By VINCE G. LOPEZ
September 1, 2010, 11:57am
From idyllic beaches to scenic mountains, the Philippines is one of the places on Earth that can be considered as a “complete” destination. A tropical country teeming with sundry attractions, there will always be something new to discover. This section provides an overview of the country’s various provinces from A-Z with helpful tips on interesting insights and quirky must-sees that will inspire you to go out and explore some more!
Samar
Characterized by beautiful coastlines and scenic mountains, the province of Samar is described as “The Perfect Destination for the Adventurous Traveler”.
The name Samar came from the local term “samad” meaning wound or cut. The name aptly describes the rugged features of the terrains of the island complete with hills and mountaintops ranging from 200 to 800 meters above sea level - a feature that’s perfect for the adventurous traveler.
An adventure to this province should include treks and river cruises but the pristine beaches remain to be favorite destinations for tourists and locals. Samar may be an adventure destination but it’s the simple serenity and rural living of the province that tourists appreciate about it.
Regular tourists enjoy frolicking in the wonderful beaches that are spread out in the province. Some of the island’s beaches are the country’s best-kept secret, making them attractive alternatives to highly commercialized beach destinations in the country.
Fast facts:
Local Dialect: Waray
Festival: Mayaw-Mayaw Ethnic Festival, Pahoy-Pahoy, and Kaadlawan Festival that celebrate local customs and culture.
Man-made Wonders:
Obelisk - Obelisk features the major historical events of the province which depicted in the four sides of the structure which is situated in front of the Capitol Building, Catbalogan, Samar.
San Juanico Bridge - One of the most popular landmarks of the country which has the distinction of being the longest bridge in Southeast Asia. It has a total length of 7,092 feet, its highest point is 41 meters above the water level.
Natural Wonders:
Sohoton National Park - an approximate area of 840 hectares filled with fascinating geological features. The national park contains caves, limestone boulders, rock holes, weathered formation rocks, and underground rivers.
Sohotan Natural Bridge - A fantastic huge arch-shaped rock that connects two mountain ridges spanning the Sohoton River.
Bangon Falls - Bangon Falls is one of the most beautiful and spectacular scenic spots worth visiting in the province. Following the stream by ascending to the upper level, one will be amazed to see a circular pond of about 30 meters in diameter, wide enough for swimming and deep enough for diving.
Langun-Gubingub Cave- Said to be the second largest Karst cave in the world.
Ton-ok Falls - the scenic view of the waterfall is vividly illustrated through the boulders that rise and fall in a series of steps from down below to the topmost section of the mountains.
Lologayan Falls - The term “lologayan” came from the waray-waray root word “logay” meaning to unfold a braided long hair. According to local myth, the falls was where a legendary maiden in the area used to wash her hair.
Marabut Marine Park - The marine park boasts of 15 towering rock islands with secluded beach coves and coral gardens perfect for snorkeling, scuba diving, and sun bathing.
Scenic Beaches:
Blanca Aurora Falls - a bathing resort frequented by local tourists visiting from nearby provinces.
Malojog Beach - Stretching about 200 meters long of grayish sand and cold blue waters with towering rocks at its south and three beachfront balconied cottages
Lo-ok Beach - This beach resort is most often visited due to the accessibility of the place. Its white sand, blue waters, swaying palm trees, towering rocks and concrete rest houses give the destination a “South Seas Island” touch.
Must Do: White-water rafting at Lulugayan Falls and rapids.
How to get there: There are no direct flights from Manila to Samar but there are numerous daily flights to nearby provinces such as Tacloban or Cebu. From these destinations, there are buses and shuttles available to take you to Samar.
Another alternative is taking the bus from terminals in Pasay City and Cubao in Quezon City. There are regular trips for the 12-hour bus ride to Matnog in the province of Sorsogon where visitors can take the ferry going to Samar.
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