Canhugas Nature Park, Hernani, Eastern Samar

#SparkSamar

If you’ve been to several white sand beaches and you find the unruffled waters tedious and boring, perhaps the big waves at Canhugas Nature Park will fascinate you with its perfect locale!

Now, let’s take a peek of this incredible local spot!

Location: Hernani, Eastern Samar (More or less 3 hours from Tacloban City)

An impressive spectacle! Gigantic waves crushing onto large rock formations mark this place as an extraordinary tourist destination. Climbing up the walls of these hefty rocks will give you a phenomenal setting, a beautiful backdrop. Don’t forget to bring your HD cameras as photography could be one of great deals here! 

Fresh from the sea! Just in every rock formation is a natural-made pool. Water comes from the strong ocean waves hammering the rocks, flowing to the pool terraces. 

Salty blue falls! Sturdy waves create waterfalls which flow into a deep hole where waves also came crushing through, crafting a view of natural features that is ‘bluish-ly exquisite.’

NOTES:

1. If you want to capture big waves, best to take it during high tide (which happens at 3 onwards in the afternoon during summer).

2. Lifeguards do not allow tourists near the borders during high tide since the waves are strong (Canhugas Nature Park is facing the Pacific Ocean)

3. There are sea urchins at the pool area so it is best to wear slippers or aqua shoes.

4. Tourists are not allowed to take pictures near the falls as the strong water current and the waves may sweep you down to the hole where the falls drops its water.

5. There is a deep hole at the beach area where you can enjoy swimming during high tide.

6. You can’t bring your surfboards here. It is so risky since the waves are incredibly powerful. Wipe-outs on waves are the usual cause of surfing injury more especially that the beach in Hernani is made of coral rocks which are dangerous to surfers. 

7. You can bring your own cars but please be reminded that the destination is still developing the parking area. The road to Canhugas is so narrow that big automobiles and other large vehicles could possibly drop its wheels from the pathway.  

8. Make sure to bring your own food and drinks. You may also bring extra jug of water for rinsing since water is not always available at Canhugas.

9. Sari-sari stores can provide you beers, snacks and other immediate needs. 

10. Bringing sharp objects like knives is prohibited at the area. 

Entrance Fee

Children - P5.00

Resident - P10.00

Non-resident - P20.00

Foreign National - P50.00

Rental of Facilities

Umbrella - P75.00 each

Table - P75.00 each

Chair - P10.00 each

Tent 2x2 - P100.00 each

TRAVEL GUIDE

IF YOU ARE FROM MANILA OR CEBU:

There are actually daily flights from Manila to Tacloban and Cebu to Tacloban. If you're from Manila, the flight takes at least an hour and twenty (20) minutes. If you're from Cebu, air travel takes about forty five (45) minutes or less. After you arrived at Tacloban Domestic Airport (San Jose, Tacloban City), go to Tacloban City Bus Terminal via taxicab or transfer service.

Airlines that travel from Manila to Tacloban: (9+ flights per day)

• Cebu Pacific
• Air Asia
• Philippine Airlines

Airlines that travel from Cebu to Tacloban: (3+ flights per day)

• Cebu Pacific
• CebGo
• AirAsia
• Philippine Airlines

Tacloban City

At Tacloban City Bus Terminal, look for vans or buses which transports to Borongan, Eastern Samar. Land travel to Hernani takes about three (3) hours from the city. You'll have to tell the driver to drop you off at Hernani. There is a signboard going to the destination at the right side of the road. (Or make use of Google Maps in your mobile phones. It's actually helpful in determining the exact location)

More of Canhugas Nature Park: 

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St. Anthony de Padua Church - Sulangan, Eastern Samar

‘Promises are meant to be broken’ – popular statement for broken relationships, right?! – This phrase however should not be applied when you’ve promised to visit the St. Anthony de Padua Shrine in Sulangan.

Sulangan, Eastern Samar is famous for its patron saint, the miraculous San Antonio de Padua. It has been said that once you’ve promised to visit the place or attend the mass at their church, you must and should fulfill it. Why? Coz according to some people, undesirable consequences then would happen if you’ve ignored and disregard what you’ve promised, like getting sick, unwanted accidents, or other misfortunes. These were claims from people who had such experiences though.

So I’m giving you a tip: One should not say that he would visit Sulangan on a specific date to avoid this kind of occurrences. (As per advice, though)

But contrary to that, those who fervently pray and fulfilled their promise had testified the unbelievable kindness of St. Anthony de Padua. Rumors spread along nearby cities and towns about the miracles he can do to people, the reason why many would visit the place and attend the Sunday mass at the church. Most of them were students who are about to take board exams; people with incurable diseases; and others who have special intentions.

However in my case, I went to Sulangan not to ask for anything, but to attend the mass as a thanksgiving for all the blessings I have received. I went along with a friend and as expected, there were so many people from other places who were about to attend the mass too. 

Bought some rosary beads in Sulangan

After the celebration of the Eucharist held at the church, we then went to the beachside to take some pictures. We then took our lunch at a nearby carenderia and went home after that.

Notes:

• Sulangan is an inhabited islet and one of the barangays of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Guiuan is located at the southernmost tip of Samar Island.
• There are vans that travel directly to Sulangan. It will actually serve as your service vehicle going there. The driver actually waits his passengers until the mass has ended.   

TRAVEL GUIDE

IF YOU ARE FROM MANILA

There are actually daily flights from Manila to Tacloban. The flight takes at least an hour and twenty (20) minutes. After you arrived at Tacloban Domestic Airport (San Jose, Tacloban City), go to Tacloban City Bus Terminal/Terminal for GrandTours or DupTours via taxicab or transfer service. 

Airlines that travel from Manila to Tacloban: (9+ flights per day)

• Cebu Pacific
• Air Asia
• Philippine Airlines

Tacloban City

Ride a van at the terminal bound for Sulangan, Eastern Samar. Travel takes four (4) hours from the city. Most vans leave at 4 or 5 in the morning to catch the 9 a.m. mass at St. Anthony de Padua Church, Sulangan. 

IF YOU ARE FROM CEBU

There are actually daily flights from Cebu to Calbayog. The flight takes at least an hour. You can find buses and vans bound for Sulangan, Eastern Samar at the local terminal. 

Airlines that travel from Cebu to Calbayog: (4+ flights per week)

• CebGo

CEBU CITY VIA CATBALOGAN

If you are from Cebu City and would like to get to Samar via ferryboats, you can take the Cebu-Catbalogan route and purchase tickets from ferry outlets in Cebu City (via Roble Shipping Lines, Inc.). Sea travel takes at least seven (7) hours for large passenger ships. Look for vans at the terminal bound for Sulangan, Eastern Samar.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE:

Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without permission, authorization, or written consent from the author or proprietor is strictly forbidden and firmly prohibited. Always provide full and clear credit to DyaryoDeByahe with the appropriate direction to the original content.

Samar's Italian Restaurant

Pasqualino’s Ristorante Italiano

Pasqualino’s Ristorante Italiano is an Italian diner well-designed in sophisticated site, classily made for wedding and party venues.  It is actually a hilltop restaurant located at Sta. Rita, Samar, built overseeing the famous San Juanico Bridge in Visayas.

However, it wasn’t the refined setting that captured me the most but the scenic vista from the top, which feels like I’m back to Tagaytay. While overlooking the sea and the neighbouring mounts, it feels like I was surrounded by a picturesquely ingenuous backdrop, of which in any approach can give you a beautiful background.

A small pool is situated infront of the dining tables, and the yard adjacent to it was a beautifully-designed shrubby garden, also made up of ornamented plants and small trees.

Italian dish and snacks are served on your tables, priced reasonably.

   

Note: The pool is not open for public. Consent is needed from the owner if you need to use it.

Location: Sta. Rita, Samar, Philippines

TRAVEL GUIDE

IF YOU ARE FROM MANILA OR CEBU:

There are actually daily flights from Manila to Tacloban and Cebu to Tacloban. If you're from Manila, the flight takes at least an hour and twenty (20) minutes. If you're from Cebu, air travel takes about forty five (45) minutes or less. After you arrived at Tacloban Domestic Airport (San Jose, Tacloban City), go to Tacloban City Bus Terminal via taxicab or transfer service. 

Airlines that travel from Manila to Tacloban: (9+ flights per day)

• Cebu Pacific
• Air Asia
• Philippine Airlines

Airlines that travel from Cebu to Tacloban: (3+ flights per day)

• Cebu Pacific
• CebGo
• AirAsia
• Philippine Airlines

Tacloban City

At Tacloban City Bus Terminal, look for jeepneys bound for Sta. Rita, Samar. Tell the driver to drop you off at Pasqualino's Ristorante Italiano.

CEBU CITY VIA ORMOC CITY

If you are from Cebu City and would like to get to Leyte via ferryboats, you can take the Cebu-Ormoc route and purchase tickets from ferry outlets in Cebu City (via large transports or fast crafts). Sea travel takes at least seven (7) hours for large passenger ships and just three (3) hours for fast crafts. The city’s bus terminal is just beside the port area so you can directly go to the terminal ride vans bound for Tacloban City. 

Note: There are also Cebu-Leyte routes via Maasin, Baybay, and Hilongos, Leyte. 

CEBU CITY VIA CATBALOGAN

If you are from Cebu City and would like to get to Samar via ferryboats, you can take the Cebu-Catbalogan route and purchase tickets from ferry outlets in Cebu City (via Roble Shipping Lines, Inc.). Sea travel takes at least seven (7) hours for large passenger ships. Look for vans at the terminal bound for Sta. Rita, Samar.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE:

Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without permission, authorization, or written consent from the author or proprietor is strictly forbidden and firmly prohibited. Always provide full and clear credit to DyaryoDeByahe with the appropriate direction to the original content.

Caluwayan Palm Island and Resort: One of Samar's Best Resort

Caluwayan Palm Island and Resort

Getting there

Caluwayan Palm Island and Resort is an hour drive from the city of Tacloban; located at Marabut, Samar, Philippines. It is situated just along the highway and can easily be found for a signage at the resort’s entryway is seen alongside the road.

Pool and Beach Resort

You can chose on wherever you want to take a dip, in a swimming pool or at the sea. The pool is actually located near the beach. You can take a quick pic for an ‘infinity-like’ image when shot at the opposing edge, capturing the sea background making the water looks like flowing to the horizon.  

Note: The resort is very strict particularly on swimming apparels so be sure to wear the proper swimming attire.

The beach, however, has black sand and calm green waters which is also good for swimming. However, be cautious and watchful for some transparent marine jellyfishes on shallow waters for they have stinging cells that could prick and irritate your skin sorely.

Furthermore, the resort offers snacks and meals ordered at the counter. There are also cottages where you can stay for some time. Hotel rooms are also available for overnight use.

Resort Activities

The resort truly has a serene setting, a place for relaxation and recreational activities. It offers stand-up paddle and island hopping activities, good for an hour. But since we love visiting islands, we took the island hopping tour for P400/boat.

Note: Boat capacity = 4 persons only

Just WOW! It feels like I was back in El Nido, Palawan that time. The islets and rock formations near the resort was worth the tour. While we were passing and exploring these rock structures, we saw some marine fishes jumping off the green waters. From a limpid depth, we noticed some polyp colonies on the subsurface and espied few little caverns naturally placed under those beautiful rock formations.

We stopped at the last island where visitors used to stay overnight, of which has white sand mixed up with dead coral offal. I actually want to visit the Marong-badong Island for there’s a miniature pool built naturally at the island, the one I am curious about. This unfortunately wasn’t part of the itinerary, and we need to pay another hour for the island hopping tour if we would visit the island since it is situated farther from the resort. It was also late afternoon and the ride will just consume our time intended for our trip to the last island. (This was the last part of our Marabut trip.)

Samar’s Best

Caluwayan is really one of the best resorts in Samar that you should visit. Be sure to plan your trip at Caluwayan Palm Island and Resort this coming summer for I am sure you will also love it here.

By the way, big thanks to the local boatmen who toured us on those beautiful rock formations, and had generously extended our time at our last island destination. Thank you very much. Surely be back next time here. 

TRAVEL GUIDE

IF YOU ARE FROM MANILA OR CEBU:

There are actually daily flights from Manila to Tacloban and Cebu to Tacloban. If you're from Manila, the flight takes at least an hour and twenty (20) minutes, at least. If you're from Cebu, air travel takes about forty five (45) minutes or less. After you arrived at Tacloban Domestic Airport (San Jose, Tacloban City), go to Tacloban City Bus Terminal via taxicab or transfer service. 

Airlines that travel from Manila to Tacloban: (9+ flights per day)

• Cebu Pacific
• Air Asia
• Philippine Airlines

Airlines that travel from Cebu to Tacloban: (3+ flights per day)

• Cebu Pacific
• CebGo
• AirAsia
• Philippine Airlines

Tacloban City

If you are from Tacloban City, ride a van bound for Marabut, Samar. Tell the driver to drop you off at Marabut, Samar. Travel takes more than an hour to the destination.

IF YOU ARE FROM CEBU VIA AEROPLANE (To Calbayog)

There are actually daily flights from Cebu to Calbayog. The flight takes at least an hour.

Airlines that travel from Cebu to Calbayog: (4+ flights per week)

• CebGo

CEBU CITY VIA CATBALOGAN

If you are from Cebu City and would like to get to Samar via ferryboats, you can take the Cebu-Catbalogan route and purchase tickets from ferry outlets in Cebu City (via Roble Shipping Lines, Inc.). Sea travel takes at least seven (7) hours for large passenger ships. Look for vans at the terminal bound for Marabut, Samar.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE:

Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without permission, authorization, or written consent from the author or proprietor is strictly forbidden and firmly prohibited. Always provide full and clear credit to DyaryoDeByahe with the appropriate direction to the original content. 

2 Days Samar Escape 2015

April 2015 (1/3): Biliran Island Destinations

(2/3): Samar Escape: Falls, Spring, and Cave

Lulugayan Falls

After doing our 2-day itinerary, we decided to firstly visit the famous Lulugayan Falls of Brgy. Literon, Calbiga, Samar. Calbiga is actually an hour and a half drive from the city of Tacloban traversing the famous San Juanico Bridge that connects the islands of Leyte and Samar.

This tourist destination was actually located of still an hour of roller coaster drive from the proper town of Calbiga. We passed safely along sharp curves and steep hills on our way there, and asked some locals of its exact location but this just made us confused as they were giving us different answers. We actually thought we’ve been lost and gone astray at its forest-like locale while passing laterally on large trees and underbrush almost covering the road to the destination. 

Starved and displeased while searching for its accurate location, we stopped to eat the lunch we brought and rest for awhile. As we opened up the car doors and windows, the noon breeze and gentle wind made us relax under a shade tree.

We then got back on track after fulfilling our stomach and just right after few minutes, we saw the famous Lulugayan Falls from the top. Woah! We can actually hear the sound of the water flowing and dropping off on its surface.

We followed the only path down to Brgy. Literon. There the barangay captain welcomed us and we’ve been assisted by local guides. We readily head up to a twenty (20) minute-walk down to the falls’ location.

Very spectacular! 

I thought it was just an ordinary falls like I used to see in other places but Lulugayan was a curtain falls; a big and wide cascade. The water was exceptionally icy cold, no wonder many local travellers visit the falls. There we literally enjoyed the serene surroundings and its peaceful setting.

We then climbed up to reach the top of the falls and it looks like a plain natural stream.

View from top

We brought a tent to stay overnight but the local attendants advised us to otherwise spend the night on their barangay hall for it is not safe and the water may tide up high while we are asleep.

My friends savoured the time jumping off from the falls and adored the cold waters which relaxes us (mentally and) physically after the long agitation on the road. Well the long hours were very worth it after seeing the spectacular Lulugayan Falls!

Notes:

1. First: Please visit or inquire at the municipality’s tourism office before your scheduled trip. There are local fees and permits, of course. 
2. There are only certain areas which are safe for jumping and swimming. 

The next day...

Villa Escober Cold Spring Resort 

We planned to visit other falls in Calbayog and eager to try the torpedo boat ride located in Ulot River, Paranas, Samar but it was far from we thought it was. So we just decided to search for another destination and found the Villa Escober Cold Spring Resort in Paranas located along the road going to Ulot.

It wasn’t an ordinary spring resort. It has a fancy and elegant setting but has cheaply discounted fees.

The cold spring water was so clear you can almost see fish tilapias swimming under. There are cottages of different prices according to its size.

The water came from this little manmade cave-like and we forgot to ask the in-charge of its source.

Sohoton Cave

Our last destination was visiting the famous cave in Visayas, the Sohoton Cave situated in Basey, Samar. We rode a boat going to this popular destination and we then arrived after twenty (20) minutes from the port.

Before we went inside the cave, certain guidelines and precautions must be observed like the importance of wearing helmets, which serve as protective head coverings from spiky stalactites.

While we were exploring around the cave, we have learned a lot of things from our local guide – the cave’s history: became a place of refuge and concealment during the war and natural disasters; its discovery; and the do’s and dont’s inside the cave.

We weren’t allowed to touch the white, crystal-like particles since these were the only thing that make the cave exist, according to our guide. By the time you touch it, moist from skin will react to the minerals present, will turn brown dead and will make the cave lifeless; a dead cave then becomes a den of wild bats.

You will be mesmerized by the stalactites lying down from its roof and stalagmites formed from dripping water. Spikes and inverted stalactites make up a column standing straight and hard. All of these things naturally form random, imaginative, and creative sculpture made of carbonated minerals.

You can also kayak on its calm, greeny waters outside the cave. Unfortunately for us, we did not have the chance since we need to get back home for it was late afternoon already.

----

It was indeed a very tiring yet an enjoyable part of my summer 2015. Our two-day trip in Samar was very worth it knowing that we did visit the famous Lulugayan Falls, the cold spring resort of Villa Escober and the popular Sohoton Cave.

Previous: (1/3 of Summer 2015) Biliran Island Destinations

Next: (3/3 of Summer 2015) Cuatro Islas: Southern Leyte’s Island Destinations

TRAVEL GUIDE

IF YOU ARE FROM MANILA

There are actually daily flights from Manila to Tacloban. The flight takes at least an hour and twenty (20) minutes. After you arrived at Tacloban Domestic Airport (San Jose, Tacloban City), go to Tacloban City Bus Terminal/Terminal for GrandTours or DupTours via taxicab or transfer service. 

Airlines that travel from Manila to Tacloban: (9+ flights per day)

• Cebu Pacific
• Air Asia
• Philippine Airlines

Tacloban City

Ride a van at the terminal bound for Calbiga, Samar. Travel takes more than two (2) hours from the city. 

IF YOU ARE FROM CEBU

There are actually daily flights from Cebu to Calbayog. The flight takes at least an hour. You can find buses and vans bound for Calbiga, Samar at the local terminal. 

Airlines that travel from Cebu to Calbayog: (4+ flights per week)

• CebGo

CEBU CITY VIA CATBALOGAN

If you are from Cebu City and would like to get to Samar via ferryboats, you can take the Cebu-Catbalogan route and purchase tickets from ferry outlets in Cebu City (via Roble Shipping Lines, Inc., etc.). Sea travel takes at least seven (7) hours for large passenger ships. Look for vans at the terminal bound for Calbiga, Samar.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Unauthorized use or duplication of this material without permission, authorization, or written consent from the author or proprietor is strictly forbidden and firmly prohibited. Always provide full and clear credit to DyaryoDeByahe with the appropriate direction to the original content.