Aklan

Aklan has always been known for its pristine beauty which nature has bestowed upon it and its people. An amazing province in the Philippines that has painted a definite niche in the word tourist map.Home to Boracay Island, one of the world's best beaches famous for its sugar fine white sand, azure waters, magnificent coral reefs, and rare sea shells. Aside from the beaches, the fun and excitement of Boracay nightlife maintains its legendary status.

Site of the Ati-atihan Festival. The "Queen of Philippine Festivals". Immerse in the province's man-made attractions. Head the calls of the Ati-atihan Festival and join the rhythmic dancing of the crowd who darken themselves with soot and don colorful tribal finery. Land of expert weavers and craftsmen. Aklan is the biggest producer of Piña Cloth, "The Queen of Philippine Fabrics". International trendsetters like Calvin Klein, Josie Natori, Donna Karan, and Valentino have used pineapple fabric in their collection.

Beyond sand, sound and fiber, the province is a busy economy, doing lucrative business with its abundance of agriculture and marine resources. Its catalysts are the various industries spawned by its entrepreneurial population. It is working to improve on the traditional, while seeking new and innovative avenues for its development.

Geographic Location

Aklan is a mountainous province with over one-third of its land area sloping at 30 percent on the average. It is still one of the few provinces in the country to maintain a total of some 709 hectares of virgin forest.

Mountain ranges traverse the island: one; the northern "knot" of Duyang and Tagacan; and the other, the Albinian mountain ranges in the west. Mount Madyaas, at 2117 meters, is the second highest peak on Panay and is shared by Aklan and Antique. The province has no active volcano, therefore, earthquakes have not been severe, although three faults pass through it.

Much of the province is drained of water into the Sibuyan Sea. Natural inland water resources include rivers, streams, and creeks, springs and water falls. There is only one lake in the province, Lake Lapu-lapu, located in the northern Malay town. There are five major river systems. The largest and longest is the Aklan, which flows some 60 kilometers from Capiz to the mouth in Kalibo. Ibajay river flows over 30 kilometers from Madalag to its mouth at Ibajay. The Tangalan, Jalo, and Talon systems are much smaller. The highest waterfall in the province is the Dumalaylay which falls some 100 meters.

The coastline of Aklan stretches for some 155 kilometers along 10 municipalities and 73 barangays. The coastline has two major physical features: Batan Bay in the south-east and Boracay Island at the northern tip of Panay Island.

The plains of Aklan constitute an area of 100 square kilometers shaped into a diamond that includes the central towns of Malinao and Banga and the western coastal towns of New Washington, Kalibo and Makato.

Marshlands are along the coastal towns, comprising over 50 square kilometers.

Aklan Festivities

Kalibo's Ati-atihan Festival

Aklan is famous for Boracay, a resort island one kilometer north from the tip of Panay. It is known for its white sandy beaches and is considered as one of the more prominent destinations in the country. Because of this, there is frequent air travel to the province's airports in Kalibo andCaticlan.

Farming is the basic livelihood in the interior while fishing is the basic livelihood in the coasts. Poorer inhabitants also migrate seasonly to other provinces and islands, particularly Negros, to work mostly in plantations. Some of these migrants include minors.

Despite its vibrant tourism industry and substantial agriculture, the province is still considered as one of the poorer provinces in the country with more than 30% of the population living below the national poverty line.

Nabas' Bariw Festival

Aklan is famous for Boracay, a resort island one kilometer north from the tip of Panay. It is known for its white sandy beaches and is considered as one of the more prominent destinations in the country. Because of this, there is frequent air travel to the province's airports in Kalibo andCaticlan.

Farming is the basic livelihood in the interior while fishing is the basic livelihood in the coasts. Poorer inhabitants also migrate seasonly to other provinces and islands, particularly Negros, to work mostly in plantations. Some of these migrants include minors.

Despite its vibrant tourism industry and substantial agriculture, the province is still considered as one of the poorer provinces in the country with more than 30% of the population living below the national poverty line.

GETTING THERE

TRAVEL BY AIR:

Caticlan Airport Caticlan Airport or Godofredo P. Ramos Airport, offers sophisticated facilities catering domestic flights from Manila/ Cebu to Caticlan. and vice versa.

Airlines Services The following airlines fly to Godofredo P. Ramos Airport:

Air Philippines

Asian Spirit

Cebu Pacific

Philippine Airlines

South East Asian Airlines

Kalibo Airport Kalibo Airport is classified as minor commercial class domestic airport. It also caters few international destinations. Airlines Services

Domestic

Philippine Airlines

Cebu Pacific

Pacific Pearl Airways

International

Asian Spirit

China Eastern Airlines

TRAVEL BY LAND

Philtranco, a land transportation service here in the Philippines which regularly leaves daily by scheduled time. Considerating routes are Cubao, Manila for Mindanao which will automatically pass to Caticlan through the Strong Republic Nautical Highway.

TRAVEL BY SEA

• Jetty Ports
• MBRS Shipping lines - traveling from Manila to Caticlan on a scheduled basis departure.
• Negros Navigation - Seasonal operations which occasionally docks off-shore from Boracay.

WHERE TO GO:

BORACAY
Boracay Island is the no.1 tourist destination of the Philippines. Acclaimed as the best beach in the world, roughly shape like a dumbbell, is 7km long, its narrowest part is nearly 1km wide. Best part of the island is its 4 km White Beach, also called Long Beach by the locals.There are two primary tourism beaches in Boracay Island, the White Beach in the westwards and Bulabog Beach which faces the eastwards , located on opposite side of the island.

• White Beach - Is the most popular beach where it offers various amenities and services for the tourists, also known for having a long winding beachwalk path, the tourist find this side of the island as an ideal for various activities. The westward part also captures the spot for the tourists to watch the dramatic sunset.

• Bulabog Beach - Is where some of the adventures take place from kiteboarding to windsurfing mainly because of the wind direction.

How to Get to Boracay?

Via Caticlan - Board any of Asian Spirit, Sea Air, Corporate Air and Inter lsland Airline flights from Manila Domestic Airport.

From Caticlan Airport, there are lots of public transportations that will bring you to Boracay. For pre-booked visitors, the hotel coordinators will personally met their pre-booked guests with their own service transport.

Via Kalibo - Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly from Manila to Kalibo in 55 minutes. From Kaiibo Airport, lake a one-ond-half hour ride on on air-conditioned shuttle bus to Caticlan Jetty Port.

Facilities

Since Boracay caters all kinds of tourists from local to different countries, the island is equipped with all the necessary facilties to satisfy the needs of their guests. From 350+ lodging resorts to bars, restaurants, banking facilities, shopping areas and telecommunication services which includes internet and telephone lines /networks.

KALIBO

STO. NINO ATI-ATIHAN

A yearly celebrated event, the Sto. Niño Ati-atihan festival is one of the most famous and celebrated festivites here in the Philippines. Celebrated every third sunday of January on the feast of the Holy Child - Sto. Niño, the marvel of Paeapak has prove its unique and miraculous healing traditions.

Ati-atihan festival is held at Kalibo City in Aklan where vibrant and colorful indigenous costumes parade along the streets of the city, loud and lively tribal dance will surely entice you to groove and join the fun. For years, Ati-atihan festival has been one of the most anticipated event here in asia that even foreign countries take time to visit and witness this glorious event.

BAKHAWAN ECOTOURISM

Aside from Ati-atihan, other places of interest in Kalibo is the Bakhawan Eco-Park, dubbed as the Philippines most successful mangrove reforestation project and the Kalibo Museum which serves as a repository of the town's history and heritage¹.

Located particularly in New Buswang, the Bakhawan Eco-Park is an eco-tourism project between the community, NGOs and its local government. Covering a 106 hectares, the mangroves has taken it's spot as one of the most visited places in kalibo not only by locals but also by foreign communities who's advocay aligned with reforestation and environmentalis

History

A 13th century (c.1200 A.D.) event explains the origins of the festival. A group of 10 Malay chieftains called Datus, fleeing from the island of Borneo settled in the Philippines, and were granted settlement by the Ati people, the tribes of Panay Island. The Ati-Atihan was originally a pagan festival from this tribe practicing Animism, and their worshiping their anito god. Spanish missionaries gradually added a Christian meaning. Today, the Ati-Atihan is celebrated as a religious festival.

NABAS

BARIW FESTIVAL

The Nabas Bariw Festival is celebrated to commemorate the feast day of St. Isidore the Farmer, the town's patron saint. It is celebrated annually from May 12 - 15. This celebration showcase the town's hat, mat and other bariw products as well as the town's unique tourism sites and natural attractions.

During this affair, various skills in mat, hat and bag making and designing are demonstrated. Among the events is a contest to produce the biggest hat and mat contest. The festival is highlighted by continuous street dancing by folks from the town's 20 barangays dressed in colorful bariw costumes accompanied by indigenous bamboo instruments.

The festival is intended to promote the town's cottage industry, which is thriving livelihood activity in Nabas. It also promotes the town's well preserved cold spring resorts, lagoons, long winding coastline, rivers, and low elevation intact forest home to various endemic flora and fauna¹.

MADALAG

THE LAND OF SWEET LANZONES

Madalag, Aklan A town full of promise. In its simplicity, Madalag projects an aura of quiet charm and beautiful scenery from its rolling hills and evergreen mountains.

Must visit places:

Old Spanish Church in beautifully landscaped park and plaza;

The historical Mt. Tumaewag

The Monkey Bridge at Barangay Panipiason

The Manimpa Falls at Barangay Paningayan

The white and pinkish boulders of Barangay Maria Cristina's Timbaban River and many more.

Quick Facts:
Total Land Area: 26,717.8615 hectares
Population: 17,334
Location Boundaries:
North- Ibajay & Malinao / East- Banga & Libacao / South- Kalibo / West- Madya-as Mountain ranges & Tactacan Mountain ranges
Source of livelihood: rice milling, processing of minor forest products like sinamay weaving, rope making & other fiber craft, bag making, furniture making.

NEW WASHINGTON
Famed as the provincial shipping harbor of Aklan, it boasts of two safest ports in the entire province that could accommodate modern containerized cargo vessels & luxury passenger ships. It is also home of prominent figures in church, in business & in government. Some of the most noted attractions are:
Residence of His Eminence Jaime Cardinal L. Sin the late Catholic Archbishop of Manila located at the heart of the poblacion. It contains a chapel & houses several pieces of paintings presented to him as price of the church.
Immaculata Adoration Chapel & Convent - The Pink Sisters Convent in Barangay Polo is interesting in the sense that it is the only contemporary nunnery in Aklan & in the whole region VI.
Beach Cottages/Restaurants - Lyca, Sampaguita Gardens, Sikini & others. These restaurants offer delicious foods consisting of fresh fishes, shells, crustaceans etc. Swimming pools are featured at Aklan Sampaguita Gardens Resort and Spa including a convention center, precious moments gallery, hotel rooms, 43- ft aquarium, butterfly farm, the Thai Mansion that exhibits beautiful furniture, paintings & home decor.

BURUANGA
(SOMETHING TO DISCOVER)

The municipality being known as one of the smallest town is now increasingly becoming a center of tourism with several points of interests identified:
Batasan Point- is rich in surrounding marine lives & is said to be the best stop over for scuba divers, snorkelers, cliff-board divers, excursionists, & nature enthusiast.
Ashram Balay- Pagduaw - known for its advocacy on finding spiritual peace with nature. The place is perfect for meditation, relaxation & retreats.
Talisay Beach- offers a perfect place for relaxation or venue for theme parties & excursions. Sabang Cave- with the elevated location of the cave, one can witness the stunning panorama of long stretch of beaches, seascapes, & the green fields of Sabang.
Ignito Cave- the longest & the grandest cave discovered in the locality. The cave is noted for its abundant deposit of guano from various species of Bats & Birds finding shelters inside the cave. Millennium years of drifting waters inside the cave sculpted various & stunning formation of stalactites & stalagmites. The stone walls radiates sparkling colors when strike by lights.
Hidden Paradise- offers a magnificent venue for camping & excursion. The elevated location offers the best scenery to witness the panoramic view of sunset, mountains, rivers, seas & green fields of the municipality.

Buruanga Quick Facts:

Buruanga is a municipality in the province of Aklan, Philippines, to its north is where Malay, Aklan and to its south is where municipality of Libertad, Antique is located while to its west lies Cuyo Sea. See Buruanga's for its beautiful mangroves as well as beautiful rock formations which makes it one of the Off the beaten path destinations.

LIBACAO

WILD RIVER OF ADVENTURE

Discover and explore Libacao, a fourth - class interior municipality 29 kms. southwest of the capital town of Kalibo. It has a vast land area, a relatively colder weather condition and beautiful natural scenery consisting of green valleys, upland farms, high mountain ranges, virgin forests,tropical flora, fauna and wildlife, numerous waterfalls, natural springs and creeks.

Rich in natural resources and blessed with fertile soils favorable to agriculture, this town has become the leading producer of Abaca fiber in Western Visayas. Almost all 24 barangays are now accessible to transportation using motorcycles except for the two farthest barangays, Oyang and Dalagsaan which could only be reached by foot for 2-3 days.

Libacao is emerging to be discovered as an adventure destination of the province where extreme physical challenge awaits visitors. The wild river near the mouth of the Aklan river are ideal for bamboo rafting and kayaking that would compliment the experience of the "white beaches" of Boracay.

Libacao, Aklan

Libacao is a 4th class municipality in the province of Aklan, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 25,983 people in 4,962 households.

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