To The Beach

Head to Boracay for sun and fun in the Philippines.

- Chadner Navarro

AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS of snorkeling in what felt like the most extreme midday heat of summer, salvation finally materialized in the form of a man paddling toward our catamaran. His canoe was full of coconuts, most of their husks chopped off to reveal the smooth inner shells that house the fruit’s sweet, tasty, must-have-now juice. Coconut man was ready for us. A few of his products already had straws stuck in them, and when he was close enough to hand the first coconut to our guide, nearly everyone on the boat burst into a fit of cheering and hollering. Yes, we had an entire cooler of ice-cold water, soda and even beer, but at this moment, fresh coconut juice felt like the necessary beverage to power us up for the rest of what the paradise island of Boracay had to offer.

Boracay, one of the 7,000 islands that make up the Philippine archipelago, recently received international renown for its palm tree-dotted shorelines and crystal-clear waters. But Filipinos and intrepid, adventurous foreigners have enjoyed these very riches for years. And now that there’s so much more traveler interest in the island, it seems Boracay has never been livelier or more welcoming.