Easy on pocket thrills in Leyte

BY MINNIE ADVINCULA

Taking advantage of a promo fare by Zest Air, our family hied to Tacloban in what we planned to be an educational trip to historical places in Leyte. The plan sounded subdued enough so it was a pleasant surprise to find out in the end that the children enjoyed the trip a lot and did not resent our mixing the "educational" with pure pleasure.

First in the list is San Juanico Bridge, touted to be the longest in the country. The 2.16-km bridge is convincingly one of the most beautiful bridges in the country. Built during the martial law years, we told the children of the tales and popular belief that have gone into the bridge construction such as its being a gift of Ferdinand Marcos to Imelda Marcos. Nowadays, police have banned picture taking along the bridge so one has to get off at either end of the bridge if one wishes to have a souvenir shot.

Upon crossing from Leyte to Samar, the search for a good beachfront begins. We ended up in a beach in Barangay Tingib. The sand may look like mud but the beach, being dotted with islands, offers a breathtaking view. Barangay Tingib is less developed with just a few cottages and simple facilities for local tourists. Its rusticity, however, is a welcome treat for those running away from the crowded cities. We even took time to see all the rare flowers and plants near the beachfront.

Farther into Samar, there is Caluwayan which has facilities for overnight stay and other outdoor activities such as boating and mountain climbing. Caluwayan hosts trainings for corporate functions and the package is priced reasonably.

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COMMENT:
There are other beautiful and breath-taking spots in Samar! These include.....

Calbiga Whitewater River

For Filipino travelers and foreigners who prefer to visit natural attractions, they can always take a look at the pristine and luring Calbiga Whitewater River. With a length of about 18 kilometers, tourists will have sufficient time to admire water species in the river. Surrounding the river is a forest where people can also see various plant and wildlife species. Meanwhile, for those who are in search for adventure, some tourist guides and local residents offer water-rafting activities. Hence, other outdoor activity that everyone can do at Calbiga Whitewater River is kayaking.

Sohotan Cave

An inviting, renowned, and enticing tourist destination in Eastern Samar, Sohotan Cave ranks second in the top 5 tourist spots in Samar Philippines. This cave provides a relaxing and safe place for travelers to do interesting activities such as trekking, hiking, and rock climbing. With the attractive formation of rocks inside Sohotan Cave, people can also learn useful knowledge related to rock collections. Aside from these, locals in Samar give importance to this tourist destination for its historical value since many agree that the cave served as shelter to native people in the province in the early times.
Marabut Marine Park

One of the well-maintained and beautiful manmade tourist attractions in Southern Samar, Marabut Marine Park is found near the popular San Bernardino Strait. Because of its location, many people did not experience hassles in finding the park. Inside the marine park, tourists can find various species of fish, different corals, as well as beautiful reefs. Hence, for the convenience of all its guests, Marabut Marine Park features a restaurant where they can taste several delectable seafood dishes.
Samar Archaeological Museum and Research Cente

Another fascinating tourist destination to see in the province, Samar Archaeological Museum and Research Center features collections of relics that are important to the history, heritage, and culture of Samar group of islands. Within the premises of the museum, everyone can see priceless artifacts that are recovered from the Spanish period like jars, paintings, and sculptures. In addition, devotees like to visit the research center for it also plays home to holy images of several saints and Christian martyrs.

Homonhon Island

Above all, travelers, vacationers, and tourists in Samar, should not forget to visit one of the historical places not just in the province, but also in the Philippines, Homonhon Island. Even if this is not as alluring and attractive as other tourist spots in the province, it is still valuable to locals for it is the place where Spanish wanderer Ferdinand Magellan landed when he discovered the country. To encourage people to visit this place, the provincial government provided a landmark in the site to inform them about the historical value of the island.

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