The Exciting “Butanding” (Whale Shark) Festival in Sorsogon

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BUTANDING (WHALE SHARK) FESTIVAL

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Be at Donsol this summer and take a deep breath as you dive into the biggest festival ever for the biggest fish in the sea.

The Butanding Festival is held in honor of the whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) and their annual return to the vicinity of Donsol. Contributing greatly to the development of the town’s economy and tourism, the whaleshark’s peak attendance is annually anticipated and greatly welcomed by the locals who are directly involved in looking out for the butanding’s well-being.

Let your imagination run big and wild with this year’s Butanding Festival. With thelaunch of extra-large activities for our extra-special guests, this year’s extraordinary festival for the biggest fish in the sea can only guarantee super-sized fun, adventure and memories. – butandingfestival.com

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The coastal town of Donsol, Sorsogon celebrated the annual Butanding Festival coinciding with the feast of its patron saint, St. Joseph the Worker.

The festival, usually held in April, was scheduled this month to celebrate the reappearance of the whale sharks during this time of the year. The rescheduling of the festival also allowed native Donsolanos who live in other parts of the country and in foreign shores to take part in the festivities.

Aside from the Eucharistic celebrations and mass baptism of babies, the festival was highlighted by the food gatherings at almost every house in the town. A religious procession was held in the evening, with whale shark replicas paraded by street dancers garbed in colorful costumes. The Donsol River was also the site of a colorful fluvial procession.

Whale sharks have been frequenting the town for over a hundred years because of its unique and large number of planktons which the mammals eat.

Whale sharks first sowed fear among local residents, until a group of scuba divers interacted and swam with the mammals in 1998. Soon, the perception of the local residents on the whale sharks changed. Swimming with the whale sharks became a key eco-tourism attraction in the region, and was even featured in Time Magazine as Best Animal Encounter in Asia in 2004. The town of Donsol is now more popularly known as “Whale Shark Capital of the World.” – perfectdives.com

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