fly to Caticlan and take a boat.
November to May.
In peak season, yes.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Boracay, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Central Visayas, Philippines
A long island and a city with Magellan's Cross and the Basilica del Santo Niño, plus Moalboal's sardine run, Kawasan Falls canyoneering, Oslob and Malapascua.
Don't miss Snorkelling in the middle of a swirling ball of millions of sardines at Moalboal.
Explore Destination — CebuCentral Visayas, Philippines
A central Philippine island with the Chocolate Hills, Philippine tarsiers, Loboc River cruises, Baclayon church and the beaches and reefs of Panglao Island.
Don't miss The Chocolate Hills stretching to the horizon in the dry season, when the grass turns brown.
Explore Destination — BoholPalawan, western Philippines, Philippines
A small Palawan town at the edge of Bacuit Bay, the base for island-hopping tours to the Big and Small Lagoons, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and Nacpan Beach.
Don't miss Paddling a kayak through the narrow entrance of the Secret Lagoon into a hidden pool ringed by cliffs.
Explore Destination — El NidoRead next
Where to go
The Mediterranean coasts in this guide are not interchangeable. Some have sand and some have rock; some are glamorous and some are cheap; two of them are effectively closed for half the year. This is a comparison by the things that decide whether a coastal week works — swimming, crowds, cost, transport and what there is to do when you get out of the water.
Practical
Most packing advice is a list of things. This is the opposite: the small number of decisions that determine whether your luggage helps or hinders, organised by the kind of trip you are actually taking.
Advertisement
