Aklan, Home of “Ati-Atihan Festival” and Boracay Beach

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AKLAN

Aklan

By Eugene Alvin Villar (seav) – English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=244746

Aklan is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Kalibo. The province is situated in the northwest portion of Panay Island, bordering Antique to the southwest, and Capiz to the east. Aklan faces the Sibuyan Sea and Romblon province to the north.

Aklan occupies the northern third of the island of Panay and is bordered by the provinces of Iloilo from the south, Capiz from the east and Antique from the southwest. It also faces the Sibuyan Sea from the north. The province covers a total area of 1,821.42 square kilometres (703.25 sq mi)^[8], and includes the island of Boracay which is located at its northwestern tip.

The province features high geographic diversity, ranging from white sandy beaches, mangroves and mountainous landscapes. Situated within the province is the river Akean, which appears unique due to its “boiling or frothing” appearance. Read More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aklan#/media/File:Ph_locator_map_aklan.png

Aklan 12 Photo from: https://ayosaoi.wordpress.com/tag/kalibo-aklan/

Get to Know Aklan

Aklan is located in the Western Visayas region and is one of the 4 provinces of Panay Island. Its capital town is Kalibo.

The town is known for its famous island which is Boracay and the annual Ati-atihan Festival celebrated every January. According to the Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-atihan Foundation, Inc. (KASAFI), the Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-atihan Festival recognized as “The Mother of All Philippine Festivals” originated in their coastal province.

Aklan is considered to be the oldest province of the Philippines. It is believed that sometime in the 12^th or 13^th century, settlers from Borneo with their 10 datus settled in Aklan to escape the tyranny of the Bornean king. It is said that 10 datus from Borneo traded goods with the Ati king, Marikudo. The datus and Atis agreement of the price for the land is known as the “Barter of Panay.” The datus traded the land with a golden saduk, a pure gold and long chained necklace, and other gifts such as jewelries, clothes and arms.

Aklan is rich with natural resources where it has maintained about 709 hectares of virgin forest. The total land area of the province is 1,817 sq. km. Aklan’s coastline stretches about 155 kilometers along its municipalities with 2 major physical features namely Batan Bay and the Boracay Island. Read More: http://www.choosephilippines.com/do/history-and-culture/3925/aklan-province-quick-facts/