FACTS

Boracay Island lies at the most western point of the region of Western Visayas; located at the north-western tip of Panay Island. At 30 degrees latitude and 121 degrees longitude and 350 kilometres south of Manila, the island has an area of 1,083 hectares and is seven kilometres long. The narrowest spot in the middle part of the island is only one kilometre wide and flat. The Northern and Southern part of Boracay are hilly with the highest elevation at 100 meters above sea level. Today the island has approximately 16,000 inhabitants (1999). Boracay belongs to the municipality of Malay in Aklan province and consists of three villages or barangays; Yapak in the North, Balabag in the centre and Manoc-Manoc in the South.

BUSINESS HOURS

Business hours are variable. Banks open from Monday through Friday, 9 AM till 4 PM. The Post Office in Balabag is open from Monday till Friday, from 9 AM till 5 PM with lunch-break. Electricity is 220 Volts and 60 Cycles.

MEDICAL SERVICES

There is one hospital on the island and two hospitals on the mainland. Several well equipped private clinics and several drugstores operate on the island.

HEALTH

Boracay is a pretty safe place, provided basic sanitary and health precautions are taken. Mineral water is available everywhere and a new, high-standard ice factory produces safe ice. A government-funded project supplies most of Boracay's establishments with safe water and a sewage system has been in place since 2002.

CREDIT CARDS

Visa, Master Card, American Express and other credit cards as well traveller cheques are accepted in many establishments. Foreign currency can be changed easily.

COMMUNICATIONS

Domestic and international calls and faxes can be made at almost all resorts and many other places. The telephone system does, however, not allow collect calls. Smart and Globe Telecom provide an international cell phone network and at Internet Cafe the web can be surfed and e-mail checked and sent.