View source for Boracay

{{Short description|Island in the Philippines}}
{{Distinguish|Bora Bora}}
{{update|date=February 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox islands
| name                            = Boracay
| image_name = Boracay White Beach.png
| image_caption                   = Boracay Island white sand beach
| image_size                      = 
| map                             = Visayas#Philippines
| map_alt                         = 
| map_width                       = 
| map_caption                     = Location of Boracay
| map_relief                      = yes
| label                           = 
| label_position                  = 
| coordinates                     = {{coord|11|58|8|N|121|55|26|E|type:isle_region:PH|display=inline,title}}
| location                        = 
| archipelago                     = [[Visayas]]
| waterbody                       = {{unbulleted list | [[Jintotolo Channel]] | [[Sibuyan Sea]] | [[Sulu Sea]] | [[Tablas Strait]] }}
| area_km2                        = 10.32
| highest_mount                   = [[Mount Luho]]
| elevation_ft                    = 302
| Country_heading                 = 
| country                         = [[Philippines]]
| country_admin_divisions_title   = Region
| country_admin_divisions         = [[Western Visayas]]
| country_largest_city = [[Manoc-Manoc]]
| country_largest_city_population = 14,810
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Province
| country_admin_divisions_1       = [[Aklan]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Municipality
| country_admin_divisions_2       = [[Malay, Aklan|Malay]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_3 = [[Barangay]]s
| country_admin_divisions_3       = {{unbulleted list | Balabag | Manoc-Manoc | Yapak }}
| population                      = 37,802 <!-- sum of Balabag, Manoc-Manoc- and Yapak -->
| density_km2                     = 3,663
| population_as_of                = 2020
| population_footnotes            =
| ethnic_groups                   = {{unbulleted list | [[Ati (tribe)|Ati]]<ref name="ResabalVeraFiles2018">{{Cite web |last=Resabal |first=Cooper |date=October 27, 2018 |title=After cleanup, Atis in Boracay hope to reclaim land |url=https://verafiles.org/articles/after-cleanup-atis-boracay-hope-reclaim-land |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181027154847/http://verafiles.org/articles/after-cleanup-atis-boracay-hope-reclaim-land |archive-date=October 27, 2018 |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=VERA Files |language=en-US}}</ref> | [[Aklanon people|Aklanon]] | [[Hiligaynon people|Hiligaynon]] | [[Karay-a people|Karay-a]] }}
}}

'''Boracay''' ({{IPA|tl|bɔˈrakaɪ|}}; sometimes shortened by non-natives as '''Bora'''{{efn|name=Bora|An [[exonym]], which locals of the island discourages and considers to be a pejorative.}}) is a [[resort island]] in the [[Western Visayas]] region of the [[Philippines]], located {{convert|0.8|km|sp=us}} off the northwest coast of [[Panay|Panay Island]]. It has a total land area of {{convert|10.32|km2|sp=us}}, under the jurisdiction of three [[barangay]]s in [[Malay, Aklan|Malay]], [[Aklan]], and had a population of 37,802 in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=Municipality of Malay (2020)|url=https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psgc/barangays/0600412000|website=Philippine Statistics Authority|accessdate=2025-05-07}}</ref>

Boracay was originally inhabited by the [[Tumandok|Panay Bukidnon]] and [[Ati people|Ati]] people, but commercial development has led to their severe marginalization since the 1970s.<ref name="ResabalVeraFiles2018"/><ref name="AnganGMA7AtiIP">{{Cite web |last=Angan |first=Joseph |date=June 21, 2013 |title=Beyond the beach: The untold story of Boracay's Ati tribe |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/313920/lifestyle/artandculture/beyond-the-beach-the-untold-story-of-boracay-s-ati-tribe/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816005456/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/313920/beyond-the-beach-the-untold-story-of-boracay-s-ati-tribe/story |archive-date=August 16, 2017 |access-date=July 11, 2022 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Boracay S2-2020.jpg|thumb|Boracay island from space]] 
Apart from its white sand beaches, Boracay is also famous for being one of the world's top destinations for relaxation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boracay is top place for relaxation: poll |url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/01/03/13/boracay-top-place-relaxation-poll |access-date=February 21, 2013 |publisher=ABS-CBN News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Boracay beats Asian favourites to take crown as top destination |url=http://goodnewspilipinas.com/2013/01/04/boracay-beats-asian-favourites-to-take-crown-as-top-destination/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030230256/http://goodnewspilipinas.com/2013/01/04/boracay-beats-asian-favourites-to-take-crown-as-top-destination/ |archive-date=October 30, 2013 |access-date=February 21, 2013 |publisher=Good News Pilipinas}}</ref> {{as of|2013}}, it was emerging among the top destinations for tranquility and nightlife.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Relaxation, nightlife both more fun in Boracay |url=http://ph.news.yahoo.com/relaxation--nightlife-both-more-fun-in-boracay-102853423.html |access-date=February 21, 2013 |publisher=Yahoo! Philippines}}</ref>

International travel magazine ''[[Travel + Leisure]]'' ranked Boracay as the Best Island in the World in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boracay named 2012 worlds best island |url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/07/06/12/boracay-named-2012-worlds-best-island |access-date=February 21, 2013 |publisher=ABS-CBN News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BORACAY named 2012 No.1 World's Best Island |url=http://boracaylive.com/boracay/worlds-best-island/ |access-date=February 21, 2013 |publisher=Boracay Beach Live |archive-date=January 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124192551/http://boracaylive.com/boracay/worlds-best-island/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2014, the resort island was at the top of the "Best Islands in the World" list published by the international magazine ''[[Condé Nast Traveler]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=October 20, 2014 |title=The Best Islands in the World |url=http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-10-20/top-30-islands-in-the-world-readers-choice-awards-2014 |journal=Conde Nast Traveler}}</ref> In 2016, Boracay headed the magazine's list of "Top 10 destinations to watch".<ref>{{Cite journal |title=TOP 10 DESTINATIONS TO WATCH IN 2016 |url=http://www.cntraveller.com/recommended/itineraries/best-travel-destinations-2016/page/boracay,-philippines |journal=Conde Nast Traveler |access-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

In April 2018, the Philippine government, under [[President of the Philippines|President]] [[Rodrigo Duterte]], decreed [[2018 Boracay closure and redevelopment|a six-month closure]] of the island for tourists to undertake major renovation works, especially of the sewage system, which had become obsolete and insufficient.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Philippines approves six-month closure of Boracay from April (VIDEO) - Malay Mail |url=http://www.themalaymailonline.com/travel/article/philippines-approves-six-month-closure-of-boracay-from-april |website=www.themalaymailonline.com}}</ref> The island was administered by the Boracay Inter-agency Task Force during the closure.{{efn|The term of the task force expired on May 8, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2020 |title=Executive Order No. 115 |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2020/05may/20200511-EO-115-RRD.pdf |publisher=Office of the President of the Philippines}}</ref> {{as of|2021|3}}, it was reported to have been seeking a one-year extension.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 19, 2021 |title=Boracay task force seeks one-year extension |work=Philippine News Agency |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1134118}}</ref>}} It reopened in October 2018, with a new set of rules meant to address a variety of issues, and help control tourist growth in the  future. Under the new rules, the Boracay beachfront was cleared of masseuses, bonfires, beach vendors and sunset bonfires. Buildings were bulldozed and beach businesses set back to create a 30 metre buffer zone from the waterline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The new-Boracay opens with a whole new set of rules |url=https://thethaiger.com/thai-life/travel/the-new-boracay-opens-with-a-whole-new-set-of-rules |website=thethaiger.com|date=October 28, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=PNP: ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR BORACAY REOPENING |work=League Online News |url=https://leagueonlinenews.com/news/pnp-all-systems-go-for-boracay-reopening/ |access-date=November 6, 2018}}</ref>

The Boracay [[Ati-Atihan festival|Ati-atihan]] in January 2024 witnessed a record-breaking number of tourists, with 36,741 people participating in the event. This festival, which celebrates the cultural heritage of the Ati [[Indigenous peoples|indigenous people]], has been a major draw for tourists and is set to be elevated as a major tourism attraction for the island starting in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=G |first=Herbie |date=2024-01-19 |title=Boracay Ati-atihan 2024 sees record-breaking number of tourists |url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/visayas/boracay-ati-atihan-sees-record-breaking-number-tourists-january-2024/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=RAPPLER |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The name ''Boracay'' is attributed to different origins. The first one that came from the [[Ati people]] says that the name of the island came from the [[Inati language|Inati]] words "bora", meaning bubbles, and "bocay", meaning white.<ref name="ati">{{cite news|last1=Clavecillas|first1=Joyce|title=Paradise lost: Ati natives dread Boracay closure|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/focus/02/26/18/paradise-lost-ati-natives-dread-boracay-closure|access-date=April 5, 2018|work=ABS-CBN News|date=February 26, 2018}}</ref> Another theory suggests that the name is derived from the local word 'borac,' which means 'white cotton,' referencing the color and texture of Boracay's white, sugary, and powdery sand.<ref name=historicallydigitized>Historically Digitized, [https://www.academia.edu/1524192/etymology_boracay_island_Source Ro Isla it Buruanga].</ref> Yet another version dating back to the Spanish era says the name is derived from "sagay", the word for a shell, and "boray", the word for seed.<ref name=historicallydigitized/>

The island is sometimes referred to as simply "Bora" by outsiders for convenience. However locals including tourism stakeholders have highly discouraged the use of the name which is widely considered to be [[derogatory]] or disrespectful.<ref name=groups-frown>{{cite news |title=Boracay groups frown on 'Bora' use in tourism campaigns |url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/visayas/boracay-groups-frown-bora-use-tourism-campaigns-august-21-2023/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=Rappler |date=12 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612194327/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/visayas/boracay-groups-frown-bora-use-tourism-campaigns-august-21-2023/|archive-date=12 June 2024}}</ref><ref name=notboraroque>{{cite news |last1=Burgos |first1=Nestor Jr. |title=It's Boracay, not Bora, folk tell Roque |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/980550/its-boracay-not-bora-folk-tell-roque |access-date=2 December 2024 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=6 April 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Malasig |first1=Jeline |title='Please, it's not Bora': Plea to call Boracay as it is resurfaces online |url=https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2023/02/09/242430/not-bora-boracay-calls-online/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=Interaksyon |date=9 February 2023}}</ref><ref name=aquino-boracay>{{cite news |last1=Burgos |first1=Nestor Jr. |title=Aquino told: It's Boracay, not Bora |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/18094/aquino-told-it%E2%80%99s-boracay-not-bora |access-date=2 December 2024 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=26 June 2011 |language=en}}</ref> Among the reasons include to distinguish Boracay from the island of [[Bora Bora]] of the [[French Polynesia]].<ref name=groups-frown/><ref name=aquino-boracay/>

The municipal government of [[Malay, Aklan|Malay]] passed an ordinance in February 2011, mandating its municipal licensing office to refuse licenses to businesses seeking to operate under a name including "Bora" rather than "Boracay". Usage of the diminutive is also prohibited in promotional materials and business activities.<ref name=notboraroque/><ref name=aquino-boracay/>

==History==
===Pre-colonial period===
Before the [[History of the Philippines (1521–1898)#Spanish colonization|Spanish colonization]] of the Philippines in the 16th century, Boracay was populated by Ati people. It was known to the Iberians as ''Buracay''. At the time of contact with the Europeans, ''Buracay'' had a population of one hundred people, who cultivated rice on the island and augmented their income by raising goats.<ref>Miguel de Loarca, Relacion de las Yslas Filipinas (Arevalo: June 1782) in BLAIR, Emma Helen & ROBERTSON, James Alexander, eds. (1903). The Philippine Islands, 1493–1803. Volume 05 of 55 (1582–1583). Historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord BOURNE. Cleveland, Ohio: Arthur H. Clark Company. {{ISBN|978-0554259598}}. OCLC 769945704. "Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century.", p. 75.</ref>

The [[Tumandok|Tumandok people]] also established an indigenous presence on the island,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://jacobimages.com/2016/01/the-ati-tumandok-people-of-panay-island | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124201703/https://jacobimages.com/2016/01/the-ati-tumandok-people-of-panay-island | archive-date=January 24, 2016 | title=The Ati & Tumandok People of Panay Island &#124; Travel Photographer Jacob Maentz | date=January 19, 2016 }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2022}} although the identities of the two indigenous peoples is often conflated.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} A 1905 report by the [[Taft Commission|Philippine Commission]] documented the continuing presence of both groups on the island. referred to there as "Buracay".<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xtMtAAAAIAAJ |title=Report of the Philippine Commission to the Secretary of War | publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office | year=1906 | access-date=2024-08-16 | page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=xtMtAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA420 420] }}</ref>

===Contemporary period===
====As an agricultural island====
Boracay was previously part of the province of [[Capiz]]. It was under the jurisdiction of the town of [[Buruanga]] until the municipality of [[Malay, Aklan|Malay]] was established on June 15, 1949.<ref name="RA381">{{cite PH act|chamber=RA|number=381|title=An Act Creating the Municipality of Malay in the Province of Capiz|url=https://thecorpusjuris.com/legislative/republic-acts/ra-no-381.ph|access-date=August 14, 2022|date=June 15, 1949}}</ref> The municipality, as well as the island, became part of [[Aklan]], which became an independent province on April 25, 1956.<ref name="panublion">{{cite web |url=http://www.admu.edu.ph/offices/mirlab/panublion/r6_aklantour.html 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927162443/http://www.admu.edu.ph/offices/mirlab/panublion/r6_aklantour.html
|archive-date=September 27, 2011|title=Aklan Tour |publisher=Panublion Heritage Site |access-date=June 12, 2007}}<!-- supports assertion that Boracay is part of Aklan --></ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140529164859/http://aklan.gov.ph/aklan02_profile.php Our Province Aklan Historical Background] (archived from [ the original] on May 29, 2014), The Provincial Government of Aklan Official Website supports assertion that Boracay is part of Aklan and creation date of Aklan province --></ref><ref name="RA1414">{{cite PH act|chamber=RA|number=1414|title=An Act To Create the Province of Aklan| url=https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1956/ra_1414_1956.html |accessdate=August 14, 2022|date=April 25, 1956}}</ref>

Before the advent of tourism, Boracay was largely an agricultural community.<ref name=governance>{{cite web |last1=Trousdale |first1=William |title=Governance in Context: Boracay Island, Philippines |url=https://dirp4.pids.gov.ph/popn_pub/governance_boracay.pdf |access-date=June 6, 2018|page=7}}</ref> Around 1910, Sofía Gonzáles Tirol and her husband Lamberto Hontiveros Tirol (a town judge on the Panay mainland) took ownership of substantial properties on the island. They planted coconuts, fruit trees and greenery. Others followed the Tirols, and cultivation and development of the island gradually spread.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ia803100.us.archive.org/27/items/SomeOldNewsclippingsAboutBoracay/Greener1.jpg|title=The Woman Behind the Greening of Boracay]|magazine=The Sunday Times Magazine|date=November 1987|author=Nick I. Martevia=Archive.org}}</ref> The production of [[copra]] and fishing were major industries in the island.

However, due to overharvesting by fishers and the destruction of coral reefs due to [[cyanide fishing]], the fishing industry saw a decline. By the 1980s, the price of copra had declined, encouraging tourism as an alternative source of income for the island.<ref name="governance" />

====Dispossession from the Ati and other residents during Martial Law====
{{Main|Ati people|Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos|Human rights abuses of the Marcos dictatorship}}
On Nov. 10, 1978, six years after the declaration of [[Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos]], 65 Philippine islands including Boracay was declared "tourist zones and marine reserves" without any mention of the status of the Ati who were the original residents of the island.<ref>https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/997554/boracay-rehab-magnifies-land-ownership-issue{{Cite web |last=Burgos |first=Nestor P. Jr. |date=2018 |title=Boracay rehab magnifies land ownership issue |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/997554/boracay-rehab-magnifies-land-ownership-issue |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240806234152/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/997554/boracay-rehab-magnifies-land-ownership-issue |archive-date=2024-08-06 |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite PH act|chamber=PP|number=1801, s. 1978|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1978/11/10/proclamation-no-1801-s-1978/|title=Declaring certain islands, coves and peninsulas in the Philippines as tourist zones and marine reserve under the administration and control of the Philippine Tourism Authority|date=November 10, 1978}}</ref>  This de facto dispossession of Ati lands on Boracay by Marcos<ref name="Neef2019">{{Cite book |last=Neef |first=Andreas |title=Tourism, land grabs and displacement: the darker side of the feel-good industry |date=2021 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-429-34072-7 |series=Routledge studies in global land and resource grabbing |location=Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY}}</ref> placed the islands under the control of the Philippine Tourism Authority, and marked the beginning of rapid development on the island. In turn, this resulted in the further marginalization of the Boracay Ati for decades.<ref>https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/313920/beyond-the-beach-the-untold-story-of-boracay-s-ati-tribe/story/{{Cite web |last=ANGAN |first=JOSEPH |date=2013 |title=Beyond the beach: The untold story of Boracay's Ati tribe |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/313920/beyond-the-beach-the-untold-story-of-boracay-s-ati-tribe/story/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250623023627/https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/313920/beyond-the-beach-the-untold-story-of-boracay-s-ati-tribe/story/ |archive-date=2025-06-23 |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}</ref>

====Influx of tourism (1970s to 1997)====
[[File:Boracay, 1985 (8758953461).jpg|thumb|Tourists in Boracay, 1985]]
Tourism came to the island beginning sometime in the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aroundgrandmasrockingchair.com/?page_id=84|title=aroundgrandmasrockingchair.com|access-date=January 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319210610/http://aroundgrandmasrockingchair.com/?page_id=84|archive-date=March 19, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=100 Resorts in the Philippines: Places with a Heart |author=Grele, Dominique |author2=Lily Yousry-Jouve |year=2004 |publisher=Asiatype, Inc. |isbn=971-91719-7-9 |page=225}}</ref> In 1970, the movies ''[[Nam's Angels]]'' (released in the U.S. as ''The Losers'') and ''[[Too Late the Hero (film)|Too Late the Hero]]'' used filming locations on Boracay and Caticlan.<ref>As a filming location
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066471/locations Filming locations for ''Too Late the Hero'' (1971)], [[Internet Movie Database]].</ref> There was an influx of Western tourists after German writer Jens Peter called it "paradise on Earth" in his book about the Philippines in 1978.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/the-latest-news-features/70338/philippine-beaches-old-photos-a125-20170605-lfrm|title=These Vintage Photos of Philippine Beaches Are a Trip Back in Time|publisher=Spot|last=de Guzman|first=Nicai|date=June 6, 2017|access-date=June 5, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rappler.com/business/199883-boracay-closure-mega-developments-casinos-resorts|title=LIST: Planned developments in Boracay|publisher=Rappler|last=Dela Paz|first=Chrisee|date=April 10, 2018|access-date=June 5, 2018}}</ref> In the 1980s, the island became popular as a budget destination for [[backpacking (travel)|backpackers]].<ref name="panublion"/> By the 1990s, Boracay's beaches were being acclaimed as the best in the world.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/SomeOldNewsclippingsAboutBoracay| title=Boracay Tops World's Best Beaches|newspaper=The Philippine Star|date=February 16, 1990| publisher=Internet Archive}}</ref> However, in 1997, tourist arrivals to the resort island dropped 60 percent due to the increase of [[coliform bacteria]] from poor sewage and septic systems on the island.<ref name="whatwentbefore">{{cite news|title=WHAT WENT BEFORE: Boracay's environmental issues|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/968277/what-went-before-boracays-environmental-issues|access-date=February 18, 2018|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=February 13, 2018}}</ref>

====1997 to 2018====
[[File:Boracay view from Mount Luho 2012-10-27.jpg|thumb|View of Boracay from Mount Luho, October 2012]]
The condition of Boracay in 1997 led to the installment of a potable water supply system, a sewage treatment plant and a solid waste disposal system, operated by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA). The connection of businesses and households to the system was not universal, and environmental problems persisted.<ref name="whatwentbefore"/>

Then-president [[Gloria Macapagal Arroyo]] declared Boracay a Special Tourism Zone in 2005, and in April 2006 she gave the PTA administrative control over the island while mandating the agency to coordinate with the provincial government of [[Aklan]].<ref name="whatwentbefore"/>

In 2012, the [[Department of Tourism (Philippines)|Philippine Department of Tourism]] reported that Boracay had been named the world's second best beach after [[Providenciales]] in the [[Turks and Caicos Islands]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=772282&publicationSubCategoryId=473| archive-url=https://archive.today/20130208163326/http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=772282&publicationSubCategoryId=473| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 8, 2013| title=Boracay named world's 2nd best beach| author=Mayen Jaymalin| date=January 29, 2012| newspaper=The Philippine Star}}</ref>

====2018 closure and rehabilitation====
{{Main|2018 Boracay closure and redevelopment}}
[[File:Boracay Cleanup EMB DENR R6.jpg|thumb|Cleanup of Boracay in 2018]]
Due to worsening environmental conditions in Boracay, President [[Rodrigo Duterte]] in February 2018 said he planned to close the resort island, which he described as a "cesspool", on April 26, 2018, instructing [[Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (Philippines)|Environment and Natural Resources Secretary]] [[Roy Cimatu]] to resolve the issue.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gita|first1=Ruth Abbey|title=Duterte wants to shut down Boracay|url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2018/02/10/duterte-wants-shut-down-boracay-588243|access-date=February 18, 2018|work=Sun Star Manila|date=February 10, 2018}}</ref> In a cabinet meeting, President Duterte approved the full closure of the island for six months, effective April 26, 2018, to rehabilitate and resolve the environmental issues surrounding Boracay.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/04/04/18/boracay-closed-for-6-months-starting-april-26-says-roque|title=Boracay closed for 6 months starting April 26, says Roque|publisher=[[ABS-CBN News]]|last=Placid|first=Dharel|date=April 4, 2018|access-date=April 5, 2018}}</ref> On May 30, 2018, President Duterte declared that he planned to make the entire Boracay a land reform area and wanted to first prioritize the island's residents.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/995877/duterte-puts-entire-boracay-island-under-land-reform|title=Duterte puts entire Boracay Island under land reform|date=May 30, 2018|newspaper=The Philippine Inquirer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/06/13/18/duterte-original-residents-may-sell-awarded-boracay-land-to-big-businesses|title=Duterte: Original residents may sell awarded Boracay land to big businesses|date=June 13, 2018|newspaper=ABS-CBN News}}</ref>

In April 2018, the [[Philippine Army]]'s 301st Infantry Brigade confirmed that 200 soldiers were deployed to Boracay to secure the island during its shutdown starting April 26.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/region/2018/04/24/1808909/soldiers-sent-secure-boracay|title=Soldiers sent to secure Boracay|date=April 24, 2018|newspaper=Philippine Star}}</ref>

On October 26, 2018, Boracay was reopened to the public with work on the island's infrastructure still in progress.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rappler.com//nation/215180-boracay-now-open-october-26-2018|title=Boracay Island now open|first=Aika|last=Rey|website=Rappler|date=October 25, 2018 }}</ref> In April 2019, numerous Chinese-owned businesses were opened in Boracay,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/video/news/04/16/19/chinese-businesses-pop-up-in-boracay-after-island-reopens|title=Chinese businesses pop up in Boracay after island reopens|website=ABS-CBN News}}</ref> and additionally, there are about 300 mainland Chinese residents.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/04/17/19/local-official-confirms-chinese-workers-businesses-operating-in-boracay|title=Local official confirms Chinese workers, businesses operating in Boracay|website=ABS-CBN News}}</ref> In April 2019, [[Secretary of Labor and Employment (Philippines)|Labor Secretary]] [[Silvestre Bello III]] said that the Department of Labor and Employment has no control over foreign businesses setting up shop on the island, but that it vows to ensure that no Chinese national could take jobs fit for Filipinos.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/04/17/19/wala-tayong-magagawa-dole-says-no-control-over-chinese-businesses-in-boracay|title=Wala tayong magagawa: DOLE says no control over Chinese businesses in Boracay|website=ABS-CBN News}}</ref>

Efforts to maintain the pristine condition of the beaches and the introduction of environmentally-friendly practices such as the use of biodegradable products and electric tricycles have significantly contributed to the island's recovery. The absence of plastic and a renewed focus on sustainability were key highlights of introduced in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-01 |title=15 things to know before going to Boracay, Philippines — 2024 |url=https://tripwis.com/things-to-know-before-visiting-boracay-philippines/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=TripWis |language=en-US}}</ref>

Following the Boracay cleanup, Duterte distributed 623 certificates of land-ownership awards covering {{convert|274|ha}} of land in Boracay and Aklan to the area's [[Ati people|Ati]] inhabitants and other beneficiaries.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Domingo |first1=Katrina |last2=Placido |first2=Dharel |date=November 8, 2018 |title=Duterte distributes land to Ati tribe in Boracay |work=[[ABS-CBN News]] |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/08/18/duterte-distributes-land-to-ati-tribe-in-boracay |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121085517/https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/08/18/duterte-distributes-land-to-ati-tribe-in-boracay |archive-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref>

==== 2020 COVID-19 pandemic ====
The municipality of Malay, including Boracay island, was closed to tourism effective March 19, 2020, in response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name=abccbn20200318>{{cite news|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/03/18/20/boracay-bans-tourists-due-to-covid-19-coronavirus-fears|title=Boracay bans tourists due to coronavirus fears|date=March 18, 2020|newspaper=ABS-CBN News}}</ref> The island would eventually be re-opened to tourists with COVID-19 protocols implemented as a cautionary measure.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Department of Tourism-Philippines|url=http://www.tourism.gov.ph/news_features/BoracayReopensHeraldsSafeGradualRevival.aspx|access-date=March 2, 2021|website=www.tourism.gov.ph}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aklan.gov.ph/guide-for-tourists/|title=Guide for Tourists Going to Boracay Island &#124; The Official Website of Aklan Province|accessdate=December 18, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Arnaldo|first=Ma Stella F.|date=February 2, 2021|title=Hue Boracay 'followed correct protocols' — hotel sources|url=https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/02/02/hue-boracay-followed-correct-protocols-hotel-sources/|access-date=March 2, 2021|website=BusinessMirror|language=en-US}}</ref>

====Revocation of Ati families' CLOA====
Under the [[Bongbong Marcos administration]] in late March 2024, the [[Department of Agrarian Reform]] (DAR), upon the request of private land developers, cancelled the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) of five lots in Boracay owned by Ati indigenous peoples. The lots, which were awarded by the Duterte administration to the Ati members in 2018, had been barricaded by armed men, who cited a March 5, 2024 decision by the DAR concluding that the land awarded was "not suitable for agriculture". The Boracay Ati Tribal Organization (BATO) later urged the [[Commission on Human Rights (Philippines)|Commission on Human Rights]] to intervene in the dispute, leading DAR Secretary [[Conrado Estrella III]] to order the distribution of land to the affected Ati members, albeit to a yet undisclosed location.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Marzan |first1=Joey |title=Ati families face forced eviction from disputed Boracay land |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1923859/ati-families-face-forced-eviction-in-disputed-boracay-land |access-date=1 April 2024 |newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]] |date=28 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240328180658/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1923859/ati-families-face-forced-eviction-in-disputed-boracay-land |archive-date=March 28, 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Mia |title=DAR chief orders allocation of land to displaced Ati in Boracay |url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/visayas/department-agrarian-reform-government-land-displaced-boracay-ati/ |access-date=1 April 2024 |work=[[Rappler]] |date=27 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327155504/https://www.rappler.com/nation/visayas/department-agrarian-reform-government-land-displaced-boracay-ati/ |archive-date=March 27, 2024}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Ph locator aklan boracay.png|190px|thumb|Location of Boracay in [[Aklan]] province of [[Panay Island]]]]
[[File:Puka Beach Boracay - panoramio - Tuderna (2).jpg|thumb|left|Puka Beach on the northern shore of Boracay]]
Boracay Island is located {{convert|0.8|km|sp=us}} off the northwest corner of the mainland [[Panay Island|Panay]] and belongs to the province of [[Aklan]] in the [[Western Visayas]] region, or Region VI, of the Philippines. It is {{convert|50|km|sp=us}} northwest of the provincial capital, [[Kalibo]]; {{convert|150|km}} northwest of the regional capital, [[Iloilo City]]; and {{convert|200|nmi|km|-1}} southeast of the national capital, [[Manila]]. The island is approximately seven kilometers long, dog-bone shaped, with the narrowest spot being less than one kilometer wide, and has a total land area of {{convert|10.32|km2|sp=us}} and an approximate perimeter 23 kilometers (14.7&nbsp;mi).

South-facing Cagban Beach is located across a small strait from the jetty port at [[Malay, Aklan|Caticlan]] on Panay Island, and the Cagban jetty port serves as Boracay's main entry and exit point during most of the year. When wind and sea conditions dictate, east-facing Tambisaan Beach serves as an alternative entry and exit point.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131213052633/http://www.boracayisland.org/?page_id=18 History & Geography | Boracay Island | Boracay's Official Tourism SiteBoracay Island | Boracay's Official Tourism Site<!-- Bot generated title -->] (archived from [http://www.boracayisland.org/?page_id=18 the original] on December 13, 2013)</ref>
Boracay's two primary tourism beaches, White Beach and Bulabog Beach, are located on opposite sides of the island's narrow central area. White Beach faces westward and Bulabog Beach faces eastward. The island also has several other beaches.

White Beach, the main tourism beach, is about {{convert|4|km|sp=us}} long and is lined with resorts, hotels, lodging houses, restaurants, and other tourism-related businesses. In the central portion, for about two kilometers, there is a footpath known as the Beachfront Path separating the beach itself from the establishments located along it. North and south of the Beachfront Path, beachfront establishments do literally front along the beach itself. Several roads and paths connect the Beachfront Path with Boracay's Main Road, a vehicular road which runs the length of the island. At the extreme northern end of White Beach, a footpath runs around the headland there and connects White Beach with Diniwid Beach.{{efn|Paving of the main road was begun in about 1997 and completed in several phases. As vehicular traffic increased, a multi-phase circumferential road project was begun.. Phases 1 and 2 were completed in December 2020, covering {{convert|7.83|km|abbr=on}} of the {{convert|21.64|km|abbr=on}} prohect and including improvements to other existing roadways .<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dpwh.gov.ph/DPWH/news/20899|title=Villar Opens Boracay Circumferential Road Phase 1, 2|date=December 4, 2020|publisher=Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways}}</ref>}}

Bulabog Beach, across the island from White Beach, is the second most popular tourism beach on the island and Boracay's main [[windsurfing]] and [[kitesurfing|kiteboarding]] area.

Boracay is divided for land use and conservation purposes into {{convert|400|ha}} reserved forestland and {{convert|628.96|ha}} agricultural land.<ref>[http://www.gmanews.tv/story/126064/Boracay-to-be-developed-as-forest-land--DENR-official Boracay to be developed as forest land – DENR official], gmanews.tv</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.supremecourt.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2008/october2008/167707.htm|title=G.R. No. 167707 and G.R. No. 173775, The Secretary of DENR vs. Mayor Jose Yap, Dr. Orlando Sacay vs. The Secretary of DENR, October 8, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011082522/http://www.supremecourt.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2008/october2008/167707.htm|archive-date=October 11, 2008}}</ref><ref>[http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20081008-165365/SC-affirms-Proclamation-1064-on-Boracay SC affirms Proclamation 1064 on Boracay] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010190715/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20081008-165365/SC-affirms-Proclamation-1064-on-Boracay |date=October 10, 2008 }}, inquirer.net</ref><ref>Jay B. Rempillo, [https://www.academia.edu/1081059/Except_for_Titled_Properties_Boracay_is_owned_by_the_State], Supreme Court of the Philippines.</ref><ref>{{cite PH act|chamber=EO|number=706, s. 2008|date=January 18, 2008|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2008/01/18/executive-order-no-706-s-2008/|title=Mandating the Secretary of Tourism to exercise the administration and control mandate of the Philippine Tourism Authority over Boracay Island and For Other Purposes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism.gov.ph/Pages/20130504Boracayestablishmentsheedthecallforvoluntaryredevelopment.aspx/ |title=Boracay establishments heed the call for voluntary redevelopment |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060800/http://www.tourism.gov.ph/Pages/20130504Boracayestablishmentsheedthecallforvoluntaryredevelopment.aspx/ |archive-date=September 21, 2013 }}</ref>

===Governance===
The [[Malay, Aklan#Barangays|three barangays comprising Boracay island]], Balabag, Manoc-Manoc, and Yapak, are part of the municipality of [[Malay, Aklan|Malay]] in the province of [[Aklan]]. 
{{Clear}}

===Climate===
[[File:Boracay sketch map 2.png|180px|thumb|Map of Boracay Island.]]
Weather in Boracay is generally divided into two seasonal weather patterns known locally as the [[Amihan]] and Habagat seasons. In the [[Visayan language]], ''Amihan'' means ''a cool northeast wind'', and ''Habagat'' means ''west or southwest wind; southwest monsoon''.<ref name="L_EnglishDict">
{{cite book
  | last = English
  | first = Fr. Leo James
  | title = Tagalog-English Dictionary
  | publisher = Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer
  | year = 2004
  | isbn = 971-08-4357-5
  | location = Manila}} (19th printing)
</ref>
The Amihan season is characterized by moderate temperatures, little or no rainfall, and a prevailing wind from the northeast. The Habagat season is characterized by hot and humid weather, frequent heavy rainfall, and a prevailing wind from the west.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pgyc.org/monsoon-weather.php|title=Habagat Amihan Northeast Southwest: What Is Monsoon Weather?|publisher=Puerto Galera Yacht Club}}</ref>

On Boracay, the main indicator of the switch between the Amihan and Habagat seasonal patterns is the switch in wind direction. In most years this transition is abrupt and occurs overnight. In some years there is a period of perhaps a week or two where the wind will switch between Amihan and Habagat patterns several times before settling into the pattern for the new season. As a rule of thumb, Boracay will be in the Amihan weather pattern from sometime in October to sometime in March and in the Habagat weather pattern for the remainder of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines/weather|title=Philippines : Weather|publisher=[[Lonely Planet]] (travel guidebook)|access-date=June 25, 2014|archive-date=September 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910081053/http://www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines/weather|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Temperatures in Malay municipality province generally ranged between {{convert|25|and|30|C|F}} in 2009&ndash;2019, with a low of {{convert|24|C}} in February 2014 and high of {{convert|31|C}} in October 2018, ranging more widely in 2019, with a low of {{convert|23|C}} in March and a high of {{convert|33|C}} in May.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Malay-weather-averages/Aklan/PH.aspx|title=Malay Monthly Climate Averages|website=worldweatheronline.com|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref>{{update after|2020}} During [[Tropical low|Tropical storm]] periods, temperatures can fall below {{convert|30|C}}. Tropical storms can impact Boracay at any time of year, but are most likely to be seen during the Habagat season.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://agora.ex.nii.ac.jp/digital-typhoon/reference/monthly/
|title=Monthly Typhoon Tracking Charts
|publisher=Digital Typhoon
|access-date=December 13, 2008
}}</ref>

==Environment==

The rapid growth of tourism has caused environmental damage on the island.<ref name="Spurrell">{{cite news |last1=Spurrell |first1=Megan |title=Boracay's Big Tourism Problem |url=https://www.cntraveler.com/story/boracays-big-tourism-problem |access-date=October 13, 2022 |work=Condé Nast Traveler |date=October 24, 2018}}</ref> ''[[Condé Nast Traveler]]'' magazine called Boracay "the poster child for overtourism".<ref name="Spurrell"/> ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' called Boracay an "island paradise ruined by tourism".<ref name="Tel_2018">{{cite news |last1=Morris |first1=Hugh |title=What's happening in Boracay, the island paradise ruined by tourism? |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/philippines/articles/boracay-closure-when-will-island-reopen |access-date=October 13, 2022 |work=The Telegraph |date=September 13, 2018}}</ref>

===Fauna===
[[File:1fish1.JPG|thumb|Fishes in Boracay]]
At least three species of [[flying foxes]] have been recorded to inhabit Boracay namely the [[giant golden-crowned flying fox]] (''Aceradon jubatus''), the giant fruit bat (''[[Pteropus vampyrus]]''), and the small flying fox (''[[Pteropus hypomelanus]]''). Their population is concentrated on the northern side of the island in Barangay Yapak,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Burgos|first1=Nestor Jr.|title=Boracay's other attraction: Flying foxes|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/52107/boracay%E2%80%99s-other-attraction-flying-foxes|access-date=February 18, 2018|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=September 2, 2011}}</ref> where the hunting of bats was made illegal through a local ordinance.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

According to the Coastal Ecosystem Conservation and Adaptive Management (CECAM), a study led by the [[Japan International Cooperation Agency]] conducted from 2010 to 2015 noted a 70.5 percent decrease of Boracay's [[coral]] cover from 1988 to 2011. The study attributed the increased drop in coral cover from 2008 to 2011 to the 38.4 percent increase of tourist arrivals combined with poorly monitored snorkeling activity in coral-rich areas.<ref name=cecam>{{cite news|last1=Ordinario|first1=Cai|title=70% of Boracay coral reefs gone after 23 years–study|url=https://businessmirror.com.ph/70-of-boracay-coral-reefs-gone-after-23-years-study/|access-date=February 18, 2018|work=Business Mirror|date=June 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name="coral70">{{cite news|last1=Gonzales|first1=Yuji|title=Tourism activities damage 70 percent of Boracay corals—study|url=http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/196069/tourism-activities-damage-70-percent-of-boracay-corals-study/|access-date=February 18, 2018|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=June 9, 2015}}</ref> The Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) made efforts to remedy the situation by launching a "refurbishment" program for the corals. In 2017, the BFI claimed the number of corals in Boracay increased from 15 to 20 percent since 2015 due to its project.<ref>{{cite news|title=Significant coral reef growth noted in Boracay|url=https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/05/13/significant-coral-reef-growth-noted-in-boracay/|access-date=February 18, 2018|work=Manila Bulletin|date=May 13, 2017}}</ref>

===Sanitation===
[[File:Boracay algal bloom April 2018.jpg|thumb|Algal bloom in Boracay on April 25, 2018, a day prior to the [[2018 Boracay closure|island's closure]]]]
Boracay has been experiencing an increased [[coliform bacteria]] population since the 1990s, which contributed to a 60 percent decline in tourist arrivals in 1997. Although a potable water supply system, a solid waste disposal system, as well as a sewage treatment plant which began operation in 2003 were installed to remedy the insufficient sewage and septic conditions in the island, environmental concerns regarding coliform bacteria persisted due to noncompliance of some business establishments in the island.<ref name="whatwentbefore"/>

In 2004, only 51 percent of hotels and restaurants in Boracay and 25 percent of all households were connected to the island's central sewage system. In 2005, Boracay was declared a "special tourism zone". In April 2006, Arroyo gave the PTA administrative control over Boracay, to be exercised in coordination with the provincial government. In 2009, [[Boracay Water|Boracay Island Water Co.]] (BIWC), won a contract to improve the supply of potable water and install an efficient sewerage system.<ref name="whatwentbefore"/>

Boracay has experienced abnormally high algae growth since February 2015, due to sewage being dumped into the waters surrounding the islands.<ref name="whatwentbefore"/> In early 2018, 50 to 60 percent of all establishments in Boracay were compliant to the Clean Water Act of 2004 according to the [[Department of Environment and Natural Resources]].<ref name="denrnotice51"/>

==Tourism==
[[File:Boracay Boat and Tourists.jpg|thumb|right|Local and foreign tourists in White Beach, Boracay with [[paraw]] sailboats in the background]]
[[File:Handmade T-shirts shop on Boracay island.jpg|thumb|A t-shirt shop in Boracay selling hand-made clothing featuring the island]]
Partly because of its wind and weather patterns, [[tourism]] in Boracay is at its peak during the ''[[amihan]]'' [[season]] (which generally starts around the Christmas season and runs through February<ref>{{cite news|url=https://opinion.inquirer.net/59373/amihan-and-habagat|title='Amihan' and 'habagat'newspaper=The Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=August 22, 2013}}</ref>). During ''amihan'', the prevailing wind blows from the east. Boracay's main tourism area, White Beach, is on the western side of the island and is sheltered from the wind. During the Amihan season, the water off White Beach is often glassy-smooth. On the eastern side of the island, hills on the northern and southern ends of the island channel the Amihan season wind from the east onshore, onto Bulabog Beach in the central part of the island's eastern side. This makes the [[reef]]-protected waters off that beach relatively safe<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boracayscubadivingsafety.com/boracay-diving-emergency-action-plan/|title=Boracay Scuba Diving Emergency Action Plan|date=June 12, 2017|publisher=Boracay Scuba Diving Safety|access-date=June 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828124138/http://www.boracayscubadivingsafety.com/boracay-diving-emergency-action-plan/|archive-date=August 28, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> and ideal for [[scuba diving]], [[windsurfing]], and [[kitesurfing|kiteboarding / kitesurfing]].

In June 2011, it was reported that [[Megaworld Corporation]], a real estate development group led by [[Andrew Tan]] had earmarked {{Philippine peso|20 billion|link=yes}} to develop tourism estates in Boracay and [[Cavite]]. The planned Boracay project, [[Boracay Newcoast]], involves four hotels with 1,500 rooms, a plaza and an entertainment center.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/06/30/11/alliance-global-unit-spend-p20-b-tourism-estates|title=Alliance Global unit to spend P20-B for tourism estates|date=June 30, 2011|publisher=ABS-CBN News}}</ref>

Other resorts in Boracay include Discovery Shores, a luxury [[Hotel rating#Philippines|five-star]] resort managed by a Filipino hospitality group called The Discovery Leisure Company Inc. and owned by Discovery World Corp.<ref name="conde">{{cite news|url=http://malaya.com.ph/business-news/special-features/discovery-shores-boracay-discovery-primea-win-cond%C3%A9-nast-johansens|title=Discovery Shores Boracay, Discovery Primea win Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence|date=January 19, 2018|access-date=July 4, 2018|publisher=Malaya}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/04/06/18/five-star-boracay-resorts-reassure-staff-clients-ahead-of-6-month-shutdown|title=Five star Boracay resorts reassure staff, clients ahead of 6-month shutdown|work=ABS-CBN News|access-date=July 8, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> The building, with 88 [[suite (hotel)|suites]], a [[spa]], and four restaurants and bars,<ref>{{cite news|title=Forgotten island the ultimate escape|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/international/3907649/Forgotten-island-the-ultimate-escape|access-date=July 4, 2018|work=Stuff|date=July 12, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Big Fat Hotel Wrap|url=http://www.travelweekly.com.au/article/big-fat-hotel-wrap-51/|access-date=July 4, 2018|work=Travel Weekly|date=June 29, 2017}}</ref> stands at Station One on the White Beach, and has been described as "more [[Miami]] [[chic]] than hidden oasis."<ref>{{cite news|title=Island in the sun: Where to live large on Boracay|url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/boracay-island-resorts/index.html|access-date=July 4, 2018|publisher=CNN Travel|date=January 5, 2018}}</ref>

The island has the highest density of merchants that accept [[bitcoin]] outside of [[El Salvador]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pouch.ph · Get on the Lightning Network. |url=https://pouch.ph/ |access-date=August 1, 2022 |website=Pouch.ph · Get on the Lightning Network. |language=en-US}}</ref> There is a movement to dub the island "Bitcoin Island" and bootstrap a circular economy similar to [[Bitcoin Beach]].

===Leisure activities===
Leisure activities available on or near Boracay include horseback riding, [[scuba diving]], [[diving helmet|helmet diving]], [[snorkeling]], [[windsurfing]], [[kitesurfing|kiteboarding]], cliff diving, [[parasailing]] and [[Banana boat (boat)|banana boat]].

[[File:Marine world being explored by a local tourist family in Boracay, June 2024.jpg|thumb|Marine world being explored by a local tourist family in Boracay, June 2024]]

Boracay is the site of an 18-hole par 72 [[golf]] course designed by [[Graham Marsh]].<ref>[https://archive.today/20130124232018/http://www.grahammarshgolfdesign.com/project-details.php?id_pro=7 Fairways & Bluewater Golf Resort], [http://www.grahammarshgolfdesign.com/ Graham Marsh Golf Design] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817100812/http://www.grahammarshgolfdesign.com/ |date=August 17, 2009 }}.</ref> In addition, {{as of|2010|lc=on}}, Boracay has in excess of 350 beach resorts offering more than 2,000 rooms ranging in quality from five-star to budget accommodation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.exploreiloilo.com/boracay-philippines|title=Boracay Island Guide for First Time Travelers|publisher=exploreiloilo.com|date=May 14, 2016}}</ref> In addition, Boracay offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs.

[[File:Sunset Boracay's Rock Willy's Beach Resort Philippines.jpg|thumb|Boracay's Willy's Rock]]

A [[landmark]] natural rock formation, Boracay's Rock, juts prominently directly in front of Willy's Beach Resort.

===Statistics===
According to the [[Department of Tourism (Philippines)|Department of Tourism]] of the Philippines, there was a recorded 1,725,483 visitors to Boracay in 2016. This was an increase of 250,000 from the previous year. Assuming the average length of stay of tourists to Boracay is three days, the number of tourists on the island each day was calculated at 14,182.<ref name="limittime">{{cite news|last1=Quintos|first1=Patrick|title=Time to limit number of tourists in Boracay: experts|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/focus/05/18/17/time-to-limit-number-of-tourists-in-boracay-experts|access-date=February 18, 2018|work=ABS-CBN News|date=May 18, 2017}}</ref> According to Malay municipal records more than two million tourists visited the island in 2017.<ref name="denrnotice51">{{cite news|title=DENR issues 51 notices of violation to erring Boracay establishments|url=http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/02/14/DENR-issues-51-notices-of-violations-to-erring-Boracay-establishments.html|access-date=February 18, 2018|work=CNN Philippines|date=February 15, 2018|archive-date=February 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219193908/http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/02/14/DENR-issues-51-notices-of-violations-to-erring-Boracay-establishments.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Boracay is aiming for 2.3 million tourist arrivals in 2024, a slight increase from 2023's target, indicating a robust interest in Boracay as a prime tourist destination.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cupin |first=Bea |date=2023-12-26 |title=Boracay eyes 2.3 million tourist arrivals in 2024 |url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/visayas/boracay-tourist-arrivals-target-2024/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |website=RAPPLER |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Marhaba Boracay===
In September 2024, tourism secretary [[Christina Frasco]] launched [[Megaworld]]'s {{cvt|850|m2}} Marhaba, a [[halal tourism]] [[cove]] in the Boracay Newcoast private beach in front of “Lapus-Lapus” rock formation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=  Rocamora|first1= Joyce Ann |title=PH unveils new Muslim white beach 'Marhaba Boracay'|url= https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1233047|accessdate=September 15, 2024 |work=[[Philippine News Agency]] |date=September 10, 2024}}</ref>

==Sports==
[[File:Boracay kitesurfing.jpg|thumb|[[Kitesurfers|Kite surfers]] in Boracay.]]
Boracay has been a competitive venue for the Asian Windsurfing Tour,<ref>[http://www.proteus-sports.com/products_awt.html The Asian Windsurfing Tour] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601034840/http://www.proteus-sports.com/products_awt.html |date=June 1, 2010 }}, Proteus Sports.</ref> with the week-long Boracay International Funboard Cup competition usually held in January on Bulabog Beach. {{As of|2009|12|alt=In 2010, the 2011 event dates were scheduled as January 24 &ndash; 29}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boracaywindsurfing.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121155057/http://www.boracaywindsurfing.com/|archivedate=January 21, 2010|title=boracaywindsurfing.com - boracaywindsurfing Resources and Information.|website=www.boracaywindsurfing.com}}</ref>{{update after|2011}} CNNGo, a division of [[CNN]] focused on travel/lifestyle/entertainment, selected the Boracay International Funboard Competition on the weekend of January 22–24 as one of its 52 weekend recommendations for 2010.<ref>[http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/none/52-weekends 52 Weekends: Go somewhere different every week] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122170513/http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/none/52-weekends |date=January 22, 2010 }}, CNN GO;<br />
^ Estan Cabigas, [http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/none/boracay-funboard-52-weekends-231035 January 22-24: Boracay International Funboard Cup] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121155512/http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/none/boracay-funboard-52-weekends-231035 |date=January 21, 2010 }}, CNN Go, January 18, 2010.</ref>

[[Dragon boat]] races are held annually in Boracay under the auspices of the [[Philippine Dragon Boat Federation]], with teams coming from around the Philippines and from other Asian nations to compete. The races usually take place sometime in April or May. The 2012 Boracay Edition of the PDBF International Club Crew Challenge was scheduled for April 26–28, 2012.<ref>[http://www.pdbf.com/?cat=4 PDBF International Club Crew Challenge: Boracay Edition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506184820/http://www.pdbf.com/?cat=4 |date=May 6, 2012 }} at [http://www.pdbf.com/ Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414113049/http://www.pdbf.com/ |date=April 14, 2012 }} of the [[Philippine Dragon Boat Federation]].</ref>{{update after|2012}}

The Boracay Open Asian Beach Ultimate Tournament, an [[Ultimate (sport)|ultimate frisbee]] event, with players coming from around the Philippines and from other international nations, has been held annually since 2003, usually in March or April.<ref>The ''Boracay Open Asian Beach Ultimate Tournament'' is organized by the {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140930182155/http://www.philippineultimate.org/ Philippine Ultimate Association]}}.</ref>

=== Asian Games Centennial Festival ===
Boracay was scheduled to host a special multi-sport event in 2013. At its 31st General Assembly in [[Macau]], the [[Olympic Council of Asia]] (OCA) decided to create the ''[[Asian Games]] Centennial Festival'' in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Oriental Games (later [[Far Eastern Championship Games]]).<ref>{{cite web|title=OCA General Assembly opens in Macau|url=http://www.ocasia.org/News/IndexNewsRM.aspx?WKegervtea33qPdVeA1Kfg==|publisher=OCA|access-date=November 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108074704/http://www.ocasia.org/News/IndexNewsRM.aspx?WKegervtea33qPdVeA1Kfg==|archive-date=January 8, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> The OCA awarded the hosting rights to the [[Philippines]] as it had been the host of the first [[Far Eastern Championship Games]] held in [[Manila]] 100 years earlier. The festival was to be held on Boracay in November 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.inquirer.net/8165/philippines-to-host-2013-asiad-centennial-games|title=Philippines to host 2013 Centennial Asian Games |date=July 20, 2011 |access-date=February 19, 2013 |publisher=Inquirer Sports}}</ref> However, it had to be rescheduled and relocated because of [[Typhoon Haiyan]], with the ceremony eventually taking place at the Sofitel Plaza in Manila on January 17, 2014. The 32nd OCA General Assembly was to be held in conjunction with the games.<ref>{{cite web|title=OCA President describes Centennial Festival as symbol of solidarity|url=http://www.ocasia.org/News/IndexNewsRM.aspx?WKegervtea1i3flAXuM7/Q==|publisher=OCA|access-date=June 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205115752/http://www.ocasia.org/News/IndexNewsRM.aspx?WKegervtea1i3flAXuM7%2FQ=%3D|archive-date=February 5, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:Ati community in Boracay.jpg|thumb|The Ati community in Boracay]]
The first settlers of Boracay were a [[Negrito]] people called the [[Ati (Philippines)|Ati]], and who spoke a distinctive [[Philippine languages|Philippine language]] called [[Ati language (Philippines)|Inati]].<ref>{{Cite book
|title=Bridges to Communication: Language Power
|author=Mirla N. Cantalejo
|publisher=Rex Bookstore, Inc.
|isbn=978-971-23-5150-1
|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=XXsbJg7dWWwC&pg=PA52 52]
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XXsbJg7dWWwC
|access-date=June 25, 2014
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pennoyer |first=Douglas F. |date=1987 |title=Inati: the Hidden Negrito Language of Panay, Philippines |url=https://pssc.org.ph/wp-content/pssc-archives/Philippine%20Journal%20of%20Linguistics/1986-1987/03_Inati_%20The%20Hidden%20Negrito%20Language%20of%20Panay,%20Philippines.pdf |journal=Philippine Journal of Linguistics |volume=18/19 |pages=1–36}}</ref> Later settlers brought other languages to the island, including [[Aklanon languages|Aklanon]] (as Boracay is part of [[Aklan|Aklan province]]), [[Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon (Ilonggo)]], [[Kinaray-a language|Kinaray-a]], [[Capiznon language|Capiznon]], other [[Visayan languages]], [[Filipino language|Filipino]], and [[Philippine English|English]].

The well-known [[Ati-Atihan Festival]] takes place each January in [[Kalibo, Aklan|Kalibo]] on nearby [[Panay Island]]. A much smaller Ati-Atihan festival is celebrated in Boracay, usually in the second or third week of January. {{citation needed|date=December 2011}}

==Transportation==
[[File:Boracay Main Road (Malay, Aklan; 04-06-2024).jpg|thumb|Boracay Main Road in 2024]]
Boracay Island is separated from Panay Island by a narrow strait. The island is located opposite the barangay of [[Caticlan]] in the municipality of Malay, Aklan. Transportation across the strait is provided by boats operating from the Caticlan jetty port.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} Cagban Port serves as the primary sea transportation hub for passengers going into Boracay but the island lacks any formal seaport for cargo transport and waste disposal. Goods are delivered into Boracay through an informal port near the Cagban Port.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yap |first1=Tara |title=New port facility eyed in Boracay |url=https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/09/22/new-port-facility-eyed-in-boracay/ |access-date=September 23, 2018 |work=Manila Bulletin |date=September 22, 2018}}</ref>

Boracay is served by two airports in Aklan: the [[Kalibo International Airport]] and [[Godofredo P. Ramos Airport]] (commonly referred to as Caticlan airport or Boracay airport).

The three main modes of transport are via motor-tricycles and electric-tricycles (e-trikes) along the main road, or by walking along the beaches. Pedicabs, known as [[Cycle rickshaw#Philippines|sikads]], are also available along the Beachfront Path. Other means of transportation include [[mountain bike]]s, [[All-terrain vehicle|quadbike]]s and [[Motorcycle|motorbike]]s, all of which can be rented. It was reported in October 2018 that the island will see modern jeepneys, solar-powered shuttles, and hop-on hop-off buses serviced by [[Grab (company)|Grab]], and that the [[Philippine Department of Energy|Department of Energy]] will donate 200 e-trikes to the Malay local government under a {{Philippine peso|1.73 billion}} project funded by the [[Asian Development Bank]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rappler.com//nation/214382-e-trike-modern-jeepneys-buses-new-boracay-october-2018|title=LOOK: E-trike, modern vehicles for the 'new' Boracay|first=Aika|last=Rey|website=Rappler|date=October 15, 2018 }}</ref>

{{as of|2018}}, the municipal government of Malay was encouraging motorcycle operators to transition to e-trikes in their coordinated efforts to promote environment-friendly public transportation. Diesel-motor tricycles are expected to be phased out by August 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rappler.com//move-ph/208166-boracay-shifts-electric-tricycles-august-2018|title=Boracay shifts to e-tricycles by August|first=Pia|last=Miraflores|website=Rappler|date=July 26, 2018 }}</ref>

In 2019, [[San Miguel Corporation]] proposed a {{Convert|1.2|km|mi|abbr=|adj=on}} limited-access bridge to connect the island of Boracay to the mainland of Panay.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amojelar |first=Darwin G. |date=2019-09-19 |title=San Miguel pursuing plan on 1.2-km Boracay bridge |url=https://www.manilastandard.net/?p=305391 |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=Manila Standard |language=en-US}}</ref> As of February 2024, the unsolicited project proposal is under negotiation and has been included in the [[Department of Public Works and Highways]] (DPWH) funding for [[Public–private partnership|Public-Private Partnership]] (PPP) infrastructure projects.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) |title=Boracay Bridge Project |url=https://www.dpwh.gov.ph/dpwh/PPP/projs/boracay |access-date=2024-08-12 |work=Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Guardian |first=Daily |date=2024-08-02 |title=Boracay Bridge to get PPP funding in 2025 budget |url=https://dailyguardian.com.ph/boracay-bridge-to-get-ppp-funding-in-2025-budget/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=Daily Guardian |language=en-US}}</ref> Upon completion, travel time between [[Iloilo City]] and Boracay will be reduced to 2.5 hours from the current 6 to 7 hours through the bridge and the [[Iloilo–Capiz–Aklan Expressway]], both of which are part of the DPWH's PPP infrastructure projects.<ref>[https://iloilocity.gov.ph/main/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/A-Framework-for-Delivering-PPPs-as-Part-of-a-Broader-Infrastructure-Iloilo-Report-final-clean-Feb-16.pdf A Framework for Delivering PPPs as Part of a Broader Infrastructure Strategy]. ''iloilocity.gov.ph''. Retrieved 2024-08-06.</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-08-06 |title=Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway (ICAEx) {{!}} Department of Public Works and Highways |url=https://www.dpwh.gov.ph/dpwh/PPP/projs/icaex |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806042826/https://www.dpwh.gov.ph/dpwh/PPP/projs/icaex |archive-date=2024-08-06 |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=Department of Public Works and Highways}}</ref>

== Awards and recognition ==
Boracay Island earned the eighth spot in the annual [[Condé Nast Traveler]] (CNT) readers' choice awards for top islands to visit in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Siargao, Palawan, Boracay win spot in Condé Nast awards|url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1155745|access-date=October 28, 2021|website=www.pna.gov.ph|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Philippines}}
*[[Tourism in the Philippines]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite book
|title= Boracay Island: A case for reversing urban overdevelopment
|author1=Roselle Tenefrancia
|year=2010
|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/40625278/Boracay-Island-White-Paper-R-Tenefrancia-July-2010
|access-date= June 25, 2014
}}
* {{Cite book
|title= The history and cultural exchange of the Spaniards in the Filipino island of Boracay
|author=European Heritage Library
|author2=Sofia Lamberto
|year=2008
|url=http://euroheritage.net/spanishphilippines.shtml
}}
* {{Cite book
|title=Boracay Island from the eyes of an Ati
|author=Janess Ann J. Ellao
|author2=Michael Cruz
|name-list-style=amp|year=2012
|url=http://www.boracay.nfo.ph/boracay-island-from-the-eyes-of-an-ati/
|access-date=June 25, 2014
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219005456/http://www.boracay.nfo.ph/boracay-island-from-the-eyes-of-an-ati/
|archive-date=February 19, 2014
|url-status=dead
}}
* ''[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14616688.2011.590517?journalCode=rtxg20 Beyond the Beach: Balancing Environmental and Socio-cultural Sustainability in Boracay, the Philippines]'', by Lei Tin Jackie Ong, Donovan Storey and John Minnery. ''Tourism Geographies'', Volume 13, 2011.

==External links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
*{{OSM relation|958902}}
*[http://www.boracayisland.org 2012 website of the Boracay Foundation, Inc.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328021331/http://www.boracayisland.org/ |date=March 28, 2013 }}

{{Aklan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Boracay| ]]
[[Category:Beaches of the Philippines]]