Alimango Festival – Honoring the Crustacean

Planning a trip? Those who love to travel know the essence of all travel is about you and your enjoyment. Travelers know that the destination is a major part of planning a trip, experiencing and delving deeper into an unfamiliar place, people and culture are paramount. Expand your horizons and set your sight to the Philippines, an off the beaten path travel site! An undiscovered paradise made of thousands of islands and white sand beaches all around! A tiny dot in the map of the world, and yet a haven for travelers, backpackers, retirees and even passersby. It offers awesome tourist attractions, magnificent beaches, hot spring resorts, colorful festivals, hundreds of scenic spots and world-class hotels and facilities. Not to mention the tropical climate, the affordable prices as well as the friendly and hospitable, English-speaking people! You will be glad you came, and we’re sure, you WILL come back for more FUN in the Philippines!

ALIMANGO FESTIVAL

Photo from: http://www.pepper.ph/food-festivals-in-the-philippines/

The Philippine mud crab, scientific name Scylla serrata, also called as mangrove crabs or black crabs is an economically important crab species. It is because of the business opportunity for the growing demand of these crustaceans commercially.

Mud crab, commonly called by Filipinos as alimango, is a species of crab that lives in estuaries or mangrove areas where salt and freshwater gather.

In Samar Province, the municipality of Santa Margarita celebrates the Alimango Festival in honor of these mud crabs. Read More: http://www.choosephilippines.com/do/festivals/4407/alimango-festival-samar

Photo from: http://www.traveling-up.com/crab-overload-in-samars-alimango-festival/

We may be infamous for “crab mentality” but when it comes to a celebration, a little (or a lot of) crab wouldn’t hurt. Alimango (mud crab) is considered as festive food in Filipino households, but for the people in Sta. Margarita, Samar, they are virtually a way of life. Every July, they celebrate their primary source of livelihood through parades, dances, crab-racing, and cooking contests featuring the snappy crustacean. Read More: http://www.pepper.ph/food-festivals-in-the-philippines/

Photo from: http://www.picstopin.com/455/crab-overload-in-samar%e2%80%99s-alimango-festival-travel-up-philippine/http:%7c%7cimg*scoop*it%7cww3ujvpz119_tybdqx-nhzl72ejkfbmt4t8yenimkbvaiqdb_rd1h6kmubwtcebj/

I love seafood, especially crabs, but I couldn’t help but smile when I saw life-sized ones dancing during the Alimango Festival in Sta. Margarita, Samar. The Festival is held to celebrate the abundance of mud crabs raised in fishponds in their town and to promote the crab industry, which is the town’s main source of livelihood.

While attending this festival, I learned that crab can be cooked any way fish is prepared, including steamed, in gata, sweet and sour, fuyong, in crab cakes, and many others. I also got to witness some interesting activities including crab tying competitions and crab racing. Read More: http://www.traveling-up.com/5-weird-pinoy-fiestas/

Photo from: http://www.traveling-up.com/crab-overload-in-samars-alimango-festival/