NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Boracay

Boracay is a tropical island located approximately 315km (200 miles) south of Manila and 2km off the northwest tip of the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. It is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak (3 of the 17 barangays which make up the municipality of Malay), and is under the administrative control of the Philippine Tourism Authority in coordination with the Provincial Government of Aklan. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 528 pixelsFull resolution (1187 Ã— 784 pixel, file size: 449 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A beach of Boracay Island in the Philippines. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Map of the Philippines showing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Visayas is one of the three island groupings in the Philippines along with Luzon and Mindanao. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Philippines. ... The Ati are an indigenous tribe of Negritos on the island of Panay in the Philippines. ... The Akeanon or Aklanon people is a sub-ethnic group of the Bisaya, which is the largest ethnic group in the Philippines. ... For other meanings of the word, see Manila (disambiguation). ... Panay is an island in the Philippines located in the Visayas. ... Map of the Philippines showing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Visayas is one of the three island groupings in the Philippines along with Luzon and Mindanao. ... A tourist destination is a city, town or other area the economy of which is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. ... A barangay (Tagalog: baranggay , pronounced as ba-rang-gai, gai as in guy), also known by its former name, the barrio, is the smallest local government unit in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward. ... Malay is a 4th class municipality in the province of Aklan, Philippines. ... Aklan is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. ...

History

The island was originally home to the Ati tribe. Boracay is part of Aklan Province, which became an independent province on April 25, 1956.^[2] Formerly undiscovered, it wasn't till the 1970s that tourism began to develop in Boracay,^[3] and the island became popular with backpackers in the 1980s.^[2] The Ati are an indigenous tribe of Negritos on the island of Panay in the Philippines. ... Aklan is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. ... is the 115th day of the year (116th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Backpacking is traveling long distances with a backpack. ...

Geography

Boracay Island is located off the northwest corner of the island of Panay, and belongs to the Western Visayas island-group, or Region VI, of the Philippines. 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. Image File history File links RPmap+Boracay. ... Image File history File links RPmap+Boracay. ... Image File history File links Ph_locator_aklan_boracay. ... Image File history File links Ph_locator_aklan_boracay. ... Western Visayas, one of the regions of the Philippines, is designated as Region VI. It consists of seven provinces, namely, Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Palawan and 17 cities making it the region with the most number of cities. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ...

South-facing Cagban Beach is located across a small strait from the jetty port at 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. Malay is a 4th class municipality in the province of Aklan, Philippines. ...

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 westwards and Bulabog Beach faces eastwards. The island also has several other beaches.

White Beach is the main tourism beach. It is a bit over four kilometers 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.

Bulabog Beach, across the island from White Beach, is a secondary tourism beach and Boracay's main windsurfing and kiteboarding area. A windsurfer with modern gear tilts the rig and carves the board to perform a planing jibe (downwind turn) close to shore in Maui, Hawaii, one of the popular destinations for windsurfing. ... Power kites at Coche, Venezuela Kitesurfing in the Columbia River Gorge Kitesurfers use power kites tethered to harnesses to glide through water and air Kitesurfing, also known as kiteboarding, involves using a power kite to pull a rider through the water on a small surfboard or a kiteboard (a wakeboard...

Climate

Amihan and Habagat

Weather in Boracay is generally divided into two seasonal weather patterns known locally as the Amihan and Habagat seasons. In the Tagalog language, Amihan means a cool northeast wind, and Habagat means west or southwest wind; south-west monsoon.^[4] Amihan and Habagat seasons are generally associated respectively with the El Niño and La Niña global weather patterns. The Amihan season is characterized by moderate temperatures, little or no rainfall, and a prevailing wind from the east. The Habagat season is characterized by hot and humid weather, frequent heavy rainfall, and a prevailing wind from the west. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (900 Ã— 1350 pixel, file size: 46 KB, MIME type: image/gif) Sketch map of Boracay island Author: Bill Mitchell User:Wtmitchell I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (900 Ã— 1350 pixel, file size: 46 KB, MIME type: image/gif) Sketch map of Boracay island Author: Bill Mitchell User:Wtmitchell I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Amihan is the name of the northwest monsoon in the Philippines usually occurring early in the year. ... Tagalog (pronunciation: ) is one of the major languages of the Republic of the Philippines. ... Chart of ocean surface temperature anomaly [Â°C] during the last strong El NiÃ±o in December 1997 El NiÃ±o and La NiÃ±a (also written in English as El Nino and La Nina) are major temperature fluctuations in surface waters of the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. ... La NiÃ±a is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon similar to El NiÃ±o. ...

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 general rule of thumb, Boracay will be in the Amihan weather pattern from sometime in September or October to sometime in May or June and in the Habagat weather pattern for the remainder of the year. These dates can vary in individual years, though.

Daytime temperatures on Boracay generally range from 77-90°F (25-32°C) from the beginning of the Amihan season into February or March, increase to the 82-100°F(28-38°C) range until the onset of the Habagat season, and moderate back to the 77-90°F (25-32°C) range with the return of the Amihan season. During Tropical Storm periods, temperatures can fall below 68°F (20°C). Tropical Storms can impact Boracay at any time of year, but are most likely to be seen during the Habagat season. This article is about weather phenomena. ...

Impact on tourism operations

Partly because of its wind and weather patterns, tourism in Boracay is at its peak during the Amihan season. 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 ideal for windsurfing and kiteboarding / kitesurfing. For other uses, see Reef (disambiguation). ... A windsurfer with modern gear tilts the rig and carves the board to perform a planing jibe (downwind turn) close to shore in Maui, Hawaii, one of the popular destinations for windsurfing. ... Power kites at Coche, Venezuela Kitesurfing in the Columbia River Gorge Kitesurfers use power kites tethered to harnesses to glide through water and air Kitesurfing, also known as kiteboarding, involves using a power kite to pull a rider through the water on a small surfboard or a kiteboard (a wakeboard...

Most Boracay hotels and resorts have Low and High Season price levels, with High Season prices generally coinciding with Amihan Season dates. Some have additional "Super" Peak Period pricing during periods of heavy tourism (usually including Christmas / New Year, Easter / Holy Week, and Chinese New Year periods). For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see New Year (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Christian festival. ... Holy Week (Latin: ) in Christianity is the last week of Lent. ... Chinese New Year (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), or Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. ...

Tourism

Facilities

Boracay is the site of a world-class 18-hole par 72 golf course designed by Graham Marsh. In addition, Boracay now has in excess of 350 beach resorts with more than 2,000 rooms ranging in quality from five-star to budget accommodations, so tourists are sure to find whatever they are looking for. This article is about the sport. ... Graham Marsh (born 14 Jan 1944 in Kalgoorlie, Australia) was one of the leading Australian golfers of his generation. ...

Boracay also offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs that bop until morning.

Events

Boracay is one competitive venue for the Asian Windsurfing Tour, with the week-long Boracay International Funboard Cup competition usually being held on Bulabog Beach each January..

The well-known Ati-Atihan Festival takes place each January in Kalibo on nearby Panay island. A much smaller Ati-Atihan festival is celebrated on Boracay, usually in the second or third week of January. The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast held in honor of the Santo NiÃ±o held annualy in January concluding on third Sunday, in the town of Kalibo, Aklan in the Philippines. ... Kalibo is the capital of the province of Aklan, in the northwest of Panay Island, Philippines. ... Panay is an island in the Philippines located in the Visayas. ...

Dragon boat races are held annually on 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. A Dragon boat (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a very long and narrow human powered boat used in the team paddling sport or Dragon boat racing which originated in China. ...

Since 2003, the Philippine Ultimate Association has been organizing the Boracay Open Asian Beach Ultimate Tournament, an ultimate frisbee event, which is usually held during summer. Ultimate (sometimes called ultimate Frisbee in reference to the trademarked brand name) is a non-contact competitive team game played with a 175 gram flying disc. ...

The Olympic Council of Asia has announced that Boracay will host the 2014 Asian Beach Games. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member countries. ... The 2014 Asian Beach Games are to be held in Boracay, Malay, Aklan Philippines Categories: | | | ...

Languages

Other than Filipino (Tagalog), English is widely spoken in Boracay. Aklanon or Akeanon, is also spoken, as Boracay is part of Aklan Province. The Ati language was spoken by the original inhabitants of the island.^[5]^{[not in citation given]} The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Aklanon refers to the people of Aklan province in the Philippines, their language and culture. ... Aklan is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. ...

Transportation

On the island, the two main modes of transport are via motor-tricycles along the main road or by walking along the beaches. Pedicabs are also available for transport along the Beachfront Path. Other means of transportation include mountain bikes, quadbikes and motorbikes, all of which can be rented. A cross country mountain bike race A hardtail mountain bike A mountain bike or mountain bicycle (abbreviated MTB or ATB (All Terrain Bicycle)) is a bicycle designed for mountain biking, either on dirt trails or other unpaved environments. ... The term All-Terrain Vehicle or ATV is used in a general sense to describe any of a number of small open motorized buggies and tricycles designed for off-road use. ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ...

To explore around the island's coast, motorized bancas and sailing paraws are available for rent. These are outrigger canoes and are common sight in waters around the island. The sailing paraw is a narrow hulled boat with outriggers either side and with passengers sometimes seated on a trampoline platform between the outrigger supports. These are extremely fast off the wind, but can be unwieldy for inexperienced sailors. Outrigger canoe at El Nido, Philippines The outrigger canoe (Tagalog: bangka; Maori: waka; Hawaiian: waa) is a type of canoe featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull. ...

Gallery

References

^ Total Population, Household Population and Number of Households. National Statistics Office (May 1, 2000). Retrieved on 2007-05-31.
^ ^a ^b Aklan Tour. Panublion Heritage Site. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
^ Grele, Dominique, Lily Yousry-Jouve (2004). 100 Resorts in the Philippines: Places with a Heart. Asiatype, Inc., p. 225. ISBN 9719171979.
^ English, Fr. Leo James (2004, 19th printing). Tagalog-English Dictionary. ISBN 971-08-4357-5(SB).
^ Gordon, Raymond G., Jr.:Ati - A language of Philippines. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version (2005). Retrieved on 2007-05-01.

is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

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Contents

History

Geography

Climate

Amihan and Habagat

Impact on tourism operations

Tourism

Facilities

Events

Languages

Transportation

Gallery

References

External links

Boracay Radio Station

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Geography

Climate

Amihan and Habagat

Impact on tourism operations

Tourism

Facilities

Events

Languages

Transportation

Gallery

References

External links

Boracay Radio Station

History