Boracay, just a short charter flight from Manila, has transformed itself from a sleepy fishing island to one of the Philippines' most booming beach destinations. White Beach, the heart of the island, is home to clear, turquoise seas, a huge expanse of sand, and a strip of resorts, restaurants, bars, spas and shops.
During the day it's all about diving, sunbathing, shopping D'Mall, eating seafood washed down with a class of cold white, or taking a tuk tuk to other beaches on the island,. But come sundown, White Beach turns up the volume and dances to hundreds of different tunes wafting out from the sand-strewn bars. Fire dancers provide the entertainment, and of course there's always skinny-dipping...
On Boracay go barefoot, wear bikinis and sundresses, don't forget the sunglasses, take it easy. But when it all gets too much, hideaway in a spa for a few cool hours of dim light, soothing pampering, and absolute quiet. From masseuses on the beach to the most luxurious of five star spas, from muscle-easing massages to slimming wraps and high-maintenance facials, Boracay has it all.
Five Star Spas, White Beach Boracay
- Mandala Spa & Villas - Stay at this residential spa and live the healthy life: four poster teak beds promise sound sleeps, early morning yoga starts the day right, Prana Restaurant is all about healthy meals, and therapists practice yoga daily so that they are in the perfect space to heal. Famous for the Hilot Trilogy of traditional Hilot massage, Dagdagay foot therapy and Bentosa cupping, indulge to the max, in your octagonal villa or a spa suite.
- Discovery Shores Boracay - The sexiest resort on White Beach, Discovery is all about fine dining, beach lounging and friendly staff. Here a second Mandala Spa, satellite version of the original, has rustic rooms with colourful furnishings and treatments that worship the sun. Pre, during or post baking, there's a treatment that's specially designed to soothe any damage.
- Boracay Regency Hotel - A sprawling resort of rooms and pools, the Regency has an enviously long beachfront. Kai Regency Spa transports guests from the Philippines to China, rich decor in 22 spa rooms the backdrop for treatments from around the world like Lomi Lomi, Thai massage, reflexology, Filipino Hilot and much more.
- Asya Premium Boracay - So new it's only soft opened, Asya Premium is at the south end of White Beach, dominated by a beautiful and humongous circular pool. Late 2010 there will be a dedicated spa; for now a limited menu is available in-room.
Five Star Spas, Boracay
- Shangri-La's Boracay Resort & Spa - On its own private beach the new Shangri-La is spectacular. CHI The Spa at Shangri-La is a village of treatment rooms set around a pool surrounded by greenery. Sense of Place treatments include the four-hand Palina Hilot Massage, using local ingredients like sampaguita or pomelo and calamansi, and facials are performed with Futuresse or Algotherm.
- Nami Villas - Sweet little Diniwid Beach, north of White Beach, takes the pace down, and is where the vertical resort of Nami overlooks the bay. Nami's Spa is all white rooms with splashes of red, treatments done to the sound of the waves outside. The scrub, honey and oatmeal buff and aromatherapy massage that makes the Ultimate Relaxation Packate is top of the menu.
Day Spas Boracay
- Tirta Boracay - A day spa that pushes out the boat, three huge Royal Spa Villas are home to day beds, couples spa beds, huge baths and carp pools in Moroccan, Thai or Indonesian themes. Therapists perform incredible treatments - one treating, one assisting - the Tirta Signature Massage a truly mind-melting experience. For Thai massage head to the alfresco Thai Pavilion.
- Neo Island Spa - Set mid White Beach, this water-themed spa has a small collection of treatment rooms and a menu that focuses on healing through seawater, minerals and algae. Seaweed baths, salt scrubs, algae wraps and seashell massages all temptingly reflect the location and beachy mentality of Boracay.
Other spas include Mandarin Spa at the Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel, Maris Spa at the Fairways & Bluewater Resort Golf & Country Club, Massage and Beauty at the very popular Fridays Boracay, Palassa Spa, at the Alta Vista de Boracay and Yasuragi Relaxation Spa at Surfside Resort & Spa. With so many spas on the paradise island of Boracay there's no excuse not to return home completely rejuvenated.
Catharine Nicol - Catharine Nicol travelled to Hong Kong to stay for four weeks in 1997. She's still there, loving every minute of living, travelling, ...
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