BORACAY (in the eyes of a first-timer)

 

Much has been said and much has been written about Boracay, the premier tourist destination in the country. That tiny speck of island surrounded by pristine blue waters at the tip of Panay. 

According to Wikipedia,  Boracay derived it's name from the word 'boray' which means white

cotton, an obvious reference to its sugary and powdery stretch of white sand. It was once known as Buracay before the spaniards came to conquer the Filipino race.

The place is everywhere. It is all over the glossy pages of travel and lifestyle magazines. It is in the mind of every sun and sea-loving human being, regardless of language and race.  Not surprisingly, Boracay has already bagged numerous awards and recognitions from various international tourist and travel organizations.

As a first-timer, the place is what it seemed and expected to be. Tourists from all over the world strutting their wares in a paradise like no other. The beachfront bursting with noise, half-naked bodies, and  dizzying variation of music genre being played by the seemingly endless line of restos and bars facing the sea. It is madness in  its purest form.

Boracay is home both of the mundane and over- the-top accomodation known to man. Many Boracay lovers are on tight budget but some hotels and resorts are definitely not for the faint of heart.... and pocket.

Take Discovery Shores. An exclusive paradise for the uber rich. It comes with a heavy price tag. But at the end of the day, every currency spent is all worth it.

The once rice-producing island is now flooded with over 360 resorts and establishments. Boracay which was once acquired ( a big part of it) by a local judge from a nearby town is now raking in millions of revenues for the province of Aklan in particular and for the Philippines in general.

Not bad  for the piece of heaven and original home of the Ati-Tribe that has seen its own version of better days  from copra-making, raising goats, tending  lands and simply, enjoying and living LIFE to the FULLEST.

'The most important things in life
are not things'

-Anthony D' Angelo