Here's a summary of my Kalibo and Ati-Atihan posts:
I'm really happy that I have now been able to attend my first Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, the city where many of my relatives were born and raised. Being able to experience the annual celebration from which many other festivals got their inspiration was incredible.
I'm amazed at the endurance and heat tolerance of the parading tribes. It was tremendously hot when I was in Kalibo, and I can't even imagine how difficult it must have been to dance and parade in oppressive heat while wearing an elaborate costume and being covered in body paint. Or while beating drums - some of them pretty big and heavy - non-stop and with full force. That this is done for hours at a time and many times over the At-Atihan weekend, with many of the participants being children, makes you realize just how big of a deal this festival is to the locals.
I will say this though: if you want to have your photo taken with one of the people parading in costume, it is just more polite and proper to ask them (or at the very least just say you will take a photo with them). I was really put off when I saw some people grabbing random paraders - a lot of them kids - to stop them from moving forward so that these people could take a better photo. It is rude to grab someone else, especially when what they doing is very physically demanding, so please treat the paraders with respect.
Getting around Kalibo
Tricycles are most common and easiest way to get around the city. A tricycle from the airport costs P100 (for one person that's expensive but for a group of people, not really). Within the city, tricycle rides are P8 for short distances. I guess there are jeepneys here as well but I don't know their routes. There are no taxis.
Where to stay
As I wrote in my previous post, during Ati-Atihan, if you want a bit of peace and quiet, La Esperanza Hotel is a very good option. (Be ready to pay about 3-4 times more than you normally would if you plan to visit during the annual festival.) If you want to visit Kalibo at a different time and you want something closer to the plaza, you could stay at Hotel Carmen. If you plan to go to Boracay after your stay in Kalibo, La Esperanza is the best option because it is right next to the Ceres bus terminal, meaning that you can just get on the bus immediately after checking out.
Kalibo to Caticlan (Boracay)
I was told that the best way to travel from Kalibo to Caticlan is by bus from the Ceres bus terminal. Shuttle vans are apparently not very safe because they are driven too fast in the hopes of making more trips from Kalibo to Boracay and back. Aside from more safety, another good thing about riding the bus is that you also have a bit more leg room.
When I got to the Ceres bus station, the Caticlan bus had just left but I only had to wait about 20 minutes for the next one to arrive. (There was actually a non-aircon bus to Caticlan but I wanted to take a bus with aircon so I decided to wait just a little longer). My bus took 1 hour and 45 minute to get to Caticlan and it made only a few stops on the way. It also doesn't wait to be full before it goes, so you don't really lose a lot of time if you choose to travel by bus.
Total cost of my trip from Kalibo to Boracay island via bus: P332
After my high energy weekend in Kalibo for Ati-Atihan, I spent two days in Boracay to chill and relax. I will be writing more about that next.
- Kalibo Ati-Atihan
- Sadsad (Street dances and parades)
- Sunday mass and final festivities
- Food tripping: Primavera
- Food tripping: Peil
- Food tripping: Ramboy's
- Accommodations: La Esperanza Hotel
- Final thoughts and travel tips
I'm really happy that I have now been able to attend my first Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, the city where many of my relatives were born and raised. Being able to experience the annual celebration from which many other festivals got their inspiration was incredible.
Kalibo Cathedral
I'm amazed at the endurance and heat tolerance of the parading tribes. It was tremendously hot when I was in Kalibo, and I can't even imagine how difficult it must have been to dance and parade in oppressive heat while wearing an elaborate costume and being covered in body paint. Or while beating drums - some of them pretty big and heavy - non-stop and with full force. That this is done for hours at a time and many times over the At-Atihan weekend, with many of the participants being children, makes you realize just how big of a deal this festival is to the locals.
I will say this though: if you want to have your photo taken with one of the people parading in costume, it is just more polite and proper to ask them (or at the very least just say you will take a photo with them). I was really put off when I saw some people grabbing random paraders - a lot of them kids - to stop them from moving forward so that these people could take a better photo. It is rude to grab someone else, especially when what they doing is very physically demanding, so please treat the paraders with respect.
Getting around Kalibo
Tricycles are most common and easiest way to get around the city. A tricycle from the airport costs P100 (for one person that's expensive but for a group of people, not really). Within the city, tricycle rides are P8 for short distances. I guess there are jeepneys here as well but I don't know their routes. There are no taxis.
Where to stay
As I wrote in my previous post, during Ati-Atihan, if you want a bit of peace and quiet, La Esperanza Hotel is a very good option. (Be ready to pay about 3-4 times more than you normally would if you plan to visit during the annual festival.) If you want to visit Kalibo at a different time and you want something closer to the plaza, you could stay at Hotel Carmen. If you plan to go to Boracay after your stay in Kalibo, La Esperanza is the best option because it is right next to the Ceres bus terminal, meaning that you can just get on the bus immediately after checking out.
Kalibo to Caticlan (Boracay)
I was told that the best way to travel from Kalibo to Caticlan is by bus from the Ceres bus terminal. Shuttle vans are apparently not very safe because they are driven too fast in the hopes of making more trips from Kalibo to Boracay and back. Aside from more safety, another good thing about riding the bus is that you also have a bit more leg room.
When I got to the Ceres bus station, the Caticlan bus had just left but I only had to wait about 20 minutes for the next one to arrive. (There was actually a non-aircon bus to Caticlan but I wanted to take a bus with aircon so I decided to wait just a little longer). My bus took 1 hour and 45 minute to get to Caticlan and it made only a few stops on the way. It also doesn't wait to be full before it goes, so you don't really lose a lot of time if you choose to travel by bus.
Total cost of my trip from Kalibo to Boracay island via bus: P332
- Bus ride from Caticlan to Kalibo: P107
- Terminal fee at the Caticlan port: P100
- Environmental feeat the Caticlan port: P75
- Boat ride from Caticlan to Boracay: P25
- Electric tricycle ride on Boracay Island: P25
After my high energy weekend in Kalibo for Ati-Atihan, I spent two days in Boracay to chill and relax. I will be writing more about that next.
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