Boracay is a crowd favourite among travel destinations in the Philippines and for a very good reason. The island is known for its pristine white sand beaches, happening nightlife and the wide range of entertainment options available all year round. Many of the people who visit the island go there for the sun and the sand but while you’re in the area, you might want to take the time to experience some of the other festivities, events, and attractions that the place has to offer.

Ati-atihan festival

The festivities are not held in Boracay but if you’re already in the area, you might as well make the stop to visit the mainland town of Kalibo, Aklan for the annual Ati-Atihan Festival. Boracay also offers its own version of the festivities through street dancing and other events organized specifically for that weekend.

Asian Windsurfing Tour

If you’re a big fan of windsurfing, you shouldn’t miss the Asian Windsurfing Tour which organizes six windsurfing events on the island. The event is held every January to take advantage of the strong winds that are brought by the northeast monsoon.

Butterfly Garden

Children will surely find a visit to the Butterfly Garden in Boracay an interesting experience. The garden was opened to the public in April 2005 and is home to rare species of tropical butterflies as well as to a wide assortment of trees and plants native to the region. Being this close to nature is an amazing experience that you simply have to try before leaving the island.

Barangay Yapak

And while on the subject of nature, take your trip to the northern part of the island to Barangay Yapak where you will find a special breed of bats that are called the Flying Fox. Make sure to take the time to see them now because the creatures are quite rare as they always fall prey to poachers in spite of the attempts of conservationists to protect them.

Bikinis of Boracay

The gem in the Philippines tourist crown, Boracay boasts one of the most perfect stretches of tropical tourist beach anywhere in Asia. Not-surprisingly it is the most popular destination in this archipelago though it’s tastefully developed and not overly crowded. The whole beach-feel has been retained since the access roads are kept away from the water front and the low-rise beachfront resorts provide a great experience where you can literally get sand between your toes while eating breakfast!

This blog will gradually reveal the best of Boracay and those things to watch out for, in short how to get the most out of your visit here. By the end of 2009 this will all be upgraded into a 100 page website that is part of a large established guide series to Southeast Asia, with sister sites on the Visayas, Manila and the Philippines. Everything you need to know about Boracay will soon be found here.

The island centres around the stunning White Beach, which runs for several kilometres of perfect white sand, aqua coloured water and plenty of coconut palms. The ends of the beach offer an private and quite island experience while the central beach area is where you will find many restaurants, bars, shops and services. It all adds up to a great experience of sunbathing, sailing, snorkelling and diving, water sports, relaxing and partying.

Hotels and accommodation: Boracay has plenty of fine hotels right on the beachfront to suit all budgets on room rates. Some are cheap, others cost the earth, and if you intend to stay during a busy period it’s worth booking well in advance online to secure the cheap hotel room rates.