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Travel hot spots - From paradise to hell?
White Beach, a 2.8 mile stretch of paradise an hour south of Manila by plane, has long been one of Asia's worst kept secrets. Conde Nast Traveler has called it one the best beaches in the world and The New York Times listed the island on which it lies one of the 44 places to see in 2009. In an unfortunate bit of foreshadowing, the paper anointed Boracay "the new Phuket."
But at one of Asia's most beautiful beach destinations, things are getting ugly. Years of frenzied tourism growth has transformed Boracay from an island getaway of family-run hotels and cozy beach bars to a place where luxury resorts are as ubiquitous as bikinis. White Beach is now home to a Starbucks, Yellow Cab Pizza and several nightclubs with thumping techno and strobe lights that crisscross the starry sky.
That in itself doesn't spell doom, but the largely unchecked development has put Boracay's spectacular natural environment in jeopardy.