Boracay named 2012 world's best island

[lastlid]

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) - "Boracay has been named as this year's world's best island getaway by an international travel magazine.

Discovery Shores in Boracay was also named best hotel spa in Asia by "Travel + Leisure" magazine's 2012 World's Best Awards.

The magazine's editor, Nilou Motamed, made the announcement Friday on the "Today" daily American morning television show that airs on NBC.

Boracay, which placed 4th in the same awards last year, garnered 93.10 points to take the top spot this year.


Travel + Leisure's top 10 island destinations in 2012, based on a survey of readers are:

1. Boracay, Philippines - 93.10
2. Bali - 90.41
3. Galápagos - 89.55
4. Maui - 89.53
5. Great Barrier Reef Islands, Australia - 89.28
6. Santorini, Greece - 89.20
7. Kauai - 89.09
8. Big Island, Hawaii - 87.95
9. Sicily, Italy - 87.87
10. Vancouver Island, British Columbia - 87.48

"The world's best island, I confess to never having heard of it in the Philippines," "Today" host Willie Geist said.

"This is important, Boracay. It beat out Bali, number 2. It's one of those islands you should know about if you're interested in culture and value," Motamed told Geist.

"Our readers love this, it's not been on anyone's radar. It's in the Philippines. This is the place that you're gonna get not only hotels that you can stay for $50 a night but incredible hotels like the Shangri-la," she added.

Boracay's Discovery Shores also secured top honors for being the best hotel spa in Asia this year, the magazine said.

Aside from Boracay and Discovery Suites, the winners in other categories are Bangkok (world's best city), Singita Grumeti Reserves (world's best hotel), Crystal Cruises (world's best large ship cruise line), Seabourn (world's best small ship cruise line), Viking River Cruises (world's best river cruise line), Singapore Airlines (world's best international airline), Virgin America (world's best domestic airline), Micato Safaris (world's best safari outfitter), Row Adventures (world's best tour operator), Hertz (world's best car rental agency), Red Mountain Resort (world's best destination spa), and Capella Pedregal (world's best hotel spa).

"Even after 17 years, the opportunity to see what travel experiences resonate with our readers still intrigues and delights me. While some passions change over time, the allure of the exotic and the new remains as strong as ever, as does the attraction to trips that provide distinctive and long-lasting memories," "Travel + Leisure" editor-in-chief Nancy Novogrod said in a press statement.

The full results of the 17th annual "Travel + Leisure" World's Best Awards survey revealing readers' favorite hotels, cities, islands, cruise lines, airlines, car rental agencies, spas, safari outfitters, and tour operators are listed on www.TravelandLeisure.com and will be featured in the magazine's August digital editions and its August print issue that will hit US newsstands on July 20.

The 2012 World's Best Awards winners will be honored at a ceremony on July 19 that will be hosted by Novogrod and the magazine's vice-president and publisher, Jean-Paul Kyrillos, at the newly opened Conrad New York."



http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle...ds-best-island

[stevewool]

a beautiful place yes, but there is better, just depends on who you are with to share it with

[lastlid]

Maybe the best of the commonly known places?

[stevewool]

Maybe the best of the commonly known places?

you are right there, better to leave it that way so really the best places stay the best because they are not known by the rest of the world

[grahamw48]

Always a dilemma.

I 'd really like the Filipino people to benefit from increased tourism revenue, but at the same time don't want my 'secret' paradise to be invaded by all and sundry.

[CBM]

Tourism is not really the best path to development. Inbound tour operators, espescially within Asia, are canny folk who never leave a cent on the table, taking great care to ensure that as much as possible of the tourists' "spend" lands in their own pockets, so you get badly paid job vacancies for chambermaids, waiters, security guards and, lets be frank, prostitutes, the money goes back to the country of origin of the tourists and all that happens is that the place gets messed up.

Export based agricultural and industrial development is vastly better.

Take the Ifugao rice terraces - tourism to them will result in hotels being built, roads improved and jobs for chambermaids and waiters. But there is no obvious way- and certainly no corruption-proof way - to get the money to the farmers to repair the terraces.

If, on the other hand, terrace-grown rice was exported under Fairtrade conditions, the famers would benefit and be motivated to maintain the terraces.

[Ako Si Jamie]

I suppose prices on the island will increase somewhat now after this.

It is a beautiful island but commercialization is spoiling it.

[stevewool]

bohol to me is just as beautiful, more space, more time to relax and the beautiful places to see too, but keep that to yourselfs

[lastlid]

Always a dilemma.

I 'd really like the Filipino people to benefit from increased tourism revenue, but at the same time don't want my 'secret' paradise to be invaded by all and sundry.

Exactly what I think.

[lastlid]

Tourism is not really the best path to development. Inbound tour operators, espescially within Asia, are canny folk who never leave a cent on the table, taking great care to ensure that as much as possible of the tourists' "spend" lands in their own pockets, so you get badly paid job vacancies for chambermaids, waiters, security guards and, lets be frank, prostitutes, the money goes back to the country of origin of the tourists and all that happens is that the place gets messed up.

Export based agricultural and industrial development is vastly better.

Take the Ifugao rice terraces - tourism to them will result in hotels being built, roads improved and jobs for chambermaids and waiters. But there is no obvious way- and certainly no corruption-proof way - to get the money to the farmers to repair the terraces.

If, on the other hand, terrace-grown rice was exported under Fairtrade conditions, the famers would benefit and be motivated to maintain the terraces.

I agree that the Philippines shouldn't rely solely on tourism. Valid point. But it is a step in the right direction to take advantage of its main assets, ie its natural beauty and biodiversity. In any case, if it is managed well then there is no reason why toursim cannot be developed for the benefit of the Philippines and not the tour operaters. There seems to be plans in the making and plans being developed to develop ecotourism or at least tourism that is sympathetic to the environment and the community. I hope it continues.

[bigmarco]

Loved Borocay and have to say its the best Getaway I've ever been to. Little surprised the Isle of Dogs never made the Top 10

[andy222]

I miss boracay spent some great times at charles bar. from what I can remeber.

[Ako Si Jamie]

bohol to me is just as beautiful, more space, more time to relax and the beautiful places to see too, but keep that to yourselfs

Top of my list is Panglao Island on Bohol for my next trip

[stevewool]

Loved Borocay and have to say its the best Getaway I've ever been to. Little surprised the Isle of Dogs never made the Top 10

or even frog island in leicester too

[stevewool]

Top of my list is Panglao Island on Bohol for my next trip

thats where i will have our next home i hope, or just in bohol over looking panglao

[gWaPito]

I suppose prices on the island will increase somewhat now after this.

It is a beautiful island but commercialization is spoiling it.

Well, commercialised or not we shall be going to sample its many finest delights during our vacation this October and November.... Hence why im working my socks off

We, like Graham got our unshareable piece of heaven, ours being located in Catanduanes..

We cant wait ..yehey!

Btw...its been asked why we are going away in October..well, winters here are are long enough..why not extend your summer by going away at the start of winter..makes perfect sense...I think you'd have to spend a few years here in UK just to appreciate what awful weather we have.

[andy222]

Charl's Bar Boracay

[stevewool]

Btw...its been asked why we are going away in October..well, winters here are are long enough..why not extend your summer by going away at the start of winter..makes perfect sense

thats why we try to go away for xmas and new year for a month if we can

[lastlid]

Btw...its been asked why we are going away in October..well, winters here are are long enough..why not extend your summer by going away at the start of winter..makes perfect sense

thats why we try to go away for xmas and new year for a month if we can

Me and the ex wife used to do that. We never went away in the UK summer. Normally went in October. Like you say, it kind of extended the summer a bit.

[stevewool]

have a week going at fairways in borocay this october but we cant make it, a shame