BPI Signature Yacht Race Series Boracay Cup
by Conde Nast Traveler 11 Oct 22:35 PDT
19-22 November 2026
BPI Boracay 200 2026 © Guy Nowell / BPI
Boracay in the Philippines has overtaken Malaysia's Langkawi to be voted Asia's second most beautiful island by readers of American magazine Condé Nast Traveler. Boracay scored 94.6 points out of 100, just after Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island with 95.26 points.
Boracay is a skinny little island just about 7km end to end and only 900m wide at the 'waist'. It is located in Malay Province, 300km south of Manila, and you can either fly to Caticlan on neighbouring Panay and take the ferry across, or you can join in the BPI Boracay Race which starts from The Lighthouse in Subic Bay on 20 February 2027 and runs 200nm to a finish of Sea Wind Resort at the northern end of the famous white Beach. NOTE: you'll either have to bring your own boat, or else get onto a crew competing in the BPI Signature Yacht Race Series.
Boracay is renowned for its fine white-sand beaches, clear turquoise waters, lively nightlife and spectacular sunsets, and the race is followed by a three-day regatta at Boracay, which is renowned for consistent 20kts breezes all year round.
In addition to yacht racing, popular activities include sunset sailing on traditional double-outrigger paraw boats, scuba diving, island hopping, parasailing and kayaking in clear-bottom crystal kayaks. Willy's Rock is a well-known volcanic rock formation just offshore from Station 1 along Boracay's White Beach.
More than 798,867 Condé Nast Traveler readers participated in the survey, sharing their opinions on various travel experiences, including cities, islands, hotels, resorts, cruise ships, spas, and airlines. The Readers' Choice Awards, the longest-running accolade in the travel industry, celebrate excellence in hotels, resorts, and destinations around the world.
Sail-World Asia doesn't run any awards, but has been around the buoys long enough to where the good bits are, and Boracay is one of them. The BPI Signature Yacht Race Series is a celebration of the fabulous scenery of the Philippines archipelago, a collection of testing races and regattas, a shout-out for conservation (in association with WWF Philippines), and some of the best sailing fun you can have in Asia with events in Subic, Boracay, Busuanga, and Corregidor. Get on board!
The 10 most beautiful islands in Asia, as listed by Condé Nast Traveler:
1. Phu Quoc, Vietnam
2. Boracay, Philippines
3. Palawan, Philippines
4. Langkawi, Malaysia
5. Koh Samui, Thailand
6. Bali, Indonesia
7. Phuket, Thailand
8. Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
9. Andaman Islands, India
10. Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand