We flew from Cebu to Boracay by plane. There was cloud cover, firstly. Secondly, the windows of the portholes were all streaked and cracked. So, we couldn't take any aerial photos. It's a pity, as very beautiful views opened up in the gaps of the clouds, which soon disappeared into the unknown.
The islands floating beneath us were wrapped in a light green coral corset. Sometimes, even the tiny island was torn apart by an internal lagoon. The magical flight in the blue-green space lasted one hour.
From the airport located at the northern tip of Panay Island, there are still two kilometers to Boracay by sea, which we covered by boat in half an hour.
Boracay gained fame only in recent years. It was discovered by "self-organized" tourists in the 1980s, and this paradise corner of the Philippines gradually began to gain popularity and is considered today one of the best beach vacation spots.
A few days after returning from the Philippines, I was invited to a meeting of the State Agency for Tourism, where issues of the past season and tasks for the current year were discussed. I listened with interest to the report of the then director, Turusbek Mamashov. The report was emotional and, as they say, to the point. They talked about problems. But the main thing that pleased me was that the "levels" of power finally came to understand the importance of tourism for Kyrgyzstan. Sitting at the meeting, I felt the urge to talk about tourism in the Philippines, as this country, I dare say, is a great tourist power.
First, a brief overview of tourism resources. Luxury resorts are located in areas where the local nature is especially generous: coral gardens with numerous fish, limestone cliffs, volcanoes, lagoons, lakes, caves, tropical forests... In addition to natural wonders, the Philippines is famous for its golf courses and excellent diving, which is developed at the state level.
Cities in the Philippines present a stark contrast to the islands. They are among the most modern and ethnically diverse metropolises in all of Southeast Asia. In Manila and Cebu, we saw skyscrapers reaching above the line of low ocean clouds. Excellent five-star hotels, modern shopping centers, cozy bars, casinos, and a wide variety of restaurants... But the main thing in the Philippines is the people. Their culture is a sum of shades from over a hundred cultures of the island peoples. It is a noble shining crystal, which can be described as "a hundred in one." As a result of numerous migrations and colonizations, the culture has been strongly influenced by Chinese, Spanish, and American cultures. The Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia, and this is reflected in the national character. Filipinos are people with a rational Western mindset, a passionate Latin American heart, and a mysterious Eastern soul.
The total length of the coastline of all the Philippine islands is thirty-five thousand kilometers. No other country in the world has as many beaches. The water temperature here ranges from 26 to 28 degrees year-round. The color of the sea changes from deep blue to emerald green. All this is an unlimited potential for the development of mass beach tourism and recreation. Sand, sun, water, ecology, various entertainment, diving, sailing — in short, this is the direction we want to develop at Issyk-Kul. And as for how things are on our jewel, we all know well.
