A celebration welcoming the whale shark (butanding) season and the blessing it will bring.
Also known as Butanding Arribada Festival, this festival is a way to welcome the return of the Butandings, which usually come in droves during this time of the year, and to officially signal the opening of another high adventure season of Butanding Interaction. The Butanding Arribada Festival is held every first week of March in Donsol town.The peak Butanding Interaction season is March, April and May each year. This means, it is again open season for eager visitors or tourists to go Whale Shark/Butanding watching or, for the more intrepid and adventurous, who want to cavort with these biggest fishes in the world up close, swimming with the awesome, but gentle Butandings of Donsol.
A long fluvial procession just at the mouth of the long and winding Donsol River where a large pod of Butandings usually converge at this time of the year, highlights the Festival.
A festival which ushers the Butanding (whale shark season) and a thanksgiving for the blessings that the friendly whale sharks give to the people of Donsol. The festival is highlighted by a street parade.
