Heavy commercialization and the continuous flow of tourists may make some frown on what Boracay has become.
But when it comes to water sports, Boracay is still the prime destination for snorkeling, diving, kite boarding, parasailing, and skim boarding.
For the more laidback type, nothing beats coral walking and of course, sailboating with a paraw, a native outrigger with huge colorful sails.
I was with my family on a long-awaited vacation in Boracay and after a few haggling with a local paraw operator we don our life jackets and got on board a blue and white paraw.
It was supposed to be an off peak season in Boracay a few months after the summer months. But it was ideal, as an overcast sky, and a frisky breeze powered the sailboat around the island.
To a jaded traveler, this seems not at all exciting.
But feeling the waves beneath you and the wind blowing the sailboat to skim at decent speeds is still exhilarating. An added bonus is seeing your kids experience the thrills and spills as the paraw sails catch the whistling wind.
You can feel the power of wind tugging the sailboat as we take a circular route to Boracay. The trip took less than 2 hours, although our captain, a seasoned paraw operator, said the trip could have taken longer if not for the wind.
At the onset, one can feel the turquoise seawater and the corals beneath one’s feet.
As the sailboat go further to the open sea, one can have a nice vista of the surrounding islands, the other sailboats and a lone fisherman with a quaint banca.
It was touristy, but it was an adventure.