Best Beaches in the Philippines - Boracay

[wretched_hyena]

Perhaps you should call for the government to pass regulations to try to keep it from being spoiled. I guess it's like The Eagles song, "You call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye."

[Timn8ter]

Laws without enforcement mean nothing.

[wretched_hyena]

The answer to that is obvious. Of course, it requires money on the government's part.

[yabs]

money most governmnets in Asia aren't willing to spend
its money firast, enviropment last.
the fact that its the environment which brings in the tourist dollars in the first place doesn't seem to register.

[Sirenna]

The problem lies with corrupt and apathetic local officials who can't or won't enforce ordinance regualtions regarding building construction. Laws are either enforced selectively or not at all.
Yabs says:

"In the 90's that the ecoli count was too high for public health and this swimming in off white beach was not advisable. "

According to the World Health Authority, existing levels (as tested just recently) are safe for swimming.

"This is seen by the return of phosphate loving algae at end of the peak months which feeds of the sewage."

The algae usually arrives around the beginning of the busiest months as opposed to the end, and this natural phenomenon has been present in boracay since before tourism reached Boracay.

"Most coral is also dead as a result but due to the fact that you may get mown down by a jetski it is not advisable to go swimming anyway."

Oh rubbish! I don't disagree that there's a lot of dead coral, but the jetskis are only operating in designated areas (roped off by buoys) which are way out to sea, not close to the beach where people swim.

While I disagree with those people who say that Boracay has the world's best beach (they need to get out more!), I think Yabs is going a bit too far in the other direction. Boracay is nowhere near as bad as he makes out!

[pickled_newt]

Boracay isn't the same as it was before , not the worse but I wish the authorities have more control over building construction development in the island .

Sirena,are you the same sirena in the Virtual tourist site ?

[john boy]

stayed at the Red coconut last year only for a few days sadly, it is most beautiful white sand beach with nothing to compare in Europe. However behind the hotel frontages lies demolished buildings and sorry to say lots of rubbish and waste,
Developement will cause a loss of charm but will improve drainage and sewage for all, there is already a sewage system on the Island and hopefully the waters will improve although to the naked eye the water is crystal clear.Would I go back again yes but its not cheap to eat out there.

[kalbo]

Originally Posted by The Dane

My whole family is coming to the Philippines to visit me in January/February, and one of our trips out will be from Dumaguete to Boracay.

I havent quite decided what route we will take...
You can either take a bus up to Bacolod - 6 hours.. then a boat over to Iloilo and a bus again from there up to Caticlan... this is the cheapest route...

Another route would be taking a bus or ferry to Cebu and fly from there to Caticlan.. You can fly Seair, but I think they charge too much for a flight up there compared to the distance traveeled and other airline fares...

the last route I would consider is simply to fly from Dumaguete to Manila and then fly back down to Boracay... this is the longest route distancewise, but probably the fastest.

You can get a one way Dumaguete to Manila for P1600... and if you fly to Kalibo in stead of Caticlan then you can probably get that for P1600 as well with Cebu Pacific.

cebu pacific are now flying cebu to kalibo (one and half hour from boracay by bus) not sure of price but saves flying to manila:

[garbonzo]

Best beaches...Sipalay would be very hard to beat....Sugar or Punta Ballo/White Beach.....I couldn't be bothered with Boracay anymore..

I've heard little murmers that Bayawan is the 'next' Dumaguete....don't know if there is much basis to it....drove thru a few years ago and don't recall anything all that memorable...Any good beaches/diving there?

[pickled_newt]

Sipalay is beautiful and it woudn't be our last visit.I can't see much of Bayawan going that big,but Sipalay might be on that track esp on its tourism potential,it's like Boracay in the 80's as seen on pictures.