Boracay was not a name to be heard until 1970, when some travelers accidentally stumbled upon this serene island. Some says that it was a movie team that showed the world this wonderful island of Philippines. Boracay does not have much history to discuss its emergence. Neither is it known for its culture or art nor for the grand old architectural monuments. Boracay was nothing less than a fishing village until a few decades. Today it is tourist delight for those who love the Three S’s – Sun, Sand and Sea.
Boracay comprises of three communities – Yap in the north, Balabag in the middle and Monac-monac in the south. Surrounded by the Coral reefs, it is located in the western Visayas off the Sibuyan Sea. Houses made of Bamboo and nipa is always under the threat of easterly typhoons. Small markets selling everything from food to tourist’s souvenir have developed after 2005 when a devastating fire converted the famous flea market to ashes.
Boracay was given a facelift from a sleepy, sparsely populated island to a major tourist destination. The earlier visitors were mostly backpackers who visited the place to spend a peaceful night after exploring the exquisite beauty of the blue sea and the white silvery sands. A mattress on the floor of the bamboo hut was considered a luxury quite unlike the present hotels with luxurious rooms with hot and cold water facilities, telephones, televisions and restaurants. Before 1990 the candles and the kerosene lamps provided the light to the visitors of the island. The heaven sometimes provided the way to the traveler through its glittering stars and the silvery moon. The supply of power is quite irregular and scarce.
The Tirols family, who owns much of the land along the beach, have developed a large number of modern resorts and cemented hotels with all the amenities for the tourists. There is the famous Tirol museum which displays the antiquities of Boracay along with some antique Philippine and Chinese ceramics discovered from the excavation.
The first visitors who were mainly the Germans and the Swiss jokingly referred Boracay as the canton of Switzerland. Today it comprises a large number of visitors from the European countries which has given Boracay a multiple range culinary delights that include the Swiss, German, British, Bavarian, Belgian, Austrian, Portuguese and Spanish. The Thai Chinese and the local Philippine cuisine also provide some tongue licking to the tourists.
The transformation of a sleepy island into the most visited island of Philippines are good or for bad is an open question for the tourists exploring this exquisite island.
