“LOVE BORACAY” SPECIAL

10 hours ago
4 min read

By Freida Dario-Santiago

IT’S OFFICIAL: BORACAY’S WHITE BEACH AMONG “BEST OF THE BEST BEACHES” IN ASIA

Ranking No. 6 in Asia on TripAdvisor, this tropical gem continues to wow travelers worldwide. To earn this spot, a destination must consistently receive glowing reviews, placing it in the top 1% of millions of listings on the world’s largest travel platform.

Why Travelers Worldwide Love Boracay

What makes it so special? Known for its iconic four-kilometer stretch of powdery sand and turquoise waters, White Beach is divided into three distinct stations (1, 2 and 3) to accommodate everyone from luxury seekers to budget backpackers.

Whether you’re staying at the high-end resorts in Station 1 or enjoying the social vibe of Station 3, you’re never more than a few steps away from soft white sand, turquoise waters and amazing sunsets. As TripAdvisor puts it, people flock here for good reasons: “soft white sand, turquoise waters and amazing sunsets. It’s a great place to swim and snorkel, and when you’ve worked up an appetite, lots of local dining and drinking joints are just steps away.”

This, after a banner 2025 capped by top regional honors, including claiming the No. 1 spot as World’s Best Beach on Condé Nast Traveler’s (CNT) year-end listing: “But while the seaside landscape and views are certainly a big draw at White Beach, so is the seaside social, dining and nightlife scene,” CNT noted.

Not to be taken lightly, CNT described the process of selecting the world’s best beaches as “Herculean,” with 757,109 votes cast to recognize favorite hotels, airlines, and destinations worldwide.

Consistent presence on the world stage

Hailed as the “Crown Jewel of Philippine Tourism,” Boracay has consistently ranked among Asia’s top islands in recent CNT Readers’ Choice Awards. These results reflect a sustained, multi-year pattern of global recognition, reinforcing the Philippines’ standing as the Pearl of the Orient Seas at the forefront of world travel.

The Journey from LaBoracay to Lo❤️e Boracay

The journey from the Labor Day weekend parties infamously called and now defunct “LaBoracay” to today’s much-loved “Love Boracay” festival began in 2019 when the government task force Boracay Inter-Agency Rehabilitation Management Group (BIARMG) at the time, announced its support for a weeklong initiative to celebrate the rehabilitation efforts of Boracay Island.

Boracay Island underwent a six-month closure for environmental rehabilitation back on April 26, 2018, by virtue of Proclamation No. 475 by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

The BIARMG task force canceled the annual weeklong Labor Day beach party formerly dubbed as “LaBoracay” (pronounced as \'ley-bo-'ra-kay\)–a term coined from combining “Labor Day” and “Boracay” marked by big stage performances by local and international DJs and artists along world-famous White Beach. The notorious no-holds-barred island-wide events drew tens of thousands of revelers and with it, their garbage in the aftermath, resulting in a bad rap and eventually, a permanent ban.

The following year (2019), in strict adherence to environmental preservation, the task force ordered the banning of parties. Then-Tourism Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said, “Bawal po ang LaBoracay (LaBoracay is prohibited).”

And then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and festivities were cancelled in 2020 and 2021. “Love Boracay” made a comeback in 2022 with eco-conscious activities like clean-up drives.

The local government unit of Malay proposed a novel approach to the Labor Day celebrations: a focus on advocating tourism sustainability, wellness and the arts. And so, in 2022, the task force announced its support, likewise commemorating the first anniversary of the island’s closure.

Since then, the annual event dubbed “Love Boracay” has gained traction as the biggest summer event, and a revival of the island party vibe that Boracay Island has always been known for, but this time, with strict environmental regulations.

A Milestone Year Expected for Love Boracay 2026

By Jun N. Aguirre

Despite the tensions in the Middle East, Love Boracay 2026 is expected to be a major milestone, with hotels reporting 100% occupancy ahead of the festival as most visitors secured flight bookings well in advance.

Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista confirmed this in an interview with Boracay Sun News, adding that the surge in bookings follows an 8% increase in tourist arrivals, driven by a record number of sponsored events. Bautista noted the influx is a vital economic catalyst, generating significant income and employment for both the island and mainland Malay.

To accommodate the influx, the festival has been extended to run from April 23 to May 4, 2026. Organizers, led by former Councilor Datu Sumdad, describe this year’s lineup as the most ambitious yet, featuring an array of beach sports, music and cultural activities.

The event’s prestige continues to grow following its recent recognition as a Pearl Award Grand Winner for Best Event Hosting, awarded by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) during last year’s ceremony in Baguio City. To preserve Boracay's “Best Beach” reputation, the local government is prioritizing cleanliness and order throughout the high-traffic period.