Do you plan on visiting Aklan? Read more and discover the beauty of the province of Aklan.
I was watching a Taiwanese drama where the lead couple met, fell in love and married on an island with picturesque scenery. It was taken in Boracay Island. Boracay Island or known as Paradise Island is part of the province of Aklan.
Aklan is bordered by the provinces of Iloilo from the southern area, Capiz from the west and Antique from the Southwest. The place has a geographic diversity of white sandy beaches, mountains, and mangroves making it a first class province. Aklan s located in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines Archipelago.
The place has a geographic diversity of white sandy beaches, mountains, and mangroves making it a first class province.
How to get there
If you’re flying from Manila to Kalibo Airport, it will take you 1 hour. From Mactan, Cebu to Kalibo, it is 45 minutes travel.
Driving your own car and getting on the ferry can take you about 13 hours to get to Aklan. If you’re taking public transportation like a bus and ferry ride to Cebu, you’ll travel for about 18-20 hours.
More than a paradise to see
If you plan for a long vacation, do yourself a favor and see other parts of the province, too. There are a lot of exciting places to go in Aklan.
Be awed with the seven basin-tiered falls called Jawili Falls in Tangalan or the partly hidden body of water called Tinagong Dagat or Hidden Sea in Batan. The latter is partly hidden from Batan Bay by two islands and is fringed with mangroves and has a rocky beach with clear waters ideal for swimming.
There is also the Tigwatil-an Island or Crystal Cove in Sitio Caticlan, Malay where shells or varying shapes and sizes are on the white sand beach and it has nearby caves where you can see crystalline formations when you go inside.
You will be transported to another world when you visit the Elephant Cave or Ignito Cave in Brgy. Tigum, Buruanga. This cave boasts of beautiful formation of stalagmites, stalactites, and other crystalline structures. It is best to enter at noontime for it will have a skylight effects on one of its chambers as a result of the light reflecting from the outside.
Experience the long walk into Tulingon Cave in Nabas, which is believed to be one of the longest caves in the Philippines. The cave stretches 20 km from Nabas to Pandan, Antique.
Finally, feel refreshed with clean air and greenery if you will visit Nabaoy Reforestation in Tangalan.
Freedom shrines
Aklan also has a significance to Filipino history. This is where the Borneo settlers started to live during the 12th century. The settlers were ruled by Datus before the island was claimed by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi for Spain in 1565. There’s the Freedom Shrine in Kalibo for the 19 martyrs who started the revolt against Spain, and the Kalantiaw Shrine in Batan.
There’s the Freedom Shrine in Kalibo for the 19 martyrs who started the revolt against Spain, and the Kalantiaw Shrine in Batan.
Home of fabrics and pottery
Other than tourism, the main products in the province are piña and abaca. These products can be made out of fabrics like placemats, bags, wall decors, fans etc. Piña is a fine fabric to make into clothes, making it the Queen of Philippine Fabrics. Aklan has a vast amount of red clay from Lezo that are used to make pots, vases, and various novelty items.
Ati-atihan festival
Make sure to include the third week of January in your vacation schedule. You wouldn’t want to miss the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo. A frenzied event to celebrate the feast of Sto. Niño. Participants don colorful costumes while their bodies and faces are painted black with grotesque designs to dance in synch with the drumbeats in the streets.
For any travel inquiry or other concerns, you can contact the local tourism office.
PROVINCIAL TOURISM & CULTURAL AFFAIRS OFFICE
Provincial Capitol Building, Kalibo, Aklan
Phone: (036) 268-5338
Telefax (036) 262-3132
Email Address: aklanpgo@yahoo.com