For those familiar with the Philippines, Boracay is famous for 2 things – stunning beaches and tourism. Probably the most tourist-friendly beach location in the island nation, Boracay is, in many ways, a remote workers dream with reliable WiFi, lots of flights (and boats) to the island, and a large expat presence.

But starting April 26th, tourists will be banned from the island for at least 6 months, as the government claims its famous beaches have been transformed into a “cesspool” due to sustained environmental damage.

According to CNN, the President of the Philippines is quoted as saying, “As long as there is shit coming out of those pipes draining to the sea, I will never give you the time of the day (to return)” to the island.

But have no fear, friends and readers looking to travel to the Philippines — if Boracay isn’t a possibility, I’d definitely encourage you to check out El Nido on the island of Palawan, and you can check out my trip report here.