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Virtually all visitors to Boracay come for only one experience the sea, sand and sun. This, after all, is what Boracay is all about. You would be very ill advised if you came here in search of history, art or culture. The truth of the matter is that Boracay does not have much of a history. There are neither grand old buildings to admire for architecture nor flea markets to browse for antiques. Until only a couple of decades ago, Boracay was nothing more than just a scattering of fishing villages. The typical local house is a bamboo-and-nipa hut that can barely withstand a strong typhoon, let alone the passage of time.
To get a glimpse of how local folk lived, and still live, a ride to Manoc-Manoc Beach will take you past one of the island's earliest settlements. Another place where you can get a taste of local life is the Cockfighting Arena, though you should be prepared for some bloody scenes that would offend an animal lover. A fire in 2005 destroyed the large talipapa, or flea market, but smaller markets selling everything from food to tourist souvenirs have since sprung up around the main drags, albeit without the full ambiance of the old one.
The onset of tourism changed Boracay completely. As word of its exceptional beauty--specifically the immaculate white sands of White Beach spread, tourists began arriving, first in dribbles and then in droves. Suddenly, from a sleepy, sparsely populated island, Boracay was transformed into a major destination on the international travel circuit. Whether the change was for the better or worse is an open question, but it was certainly a turning point in the "history" of the island.
The first foreigners to discover Boracay were backpackers budget travelers who required nothing more than a place to rest for the night after exploring the island's unspoilt grandeur by day. The early forms of accommodation were rudimentary. A mattress on the bamboo floor of a native-style hut was considered a "luxury." There were no such niceties as hot and cold showers, televisions, telephones, or even restaurants. Electricity did not come to the island until the early 1990s. Until then, candles and kerosene lamps provided the only man-made light under the glittering stars or the brilliant tropical moon.
For some reason these first visitors were mostly European, particularly Swiss and Germans. This was so true that for a while Boracay was jokingly referred to as a canton of Switzerland. Even now there is a conspicuous Swiss/German presence that can readily be seen in such places as the Swiss Inn Restaurant & Bar and Bavarian House. The owner of Mango-Ray Resort is one of several Swiss citizens who opted to settle on the island.
Today the foreign community comprises a truly multinational collection of British, French, Belgian, Austrian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Australian and American nationals, in addition to the aforementioned Swiss and Germans. One of the earliest Western-style establishments to go up was, in fact, a British import the English Bakery. Here you can enjoy traditional English tea (or breakfast), accompanied by such English specialties as muffins and scones. Cocomangas Shooter Bar, a drinking "institution" closely identified with Boracay's nightlife, is owned by an American.
As the number of tourists increased, it became obvious that modern accommodations were needed. Thus did more sophisticated versions of the traditional bamboo-and-nipa hut sprout to welcome the influx of visitors. One of the earliest to rise near White Beach was the Red Coconut Resort. Somewhat later, hotels constructed of concrete, such as Willy's Beach Resort and Pearl of the Pacific, appeared on the scene.
Interestingly many of these places were built by members or branches of one family--the Tirols who owned much of the land along the beach. The Sea Wind Resort is owned by a Tirol, as are many others, and stands next to the Gloria & Robert Tirol Heritage Museum, where you can see a small display about Boracay's past, along with some antique Philippine and Chinese ceramics excavated from old graves. (If you are interested in indigenous art, the Center for Art Creativity and Consciousness is also worth a visit.)
How was Boracay discovered by international travelers? The answer to that question is largely conjecture, but some say a visiting movie crew was the first to come back with tales about the island's natural splendor. Others say it was a rave review in a German traveler's book that piqued people's curiosity. The fact is that Boracay today is visited by roughly 100,000 tourists every year, making it one of the Philippines' premier tourist destinations. Given the fact that the island is just some seven kilometers long and three kilometers wide, that is a quite considerable number.
The old magic of being "lost" in a tropical island paradise may be gone forever, but in its place you now have the convenience of modern amenities. Some hotels, such as Fridays, Lorenzo South and Roman Palace, boast rooms that are world-class in standards. Still, even with the coming of modernity, Boracay remains a place of surpassing beauty. It certainly can continue laying claim to the title of "the world's most beautiful tropical island."
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