. Boracay, Philippines
At less than four square miles, this compact Philippine island grew up fast, transforming from under-the-radar to overtouristed in the span of a few rocky decades, and it was temporarily shut down in 2018 to allow for much-needed redevelopment and rehabilitation. The island’s most famous beach is the three-mile White Beach, where the sugary sands provide the perfect blank canvas for viewing magical sunsets and blue-sailed paraws (outrigger boats) that skim along the horizon. On Boracay’s eastern shores, steady winds make for some of the best kiteboarding and windsurfing conditions in the region.
