If you’re planning to visit Palawan, then this coming week is probably the best time for you to put that into action. The municipality of Narra will be celebrating the Palay Festival this last week of October, and the activities they have lined up will surely add excitement to your trip.

The town of Narra is located in the south part of Palawan, about 91 kilometers away from the Puerto Princesa. Celebrating Palay Festival is the Narra people’s way of giving thanks for a year of bountiful harvest. As such, the Narrawenos always make it a point to celebrate this festival the “grand” way.

#1 Palay festival was formerly called Anihan Festival, but the name was changed because there’s another province in the Philippines that celebrates their own Anihan Festival. The Narrawenos decided to change the name of the festival to avoid issues.

#2 The change in name went for the better because the term “Palay” (raw rice) further emphasized the town’s reputation as the “Rice Granary of Palawan”.

#3 NARRA stands for National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration. Before it was ordained as a municipality in 1969, Narra was only a resettlement area for landless Filipino farmers.

Last year, the locals and the tourists enjoyed a host of different activities: colorful float parades, food fairs, agro-industrial presentations, lively street dances, local beauty pageants, and many other local competitions. The tricycle hut competition is probably one of the most interesting, as it featured the talent and ingenuity of tricycle drivers in designing their Nipa hut entries. 

Fortunately, one of our friend blogger, Martin, was able to document this competition. Here are some of the pictures he had taken:

So what are you waiting for? Fix your palawan packages and schedule your trip today. Join the Narrawenos as they celebrate Palay Festival.

See you there!