The province of Eastern Samar is one of the last frontiers of the Philippines and can be found on Samar, the second largest island in the Visayas. The main towns of Eastern Samar are Borongan (the provincial capital), Arteche, Oras, Dolores, Taft, Llorente, General MacArthur, Hernani and Guiuan. Interior towns like Maslog or Can-Ilay are only accessible by boat.
By Martin Klughardt
Martin Klughardt and his wife Carmela lived for three years in Borongan, Eastern Samar, mostly dedicated to discovering the beauty of the province.
Although Eastern Samar has a lot to offer lovers of nature, it is rarely visited by international or local tourists. Here you can find the largest remaining intact tracts of tropical lowland rainforests in the Philippines, clean rivers, hidden waterfalls and unexplored caves. And along the beautiful coast line with its wonderful beaches, surfers can enjoy their thrilling sport in an uncrowded Pacific surfing paradise.
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Beaches
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Borongan: Borongan has a grey beach in Baybay district at the eastern edge of town. It is OK for swimming, but do not under- estimate the quite strong current from the incoming Loom River.
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Cabong: Popular Cabong Beach is the best beach for swimming in the vicinity of Borongan. It is located three km south of town and can get really crowded on weekends. Some cottages can be rented during the day.
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Lalawigan: Seldom-visited, grey sand Lalawigan Beach is a perfect place for people who prefer to be on their own. Only very little shelter is available. Beware: The sea is rougher than in Cabong, and when the tide is out the current can be very strong.
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Punta Maria: A beautiful beach at Punta Maria barangay seven km north of Borongan.
Bacayawan: Idyllic white sand Bacayawan Beach can be found a few km south of Llorente town. Between Llorente and Maydolong, the scenic coast with its rock formations offers great views of the Pacific.
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Bus-Bua: Clean, white Mercedes Beach with its crystal clear blue water is located in Bus-Bua barangay, two km north of Guiuan.
Sulangan: About 24 km south of Guiuan, Sulangan Beach is a well-known site for finding the famous Golden Cowrie.
Caves
Sohotan Cave: This large cave with its natural rock formations is only 10 minutes by tricycle from Borongan. Do not confuse it with the other Sohoton Cave in Western Samar.
Locso-on Cave: A cave full of stories and legends. Old folks would swear that many strangers have disappeared in this cave when exploring the hinterlands of Suribao River. It is located in Locso-on barangay, about 8.5 km south of Borongan.
Sangat of Ando: This cathedral-like cave on the island of Ando is graced by beautiful rock formations.
Forests
There are no marked trails in the tropical rainforests of Eastern Samar, so you need to have the spirit of adventure to explore them. Although some parts of the jungle are not too difficult to get to from Borongan, it is advisable to set off with a guide (see Contact below).
Flora & Fauna
With an area of 360,000 hectares, the largest remaining intact tracts of tropical lowland rainforests in the Philippines can be found on Samar. Large areas of these forests are located in the province of Eastern Samar. They are home to 2400 species of flowers of which 400 are endemic to the Philippines and 400 only occur on Samar. Twelve species of plants and trees are threatened with extinction, among them rare orchids and ferns.
Eastern Samar is also home of several endangered creatures like the Philippine Eagle (the second largest eagle in the world), the Philippine Cockatoo, the Tarsier (usually only known on the island of Bohol), and the Flying Lemur. Other species include flying foxes, bats, birds, (hornbills, pheasants, kingfishers etc) reptiles, amphibians and insects (including a noticable amount of beautiful butterflies).
Islands off Borongan
Within an hour boat ride from Borongan are Ando Island, Monbon Island and Divinubo Island.Regular boats to Ando leave from Sabang, and to Divinubo from Cabong or Lalawigan (depending on the tide). To rent a boat in Sabang costs about P500/day. It is possible to visit all three islands in one day; bring your own food and water.
Ando Island has a small and friendly village. The white sand beach on the eastern side of the island is very beautiful and offers a great view of the Pacific ocean.
Divinubo Island is overgrown with palm trees and has a white sand beach with crystal clear water and a coral reef just offshore.
Monbon Island lies within a marine sanctuary. There are a few cottages on this tiny island. It is a pleasant place to have lunch.
Rivers
The big rivers of Eastern Samar are the Llorente River, Suribao River, Taft River, Can Avid River, Dolores River and Oras River. All of them are used by regular passenger boats which ply between interior villages and coastal towns. To hire a boat for a day trip costs about P800 to P1000 (for up to six passengers).
Surfing
Eastern
Samar has some good surf and could become a future destination for the
more adventurous surfer. The coast with its tropical background
provides great scenery. Good surf is reported around Borongan,
Lalawigan and further south around Hernani. Most
surfing beaches have most probably never been challenged before so there is a lot to discover.
Waterfalls
Pangi Falls: The Pangi Falls are located about 17 km west of Borongan. To get there, first take a tricycle to San Gabriel barangay (10 km), then walk 2-3 hours upstream along the river. Note: You should not do this trip in the rainy season as the water level of the river might be too high.
Habag Falls & Binalarawan Falls: To enjoy the beautiful Habag and Binalarawan falls, at least a two-day visit is recommended. Since there is no commercial accommodation available, you have to stay overnight in the forest, which certainly gives this trip a touch of adventure (just ask the friendly locals to arrange a simple shelter for you). Starting in Siha, a village about five km west of Borongan (take a tricycle from Tarusan Street), you will reach Binalarawan Falls after six to seven hours hike (including lunchbreak). Binalarawan is a small but beautiful waterfall with a natural pool surrounded by lush forest. The best place to spend the night can be found about one hour downstream, so leave no later than 4pm to be sure to reach the place in time before the sun sets. Proceed to Habag Falls the next morning. At first you have to go downstream for about an hour. When you meet another river you follow that one upstream for another hour to reach Habag Falls. Habag is bigger than Binalarawan and has a beautiful natural pool which is great fun for swimming. You could spend the night at the waterfall or walk back to Siha, which takes about four hours, and continue from there by tricycle to Borongan.
Getting There
Borongan, the provincial capital, is a good starting point to explore Eastern Samar.
Bus from Manila: Philtranco and Eagle Star aircon buses and ordinary buses run from Manila to Borongan, Oras and Guiuan (P800). Including the ferry from Matnog to Allen, the trip takes 29 hours to Borongan.
Bus from Leyte: From Tacloban to Borongan and Guiuan roughly one bus an hour runs during the day from the bus terminal, taking four hours (Borongan) or six hours (Guiuan); via Buray (West Samar) and Taft.
Several minibuses make the trip in the forenoons, leaving from various petrol stations. Travel time to Borongan is three to four hours via Basey and Lawa-an (South Samar).
Plane from Manila: Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have daily flights from Manila to Tacloban (P2570). From Tacloban continue by bus to Borongan.
Boat from Manila: Only via Palompon (WG&A) or Ormoc (Sulpicio Lines) in West Leyte. From there take a bus to Tacloban and another one to Borongan.
Boat from Cebu: Boats of various shipping companies leave Cebu City daily for Ormoc in West Leyte (Cebu Ferries, Sulpicio Lines, Super Shuttle Ferry, Supercat Fast Ferry). From Ormoc take a bus to Tacloban and another one to Borongan.
Places to Stay
Accommodation in Eastern Samar is quite basic. The cheapest rooms go for P100 per night, a double room with fan and bathroom costs P350 to P400.
Borongan: Borongan Pensionne, National Highway, Tel. 2612109; Domsowir Hotel, Real Street, Tel. 2612133.
Guiuan: Guiuan Pension House, Lugay Street; Kevin's Pension House, Guimbaolibot Street; Tanghay View Lodge, Campongo.
Lawa-an: Haus Jasmin (bookings through their website).
Places to Eat
In Borongan you will get the best food in the Domsowir Hotel restaurant. Opposite the hotel several food stalls offer simple meals nightly. In addition to them, the town has a few inexpensive kitchenettes and carenderias, most of which are located near the market.
Entertainment
None of the Eastern Samar towns will please persistent nightowls. However, you will find some pubs and simple karaoke bars in Baybay district in Borongan. Some of them are also pleasant places to hang out during the daytime as they offer a beautiful view of the Pacific ocean.
Shopping
You will get everything for your daily needs at the town markets and grocery stores. Borongan has also a small department store by the name of Litas. It is located right behind the Bishops palace.
Contact
If you want to hike, or take a boat ride to the outer islands or to the interior of Eastern Samar, you can contact Hector Apita in Campisao barangay for assistance. He knows his way around and will help you getting in touch with like-minded people. Just call him or send an e-mail: Cellphone: 0920-5850378;
Email: thor03jica@yahoo.com
For hikes to Habag and Binalarawan try to contact Florencia Abinales (Mana Floren) in San Jose barangay and ask her to introduce you to the Arre family in sitio Limboan near San Jose. They know the area very well and the daughter Eden (Nene) speaks English.
