Boracay From Sunrise to Sunset

At only 4.5 miles long, Boracay in the Philippines is small enough to navigate by rented bicycle or motorbike. However, what it lacks in size it overcompensates in beautiful beaches, luxury resorts, inexpensive massages and stunning sunsets. And December is a fine month to explore it all.

Considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Asia, White Beach, covers almost half of the western coast of Boracay. You can lie on the beach and watch the brightly colored fish in the warm, turquoise waters from the comfort of your lounger or watch the people parade along the path under the warm blue skies—both just steps from the lapping waves. Once the sun sets, the bars on the beach come alive with acoustic guitar music, fire shows and some nights there are even fireworks over the shoreline.

Yapak Beach, commonly referred to Puka Shell Beach, on the other side of the island, is just as beautiful. The beach is covered in native Puka shells and offers a quiet respite from the crowds and buskers that troll White Beach. While it might be a little more of hike, once there, you may be rewarded with a little bit of paradise all to yourself.

There are many beautiful accommodations on the island. We stayed at the Lingganay Hotel and Resort, a quiet haven with 360° views overlooking the island, the activities on White Beach and the horizon beyond. The hotel, reminiscent of an old world castle, is one of the nicest resorts on the island. It offers many amenities including two pools, lush manicured gardens, a full service restaurant & bar and a private, secluded bay where the residents are starfish and you have a front row seat to magnificent sunrises every morning.

And while we highly recommend the hotel, we were a little disappointed with the slow service we received and food selections on the breakfast buffet. Otherwise the hotel offers great value for the money and a wonderful home base to uncover all the island’s treasures.