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53-508: The name Buruanga came from the word Busuanga meaning "eruption" or "swell". Frequently harassed by inundations from the river, the early residents constructed earthen dams which were subsequently washed away. The people named the river "Busuanga," which later became the name of the Municipality. When the Spaniards arrived, they renamed Busuanga to Buruanga , or perhaps the change was purely

106-797: 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 . In 2012, the Philippine Department of Tourism reported that Boracay had been named the world's second best beach after Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands . Due to worsening environmental conditions in Boracay, President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2018 said he planned to close

159-418: A clerical error. The present municipality of Malay, including Boracay , was once a part of Buruanga. On June 15, 1949, the enactment of Republic Act 391 separated Malay from Buruanga to become an independent municipality. It was hit severely by typhoon Seniang on 9–10 December 2006, with much destruction and damage of homes and infrastructure. Buruanga is located at the western tip of Panay Island . It

212-437: A decline. By the 1980s, the price of copra had declined, encouraging tourism as an alternative source of income for the island. In 1978, President Ferdinand Marcos issued a proclamation naming Boracay among a number of islands, coves and peninsulas declared as tourist zones. Tourism came to the island beginning sometime in the 1970s. In 1970, the movies Nam's Angels (released in the U.S. as The Losers ) and Too Late

265-418: A few trees in spotted areas in barangay Santander. Buruanga also is home to 5 different species of seagrass identified including Cymodocea rotundata , Cymodocea serrulata , Halodule pinifolia , Halophila ovalis and Thalassia hemprichii . [REDACTED] Media related to Buruanga at Wikimedia Commons Boracay Boracay ( [bɔˈrakaɪ] ; often locally shortened to Bora )

318-765: A low of 23 °C (73 °F) in March and a high of 33 °C (91 °F) in May. During Tropical storm periods, temperatures can fall below 30 °C (86 °F). Tropical storms can impact Boracay at any time of year, but are most likely to be seen during the Habagat season. The rapid growth of tourism has caused environmental damage on the island. Condé Nast Traveler magazine called Boracay "the poster child for overtourism". The Daily Telegraph called Boracay an "island paradise ruined by tourism". At least three species of flying foxes have been recorded to inhabit Boracay namely

371-490: A major draw for tourists and is set to be elevated as a major tourism attraction for the island starting next year. The name Boracay is attributed to different origins. The island's indigenous Ati people say that the name of the island came from the Inati words "bora", meaning bubbles, and "bocay", meaning white. Another theory suggests that the name is derived from the local word 'borac,' which means 'white cotton,' referencing

424-492: A plaza and an entertainment center. Other resorts in Boracay include Discovery Shores, a luxury five-star resort managed by a Filipino hospitality group called The Discovery Leisure Company Inc. and owned by Discovery World Corp. The building, with 88 suites , a spa , and four restaurants and bars, stands at Station One on the White Beach, and has been described as "more Miami chic than hidden oasis." The island has

477-699: A portion of the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park which is contained within the municipalities of Buruanga, Malay , and Nabas in Aklan Province and Libertad and Pandan in Antique . The park is home to many important plant and animal species such as the Visayan leopard cat , the blue-necked parrot , the Visayan hornbill , and the roughneck monitor lizard . In 2011, several researchers from

530-438: 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. 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

583-496: 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. The Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) made efforts to remedy

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636-621: Is a genus of plants in the family Lythraceae . Formerly the Sonneratia were placed in a family called Sonneratiaceae which included both the Sonneratia and the Duabanga , but these two are now placed in their own monotypic subfamilies of the family Lythraceae . The genus was also named Blatti by James Edward Smith , but Sonneratia had botanical nomenclature priority . Sonneratia species are mangrove trees. The genus Sonneratia has

689-688: Is a resort island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines , located 0.8 kilometers (0.50 mi) off the northwest coast of Panay Island . It has a total land area of 10.32 square kilometers (3.98 sq mi), under the jurisdiction of three barangays in Malay , Aklan , and had a population of 37,802 in 2020. Boracay was originally inhabited by the Tumandok and Ati people, but commercial development has led to their severe marginalization since

742-615: Is a coastal town bounded on the north by Malay ; south by Libertad, Antique ; and west by the Cuyo East Pass of the Sulu Sea . It is 81 kilometres (50 mi) from the provincial capital Kalibo and 165 kilometres (103 mi) from San Jose de Buenavista . According to the Philippine Statistics Authority , the municipality has a land area of 88.50 square kilometres (34.17 sq mi)   constituting 4.86% of

795-483: 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. In September 2024, Secretary Christina Frasco launched Megaworld 's 850 m (9,100 sq ft) Marhaba, a halal tourism cove in the Boracay Newcoast private beach in front of “Lapus-Lapus” rock formation. Sonneratia Sonneratia

848-414: Is divided for land use and conservation purposes into 400 hectares (990 acres) of preserved forestland and 628.96 hectares (1,554.2 acres) of agricultural land. The three barangays comprising Boracay island , Balabag, Manoc-Manoc, and Yapak, are part of the municipality of Malay in the province of Aklan . Weather in Boracay is generally divided into two seasonal weather patterns known locally as

901-450: Is the site of an 18-hole par 72 golf course designed by Graham Marsh . In addition, as of 2010 , 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. A landmark natural rock formation, Boracay's Rock, juts prominently directly in front of Willy's Beach Resort. According to

954-454: The Amihan and Habagat seasons. In the Visayan language , Amihan means a cool northeast wind , and Habagat means west or southwest wind; southwest monsoon . 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

1007-654: The COVID-19 pandemic . The island would eventually be re-opened to tourists with COVID-19 protocols implemented as cautionary measure. 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

1060-471: The 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. According to Malay municipal records more than two million tourists visited the island in 2017. Boracay

1113-590: The United States Peace Corps conducted various biological assessments along the Buruanga coastline. It was found that Buruanga hosts 4 different species of mangroves including large tracts of nypa found in the barangays of Alegria, Balusbos, Poblacion, and Santander. Other species including pagatpat , bakawan , and piyapi are concentrated in Pagatpat Mangrove Park in barangay Panilongan with

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1166-529: 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, where the hunting of bats was made illegal through a local ordinance. According to the Coastal Ecosystem Conservation and Adaptive Management (CECAM),

1219-502: The 1,821.42-square-kilometre- (703.25 sq mi) total area of Aklan. There is one prevailing type of climate identified as Type I, two pronounced seasons which are dry from November to April and wet for the rest of the year. This is also true in all municipalities of Western Aklan such as Malay (excluding Boracay Island) and Nabas, as well as the Western portion of the municipalities bounding Antique. In these areas, including Buruanga,

1272-503: The 1970s. Apart from its white sand beaches, Boracay is also famous for being one of the world's top destinations for relaxation. As of 2013 , it was emerging among the top destinations for tranquility and nightlife. International travel magazine Travel + Leisure ranked Boracay as the Best Island in the World in 2012. In 2014, the resort island was at the top of the "Best Islands in

1325-557: The Amihan weather pattern from sometime in October to sometime in March and in the Habagat weather pattern for the remainder of the year. Temperatures in Malay municipality province generally ranged between 25 and 30 °C (77 and 86 °F) in 2009–2019, with a low of 24 °C (75 °F) in February 2014 and high of 31 °C (88 °F) in October 2018, ranging more widely in 2019, with

1378-511: 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. 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,

1431-468: 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. 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

1484-596: 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 to intervene in the dispute, leading DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III to order the distribution of land to

1537-568: The Europeans, Buracay had a population of one hundred people, who cultivated rice on the island and augmented their income by raising goats. The Tumandok people also established an indigenous presence on the island, although the identities of the two indigenous peoples is often conflated. A 1905 report by the Philippine Commission documented the continuing presence of both groups on the island. referred to there as "Buracay". Boracay

1590-454: The Hero used filming locations on Boracay and Caticlan. 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. In the 1980s, the island became popular as a budget destination for backpackers . By the 1990s, Boracay's beaches were being acclaimed as the best in the world. However, in 1997, tourist arrivals to

1643-518: 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. The production of copra and fishing were major industries in the island. However, due to overharvesting by fishers and the destruction of coral reef due to cyanide fishing , the fishing industry saw

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1696-477: The World" list published by the international magazine Condé Nast Traveler . In 2016, Boracay headed the magazine's list of "Top 10 destinations to watch". In April 2018, the Philippine government,under President Rodrigo Duterte , decreed 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. The island

1749-399: The affected Ati members, albeit to a yet undisclosed location. Boracay Island is located 0.8 kilometers (0.50 mi) off the northwest corner of the mainland Panay and belongs to the province of Aklan in the Western Visayas region, or Region VI, of the Philippines. It is 50 kilometers (31 mi) northwest of the provincial capital, Kalibo ; 150 kilometres (93 mi) northwest of

1802-562: 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. Bulabog Beach, across the island from White Beach, is the second most popular tourism beach on the island and Boracay's main windsurfing and kiteboarding area. Boracay

1855-556: The color and texture of Boracay's white, sugary, and powdery sand. 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. Before the Spanish colonization of the Philippines in the 16th century, Boracay was populated by Ati people. It was known to the Iberian conquerors as Buracay . At the time of contact with

1908-654: The entire Boracay a land reform area and wanted to first prioritize the island's residents. 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. On October 26, 2018, Boracay was reopened to the public with work on the island's infrastructure still in progress. In April 2019, numerous Chinese-owned businesses were opened in Boracay, and additionally, there are about 300 mainland Chinese residents. In April 2019, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that

1961-505: The highest density of merchants that accept bitcoin outside of El Salvador . There is a movement to dub the island "Bitcoin Island" and bootstrap a circular economy similar to Bitcoin Beach . Leisure activities available on or near Boracay include horseback riding, scuba diving , diving helmet , snorkeling , windsurfing , kiteboarding , cliff diving, parasailing and banana boat . Boracay

2014-458: The island's eastern side. This makes the reef -protected waters off that beach relatively safe and ideal for scuba diving , windsurfing , and kiteboarding / kitesurfing . In June 2011, it was reported that Megaworld Corporation , a real estate development group led by Andrew Tan had earmarked ₱ 20 billion to develop tourism estates in Boracay and Cavite . The planned Boracay project, Boracay Newcoast, involves four hotels with 1,500 rooms,

2067-460: The island's recovery. The absence of plastic and a renewed focus on sustainability were key highlights of introduced in 2023. Following the Boracay cleanup, Duterte distributed 623 certificates of land-ownership award covering 274 hectares (680 acres) of land in Boracay and Aklan to the area's Ati inhabitants and other beneficiaries. The municipality of Malay, including Boracay island, was closed to tourism effective March 19, 2020, in response to

2120-426: The main tourism beach, is about 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) 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

2173-464: The most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines, Buruanga sees very few tourists. Various scenic spots such as caves, waterfalls, beaches, hills, and mountain parks are found throughout the area such as the Hinugtan White Beach, Batason (Ariel's) Point, Langka Beach, Nasog Beach, Tuburan Baybay Beach, Tigis Beach/Falls, and Pagatpat Mangrove Park. The upland barangay of Tag-Osip contains

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2226-412: 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

2279-439: The regional capital, Iloilo City ; and 200 nautical miles (370 km) 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 10.32 square kilometers (3.98 sq mi). South-facing Cagban Beach is located across a small strait from the jetty port at Caticlan on Panay Island, and

2332-581: The resort island dropped 60 percent due to the increase of coliform bacteria from poor sewage and septic systems on the island. The condition of Boracay in 1997 led to the installment of a potable water supply system and a sewage treatment plant and a solid waste disposal system, operated by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA). Connection of businesses and households to the system was not universal, and environmental problems persisted. Then-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared Boracay

2385-432: The resort island, which he described as a "cesspool", on April 26, 2018, instructing Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu to resolve the issue. 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. On May 30, 2018, President Duterte declared that he planned to make

2438-481: 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. 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

2491-542: The waters surrounding the islands. 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 . 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 ). During amihan ,

2544-427: The west. 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

2597-550: The wet season. The humid north-western monsoon arrives in the area by June causing an increase in rainfall which reaches its peak in the month of August. Buruanga is administratively subdivided into 15 barangays . Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios . In the 2020 census, Buruanga had a population of 19,357. The population density was 220 inhabitants per square kilometre (570/sq mi). Poverty incidence of Buruanga Source: Philippine Statistics Authority Despite its proximity to Boracay , one of

2650-461: The wettest month is August with rainfall averaging 625 millimetres (24.6 in) and the driest is March with rainfall of only about 150 millimetres (5.9 in). The average temperature if the area is 27.9 °C (82.2 °F) with an average humidity of 77.8%. The wet season coincides with the planting of rice while offshore fishing is in full gear during the dry season. Typhoons and strong winds rarely occur, and if it ever occurs, it coincides with

2703-526: Was administered by the Boracay Inter-agency Task Force during the closure. It reopened in October 2018, with a new set of rules meant to address a variety of issues. The Boracay 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 people , has been

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2756-423: 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 Island Water Co. (BIWC), won a contract to improve the supply of potable water and install an efficient sewerage system. Boracay has experienced abnormally high algae growth since February 2015, due to sewage being dumped into

2809-469: Was previously part of the province of Capiz . It was under the jurisdiction of the town of Buruanga until the municipality of Malay was established on June 15, 1949. The municipality, as well as the island, became part of Aklan , which became an independent province on April 25, 1956. Before the advent of tourism, Boracay was largely an agricultural community. Around 1910, Sofía Gonzáles Tirol and her husband Lamberto Hontiveros Tirol (a town judge on

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