Sunset sails
Coloured sails at dusk.
Angelo Juan Ramos from Makati City, Philippines — CC BY 2.0 · Grunderfam — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Choi2451 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tuderna — CC BY 3.0 · Choi2451 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · LMP 2001 — CC BY-SA 4.0
The most famous beach in the Philippines and one of the best known in Asia: about four kilometres of white sand as fine as flour on the west coast of Boracay, facing clear shallow water that shades from turquoise to blue, backed by coconut palms, hotels and restaurants. The beach is divided into three «stations», named after the old boat landings. Station 1 in the north has the widest sand and is the quietest; Station 2 is the heart of the island, with the market, restaurants and crowds; Station 3 in the south is simpler and cheaper. The best hour is sunset, when the traditional paraw sailboats head out with their coloured sails and people gather on the sand to watch the sun go down behind them. You can take a short ride on one. The island was closed for six months in 2018 to fix the sewage system and clean the beach, and reopened with strict rules, including bans on smoking and drinking alcohol on the sand. The best months are November to May, when the sea is calm.
Coloured sails at dusk.
The widest, calmest stretch.
Clear turquoise for swimming.
West coast of Boracay island, from Station 1 in the north to Station 3 in the south
Station 1 for wide sand and quiet, Station 2 to be near the restaurants and market, Station 3 for a smaller budget. You can walk between them along the sand.
