Friday, July 25, 2008
Whoever coined the trite little line "life's a beach" probably had Southeast Asia in mind. There are just too many good beaches in the region to ignore...
If you're looking for a good place to lay around a do nothing while the palm trees sway in the sun and someone periodically offers to refill you mai tai, Boracay is probably for you. "Paradise" and "breath-taking" are the two adjectives most often used to describe this island in the Western Visayas portion of the Philippines. About 4.5 miles long and in places only half a mile wide, the 32 powdery white beaches on this island draw thousands of visitors each year. It is a year round destination - although peak season runs from October through April.
A stay on Boracay doesn't have to be expensive. Prices range from well under $50 a night into the mid-$100 price range -- depending on whether you want a simple twin bed and a fan, air conditioning and a Jacuzzi or a two-bedroom villa.
The island is just over one hour flying time from Manila. Boracay's beaches are so fine and white as to remind you of powdered sugar. And the climate is marvelous: cool, dry and windy from October to January, warm and humid between February and June, pleasantly wet from July to September.
Life on Boracay is not confined to the beach. Boracay boasts a wide assortment of restaurants which offer international flavors. The island's nightlife is vibrant: you can boogie till dawn. Sunrise and sunset tends to bring crowds to the beach to watch the change of the day.
Finally, Boracay is a world class dive spot. There were 18 scuba schools on the island at last count. Whether you're a novice at scuba or an experienced diver, Boracay has something for you. The island offers swimming pool conditions in front of the white beach, drift dives, deep dives, and more. In the words of one operator, "Boracay is tailor made for diving". The number of dive spots is outstanding. For those of you who have never tried scuba diving, this is the place to start.
But the beach alone makes Boracay a hard place to leave...
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