The world’s best islands. The most hospitable people in the world. A volcano that is a perfect cone. The sweetest mangoes. And a festival for every day of the year? If you find yourself in the Philippines right now, consider yourself lucky. If not, better get those tickets booked and your dancing shoes ready. Because in this side of the world, everyday is a party!
It’s no doubt most people, locals and travelers alike, agree to the country’s most recent tourism campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” as it truly captures one of the best assets this country has to offer: our infectious love of celebration and merrymaking. Don’t be surprised if one day, while riding the bus in a little town in Cebu or just walking down the city streets of Manila, you will be stopped because a parade of dancing children in colorful costumes is passing by. But don’t fret, it is one of the best cultural experiences you will ever have being in the Philippines.
Most festivals, or “fiestas” as they are called locally, are highly religious and cultural in nature, honoring the patron saint of a city or town or celebrating a ritual or tradition kept alive for generations. But the rest can be as diverse and bizarre as it can get. Talk about a rice festival, flower festival, a hot air balloon festival. Then you have a mango festival, milkfish festival, and even a parade of lechon (yes, the crispy and juicy roasted pig!) completely dressed in different characters!
A year may not be enough to experience all these grand celebrations of culture, religion, and abundance but you can definitely plan out trips to catch these three major festivals in the country:
Ati-Atihan Festival
3rd weekend of January | Kalibo, Aklan
