Travel Postcard: 48 hours in Boracay

BORACAY, Philippines (Reuters Life!) - Boracay is not the secluded, quiet island it used to be, but its picture-perfect White Beach still can't be beat for a weekend getaway.

With over 150 resorts, restaurants and bars cheek-by-jowl on the sands, tourists are spoilt for choice.

Here are some recommendations by Reuters correspondents with local knowledge on how to make the most of a weekend on Boracay:

Saturday

8 a.m. - Get as early a flight as you can out of Manila to Caticlan, a small town on the island of Panay, about 300 km (186 miles) to the south. Only small planes operated by Air Philippines, Asian Spirit and SEA Air land there, but it's only a short 40-minute flight.

If you are checking into one of the upmarket resorts, transfers will be arranged. Otherwise stroll down to the pier about 500 yards (meters) away and get into one of the many pump-boats that will take you to Boracay in a short 15-minutes.

11 a.m. - Check in, dump your bags in the room and make your way to the beach. No shoes, and wear little besides your trunks or bikini and suntan lotion. There's no dress code on Boracay.

1 p.m. - Walk barefoot along the beach to Lemon Cafe inside D'Mall, a grouping of shops, restaurants and bars. It offers an excellent lunch -- pizzas, sandwiches, juices and light mains.

3 p.m. - Time for a massage. The top-of-the-line Mandala Spa, on a hill in the centre of the island and at the Discovery Shores resort on the beach, offers several treatments, including the traditional Philippine hilot massage. There's a vegetarian restaurant at the hillside location, and also rooms to stay.