BORACAY Is 4th Best Island in the World!

     I've always believed that the Philippines is blessed with natural beauty and abundant wonders. My conviction has been proven right now that Boracay has been declared the fourth Best Island in the world. Please don't refer to it as BORA lest it become confused with another island get-away in the Pacific. This comes after a poll was undertaken by Travel and Leisure Magazine (no less) for the WORLD's BEST AWARDS.

     Long before Boracay landed this favored distinction, it was a haven for those on a tight budget but wanted a really great way to sate their wanderlust. Located off the shores of Aklan, one has to take a twenty-minute ferry by pump boat to the island. Gone are the days when there were no resorts in the island. A hut can be rented overnight for PhP 500.00, (buhos toilet included) and you needed to stand underneath the spigot of a deep well pozo to rinse off the salt water after a dip in its crystal clear waters. There was only one disco called Basura and it was run on a noisy generator to keep the music going.

     All this is just a memory now, as Boracay has evolved into a world-class destination for celebrities and the rich and famous (or simply those who can save up for a grand holiday of sorts). One can simply experience the luxury of getting a massage on its powdery white sand or simply walk along the length of its sugar-fine beaches and forget all your cares in the world. Amenities have reached sky-high prices as famous hotels have replaced the iconic thatch-roof huts that dotted the shoreline.

     Boracay's recognition comes as no small surprise for Filipinos and tourists (who keep coming back) alike since it captures an idyllic paradise with a sprinkling of  comfortable and chic lodgings and things familiar in some European countries like gelatto, pizza, beer, scones... thanks to foreigners who fell in love with the beauty of the place and/or the locals and decided to get married and stay in the island. Can you blame them? It's a proverbial slice of paradise on a verdant tropical isle...

     The top choice for the  Best Island was Santorini (Greece) 90.61,  followed by Bali (Indonesia) with a score of 90.45, then Cape Breton (Nova Scotia, Canada) 89.90. BORACAY garnered 89.83. The rest would be: Great Barrier Reef islands (Australia) 89.68, Sicily (Italy) 89.51, Big Island (Hawaii) 89.11, Kauai (Hawaii) 89.11, Maui (Hawaii) 88.59, Galapagos (Hawaii) 88.22.

     I have been to most of them, so I'm probably not biased when I put this in writing. Boracay's silky-soft , powdery white sand which will pass through a sieve is comparable to none!