Wender·Vista
Boracay
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tilePhilippines
a small island off the northwest tip of Panay, in the Western Visayas

Boracay

— — white sand so fine it squeaks underfoot.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“A 7-kilometre island in Aklan province, shaped roughly like a dog bone, with a four-kilometre stretch of powder-white beach along its western shore. The sand is famously fine, ground from coral and forams, and the water shelves so gently that low tide walks out for what feels like a country mile. The island closed for six months in 2018 to let the reefs and the shoreline recover, and reopened with smokefree beaches and stricter building setbacks. Sunset on White Beach is the long, slow event of the day. from the studio

from the studio
Boracay
— bring it home

Boracay, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Boracay

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

Boracay is a small island in the municipality of Malay, Aklan province, off the northwest tip of Panay in the Western Visayas. The island is roughly 7 kilometres long and about 1 kilometre across at its narrowest waist, covering about 10.32 square kilometres in total. White Beach, on the western shore, runs about 4 kilometres and is the centre of tourism; Bulabog Beach on the east is the kiteboarding and windsurfing side, exposed to the amihan trade winds from November through April. The usual approach is by ferry from Caticlan jetty port, a 15-minute crossing.

— the water

The sand on White Beach is unusually fine, ground from coral and the calcium-carbonate shells of foraminifera, and the western shore slopes so gradually that the water stays shallow for dozens of metres out. Visibility is best in the dry season from late November through May, when northeasterly amihan winds give way to lighter conditions on the western coast. The eastern side at Bulabog faces those winds head-on and has become one of Asia's best-known kiteboarding venues, regularly hosting Asian Cup and international tour events.

— informed by Wikipedia — Boracay
— the visit

In April 2018 the Philippine government closed the island to tourists for six months after President Rodrigo Duterte described it as a cesspool, citing failed sewage systems and over-construction. It reopened in October 2018 with daily visitor caps, mandatory hotel accreditation, smokefree beaches, and a setback line pulling structures back from the high-tide mark. Access is via the Caticlan or Kalibo airports on Panay, then road and the short ferry crossing from Caticlan. Peak season runs December through May; the rainy southwest habagat dominates June through October.

— where
Philippines · Malay, Aklan, Western Visayas
— position
11.9674° N · 121.9248° E
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
2 km S
Caticlan Jetty Port
ferry terminal on Panay
4 km N
Puka Shell Beach
northern shell beach
3 km NE
Mount Luho
island viewpoint
N
Boracay
Caticlan Jetty Port
Puka Shell Beach
Mount Luho
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Boracay — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

Boracay is a small island in Malay municipality, Aklan province, off the northwest tip of Panay in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. The usual approach is the 15-minute ferry from Caticlan jetty port.

The sand is ground from coral and the calcium-carbonate shells of foraminifera, giving it an unusually fine, almost powdery texture. The grains are small enough to squeak slightly underfoot when dry.

The island closed to tourists for six months in 2018 after the national government cited failed sewage systems and over-construction. It reopened in October 2018 with visitor caps, smokefree beaches, and stricter building setbacks.

The dry amihan season, late November through May, brings calm western shores and clear water for swimming. Kiteboarders prefer December through March for steady wind on the Bulabog side.

Boracay covers about 10.3 square kilometres, roughly 7 kilometres north-to-south, with the famous White Beach running about 4 kilometres along the western shore.

Fly into Caticlan or Kalibo airport on Panay, then take ground transfer to Caticlan jetty port and the short ferry crossing. Total transit from Manila is usually three to four hours.

— about the piece in your home

It carries well for Filipino families and for people who honeymooned or worked on Boracay. A Medium or Large on the wall reads instantly to anyone who has walked White Beach at sunset.

The piece sits well in Coastal-modern rooms, sun-room and lanai installations, and Tropical-minimalist spaces where one strong colour anchors a quieter palette.

Yes, within the current shift away from grey-blue Hamptons coastal toward warmer, sun-bleached tropical palettes drawn from the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

Above a standard sofa or console, a single Large reads from across the room; a 4-tile Mural carries a wider wall; a 9-tile Mural becomes the room's centrepiece.

Yes. Use the Dura Satin or Matte finish for bathrooms, showers, and kitchen backsplashes. The colour is infused into the ceramic surface and will not lift in humid rooms.

A soft microfibre cloth with water is enough. Avoid abrasive pads or harsh solvents. The thin glossy finish wipes clean without wax or sealant.

Yes. Every WenderVista piece is original work made by Reid Wender in the Knoxville studio, hand-finished in-house, with no licensing from outside artists.

— if this one stayed with you

A few you might also love.

Hand-picked by the eye that found Sorapis. Same air, same kind of quiet.