Message in a Bottle - What people say about Boracay::Boracay.com::Beach!!! Beer!!! Babes!!! Boys!!!::.

Kevin Sewell
Country: USA
Mobile Phone Number: 818-522-0953
Email Address:kdsewell@excite.com

I didn't know how to go about contacting people in Boracay, I saw this site and thought it would help. You could pass this information to who it needs to.... PLEASE. I received a temporary Henna tatoo there (black henna) and it has been inflamed and scarred my arm. I did some research and it's VERY dangerous but I saw many vendors there. It's actually illegal in some coutries like Canada. Here is a great website and some information. PLEASE get those vendors to use all natural Henna or just stop. It is a threat to peoples' health not to mention horrible skin trauma (like a burn). Here are those sites...

Main:http://www.hennapage.com/henna/ppd/index.html

More Specific:http://www.hennapage.com/henna/ppd/whybad.html

http://www.hennapage.com/henna/ppd/gotodoctor.html

Contact me if you have any questions... thanks.

PLEASE get this to the tourist or gov't. agencies that are applicable.

October 14,2004

I found it ironic when reading the article about the residents of Boracay voicing their opinions against allowing a Jollibee restaurant to open on the island. The reasoning was something to the extent that when people visit Boracay they want to come to a place with a native feel....small shops and friendly local people without the influence of the west.

But when I visited Boracay last summer I couldn't go 10 feet on White
Beach without seeing an advertisement for a cell phone company.....or a
different iced tea company. It was ridiculous. As a person from "The
West".......I can tell you that the beaches of southern California are nothing near
as commercial as what I saw on White beach last summer. If the residents
of Boracay truly want to remain free from the commercial influences of The West...then they should limit the advertising banners and signs allowed at/near the beaches. This does much more damage to the experience of someone visiting Boracay...than would a 100 square meter fast-food restaurant.

Thank you,

Kevin Farley
San Diego, California, USA

Name: J Anderson

Comment:
I have just become aware of a very sad situation in Boracay. Hopefully someone can give me some feedback about this. I recently visited Punta Bunga beach (at the northern end of Boracay, site earmarked for Shangri-La development) and was driven away by guards armed with AK47's. Looking for a quiet spot to spend the day away from the crowds on White Beach, I proceeded to Panoly Beach, where I was also driven away by armed guards!

The thing is, I did a bit of research and was told by several sources that the beach itself cannot actually be bought, only the land adjacent to it, behind the coconut trees. What then gives these people the right to chase tourists away? Apparently the beach/shoreline area is government/marine land, and anyone should be free to go there. Even if I am wrong, and they have somehow managed to buy those beaches, what possible harm could there be in allowing people to visit them? The Shangri-La construction hasn't even started yet!

These greedy, selfish people are going to destroy those beautiful beaches soon enough by building concrete monstrosities on them. Why not allow people to enjoy those places while they still can? Punta Bunga beach is home to a colony of endangered fruit bats, and is also nesting site for rare turtles, although not for much longer. Does anyone know what's going on, or where the law stands on this?

It was in 1989 when I first went to Boracay, I've never seen sands so white, so clean and so fine, plus what's so amazing is it stays cool even on a hot day, it was truly a paradise. There was no electricity back then, most resorts used generators, the cottages were made of bamboos, it looked cool and it was nice, quiet and relaxing, the shore was so wide and dogs run around, the breeze was the best and the stars at night was breathetaking. We covered half our body with sands and enjoyed the fantastic view that surrounds the island and the people are the friendliest, I met a lot of friends. That's how I remembered Boracay the first time, I promised to go back again and again. But year after year changes occurred, at first, I was happy there was improvement, there was already electricity, air-conditionered rooms, fresh water, and the tourist office had also improved, but the shoreline shorten, tables and chairs from restaurants stretch down to the beach, new resorts emerges, cemented structures suddenly blocked the natural scenery of the island, and just last month, I brought my "balik-bayan" brother & nephew proudly to see the island I've been telling him before, but was kinda disappointed myself, I admit I still enjoyed our stay there, but there are a lot of things just can't go unnoticed:

1. There are trashes all over, I mean anywhere and on the beach. (candywrappers, cigarette butts, water bottle, ice cream sticks, etc) I used to love to sat on the sand, but this time, I couldn't even relax myself where to sit because there are trashes everywhere on the sand.

2. The pump boats are all over the beach area. My nephew was swimming and there was these two pump boats coming in, instead of relaxing myself lying down or sun bathing, I was on the look out and worried that my nephew would get hit by the boat's "Katig".

3. Too many vendors roam around the beach area, selling watches, sungglasses, pearls, etc..

4. Non-stop construction around the island. I can go on and on....but the point is it makes me sad, that a place as beautiful as I first remember, was deteriorating every year, every visit, I wonder what it will look like 5 years from now. If these things are ignored and not taken with proper action, I don't think there would still be a paradise, or the famous Boracay tourist flocked to see and experience. It's so disappointing because I know it can be stopped and we may not bring back Boracay as it is in the year 1989, but we can maintain what beauty it still has. Yes, it is still a paradise, and I want to go back again and again. I am just afraid that soon, our future kids won't be able to enjoy what should have been taken care of for them. "Sayang", that's the word that kept coming out from me when I was there. I am not an expert on taking care of the environment, but I want to share a few suggestion, if maybe it can reach the people concern:

1. No smoking or eating on the beach area, there should be a boundary, this will then minimize people throwing or leaving their rubbish on the sand. How about also developing a small maintenance or security group of hired or volunteers making sure it is imposed and being followed.

2. Every morning there should be one volunteer from each resort must pick up trashes or clean the areas specifically assigned to them, in a place as precious as this, clean up day is everyday. From the massive numbers of resorts now in Boracay, cleaning is a breeze.

3.Pump boats should have specific areas to dock their boats. I mean away from the swimming or beach area, So what if people will have to walk a little farther, it is a beach and there are already given specific boat stations nearer to whereever destination. . proper scheduling of pump boats trips might also provide a more organized and less crowded boats coming in.

4. Vendors should only be allowed on specific areas, and they can only go around on a given period of time, each specific type of item scheduled. This way, both the vendors and the place will still benefit.

5. The big waste management problem of Boracay should be given action right away, make clean up and environmental programs and campaigns to educate and make awareness for the residence (recycling/more trash bins) It can be done, if not, then maybe the people concern are not the right ones for the job, and you know what I mean. That's what I have to say. I don't intend to point to someone, because in all the bad things happening in this world, we are all to blame, I am not also trying to discourage tourists wanting to go to Boracay, please do. I am proud of the natural beauty we have in our country that's why I say these. I am just a concern beach lover and wanting for everyone to have a nicer place to hang around to :)

Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 02:44:48 -0700

It was February 2004 when I first visited Boracay with my best buddy Rene. We had a great time and quite impressed with the crystal blue waters and sparkling white sands the beach has to offer. I think everything is affordable (accommodation, food, services, etc.). I don't mind spending my well -earned US Dollars as long as I enjoyed it. The entire resort looked organized with well uniformed employees with ID's and they can communicate well in English (although I am Filipino myself with US citizenry). Lots of things to do - diving, snorkleling, banana ride, parasailing, island boat ride, etc. I promised myself to comeback here every year. Which I did.

January 2005, I came back with my best buddy Rene and my oldest brother Matty. We stayed here for 10 days. I can't help but noticed the presence of beggars. I pity them and in fact gave some of them money. But I think the resort is not the right place for them. I was disappointed to see young kids and adults in dirty clothes begging for money. Quite noticably, the beggars appears and disappears all at the same time. Somebody seemed to be in-charge of this scheme. Inspite of this, we enjoyed our stay and took advantage of the natural beauty of this paradise. With a digital camera in hand, I took some 3,000 photos and 110 short video clips to document our stay.

Year 2006 is approaching and I am already preparing for my next trip (I have 6 weeks vacation). Living in Reno, Nevada for 19 years, I deserve a yearly break (at least). This time, I am planning to bring with me my seven (7) brothers living in the Philippines. I want them to enjoy the island of Boracay for one week - all expenses paid including airfare, accommodation and shopping money. A total of nine (9) people in this trip. And if there's no conflict of schedules, me and my best buddy will visit the island of Phuket in Thailand first before heading to Boracay.

My youngest brother Ray, based in Vancouver, Canada is visiting Boracay for the first time this coming July, 2005 with his wife and two young boys. I already gave them some pointers (do's and don'ts).

More power to all of you...

Frank Page