3 Philippine islands top travel mag poll

Boracay, Cebu and Palawan ranked as the three best island destinations in the world in a survey released by an international travel magazine.

Condé Nast Traveler (CNT) said Boracay moved into the top of the list, followed by Cebu and Palawan.

While Boracay has retained the No. 1 spot from last year, Cebu jumped from 5th place in 2016 to second, relegating Palawan to the third place this year. Palawan came in second last year.

“More than 300,000 travellers took part in our 30th annual Readers' Choice Awards survey – setting yet another new record – submitting millions of ratings and more than 100,000 comments to help us create a list of winning favorites,” CNT said in its website.

The respondents, in their late 30s to 60s, voted on 255 islands to come up with the 30 best islands outside the United States.

The three Philippine Islands bested some 27 popular destinations: Mallorca, Spain (4th place); Mykonos, Greece (5th); Bermuda (6th); St. Barts (7th); Turks and Caicos (8th); Bali, Indonesia (9th); Cayman Islands (10th); St. Lucia (11th); St. John, US Virgin Islands (12th); Crete, Greece (13th); Sardinia, Italy (14th); Ibiza, Spain (15th); and Antigua (16th).

Other islands that made it to this year’s list were Vancouver Island, Canada (17th spot); Isla Mujeres, Mexico (18th); Barbados (19th); Capri, Italy (20th); Fiji (21st); Moorea and Bora Bora in French Polynesia (22nd and 23rd, respectively); British Virgin Islands (24th); Santorini, Greece (25th); Mauritius (26th); Anguilla (27th); Hvar, Croatia (28th); Madeira, Portugal (29th); and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (30th).

Conde Naste described Boracay as an “itty-bitty island (just under four square miles) in the Western Philippines.”

With its “gentle coastlines and transportative sunsets”, as well as its “thriving nightlife scene”, Boracay is one of the top tourist spots in the region, it said.

Condé Nast said “the aptly named White Beach is Boracay’s main draw, with powdery white sand and shallow azure water ideal for swimming and snorkeling.”

The magazine cited Cebu, which is the “most densely” populated island in the country, for its beaches on the mainland, as well as across many of the surrounding islands.

“Not as wild as Phuket in Thailand, Cebu City is more personal, with plenty of upand-coming restaurants and shopping,” an excerpt of the magazine article read.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III was more than grateful for those who voted for the province.

“We are really making waves as a premier tourist destination,” he said.

Palawan was hailed for its Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, which is among the world’s longest underground rivers, with negotiable five miles of a subterranean cave system.

It is one of the newly crowned seven natural wonders of the world.

Conde Nast has won 25 National Magazine Awards.