Revisiting Boracay After 16 Years...

Hubby Bala and I were so surprised to see, how much the island of Boracay has changed over the years. In 1997, around the time of our 2nd wedding anniversary, there were only a handful of resorts to choose from. Booking one also proved to be quite bothersome. A long distance call must first be placed to the island operator, who in turn, will connect you to your resort of choice. Eateries at the time had very limited dishes, too, and with only two to three restos offering buffet dinners. Food selections were pretty much the same when I came back in ’98 with my childhood bestie Dianne.

Island Hopping with Stopover at Friday’s Resort (May 1997)

But now, Boracay is on a whole new level! The island bursts with a plethora of restos, eateries and food stalls scattered all over the place and with almost all of the resorts from Stations 1 to 3, feature al fresco dining with the White Beach as a magnificent backdrop.

Al Fresco Dining: A regular feature of Boracay’s varied restos

One thing remains the same, though. The four kilometer long White Beach is as gorgeous as ever! And the sensation of just stepping on its powdery white sand was enough for me to say, that the almost four hours of travel from Quezon City to Boracay was all worth the effort!

Boracay Station 1 (2013)

Although specks of green algae were noticeable, most especially in Station 1, the bluish-green waters still proved to be a refreshing retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Boracay (2013)

While touring the island, I’ve noticed that Boracay was filled with foreign tourists, mainly from China and South Korea, where the island is being promoted in a big way. These Chinese and Korean nationals have become a significant part of the 1.2 million tourists that Boracay attracts annually, which although impressive, still falls short of the 2.5 million visitors that Phuket commands.

Boracay is teeming with foreign tourists

But all of us are hoping that with the on-going Caticlan Airport Development Project being led by the winning bidder, San Miguel Corporation, which also happens to be one of Asia’s most trusted conglomerates, the airport will indeed be given a major makeover, enough to meet the goal of drawing three million more tourists to Boracay.

With that said, here are some of the blog posts that you can expect out of our Boracay escapade:

Flying To and From Boracay