Boracay Island

Boracay Island in Aklan province is a haven for nature lovers. Popularly known as the puka shell island, it has a beach laden with powder-fine white sand. Located off the northwestern tip of Panay, the 2,500-acre island has remained unspoiled and uncrowded.

Boracay's idyllic ambiance is best for swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing or lazing underneath the long rows of swaying palms or within the palm-thatched huts. It is also a good place where you can mingle with friendly islanders or take a leisurely stroll through hidden covers and isolated beaches.

The azure-green waters call out to all lovers of scuba and windsurfing. In the evening, you can join the islanders in their merrymaking under the moonlit sky or simply have fun in nearby bars. Boracay, an oasis of untouched beauty offering the last word in exclusive retreats.

The Philippine Islands

An archipelago of some 7,107 islands, the Philippines lies within the continental masses in the Pacific Basin, which are significantly deformed by faulting and folding, in contrast with the oceanic islands, which are predominantly volcanic and capped by reef corals and atolls.

The continental structure of the different islands of the Philippines explains why there is a sizeable amount of natural resources and a far greater range of land forms, climates, rocks, soils and vegetation in the area compared with other clusters of small islands in the Central Pacific.

Lying between latitude 21 degrees North and latitude 5 degrees North, on the westernmost rim of the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines is actually a series of half-drowned mountain ranges, part of a great cordillera extending from Indonesia to Japan.

The country stretches 1,854 kilometers from north to south and spans 1,107 kilometers at its widest point. The northernmost island, Y'ami in the Batanes group, is 241 kilometers south of Taiwan; the soutehernmost island, Saluag in the Tawi-Tawi group, is only 48 kilometers east of Malaysian Borneo; while about 1,000 kilometers to the west, across the China Sea, lies the China coast.

The Philippines has many harbors and fine bays. Manila, the capital city, is the busiest port and the country's largest city. Most of the country is covered by tropical forests with narrow lowland strips along the coasts. There are wide plains on the islands of Luzon and Panay. Most of the larger islands have volcanoes may of which are active. The highest mountain, on the island of Mondanao, stands at 2,954 meters.

Although the English language is widely spoken and understood by Filipinos, Filipino - the national language is spoken by 40% of the entire population. There is roughly 80 dialects spoken by Filipinos in different regions of the Philippines.

Most major international airlines fly to Manila and many cruise ships call at the port. The Philippine airports located in Manila include the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Centennial Airport. There is also a long list of airports in each of the Philippine region.