A Comprehensive Ati-atihan Festival Survival Guide

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Are you ready for next year’s Ati-atihan Festival? No? Well, you’re in luck! I’ve made a comprehensive survival guide just for you!

HOW TO GET THERE BY AIR

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Take a direct flight from Manila or Cebu to Kalibo with Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines or AirAsia.

Do note that airline rates vary daily from airline to airline so I suggest checking Skyscanner to score the best deals.

HOW TO GET THERE BY SEA

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As far as I know, Kalibo has no major ports. However, there are other ports within Aklan that are only about an hour or less away from Kalibo. These said ports are in Caticlan and Dumaguit. Check out Romblon Shipping Lines (formerly MBRS), Moreta Shipping Lines and 2Go (formerly Negros Navigation) for more information.

HOW TO GET THERE BY LAND

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From Iloilo
Go to Tagbak Terminal and take a bus or van that is bound for Kalibo. Fare is more or less 230 pesos. Average travel time is 3 hours.

From Roxas
Go to Pueblo de Panay and take a bus or van that is bound for Kalibo. Fare is more or less 120 pesos. Average travel time is 1.5 hours.

From Antique
Go to San Jose Terminal and take a bus that is bound for Kalibo. Fare is more or less 250 pesos. Average travel time is 5 hours.

Actual fares may vary without prior notice.

WHERE TO STAY

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There are a lot of factors involved when it comes to finding a place to stay and that includes the location, your budget and the type of amenities you are looking for. I recommend that you check the following websites to find out what place would suit your needs best:

Agoda
I’ve booked hotels through Agoda a couple of times and I love it. They have a great network of hotels to choose from at competitive prices.

AirBNB
I’ve also booked through AirBNB and this is a personal favorite. AirBNB offers the most unique travel experiences that can perfectly suit your budget and needs.

Booking
I personally haven’t used Booking before but they also have good deals and a wide selection of hotels to choose from.

All of the websites I’ve mentioned are secure, fast and easy-to-use. It is highly recommended that you book several months in advance. Not only will you get good value for your money, you will also have more and better options. The last thing you want to happen is settling for a shoddy place or worse – not be able to find a place to stay at all!

WHAT TO WEAR

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Rule of thumb: Wear something comfortable. Remember you’ll be out in the streets all day long so wear light, airy fabrics (something you don’t mind getting soiled) that allow you to move freely and shoes that are made for walking.

WHAT TO DO

Plan Ahead
Familiarize the site, know your routes and set a schedule of your activities.

Charge Up

Make sure to charge all your batteries and carry extra battery packs for your gadgets with you if you can. You don’t want your phone or camera dying on you, right?

Stay Connected
Should you be traveling with friends, make sure to obtain their phone numbers and set up meet-up rules in case you get separated during the festival. But if you’re traveling solo, let some people around you know about your plans, make friends along the way and store emergency contact details.

Beat the Heat

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Keep yourself protected from nature’s death ray a.k.a. The Sun by wearing a pair of sunglasses/cap/scarf and putting on some sunscreen.

Stay Hydrated
Drink lots of water and have a bottle of water with you at all times to avoid dehydration and nasty hangovers (if you’re drinking that is).

Drink Responsibly
Should you drink, drink sensibly, pace yourself and make sure to know your limits. Never get black-out drunk because you then get to miss out on all the fun.

Eat Well 

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Going out on an empty stomach is always a bad idea. Eat energy boosting foods that can help sustain you for the entire day. Trust me, you’ll need it.

Stay Safe
Although Ati-atihan Festival is the safest festival I’ve been to, it still pays to prepare for the worst. Use your common sense, secure your belongings, always be aware of your surroundings and know where to get help in case of emergency.

Carpe Diem

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Social media updates can wait. Enjoy and live in the moment.

Relax
When you’re feeling tired, take some time out to cool down and rest.

I hope you found this post helpful! If you haven’t read my Ati-atihan blog nor seen the vlog yet, you should.

Disclaimer:
Some images used on this post are taken from the web and believed to be in the public domain. Credit is given where it is due.

Ati-atihan Festival 2015

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Five months ago, my boyfriend and I had another epic adventure in the island of Panay. Our first agenda: Kalibo, Aklan.

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For the first time, I was able to experience Ati-atihan Festival – the oldest festival in the Philippines which goes all the way back to the 1200′s and has been celebrated for more than 800 years now.

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Coined as “the Mother of all Festivals”, the Ati-atihan Festival is held annually in January to commemorate

Sto. Niño, the patron saint of Kalibo. But before the Spanish colonization, it was originally a pagan festival to honor an anito god of the Ati people, the first inhabitants of Panay Island.

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Ati-atihan means “to be like the Ati people”. If you’re Filipino, you know that word repetition may denote roleplay. Think “balay-balay” or “bahay-bahayan”.

“According to accepted origin of the festival, in the 13th century, 10 datus from Borneo escaping a tyrant Sultan Makatunaw, came upon the island after sailing with their slaves, warriors, families and properties aboard “balangays.” Headed by Datu Puti, Makatunaw’s chief minister, they sailed for days guided by the stars in unchartered waters. Upon arrival, the Datu made a trade with the natives and bought the plains for a golden salakot, brass basins and bales of cloth. For the wife of the Ati chieftain, they gave a very long necklace. Feasting and festivities followed soon after.

 

Read the full story of its history here.

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During the festival, locals smear or cover their faces and bodies with black soot to honor the dark-skinned Ati people

(also known as Negritos by the way).

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The major streets of Kalibo were filled with an endless sea of people participating with what the locals call “sadsad”, a nonstop parade of street dancing and merrymaking as a thanksgiving devotion.

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The steady, rhythmic pounding of the drums and xylophones never stop. Echoing late into night till the sun rises again – it literally goes on for days. The beat is so intoxicating that one cannot help but just dance away without care.

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Adorned with elaborate, colorful costumes, the blackened street dancers also parade and dance to the beat along the streets of Kalibo.

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Unlike other festivals we’ve been to, Ati-atihan allows everyone to be a part of the joyous, colorful parade and not just be mere spectators. 

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If drinking is your thing, be ready to take free shots from strangers in the most unconventional ways possible.

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And yes, that guy is drinking beer right out of a plunger. Don’t worry. That’s clean and brand new, of course, in case you’re wondering.

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Night and day, day and night… It is unfathomable how the people of Kalibo are able to sustain such festive momentum. The flow of their energy is unparalleled.  

Popular practices on Ati-atihan festival include dancing, parading, costume play, feasting and many more.

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Ati-atihan festival is like a cosplay convention, gay parade and Mardi Gras rolled into one. It’s definitely my favorite Philippine festival so far!

Just when think you’ve seen everything, you haven’t. Check out our vlog to see more of this year’s Ati-atihan Festival. The video may not be viewable on some mobile devices.
We strongly recommend that you use a conventional PC or MAC.

If you like seeing more of our videos, please give us a thumbs up on YouTube. Enjoy!