31 years ago, Michael Caine discovered Boracay Island

Mention the name

Boracay and it conjures

images of flour-like

sands, blue-sailed

paraws cutting water in

the distance, and tanned,

scantily-clad foreign

beachcombers basking

under the hot tropical sun

on the white beach. Also,

as a prelude to this

world-class island resort's exciting nightlife, its

visitors are treated to a breathtaking sunset.

Like an oil painting, the dying sun’s tangerine color gives

the wet white sand beach an orange hue, until the

darkening horizon turns deep purple, and then ebony.

Long before the dumbbell-shape emerald isle off the

northwesternmost tip of Panay Island was discovered by

the outside world in the early 1970s, mythical beings like

fairies and goblins are said to inhabit this enchanted

island.

During a full moon, the island’s nearly four-kilometer long

white sand beach along its west coast glows under the

moonlight. This lunar phase is the most awaited event,

up to now, where full moon beach parties are held.

Seven kilometers in length and one kilometer wide at its

narrowest point, Boracay belongs to the mainland town

of Malay in Aklan. Comprising Boracay Island are three

barangays – Yapak in the north, Balabag in the center

(these two barrios are considered the Ayala-Alabang of

the island where the upscale resort hotels are located),

and ManocManoc in the south.

One historical footnote of

Boracay was that Hollywood

saw its potentials long

before it was opened for

tourism.

After confirming the news

about the island’s

unmatched pristine beauty,

a major Hollywood studio

shot a movie, “Too Late the

Hero”, in 1969 that starred popular British actor Michael

Caine who just won this year’s Oscar for Best Supporting

Actor in “The Cider House Rules”. (to be continue)