Perhaps best known for the Ati-atihan festival during the third week of January, Kalibo is one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines because of this festival. With this, many people, from those living in other provinces around the country to international tourists, all go to Kalibo to witness and be part of this festival that celebrates the giving of the Santo Niño by the visiting Spanish explorer Magellan to the Queen of Cebu during Magellan’s arrival in the area during the year 1521. It’s such a big and festive event that it has often been referred to as the Mardi Gras of the Philippines, in comparison to the colorful festival of Brazil. But there is much more to Kalibo than just its yearly festival.

Traveling to Kalibo

The main method of coming into Kalibo from other provinces outside of Panay Island would be by plane. To this end the Kalibo Airport, an international-level airport servicing the general area of Kalibo and the nearby provinces in Aklan, and the airport also happens to be the main servicing airport for Boracay Island, another hot tourist destination throughout the year. There are many flights coming into Kalibo, and many domestic carriers have flights coming in around once or twice per day. The flag-carrier Airlines, Philippine Airlines have many scheduled flights for this area.

Of course, you could also get into the province by land or by sea, the highway being much more common, with van and bus services going into the province several times per day. Travel time when coming in from Caticlan would under normal conditions take up to a maximum of one hour. The bus uses the RORO (Roll on, roll off) system. This combines the cost of taking the bus and riding the ferry to get to Kalibo in one go. When in the province, you could also travel throughout the municipality by motorized tricycle, going anywhere you might want to get to given there is a road system.

The Ati-atihan Festival

The highlight of pretty much the whole year in Kalibo, the Ati-atihan festival is the pinnacle festival of the area, with plenty of people coming in just to be part of the festivities. During the third week of the month of January, dancing in the streets, a parade during the last few days, and plenty of merrymaking and drinking till the small hours is the norm in the province, all characterize the typical Ati-atihan festival held yearly. There are also competitions for the best costumes of the year, and on the last day, a grand, festive ball is the culmination of the whole festival and awards, trophies, and other goodies are handed out to the winners. The festival is of pagan origins, but with the rise of Christianity in the country, Ati-atihan has taken on a more religious context through the years, with masses signaling the start of the festival.

Other Attractions

The municipality of Kalibo is also known for its woven piña silk cloth, a must-have material for the elite class in the country for their formal wear, and it’s commonly used in making the formal barong of the males in the country, among other garments. Fruit products are also plentiful here, and preserved fruits are ideal gifts for others to try out. With the surrounding towns having plenty of fruit plantations, juices and wines made from fruits are widely available in Kalibo. The local wine known as “Tuba” is the staple drink in the local towns throughout the province and would be worth trying out while you’re there.

Economy of Kalibo

Kalibo is characterized as a boomtown type of municipality. Although it’s really not an ultra-urbanized environment, the municipality has taken on the form of a big city owing to its provincial capital status. There is also a shortage of accommodations within the city and to remedy this situation which is most obvious during the days of festivities in the area, the government has implemented a homestay program to help cope with the influx of visitors. In this program local residents’ homes double as places to stay in for visitors, for a fee of course.

Property Investments in Kalibo

To sum up the whole experience of investing in real estate located in Kalibo, the best returns could be garnered from rentals homes within the Kalibo area. You’ll gain a lot especially from the peak season rentals during the Ati-atihan where rental prices increase up to one hundred percent of their normal going rates. It’s the norm during the festivities of Ati-atihan and with the shortage of accommodations being evident in the area; you can capitalize on the higher demand during these days to drastically increase profits for short-term rentals during the festival of Ati-atihan.

Buying a property in Kalibo is much like buying real estate elsewhere in the Philippines, with foreigners having to partner up with a Philippine resident and have a 49:51 ratio in the property ownership. What this means is that foreigners are allowed to only have a maximum of forty-nine percent share in property ownership. This is a bit unconventional compared to investing in other countries, but a local lawyer should be able to help you in this area. If you happen to be married to a Filipino citizen, however, the matter of property ownership is simplified greatly. But still, local laws withstanding, it’s best to consult a legal adviser in matters such as this.

Kalibo is a nice place to stay in, and many people are discovering its beauty each year while visiting for the Ati-atihan festival. It’s not only the festival that defines this municipality, but with the large number of opportunities for profit arising from this one event during the year, it would be a real shame not to capitalize on this and get the most out of your money. Invest in a Kalibo property today and you could own a home in one of the most famous tourist destinations in the Philippines.