Tandikan Festival 2025 returns to Puerto Princesa this September as the city’s official Tourism Month celebration, showcasing the “tandikan” or Palawan peacock‑pheasant in a month‑long calendar of float parades, cultural and street performances, culinary events, talent shows, and service showcases by the local tourism community. City and provincial festival calendars describe Tandikan as a September series designed to promote Puerto Princesa’s destinations and hospitality, with a signature float parade featuring peacock motifs and a full slate of stage programs around the baywalk and plazas. Visitors can expect weekly highlights, from dance and music competitions to food fairs, along with partner clean‑ups and public‑service activations that underscore sustainable tourism values.
Dates, theme, and meaning
- When it happens: September 2025, aligned with National Tourism Month; Puerto Princesa’s official tourism calendar places Tandikan Festival in the September slot each year. Core events roll out across the month, with a flagship float parade and clustered performance nights in the latter half of September.
- Name and symbol: “Tandikan” refers to the Palawan peacock‑pheasant, the city’s emblematic bird. The festival’s floats and costumes often echo the bird’s iridescent eyespots and plumage, signaling pride in Puerto Princesa’s biodiversity and conservation ethic.
- What it celebrates: Local tourism talent, creativity, cuisine, and service — from guides and performers to chefs, artisans, and front‑line hospitality teams — presented through parades, shows, and friendly competitions across the city.
What to expect in 2025
- Peacock float parade: The month’s marquee visual spectacle, with tourism clusters, schools, and barangays parading floats styled on the tandikan and island motifs, accompanied by dance and drum lines through city streets.
- Cultural and street performances: Weekly stages and competition nights highlight folk and contemporary dance, drum and lyre corps, chorales, solo vocalists, and fusion showcases that blend indigenous and modern themes.
- Culinary showcases: Food fairs and cook‑offs bring seafood specialties and local produce to the fore; “exotic cuisines” are routinely cited in the city calendar, alongside pop‑up stalls at the baywalk and civic spaces.
- Tourism services expo: Partner agencies and private groups present tour offerings, new attractions, training demos, and community programs, giving travelers face time with operators and guides.
- Citywide engagement: Expect supporting activities like coastal clean‑ups and heritage walks, reflecting Puerto Princesa’s longstanding blend of tourism and stewardship.
Where events happen
- Baywalk Park: Evening fairs, food booths, and show stages with sunset views across Puerto Princesa Bay — a natural hub for nightly programs.
- City coliseum and plazas: Dance, music, and coronation‑style nights often move into covered venues or plaza stages depending on weather and production needs.
- Parade routes: Major thoroughfares host the peacock float parade; exact routes and timings are released by the city closer to the date.
How Tandikan fits the city’s festival year
- A September pillar: The official calendar places Tandikan as Puerto Princesa’s Tourism Month centerpiece, followed by Subaraw Biodiversity Festival in November — two anchors that bookend the second half of the year and attract visitors for nature‑focused events and city showcases.
- Linked civic rhythm: Earlier in the year, Balayong Festival marks the founding anniversary, Pangalipay sa Baybay animates summer at the baywalk, and Pista y ang Kagueban mobilizes tree planting; Tandikan continues the pattern of culture, nature, and community woven into public life.
Travel planning
- When to book: Reserve September stays early, especially if targeting parade week and weekend performance nights; city hotels and baywalk‑adjacent lodgings see higher demand.
- Getting around: Walk the baywalk and core streets during closed‑route hours; use tricycles or taxis outside program windows. Plan extra time around parade days when roads are intermittently closed.
- What to bring: Light, breathable clothing for afternoon heat, a hat, refillable bottle, and a light rain layer for passing showers. Evenings by the bay can be breezy.
Food and shopping
- Eat local: Seafood stalls and restaurants spotlight kilawin (ceviche), grilled fish and squid, lato (sea grapes), and tamilok tastings for the adventurous, alongside pancit, barbecues, and halo‑halo at pop‑ups.
- Markets and crafts: Look for cashews, woven bags, woodcrafts, and shell‑free souvenirs that support artisans without impacting sensitive marine life. Tourism expo booths may offer discounted tours and community‑based experiences.
Suggested 3‑day Tandikan itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival and baywalk walkabout; sunset snacks at the stalls; opening concert or themed performance night at the main stage.
- Day 2: Underground River or Honda Bay island‑hopping in the morning; return mid‑afternoon for a culture or dance finals night; sample “exotic cuisines” at the food fair.
- Day 3: Heritage stroll around Cathedral, Plaza Cuartel, and the museum; catch the peacock float parade or tourism services expo; close with a bayfront show.
Respectful participation
- Keep it green: Use the city’s bins, bring a reusable cup or bottle, and follow clean‑up prompts posted by partners; Tandikan promotes responsible tourism as part of its identity.
- Photo etiquette: Performers appreciate applause and photos after sets; avoid flash during night shows when prohibited.
- Accessibility: Stages and parade zones vary in crowd density; arrive early to secure barrier‑front positions, and ask city marshals for accessible viewing points.
Beyond Tandikan: what’s next
- Subaraw Biodiversity Festival: In early to mid‑November, the city’s biodiversity celebration layers parades, contests, and environmental programs with national and international draws — an excellent reason to return post‑September.
- Year‑round experiences: Mangrove planting at Love Affair with Nature (Feb), founding‑day Balayong street dancing (Mar), and Pangalipay sa Baybay (Apr) round out a civic calendar that puts culture and conservation in constant dialogue.
Verified details at a glance
- Event: Tandikan Festival, Puerto Princesa City.
- When: September 2025 (Tourism Month), with a month‑long series capped by a peacock‑themed float parade and multiple performance nights.
- Highlights: Float Parade featuring the tandikan; cultural and street performances; culinary showcases of “exotic cuisines”; tourism services expo; baywalk evening shows; stewardship activities.
- Where to watch: Baywalk Park stages, city plazas/coliseum for finals nights, and designated parade routes announced by the city.
Mark September for Puerto Princesa and plan days that mix nature with nightlife: Underground River or Honda Bay in the mornings, then peacock‑bright floats, flavors, and performances by the bay after dark. Tandikan Festival 2025 is built to celebrate people, place, and responsible travel — a joyful invitation to see the city through the eyes of its emblematic bird and the talents of those who welcome guests all year long.