YEAR after year, Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival is a popular destination for travelers, photographers, and bloggers. Is it the colorful costumes, the captivating performances, or Iloilo’s party feel that attracts tourist to our city’s festivities? A few bloggers and explorers answer why they keep coming back to Dinagyang.

Marcos Caratao

Travel blogger behind Explore Iloilo (exploreiloilo.com) and Detourista (detourista.com)

“Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival is a must-experience attraction in the Philippines, especially for photographers and travelers who are on the hunt for stand-out memories. The Dinagyang Ati street dance competition is one of my favorite events during the festivities. It is quite challenging to photograph because of the fast-paced movements, but it can be rewarding once you’re able to capture the dances in vivid colors, full intensity and synchronized choreography, with the charming smiles of Ilonggo performers.”

Maqui Maagma

Instagrammer (@caliber25) and Aklan Kamera Org member (500px.com/krammaagma)

“To experience the character of a place, you can’t merely look at the culture – you have to feel and taste it too. I was overwhelmed by the spirit behind the Dinagyang Festival. The ‘Dinagyang Feels’ when you hear the thunderous clashing of drumbeats. When you have witnessed their extremely impressive dance performances during the Kasadyahan and of course the main event, the Dinagyang Ati competition. It was indeed a colorful and extravagant showcase of pure devotion to Sto. Niño. Viva kay Sr. Sto. Niño! Viva!”

Angelito “BoyP” Pangilinan

Travel blogger behind boyplakwatsa.com

“Each of the tribes perform in front of five sets of judges on five different stages. Thus, photographers and spectators do not have to squeeze into one location and crane their necks. In my many years covering all festivals in the Philippines, Dinagyang stands out –  spectacular and yet the most organized. Tribes are given an hour to set up, six minutes to perform, and another one minute to exit and proceed to the next stage. That is why I am returning for Dinagyang.”

Angela Nepomuceno

Travel and beauty blogger of Lushangel.com and Instagrammer (@lush_angel)

“When I got a word that I will be sent to Iloilo for the famous Dinagyang Festival, I got extremely excited…at the same time, nervous. I honestly didn’t know what to expect. My friends would always go back to Manila saying, ‘It was super fun and really worth the experience.’ Most of them even keep on coming back and I’ve always wondered why. To say, ‘I had fun’ is definitely an understatement. Words are not enough to describe my three-day adventure in Iloilo. It was truly overwhelming – something I didn’t really expect. It was all about living it all out!”

David Guison

Lifestyle blogger behind Dgmanila.com

“Hala Bira! There’s no city quite like Iloilo! It was my third time in this city already and I never get bored with it. There’s no doubt that Iloilo is one of my favorite cities. I think there was even a time when I was actually considering to move here! Haha! The people here are so warm and down-to-earth, the city is pretty small and almost everyone knows each other. I personally like Dinagyang better because it’s a much more tamed version of Sinulog. It was still safe for me to bring my camera. Unlike Sinulog wherein I couldn’t even bring my phone out. Haha!”/PN

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