festival

Marinduque: Bila-Bila Festival in the Butterfly Capital of the Philippines

Posted on June 30, 2023

Aside from the unique Moriones Lenten Rites, the island province of Marinduque stands out for being the butterfly capital of the Philippines, accounting for 85% of butterfly and pupae exports in the country. According to the National Museum, the Philippines has around 927 butterfly species, with a third of them endemic to the country. In Marinduque, there are about 600 species of butterflies, which are locally called bila-bila in the Marinduqueño dialect of Tagalog. During our three-day familiarization tour ofRead More→

Zamboanga Hermosa: A Festival of Faith in Zamboanga City

Posted on December 23, 2017

It all started with my desire to see a vinta, a traditional paddleboat with multicolored sails. The most recognizable cultural icon of Zamboanga City often seen in postcards, I assumed it was an everyday sight, but after having visited the city a few times I realized that one could only see it on special occasions, most especially during the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival – also known as Fiesta Pilar – held every October. Unlike most other Philippine festivals which occur over aRead More→

Parada ng Lechon 2015: Witnessing ‘Luwa’ (Religious Declamation) in Balayan, Batangas

Posted on July 9, 2015

The Feast of St. John the Baptist is celebrated with much mayhem in Balayan, Batangas with the cultural highlight of the Parada ng Lechon, a parade of roasted pigs through the streets held on the morning of June 24th, coinciding with the traditional basaan or dousing of water. The parade ended around lunchtime. While the rest of town went to their respective homes to partake in a festive lunch, my friends and I returned to the guesthouse to catch someRead More→

Parada ng Lechon 2015: The Wet, Wild and Weird Festival of Balayan, Batangas

Posted on July 8, 2015

“Hurry up, morning is coming!” a passenger seated across me appealed to the driver in a Tagalog inflected with the distinct Batangeño accent. It was half past four in the morning, and the sky was lighting up with the faintest glow of dawn. My friends and I were crammed in a jeepney heading from Lemery to Balayan in Batangas province. Traveling with three other travel blogger friends, Doi of The Travelling Feet, Julius of Lakwatserong Tsinelas and Ruby of See Hear Explore,Read More→

Baragatan Festival 2015: When Palawan Cultures Converge

Posted on July 2, 2015

As the summer winds down to give way to the first rains of the monsoon, the city of Puerto Princesa hosts the “last hurrah” of the season called the Baragatan Festival, celebrating the province’s faceted heritage and culture. Rooted in the Cuyonon word for “meet” or “gather”, the name of this annual celebration evokes the convergence of cultures from across the largest province in the country. Among the activities during the two-week festival, which ran from June 8 to 23, were a floatRead More→

Experience Traditional Squid Fishing (Candat Sotong) in Terengganu, Malaysia!

Posted on June 17, 2014

Showing off my catch at our second fishing trip during the Terengganu International Squid Jigging Festival 2014! Last April 11 to 14, I was invited by Tourism Terengganu and Gaya Travel Magazine to participate in a unique cultural celebration, the Terengganu International Squid Jigging Festival 2014 or Pesta Candat Sotong Antarabangsa Terengganu 2014. The huge media event was attended by over 250 delegates from traditional and online media including several bloggers from 25 countries. Grouped into teams of five, all theRead More→