This Week in Boracay (October 19 to 25, 2019)

This week will be sunny. However, some showers and thunderstorms, usually in the morning, are still expected [1]. The little rain should not dampen your spirit, though, as there are lots of activities to do while in Boracay. The amihan (northeast monsoon) season is back as well. This means waves at the White Beach are flatter. The best time to swim at the beach, however, is during the morning when there’s less of a crowd. While it is beautiful to swim during sunset, the beach gets crowded during this time.

The proposal to convert the roads of Boracay into a national road was opposed by the members of the Sangguniang Bayan (local council) of Malay [2]. The proposed roads to be converted include the Boracay circumferential and the alternate road network in the three barangays of the island. However, its impact on the hundreds of establishments and structures were considered by the local council. The conversion to becoming a national road would mean bigger road setbacks. According to a Malay councilor, there were already a lot of businesses and residents that were affected when the 12-meter road setback was implemented during the rehabilitation.

The traditional wooden motorized banca or boat used to travel to Boracay will eventually be phased-out [3]. It is due to a memorandum from Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) pushing for the phaseout of wooden boats not only in the island but all over the Philippines. In preparation for this, the Caticlan-Boracay Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CBTMPC) has already started acquiring units of fiberglass boats to replace the wooden ones. Recently, the CBTPC has also increased the boat fare to and from Boracay. From PhP25, it is now PhP30 during day trips. The fare increase was implemented to raise enough funds to acquire more fiberglass boats.

Boracay is back on top after an international travel magazine once again recognized it as the best island in Asia [4]. The recognition came from the Conde Nast Traveler in its 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards. Aside from Boracay, Cebu and Palawan were also included in the top five. The island was recognized for its powder-white sand while its shallow azure water was also cited as best for swimming. The recognition almost coincides with the first year of the island since it was reopened to tourists.

The number of foreign visitors in the Philippines has already reached more than five million according to the Department of Tourism (DoT) [5]. Part of this milestone is accredited to the reopening of Boracay. The highest number of visitors came from South Korea, which is also one of the biggest markets of the island. Aside from Korea, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Boracay is also spiking due to the increased number of flights to Kalibo.

Going to Boracay for a vacation? Visit Yoorekka.com for the island’s latest travel updates.