by Abi Ong Sitjar

Explore the unexpected. Explore the underrated.

This has always been my plan – to see what other people haven’t seen yet, to visit places that are not yet recognized, and to get lost while moving from one place to another. In this way, I could strike conversations with locals, discover new doors, learn new colors, and get more than what I initially bargained for. So when The Panoramic Soul asked where I’d like to go in case I won, I chose Eastern Visayas, and I went there, along with my friend Sam, in October of 2018. Before travelling, I made it a point to research on all the things that I needed to know about the place. All I knew then was that Eastern Visayas is home to a lot of waterfalls, surfing areas, and beaches. There were a lot of ways to travel from island to island and from one city to another; I really had no game plan or fixed itinerary to follow, and that was what made the trip fun and unforgettable – there was the touch of spontaneity.

We took a small plane from Davao to Daniel Romualdez Airport in Tacloban and then rode a jeepney from the airport to Yellow Doors Hostel. Being the first hostel in Tacloban, Yellow Doors Hostel is located in the downtown area of the city. Made up of recycled objects that were saved from the aftermath of Bagyong Yolanda, it gives out a cozy and artistic vibe.

We stayed the whole morning at the hostel and had lunch at Chew Love, a chic restaurant on the next street. In the afternoon, we took a tricycle to Yolanda Shipwreck Park, where a ship that was washed inland during the said typhoon was preserved.
The second day was waterfalls day (I never knew you could visit so many waterfalls in one afternoon!). We took a van to Naval, Biliran and checked in at Biliran Island Inn, which was very convenient because it’s in the heart of the municipality and near the port. Coincidentally, they were celebrating the Bagasumbol Festival, and the place was so busy preparing for their activities for the next few days. We found a habal-habal driver, Kuya Edgar, who willingly took us to three waterfalls located at opposing sides of the city, and we were not sure if we would be able to visit everything before the sun sets (but we did!).

First, we went to Bagongbong Falls. The guide told us that it rained hard the previous day, which explains the brown water due to the runoff flowing into the river. Nonetheless, the view was great, and the place was secluded, so it was really cold and refreshing.

We went to Ulan Ulan Falls afterwards, which is my favorite among the rest. We had the place all to ourselves, with a huge bright rainbow and very cold water (but in a good way!). We almost never wanted to get out of it!

Our last stop was at Tinago Falls, which was the farthest among the three. You can’t take a swim there, but there are small rock pools that are knee-deep. I closed my eyes and let the sound of the water cleanse my soul. After that, we went back to our inn and called it a day.
The next day, we took a two-hour boat ride from Biliran port to Maripipi, a 30-minute habal-habal drive to the edge of the island, then another boat ride to Sambawan Island. We decided to stay for the night so we rented a tent, secured our things, and trekked to the top of the island.

From there, you can see the island of Maripipi, enjoy the vibrant blue water and the scenery of a perfect sunset. I could never get enough of the view! All I wanted was to have that kind of sunset every day for the rest of my life. And as if the island was not beautiful enough, the view at night was really indescribable. The stars, placed at every available space imaginable, were a sight that I would never forget.
We headed southwest the following day to Palompon, Leyte. From there, we booked a room at Pacci Inn, walked to the tourism office, and booked a boat going to Kalanggaman Island, the country’s 9th longest sandbar.

It took us 30 minutes to walk to the end of the island and back again. Seeing the place clean and well-kept made me appreciate the people’s efforts to preserve the island.

At the end of the day, we were too tired from all the walking and swimming, but we were contented as well. Plus, the sunset was so beautiful that we instantaneously forgot any feeling of exhaustion at all.
Any trip to Eastern Visayas will never be complete if you won’t pass by the longest bridge in the country. So when we went back to Tacloban, we passed by San Juanico Bridge and went to Basey, where we decided to visit the Sohoton Caves and Natural Bridge Park.

On most days, there would be a lot of tourists, so make sure to book a slot before going there. From the tourism rest house, we took a boat and passed by the mangroves to the Sohoton Caves. There are two choices on your trip – either you take the cave tour first, or you go kayaking.

In the cave tour, the guides are quite creative when it comes to describing the rocks. Aside from their knowledge on the types and structures, they

compared the rocks to things that we commonly see every day, such as the head of a pig, people in a community, and whatever they could think of. On the other hand, kayaking took almost an hour.

We passed by narrow passages where the walls of the cave stood so high and the wind was very chilly, which made it all so comforting and fun. We stopped at the end where a big cave was, and we went for a swim and jumped from a big rock. We lost track of time because we were too busy jumping, swimming, and enjoying the view. After that, we went back to the rest house and then on to Tacloban.
We still had two more days remaining, so we spent the first day walking around Tacloban, ate at local restaurants, and bought Binagol, a local delicacy. The next day, we packed our bags and went home.
One thing that really amazed me was how the people recovered from different storms that passed by over the years, with Bagyong Yolanda taking a lot of lives in Tacloban and Basey, and Bagyong Urduja that caused a huge landslide in BIliran. Until now, you could still see traces of people recuperating, people surviving and starting over, and I really commend them for dealing well with whatever challenges life threw at them. The government is also very supportive in improving the tourism in the area. Tourism offices are well-funded, people are provided with jobs, and natural resources are preserved well.

As I left Eastern Visayas, a part of me was greatly humbled, reminding me to appreciate what I have and to make the most of what is given. Also, this trip taught me to help out more, and to get myself involved in preserving nature. A little help and kindness goes a long way!