Cruise ship anchors at Kalanggaman Island, Palompon, Leyte

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

LUXURY cruise ship MS EUROPA recently anchored at Kalanggaman last March 20 with some 400 tourists and crew onboard.
                                                  (Photo: Courtesy of Joynes Diongzon)

Raoul Bacalla, municipal environment and natural resources and tourism office (Menro) officer, said: “This is the first time a cruise ship anchored at the island and we are simply overwhelmed. They planned to stay for seven hours for a barbeque lunch, but they stayed for 12 hours, longer than expected.”

The visitors describe the island as a paradise. Kalanggaman Island has clear waters, white sand, clean surroundings, and two sandbars at the eastern and western part.

“We offered fresh buko juice (coconut juice). A festive mood prevails in the island as a cultural presentation by our local dancers welcomed the guests. We just act natural,” Bacalla said.

Bacalla said the municipality of Palompon is happy that the tour organizers included Kalanggaman in their visit.

MS Europa will visit four more destinations in the Philippines including Boracay before proceeding to Hongkong and Singapore.

“The cruise ship will anchor again on April in the island and that is the most interesting part, having tourists come over and over again. The captain and crew proudly put a marker with a photo of MS Europa of being the first cruise ship that visited the island,” Bacalla said.

Bacalla added that Kalanggaman is a tourism hub in Northwestern Leyte.
 (Photo: Courtesy of Joynes Diongzon)

“We did selling missions of the Northwest Leyte tourism destinations the last two years. This will create a ripple effect. Opening our beautiful places to international tourists, opens doors for the tourism industry in this part of Leyte and major impact in our economy,” Bacalla said.

Kalanggaman Island can be reached 45 minutes by boat from Palompon which is 3 hours land trip from Tacloban City and 2 hours from Ormoc City. It is also 3 hours by boat from Cebu City. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)

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