Philippines is home to various festivals and every town has one from ultra-commercialized Sinulog of Cebu to humble barrio festival featuring one’s local crafts and produce. These festivals are also one of the reasons why Pinoys would go back home – to celebrate with their loved ones.

And in the city of Davao, they celebrate one of the most decorated ( literally) festival in the country. Every third week of August, Davao City holds its annual Kidayawan Festival. For this year, Kidayawan Festival will be held starting August 21, 2011.

Its name is a little bit more of a”tongue twister” especially for those who are not fluent or at least familiar with Filipino dialects. The festival’s name came from the word “madayaw” which has several meaning but all of them are something about happiness and good fortune. When you arrive in Davao, you will hear this words as their words of welcome to travelers and visitors.

Unlike most festivals in the country which is also a religious celebration, Davao’s Kidayawan is more about their local livelihood. The origin of this festival is a thanksgiving for a good and bountiful harvest. At present, this festival is charcterised by a parade of floats decorated with flow, fruits and other bounties brought by Davao’s fertile soil. There are some similarities with Bagiou’s Panagbenga Festival or the Parade of the Roses in Pasadena. You will be amazed on the wonderful creations with different themes all made from Davao’s local flora.

Of course, Philippine festivals wouldn’t be complete without its street dancing. To make it livelier, a tribal dance competition is held with local schools participating. Spectators can let loose and have fun dancing to the lively drum beats.

For tourists and locals, Kidayawan festival is a time for merry-making. A time to celebrate the beauty and wealth of Mindanao. Street dancing, concerts featuring local bands, food festivals and beauty pageants are just some of the activities that tourists can participate during this weeklong celebration.

Tips

If this is your first time enjoying Davao’s festival. Here are some inside information vital for you to have the best of times during the Kidayawan festival.

• Wear comfortable clothes. With Philippine weather, wear breathable clothes like those made of cotton. Expect for some major walking trails around the city -flip flops or walking shoes can be a big help
• Sun protection please! Wear sunblock, hats, bring extra towel and bottled water
• Cover up. Philippines is a very conservative country. No matter how hot you feel, refrain from wearing clothes that reveal too much skin ( cleavage particularly).
• Put boundaries when drinking. Stay away from any trouble when on a drinking spree by choosing your drinking buddies well and knowing your alcohol limit
• Be nice to the locals. Like other locals, be merry not rowdy.

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Apart from the abundance of spectacular landscapes and seascapes that has made it the favorite of many travelers, only a few know that the island also offers a wide variety of best tasting dishes that add to its charm. Though Palawan is part of Luzon, its dishes are mostly borrowed from the Visayas and Mindanao.
Local Cuisine

Next to the enchanting beauty it has to offer, Palawan’s biggest attraction is the mouth-watering sea foods and local cuisines. Be it small or big restaurants, surely there is always delicious food awaiting the hungry traveler. The local favorites in Palawan are mechado (beef or pork in tomato gravy), lechón (roasted pork), crispy pata (deep-fried pork leg) and kaldereta (goat meat in tomato stew).

The freshly cooked sea foods like sinigang na hipon, grilled crabs and prawns, a wide range of tasty fish such as tilapia and bangus (milk fish), clam soup, and fresh shellfish are also not to miss. Try out the lato, commonly an appetizer, which is a seaweed, also referred to as “sea grapes” because they look like a bunch of small green grapes, and when bitten into it releases refreshing saltwater into one’s mouth.

There are also a lot of vegetable dishes which are perfect for the veggie lovers. Among the most popular are, laing (taro leaves cooked in coconut milk and garnished with a copious amount of chili), pinakbet (mixed vegetables), adobong kangkong (sautéed water spinach), ginataang kalabasa (squash in Coconut milk) and ginataang langka (Jackfruit in Coconut Milk).

International Cuisine

While its local cuisine is much sought after, international cuisines are also available to serve the incessantly growing number of international tourists.

Puerto Princesa City, the commercial district and the island’s capital city, is home to the many restaurants that offer Vietnamese dishes. Palawan played host to Vietnamese refugees long before. There, you can find several Vietnamese Noodle Houses and those that specialize in vegetarian foods and pastries.

Meanwhile, the European settlers also established restaurants serving Swiss, German and even English cuisines. A top favorite is the Bavaria Pizza, serving great sausages and pizzas.

Cook your Own Food

If you would rather try cooking your own food, then the place to go is their “wet market”. A large selection of fresh sea foods will welcome you with amazingly low prices. Choose from fresh shrimps, crabs and fish, tuna for instance, which make a great tasting kinilaw (meat or fish cooked in vinegar garnished with ginger and chili and eaten raw).

So there, Palawan ‘s grandeur satisfies you in many ways. Dining in Palawan is just part of the adventure waiting for you to enjoy when you visit this paradise on earth.

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Apparently, Palawan’s nature-given wonders paved its way to the popularity it now enjoys. Today, Palawan has become one of the most well-loved and frequently visited places throughout the world. However, Palawan’s pride does not only end with their magnificent natural wonders.

There is much to Palawan than just these scenic views. Its rich and diverse culture is the foundation of the many festivals that it yearly holds. While planning a visit to the country’s last ecological frontier, be sure not to miss any of these festivals.

1. Arawedan Festival – is an event that showcases the several tourist attractions of the place, the beaches, marine reserves and parks. This is held from January 23 to 24 in Port Barton in San Vicente, Palawan.
2. Puerto Princesa Foundation Day – held every March 4, the date when the cityhood of Puerto Princesa was declared. Various games and sports competitions are the event’s highlight. There is also a trade fair where different traders, fishermen and businessmen participate in an exchange of products. Of course, parades, floats and merry-making all throughout the day will never be absent.
3. Pagdiwata Ritual Festival – another festival in Palawan that should not be missed is the Pagdiwata Tribal Ritual. This event is a tribal ritual practiced by the local residents. The locals show their gratitude to God for the bountiful blessings they continuously receive and at the same this ritual serves as a prayer for the healing of the ill people of the province. This is celebrated on the month of December when the moon is bright and full at the town of Aborlan.
4. Lambay Festival – is an old festival which is still celebrated until now. This festival is held to celebrate the start of the hunting and gathering season during the old times. In the recent years, the Lambay Festival is observed by the people as a festivity for spring.
5. Baragatan Festival – hosted by Puerto Princesa City every June 17 to 23, the event is celebrated to commemorate the establishment of the local government. This festival has been known to become the festival of festivals in the whole province of Palawan as it brings out all the people from the other towns, cities and municipalities together in one grand celebration. Each locale then presents its own native songs, dances, folktales and floats all throughout the week. There is also a trade fair where different traders, fishermen and businessmen participate in an exchange of goods.
6. Cuyo Fiesta – held every August, this event is very similar to the Ati-Atihan Festival. The participants will need to blacken their skins and dance to the musical beat of the drums.

May it be adventure or merry-making that you are after, surely there is one waiting for you at Palawan, a place no one else can be at par with.

Be thrilled…Be at peace…Have fun at Palawan!