For White Beach, simply one of the finest beaches anywhere: four kilometres of powder-soft sand and clear, shallow water. Since the island's 2018 clean-up it is calmer and better managed than at its peak, and beyond the famous strip there is kitesurfing at Bulabog, quiet northern coves and the island's calmer corners. It is the Philippines' headline beach destination for good reason.

How do you get to Boracay?

By air to one of two mainland airports, then a boat. Caticlan is closest, a short drive and a 15-minute crossing to the island; Kalibo is cheaper but adds about 90 minutes' drive before the same boat. Boracay itself has no airport. Many hotels arrange the full transfer, which smooths the drive-plus-boat connection.

When is the best time to visit Boracay?

November to May, the dry season, with December to February the cool, busy peak and March to May hot but reliably sunny. The June-to-October wet season brings rain and the chance of a typhoon, but quieter beaches and lower prices. Kitesurfers are the exception, favouring the windier wet-season months on the Bulabog side.

Is Boracay still worth visiting after the 2018 closure?

More so, for many. The six-month government closure in 2018 reset the island: fewer boats on the sand, no beachfront parties, tighter building rules and a cleaner shore. White Beach in peak season is still busy, but the island is calmer and better managed than the overcrowded version that prompted the shutdown. The beach itself remains world-class.

Which part of Boracay should I stay in?

It depends on how much buzz you want. White Beach is the heart of it, with Station 1 the upmarket north end, Station 2 the busy centre, and Station 3 the quieter south. For peace away from the strip, the southeast and northern coasts are calmer; for kitesurfing, the windward Bulabog side. Match the area to whether you want the scene or distance from it.

Boutique Hotels in Boracay, Philippines

Where to Stay in Boracay

Boracay is small enough that the choice is really about atmosphere: how much of the scene you want, and how far from it. At the calm southern end of the main strip, in Station 3, Villa Caemilla is a small beachfront boutique hotel on White Beach itself, the quieter kind of place that starts the day with sunrise yoga rather than a DJ, well suited to couples who want the beach on the doorstep without the central crush. For the opposite, away from White Beach altogether, Under The Stars sits on quiet Tambisaan on the southeast coast: large, fully serviced beachfront apartments built for families and groups who want space and privacy over the strip. Between them they cover both sides of Boracay, the famous beach at its gentlest, and the island's quiet corner.

When to Go

The dry season, roughly November to May, is the time to come, with the calmest seas and clearest water; December to February is the cool, busy peak. March to May is hot but reliable, and the best stretch for the western beaches. The wet season between June and October brings rain, wind and the occasional typhoon, but lower prices and a quieter island; kitesurfers, though, prefer the windier months on the Bulabog side.

Getting There

Boracay has no airport of its own. Most visitors fly into Caticlan (Godofredo P. Ramos) on the mainland, a short drive and a 15-minute boat across to the island, or into Kalibo, cheaper but around 90 minutes' drive from the jetty before the same crossing. On the island, e-trikes are the main way to get around, and several hotels arrange the whole airport-to-door transfer, which is worth taking given the boat connection.