The Travelling Life of Silvan Colani
February 2002 - Boracay, Philippines
Boracay - the best tropical beach in the world. It is. Trust me. And if you don't believe
me (or my photos), go there and see it for yourself. I challenge anybody to invite me to a
better beach resort that so perfectly embodies all the attributes of a "Paradise in the Sand".
Here are my Top 10 Reasons Why Boracay is the Best: -
- The Beach. White Beach, as it is appropriately named, is a 4 kms long, uninterrupted, slightly curved stretch of pure sand framed by palm trees at its back and the turquoise clear water of its front. Thanks to its length, it is never crowded. It is all public - no silly private property zoning.
- The Sand. Boracay's sand is the finest you'll ever find. I could send you some by mail, but the Americans would think it's Anthrax. Furthermore, it is so white, the sun will not reflect on it and as a result, it never gets hot. You can walk barefoot in the burning mid-day sunshine!
- Walking Barefoot. A sure sign of paradise. Boracay is the only place in the world you can spend an entire week not wearing any shoes or slippers - ever. The moment I get off the boat, I throw my shoes away. I walk the beach barefoot, I go shopping barefoot, I eat barefoot, I dance in the disco barefoot, and I obviously sleep bare...foot.
- The Dress Code. For one week in Boracay, I will pack one pair of swimming trunks and two T-shirts maximum. I get up and wear my swimmers, I go to bed and take them off. As easy as that.
- The Water. Picture-perfect in colour, the depth of the water gently increases. Not too deep, not too shallow. You can stand for the first 20 metres or so, making it your perfect swimming pool. It's nowhere crowded (forget about Repulse Bay) and very clean. Noisy and dangerous jet-skis are not allowed near the shore.
- The Main Strip. Set immediately beyond the beach, under the protective shades of the palm trees, is Boracay's main artery: A casual amalgamation of cottages, restaurants, shops, resorts, dive shops, bars and discos. Nothing too commercial. No McDonalds, no Starbucks (thank god for that). Instead, plenty of native styles, simple and artistic places, creative bars, relaxed restaurants. And of course, no cars or other engines, since this is not a road but simply an extension of the beach.
- The Sunset. No paradise is complete without the perfect sunset. And this is the category where Boracay beats them all. The White Beach faces exactly west and thus, night after night, turns into the perfect auditorium for one spectacular sunset after another. Furthermore, the sunset in Boracay is more than just an astronomical occurrence. It is a social event; a celebration of another lazy day passed, a tribute to an achievement of some sort (maybe a good dive, maybe an afternoon of stong windsurfing), an anticipation of more glorious adventures ahead, a happy hour indeed. Every living creature on the island assembles somewhere on the beach to watch in unison over a Rum & Coke or a San Miguel the golden ball in the distance slowly dipping towards the horizon, painting the sky in every colour imaginable and eventually, just before 6:00 p.m., disappearing in a sea of black and yellow.
- The San Miguel. Every place has its drink. The Philippines without San Miguel is like the ocean without water. It is everywhere, it is cold, it is refreshing - and it is cheap: 20 pesos during Happy Hour. That's HK$3, or US$40 cents.
- The Nightlife. Unlike such honeymoon destinations like the Maldives, where the island goes quiet as soon as the sun is down, Boracay has an active nightlife. And by "active", I don't mean the seedy Phuket-style girlie-bar type. I'm talking of cheerful happy hour spots, beach-side discos, open-air bars with pool tables, late-night crepes joints and the like. There are different "in" places every year and a number of regular spots; like Cocomagas, where, if you're "still standing after 15" (shooters, that is), you will get a T-shirt and your name engraved on its Wall of Fame.
- The Rest. Well, there's more of course that contribute to the uniqueness of this place, like the fact that it lacks a proper pier and you have to wade through the water upon arrival, a world-renown windsurf spot at the back of the island, a famous artist's jungle retreat on Diniwid Beach (see www.pagadache.com), nightly brown-outs, a great variety of restaurants, good dive sites, and, and, and...
But in essence, Boracay remains a "Lost Paradise", which despite years of development and an increase in tourist arrivals retains its laid-back charm and natural beauty. And for as long as there are no direct flights there and no McDonald's on the island, it will likely stay that way...