puka beach boracay with the atis

it was approaching noon time, the extreme heat of the sun did not stop us from a walk down to one of the most relaxing spot in Boracay, the beautiful Puka beach. away from the often crowded white beach of the island.a view of the beach still shows a bit of how Boracay island looked years back but now with few cottages, nipa shelters, and a backdrop of the beach with sparkling clear waters. just few minutes, we were introduced to the Atis who then shared their stories of what Boracay was more than 30years ago. a time when they freely occupied the entire island. shifting from one beach shore to another depending on the season and abundance of the natural resources.not anymore. as the island's first occupants are now facing a challenge they did not foresee. from the first visitors who soon built a simple resort and was followed by more, coming from other countries.it was somehow late when they realized that what they once possess is now a haven for beach bums, and tourists of sorts. but still with hope, they continue to hold on and believe that they will still have that piece of land that they deserve.this story is a concrete proof that a land unplanned leads to a conflict of development and preservation. in contrast, i believe development and preservation can exist together with proper land management and strong policies of supporting the natives and locals of an island.with help coming from charitable institutions, volunteers, fund raising organizations and resorts willing to help, this problem will be solved. making of shell crafts has helped some of the locals to earn a living and with the idea of having at least one Ati employed for each resort, i believe is not a bad idea.after our session with the natives, we had our chance to work on some of the puka shells given to us. but with not much time and with the idea of supporting them, many decided to buy their crafts instead. a beach area like this can best be matched with a really good food from Cafe Vista. served for lunch includes one whole grilled Tuna, sea clams, bits of meat and a set of sliced mangoes. but what i liked most was the idea of using a cut bamboo tube as a cup for the iced drinks. it adds the feel of being in a tropical island beach.Alta Vista de Boracay is currently managing this part of Puka beach gaining semi-exclusivity. that makes this part of the island my favorite. while a public Puka beach area is still open for the public. you can reach the public Puka beach from around the island by renting a tricycle going North of the island.