Stunningly beautiful, colorful sails at the Paraw Regatta

The crowd has already gathered at the beach in Villa Arevalo in Iloilo that morning as colorful sails of the paraws, native outrigger boats lined the shores. It was low tide and the sea was about a hundred meters away. It was festive with many photographers, onlookers and locals congregating at the shore, only to be cordoned off by college students.

The Iloilo Paraw Regatta, as of 2015, is on its 39th year and claims as the “oldest native craft event in Asia” and “the largest sailing event in the Philippines.” Happening every February, the race circuit is around 30 kilometers in a loop, passing by the Iloilo Strait, then to Guimaras and returns to the starting point. Most of the paraws are really eyecatching colorful and looks like murals on sails although there are those that are simply painted.

Like the Regatta de Zamboanga, with its colorful vintas but a much shorter race route, this one is worth witnessing too.