Established in 2011, Malasimbo Music and Arts festival serves as a venue for the indigenous people of Mindoro to showcase their culture and art. Above the idea of fun and partying, the festival is and will always be a celebration of and for the Mangyans.

It’s easy to assume that an event of this calibre might cause harm to the environment, but one of the core goals of the festival is to promote environmental conservation and protection. Since the year it began, a chunk of its proceeds have gone to the planting of thousands of hardwood trees, herbal and medicinal plants, mangrove seedlings and more.

If you’re coming from Manila, the best way to get to Malasimbo is via bus (P200). Catch a ride from either the terminals (Taft, Edsa, or Pasay) and make your way south via SLEX/Star Tollway, to the Batangas Port. From the port, ferries (P250) are available to take you to White Beach in Puerto Galera. You will have to pay a minimal environmental fee (P50) and municipal fee (P5) before boarding. Once on the island, accredited jeeps are available to take you to the festival grounds. The whole trip from Manila will take you around 4 hours.

This 2019 Malasimbo festival is happening on March 1-2. You can purchase a 2-day pass in advance for P4,000, while single-day passes for Friday and Saturday are sold at P2,000 and P2,500, respectively. After eight years of holding it in the amphitheater, this year's festival will be at a private nature reserve park near the popular White Beach, which means a larger venue and space for more fun! Watch the coastal community of Puerto Galera come alive with quirky choirs to psychedelic installations. Here’s what to expect during the activity-packed weekend:

At Malasimbo, you will be introduced to the best of jazz, reggae, soul, and some genres you probably never heard of before. The festival has become an excellent platform for up and coming artists to be heard. S ome of the confirmed acts for 2019 include Robert Glasper, Anomalie, Laneous, Ruby Ibarra, and IV of Spades.

Over the years, Malasimbo has featured and showcased the works of over 50 visual artists. More than just a stage where guests can view their art, these installations are strategically scattered around the festival grounds to create a tropical wonderland effect. Artworks will be displayed in what they call an “open door museum”. This year's gallery will include works byLeeroy New, Agnes Hohana, Olivia d’Aboville and more.

Your festival experience will not be complete without trying out all the delicious food. One of the best sellers is the D'abo-Dabo (P150), their local version of Chicken Adobo served with mushroom and garlic chips; and their famous kesong puti, carabao cheese with olive oil and herbs (P70).

One of the pillars of Malasimbo is to preserve and embrace the culture of its people. That’s why the d’Aboville Foundation in partnership with the LGU, made sure that this festival was also for the Mangyan people. You can show your support by visiting the Ivatan villages where you can meet the beautiful people, and purchase any of their handmade accessories, fabrics, homeware, and more. Some of the proceeds from the ticket sales go to helping the indigenous communities in Mindoro.

The festival itself is a non-stop party, however, you should also check out one of the “Malasimboat” parties where you can slide, dive, and jump off the party boat while a live DJ plays in the background. Another must-visit Malasimbo event is the Silent Disco, where you can enjoylive music by wearing headphones as DJ's battle it out to get the loudest cheer from the crowd.

Though festival-goers who avail of the 3-day package can camp on the mountain for free, it’s always best to have a comfortable home base after a whole day of fun. Here are some of our top hotel picks:

Since you’ll be out of the hotel almost the whole day, you have to be equipped with the right clothing and essentials to keep you comfortable. If you’re packing your bags for the festival, make sure to bring these items:

Are you ready for Malasimbo? What are you waiting for? Book your trip withTravelokatoday!]]>