Here in the Philippines, there is only one question that needs to be answered when summer approaches: Do we go up the mountains where there’s respite from the sweltering heat or head to the beach where we can wear as little clothing as possible?
For most Filipinos, the beach is the obvious answer. There are after all thousands of islands that make up this archipelago, each with its own shore and coastline – a lot of which are pristine, untouched and awe-inspiringly beautiful. It just makes sense that we’d spend our vacation days lounging on the sand and getting that golden tan of the islands.
Beach culture here at home caters to everyone – from adventure seekers to thrifty travelers to partygoers to grandparents on their 50th wedding anniversary. There’s definitely a beach to fit every need, want, budget and persuasion.
Arguably the most hyped up scene is that of the party beach. Of course, leading this pack is Boracay, the pride of the country and one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It’s a perennial favorite hotspot for hip Manila folk wanting to take the city’s club scene to the shore. It’s literally party central during Holy Week and Labor Day (which is affectionately called Laboracay), with thousands of city dwellers flying off to the island paradise for a few days of fun, sunshine and overall hedonism.
(While the point of this story is to usher in this year’s beach season, it would be remiss to not note that the over-commercialism of once-undiscovered gems like Boracay severely unbalances and causes irreparable damage to the ecosystem. In fact, just a little over 20 years of tourism activities on Boracay diminished its coral cover by almost 71 percent. We love our little sliver of white sand, don’t we? So it should be up to us to make sure that we’ll still have it for a long time.)
Another thing about high-profile beach destinations being frequented by the hip and young is that they are trendy. No one will be caught dead frolicking in last season’s swimsuit styles. Or worse, the exact same bikini you were photographed in the exact same time last year. For shame! (LOL) It’s all about what’s hot and what’s new. Planning (and purchasing the bulk of) your four-day tropical wardrobe is a chore and event in itself. Every detail is meticulously set in place in order to achieve the quintessential island boy/girl look.
In fact, preparations start as early as New Year’s Day. Having gained all that holiday weight, one is pressured to get back to the gym as soon as January arrives so that one will have that perfectly ripped beach-ready body come mid-March, the unofficial start of beach season. But what’s it all worth if no one will see it as it happens in real time? Thus, the #mandatory #daily #bodycheck #mirrorselfie post on Instagram.
Even tanning is based on trends. We’ve done deep-and-dark, red-and-flushed, tank top lines, and Speedo lines. I think we’re back to sun-kissed perfection this year, perhaps due to the fact that we’ve all finally learned the dangers of sun overexposure and really, the noontime rays these days are just too harsh to bear.
As far as activities go, it’s also about what everybody else is into at the moment. One recent year, poi and fire dancing was all the rage. The next year, it was surfing. Yes, Manila’s young and beautiful (and not-so-beautiful) were taking lessons in droves – at Ayala Triangle and Burgos Circle for poi and Luke Landrigan’s La Union resort for surfing.
So what are these year’s beach trends? Take a walk along the shore and find out yourself. It’s time.
I’m @EdBiado on Twitter and Instagram