Eastern Visayas: Bridging the Pacific to the world

Details

Category: Destination

Published on Sunday, 22 January 2012 18:53

Biliran • Eastern Samar • Leyte • Northern Samar
Samar • Southern Leyte

About the region

Known as the “Twin Islands of the Pacific,” the islands of Samar and Leyte are home to more than 4 million warm and fun-loving people of the Philippines’ Eastern Visayas region. The two islands are separated by the narrow San Juanico Straight connected by the famed San Juanico Bridge. Samar and Leyte, including the island province of Biliran, boasts of pristine beaches, rich marine resources and mouth-watering native delicacies that reflect the ingenuity, cheerfulness and resiliency of the Leyte-Samarnon people.

The best time to see the region is during the months between November and June, when the weather is calmer.

How to get there and go around

From Metro Manila:

By air. Domestic airlines that offer daily flights to Tacloban City, Leyte are Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air, and Airphil Express. Flights usually last for one and a half hours.

By land. Travelers can take buses to Tacloban City. Bus firms that provide such service are located in Cubao, Quezon City, and Pasay City. Buses to Tacloban will ride a ferry from the Port of Matnog in Sorsogon to the Port of Allen in Northern Samar. Tourist should prepare for more than 26 hours of travel on mostly well-paved roads.

To learn more, see:
www.philtranco.com.ph | www.backpackingphilippines.com

From Cebu:

By air. Travelers can fly from Cebu taking flights of Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Airphil Express.

By sea. Tourists can take daily ferries to Ormoc City, which is southwest of Tacloban City. Travel from Ormoc to Tacloban by land via a passenger van is approximately two and a half hours

To learn more, see ormoc.gov.ph

Where to stay

Leyte-Samarnon people are known for their cheerfulness and hospitality. Tourists should not be surprised if they find themselves being asked by new acquaintances to sit down and join a conversation while sipping tuba (a local wine made from palm sap) or sharing a dish or two. Local hotels and resorts offer a variety of services - from freshly cooked and mouth-watering dishes to relaxing massage and exciting tour packages - all at surprisingly cheap prices.

To learn more about accommodations, see:
samar.lgu-ph.com | www.marabut.org
ormoc.gov.ph | www.ilovatacloban.com

What to eat

The region offers gastronomic delights that include native crabs, prawns and mussels. Native delicacies also include sweets made from glutinous rice, mungbean, coconut milk, and pili nuts. Travelers should not miss drinking tuba.

To learn more, see www.ilovetacloban.com

What to see and do

In Samar

The Sohoton National Park features cathedral-like caves, limestone formations and underground rivers. Visitors will have to take a two and a half hour motorboat ride from Tacloban City in Leyte or a shorter two-hour boat ride from the town of Basey in Eastern Samar. Some of the cliffs became battlefields during the Filipino-American War.

From there, travelers can take a 30-minute trek to see the Sohoton Natural Bridge, a huge archshaped rock that connects two mountain ridges spanning the Sohoton River.

Tourists can also go kayaking along the Golden River, which cuts across the town of Basey and empties into the San Juanico Straight.

To learn more about Samar, visit: samar.lgu-ph.com | www.colorfulphilippines.com.

Tourists can also visit Marabut Marine Park to experience its majestic coral gardens and scenic beach coves . Here, travelers can take short treks as well as go snorkeling, scuba diving or kayaking.

To learn more, see: www.thepoortraveler.net

In Leyte

The Sto. Nino Shrine and Heritage Museum (Romualdez Museum) is one of the several mansions built by the Romualdez-Marcos political family during the height of their power. Originally built as a rest house, the Romualdez Museum has 7 bedrooms reserved for the Marcos family, and 13 guest rooms, aside from the rooms reserved for their bodyguards, a huge dining area and a spacious ballroom. After being sequestered by the Philippine government, the mansion was converted into a museum and is now one of the must-see destinations for every tourist who visits Leyte.

Tourists should also visit the Leyte Landing Memorial (MacArthur Park), located at Red Beach in Palo, Leyte. It is easily accessible by tricycle (a motorcycle with a sidecar) from Tacloban City.

To learn more about MacArthur Park, see visitpinas.com

For nature lovers, visitors should take a side trip to Ormoc City, 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Tacloban City and experience Ormoc’s breathtaking natural treasures: Lake Danao, Lake Kasudsuran and Lake Janagdan.

To learn more about these lakes, visit ormoc.gov.ph

Relevant Contacts

PH Department of Tourism Region VIII

F. Mendoza Commercial Complex, 141 Sto. Nino St., Tacloban City, Leyte
Tel. No.: (+6353) 321-2048 / 321-4333 / 325-3900 / 523-0295
Fax No.: (+6353) 325-5279
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Download this brochure.

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