Asian Vacation: Life’s A Beach On Boracay Island In The Philippines [Photos/Video]

For anyone seeking a sun, sand, and sea adventure, the small island of Boracay, located approximately 315 km (196 miles) south of Manila in the Philippines, is a perfect destination.

An up-and-coming destination for sun lovers and water adventure enthusiasts alike, this tiny island is a mere 7 km (around 4 miles) long, and at the most 500m (547 yards) wide, but still has so much to offer its visitors.

According to Lonely Planet, back in 2013 Travel & Leisurereaders voted Boracay the second-best island destinationin the world after Palawan. What with its beautiful, 4 km (2.5 mile) White Beach along with the selection of excellent hotels, restaurants with both local and international cuisine, bars and dive shops, tourists can’t go wrong in Boracay.

While 30 years ago, Boracay was a far more rustic destination, where visitors were either thrilled, or shocked, that their accommodations had no electricity, things have definitely changed. The island attracts many large groups of package tourists from all over Asia, including Korea, China, and Taiwan, but is also of interest to singles, small groups, and families looking for a fun-in-the-sun adventure.

If you don’t want to just relax on the sand soaking the rays, you can enjoy a sunset party cruise or go island-hopping or enjoy a sail on a paraw(traditional outrigger sailboat). Take a day trip to Carabao Island with its perfect, rocky landscape, ideal for photo opportunities or back on Boracay, hire a buggy car to explore the whole island.

Whatever your choice, the island is a perfect family or couple’s destination. However, adventure lovers can have fun in Boracay, too. Among the watersports on offer, parasailing is a great choice, with the perfect weather and the warm ocean to fall back into.

According to a Boracay travel blog, windsurfing is also excellent on the island. If you are seeking wind and waves in a perfect sunny location, this is the place. You can bring your own equipment, or rent from one of several sport rental companies in town.

If you want to get away from the mass tourism to enjoy your water sports, head up north to a more peaceful Diniwid Beach or east to Bulabog Beach. The latter is home to the local Filipino water sports crowd and offers a welcoming community vibe.

Scuba diving and snorkeling are perfect in the warm, crystal clear waters of the island, all the while visiting the many brightly colored and unusual tropical fish.

Besides water sports on Boracay, there are cable car and zip-lining adventures to enjoy, a relaxing horse ride along the sand, or a helicopter tour for a panoramic view of the entire island. Bungee fans can enjoy an exciting reverse bungee experience with the ultimate beach view.

Getting to the island is easy, with regular flights running from Manila to Boracay and, according to a recent article in the Daily Mail, in quieter months, you might just find yourself the only passenger on board.

Austrian blogger boards PAL flight to Boracay alone—report https://t.co/NxnkCcDJun #wow #goodread #icymi #economy #price #firstclass #trip

— Maritess (@tesshugo) January 29, 2016

Australian Alex Simon, 28, checked in for a PAL flight from Manila to Boracay and was amazed when he boarded the plane and found there were no other passengers. He took a video of his adventure, which reportedly went viral and even had a chat with the pilots before take-off.

While he was alone on the trip, he said a staff member did tell him that normally the flights to Boracay are far more busy, but Simon did appreciate his solo journey.

“It was an unforgettable feeling to take a flight to the one of the most beautiful islands of the world, but to be alone and feel like a superstar.”

“It made it more special.”

Enjoy a brief video tour of Boracay Island below.

[Photo Boracay sunset via Flickr by Christian Manalo/ CC BY 2.0 ]