Images_&_Images_by mellsevilla

Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, Philippines. July 24-26, 2012

I had finally set foot on my father’s home place - Aklan (and my mother’s – Iloilo). Thanks for the Lakbay Aral (Learning Visit) to Panay Island, I had the chance of fulfilling one travel dream destination – Boracay, and visiting my roots too. T’was exciting, amusing and quite a learning experience. Intriguing, as there’s more to discover in Panay - from Boracay all the way to the towns of Aklan and Iloilo, not only of what could be seen and experienced in these places, but also there's more to know of my ancestry. I long to visit this premier island destination again, together with my family.

Boracay is one of the islands at the heart of the Philippine Archipelago located approximately 315 km (196 mi) south of Manila (Capital of the Philippines). The island of Boracay - with its white, talcum-fine beach, balmy weather and warm, crystalline waters - is like a hypnotic magnet that lures many to a lotus existence. In this tiny, butterfly-shaped island, days can be spent by swimming or simply lazing on the beach, and nights are for indulging in the tropical party lifestyle.

Leisure activities available on or near Boracay include scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, cliff diving, and beach relaxation. Boracay has in excess of 350 beach resorts offering more than 2,000 rooms ranging in quality from five-star to budget accommodation. In addition, Boracay offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs.

Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards from numerous travel publications and agencies. This year, Travel + Leisure, a US-based travel magazine, selected Boracay as the world's best (No. 1) island destination, while TripAdvisor (www.tripadvisor.com), a travel website that assists customers in gathering travel information, posting reviews and opinions of travel-related content and engaging in interactive travel forums, chose Boracay over Maldives (2nd) and Koh Phangan in Thailand (3rd) for its powdery white sand, affordable accommodations and courteous and hospitable people.