A paradise beach in the Philippines was trashed by partying tourists, and now it's back open after a 6-month deep clean

Many were upset to see the beach close.

Back in the spring of 2018, Philippine authorities made the surprising announcement that Boracay, a small island in the Philippines, would be closing for six months. The reason was simple: major tourism had led to an overflow of waste and sewage that was destroying the natural beauty of the tropical destination.

This week, they announced that the island has reopened — but if authorities have their way, it will likely never be the party destination it once was, according to the Guardian. There are now strict rules and regulations hotel owners have to follow to ensure that Boracay stays protected.

Take a look at the journey the island has been through, from near-total destruction to a peaceful paradise once more.

In April 2018, after years of devastation, the Philippine president ordered visitors off the island so they could start to close it down for rebuilding after calling it a "cesspool."

Tourists walked past a clogged sewer and uncollected sacks containing waste from the sewers along a road at Boracay.

The president, Rodrigo Duterte, wanted everyone off the island so that they could set up and enable facilities to treat raw sewage found in the water.

Locals hoped the beach would get cleaned up.
Eric De Castro/Reuters

"Local government officials have been so negligent. They don't know how to manage and protect this island," tour boat owner Varril Santa told Reuters in April. "It would be better if the national government can run this island. It's better for Boracay, it's better for our tomorrow."

The pipes lead straight to the sea.

Officials said that the island's drainage system was being used to send untreated sewage into the sea, and the environment ministry said 195 businesses and more than 4,000 residential customers were not connected to sewer lines.

In March, a video posted by British diver Rich Horner that showed him swimming through a mess of plastic off the waters of Boracay went viral.

Yes, that's all plastic.

The video from Guardian News showed diver Rich Horner swimming through tons of plastic for a few minutes and then showed how the waste mixed with organic matter when settling on the surface, causing a slick of floating garbage.

Workers were forced to collect transportation money from the Department of Social Welfare agency following the closure.

The executive director of The Boracay Foundation, Pia Miraflores, said, "Everyone, big and small, has sacrificed a lot during the six month [closure]."

Filipino workers demolished West Cove resort on Boracay island.

The beach was also cleared of popular vendors, bonfires, and even the builders of the island's famous sandcastles.

People spent the last six months attempting to clean the island and its waters.

Michael A. Martillano, the president of the island's diving association, told the Guardian that the water quality, corals, and marine life had "really improved."

The beach, pictured after opening, looked cleaner.

Water sports like scuba diving and jet skiing have been banned for now as a marine assessment is carried out.

Further, authorities are trying to step away from the party atmosphere the beach has always had and they have permanently closed the three casinos on the island. Drinking and smoking on the beach have been banned, as have beach parties like the famous "LaBoracay."

Tourists are arriving in smaller numbers to the beach.

New rules say only 19,200 tourists will be allowed on the island at once, something the government will enforce by controlling the number of available hotel rooms.

The beach will no longer be a party hub.
Erik De Castro/Reuters

Martillano said, "It's still going to be fun but the old habits of doing whatever you want, whenever you want to party, that will be the biggest change and probably tough for some people."

The hope is that people will treat the beach better.

Martillano added, "It's now going to be a different mentality for everyone who will enter Boracay, whether you are a tourist or a local or a worker on the island."

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

SEE ALSO: 10 photos that show how thousands of partying tourists destroyed one of Thailand's most famous beaches forever

FOLLOW US: INSIDER is on Facebook

More: Features Freelancer Boracay Phillipines