Boracay Named Best Island In Asia
After sliding in rankings last year due to its closure and rehabilitation, Boracay has bounced back as Asia’s top island in a popular travel magazine’s annual list.
The island of Boracay in Malay, Aklan ranked first among the Best Islands in Asia in 2019, according to lifestyle travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler.
The magazine reported that Boracay, an “itty-bitty island (just under four square miles) in the Western Philippines is as close to a tropical idyll as you’ll find in Southeast Asia, with gentle coastlines and made-for-Instagram sunsets.”
The article, posted on the magazine's website on Oct. 7, also cited Boracay’s white beach as its “main draw, with powdery white sand and shallow azure water ideal for swimming and snorkeling.”
Boracay reopened to the public in October 2018 after a six-month rehabilitation.
The result was based on the 2019 Reader’s Choice Awards survey where 600,000 registered voters who took part. The ranking was categorized by region this year: spot the best in Asia, Australia and the South Pacific, Caribbean and the Atlantic, Europe, North America and the United States.
Meanwhile, the islands of Cebu and Palawan garnered the second and fourth places, respectively in this year’s ranking.
Cebu was recognized for its “pristine beaches and diving off the island’s northern coast” and religious landmarks.
“Spanish and Roman Catholic influences permeate Cebu City; Basilica Minore del Santo Niño houses a small statue of Christ that was presented by Ferdinand Magellan,” the magazine said.
Puerto Princesa’s Subterranean River and El Nido were also mentioned, making Palawan a “regular” in Conde Nast Traveler's list of the world’s best islands.
“Palawan is home to the otherworldly Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is worth the trip alone. Many make El Nido and its blue lagoon their base, though, to explore the Bacuit Archipelago,” the article said.
Last year, the Conde Nast Traveler listed the Philippine’s surfing capital Siargao as the best island in Asia, while Boracay and Palawan snagged the second and third spots respectively.
Completing the top five beautiful islands in Asia were Penang, Malaysia (third) and Bali, Indonesia (fifth).
In Australia and the South Pacific, Whitsunday Islands, Australia was voted as the top island in the list, followed by Puerto Rico in the Caribbean and the Atlantic; Hvar, Croatia in Europe; Cape Breton, Canada in North America; Maldives in Africa and the Indian Ocean; and Hilton Head Island, South Caroline in the United States.
