Puka Beach, Boracay, Philippines

Boracay is a small island in the Philippines located approximately 315 km (196 mi) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip ofPanay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards from numerous travel publications and agencies. The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak in themunicipality of Malay, in Aklan Province. The island is administered by the Philippine Tourism Authority and the provincial government of Aklan. Apart from its white sand beaches, Boracay is also famous for being one of the world's top destinations for relaxation. It is also emerging among the top destinations for tranquility and nightlife.

Partly because of its wind and weather patterns, tourism in Boracay is at its peak during the Amihanseason. During Amihan, the prevailing wind blows from the east. Boracay's main tourism area, White Beach, is on the western side of the island and is sheltered from the wind. During the Amihan season, the water off White Beach is often glassy-smooth. On the eastern side of the island, hills on the northern and southern ends of the island channel the Amihan season wind from the east onshore, onto Bulabog Beach in the central part of the island's eastern side. This makes the reef-protected waters off that beach ideal for windsurfingand kiteboarding / kitesurfing.

In June 2011, it was reported that a real estate development group led by Andrew Tan had earmarked P20 billion to develop tourism estates "featuring an integrated, master-planned layout and world-class resort offerings and amenities" in Boracay and Cavite. The planned Boracay project, Boracay Newcoast, involves four hotels with 1,500 rooms, a plaza and entertainment center.

 

Leisure activities

Leisure activities available on or near Boracay include scuba diving, diving helmet, snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, cliff diving, parasailing and beach relaxation.

Boracay is the site of an 18-hole par 72 golf course designed by Graham Marsh. In addition, as of 2010, Boracay has in excess of 350 beach resorts offering more than 2,000 rooms ranging in quality from five-star to budget accommodation. In addition, Boracay offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs.

 

Events

Boracay is one competitive venue for the Asian Windsurfing Tour, with the week-long Boracay International Funboard Cupcompetition usually held in January on Bulabog Beach. In 2010, the event dates are January 25 – 31. CNNGo, a division ofCNN focused on travel/lifestyle/entertainment, selected the Boracay International Funboard Competition on the weekend of January 22–24 as one of its 52 weekend recommendations for 2010.

The well-known Ati-Atihan Festival takes place each January in Kalibo on nearby Panay island. A much smaller Ati-Atihan festival is celebrated on Boracay, usually in the second or third week of January.

Dragon boat races are held annually on Boracay under the auspices of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation, with teams coming from around the Philippines and from other Asian nations to compete. The races usually take place sometime in April or May. The 2012 Boracay Edition of the PDBF International Club Crew Challenge to is scheduled for April 26–28, 2012.

The Boracay Open Asian Beach Ultimate Tournament, an ultimate frisbee event, has been held annually since 2003, usually in March or April.

 

Asian Games Centennial Festival

Boracay will host a special multi-sport event called the Asian Games Centennial Festival. On its 31st General Assembly in Macau, theOlympic Council of Asia (OCA) has decided to create the Asian Games Centennial Festival in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Oriental Games (later became Far Eastern Championship Games).^[48] OCA has awarded the Philippines the hosting rights as it was the same host 100 years ago in the first Far Eastern Championship Games held in Manila. The Asian Games Centennial Festival will be held in Boracay on November 2013. The 32nd OCA General Assembly will be held in conjunction of the games.

 

Philippine Swimming League

On April 27, 2014, the Philippine Swimming League was held at Boracay Island for their open water swim after the competition in Aklan Sports Complex in Makato, Aklan. Many swimming teams joined the competition including Aklan Swimming Club based in Kalibo, Aklan and John B. Lacson Swimming Team which it is based in Iloilo City.

Read More

Jeffreys Bay, South Africa

Jeffreys Bay (Afrikaans: Jeffreysbaai, also known as J-bay) is a town located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town is situated just off the N2 Highway, about an hour's drive southwest of Port Elizabeth.

History

Jeffreys Bay is named after the senior partner of the firm Jeffrey & Glendinnings that opened a store in 1849 on the location where the town is today. Jeffrey is believed to be the first person to have settled there.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Jeffreys Bay was known as a hippie hangout, where the now-burgeoning surf community originated. Jeffreys Bay has grown from a sleepy little fishing town over the past few years and is one of the fastest expanding urban areas in the country.

Jeffreys Bay is a popular tourist destination because of its surfing opportunities and the Blue Flag beach.

Tourism

Jeffreys Bay is famous for abundant seashells, great seafood and calamari. The nearby Kabeljous, Seekoei and Krom River lagoons host numerous water birds, and are also ideal for watersports like canoeing, boardsailing, and fishing. Every year, migrating whales make their way to Hermanus and Witsand to give birth, and whales can be seen breaching almost every day during the season.

Just northeast of the town, on the Kabeljous River, lies the Kabeljous Nature Reserve. It is a walk-about reserve, well known to anglers for a diverse number of fish. The Kabeljous estuary is one of the best preserved estuaries in the Eastern Cape. The lagoon is home to waterfowl, herons, and a variety of waders. Nearby, the Seekoei River Nature Reserve lies between Aston Bay and Paradise Beach. The reserve lies on the estuary formed by the Seekoei and Swart rivers. The reserve is rich in birdlife with over 120 species of birds. The lagoon is also home to numerous red-knobbed coots and small antelope. Fishing from boats is prohibited here. There is also a circular hiking trail that takes about three hours to complete. The trail starts with a trip on a raft across the lagoon and runs through fynbos and subtropical vegetation.

Read More

Las Salinas, Ibiza, Spain

Why go?

Named after the salt lakes in the south of Ibiza, this mile-long crescent of sand on the southernmost tip of the island is bordered by a small pine forest. With music blaring from the party bars, it’s here that you will find the most ostentatious clientele on the island.

Who goes?

Sometimes it can end up as a who’s who on the world party scene. Anything goes here but the more beautiful and glamorous set (Jade Jagger and Kate Moss) gather down at the Sa Trinxa Beach Bar (see below), where Jon Sa Trinxa, an island institution, plays his unique Balearic beats well into the night.

What is there to do?

Water sports are available, including catamarans. With big breakers here on windy days, you can sometimes enjoy a good body-surf. Hiking paths wind through the conservation area behind.

Bars and bites

The Jockey Club (971 395788). Farther down the beach from the Sa Trinxa Bar, this informal restaurant has a pleasant elevated view of the sea and an extensive menu. Something a little different for the bold is the ostrich fillet. The legendary Sa Trinxa Beach Bar (670 368019,www.satrinxa.com) is the place for a liquid lunch or supper. Despite its relaxed hippy feel, it always provides an electric warm-up for a night on the town.

Getting there

There are plenty of buses from Ibiza Town. In a car, follow signs to the airport and then, at the roundabout by the Hippodrome, take the second turning to Salinas and follow the signs.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/bestbeaches/7634242/Best-beaches-on-Ibiza-Spain-Las-Salinas-Playa-den-Bossa.html

Read More