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Showing posts with label Biliran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Biliran. Show all posts

Sunday, July 30, 2017

I travelled across Biliran, Leyte and Southern Leyte for 4 days and 3 nights. Yes, that was three provinces in 4 full days. As always, I would love to share how I did it.


The summary of my trip is enumerated below. Click each link to see full details of the trip.
Day 1 - Kalanggaman Island, Palompon Leyte
Day 2 - Biliran Tour (Chasing Waterfalls)
Day 3 - Sambawan Island, Biliran
Day 4 - Agas-agas Bridge, Sogod, Southern Leyte and Tacloban City Tour

4D3N Itinerary and Expenses

Day 1
01:00 AM - Departure from Dau, Pampanga
01:00 AM - 03:00 AM - Travel from Dau to Pasay Terminal via Bus (P150)
03:00 AM - 03:30 AM - Travel from Pasay Terminal to NAIA Terminal 4 via Taxi (P100)
03:30 AM - 07:00 AM - Waiting time (My flight was supposed to be at 6:00 AM)/ Breakfast (P99)
07:00 AM - 08:00 AM - Travel from NAIA Terminal 4 to Daniel Romualdez Airport via Airasia (P425 RT)
08:00 AM - 08:30 AM - Wash up/Changed clothes
08:30 AM - 09:00 AM - Travel from Airport to Tacloban Downtown - Mcdo via Jeep (P13)
09:00 AM - 09:30 AM - Travel from Tacloban Downtown - Mcdo to Abucay Terminal  via Multicab (P7)
09:30 AM - 10:00 AM - Boarded van/waiting time
10:00 AM - 12:30 PM - Travel from Abucay Terminal to Palompon Terminal via Van (P150)
12:30 PM - 30:00 PM - Registered at the Tourism Office (P225)/Lunch (P44)/Bought food (P150[a])/Rent tent (P150[a])/Waiting time
03:00 PM - 04:00 PM - Travel from Palompon Port to Kalanggaman Island via Boat (P375[b] RT)
04:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Explore the island
06:00 PM - onwards - Dinner/Socials/Rent beach bed (P50)/Drinks (P30)
Total Expenses for Day 1 - P1,968

Day 2
06:00 AM - 07:30 AM - Breakfast/Bought warm water (P5)/Explored island
07:30 AM - 08:00 AM - Pack up/Waiting time
08:00 AM - 09:00 AM - Travel from Kalanggaman Island to Palompon Port via Boat
09:00 AM - 09:30 AM - Brought back the tent/Walked to Palompon Terminal
09:30 AM - 10:00 AM - Boarded van/Waiting time
10:00 AM - 12:00 NN - Travel from Palompon Terminal to Lemon via Van (P120)
12:00 NN - 01:00 PM - Travel from Lemon to Naval via Van (P80)/Bought snacks (P10)
01:00 PM - 02:00 PM - Check in at TJ Pension (P215[a])/Lunch (P60)
02:00 PM - 03:30 PM - Travel to and explore Tinago Falls/Entrance (P20)/Tip to Guide (P20)
03:30 PM - 05:30 PM - Travel to and explore Recolleto Falls and Ulan-ulan Falls/Entrance (P20)
05:30 PM - 06:30 PM - Travelfrom Ulan-ulan Falls to Accommodation/Payment to Kuya (P400[a])
06:30 PM - onwards - Dinner (P72)/Socials
Total Expenses for Day 2 - P1,022

Day 3
06:00 AM - 08:00 AM - Breakfast (P85)/Bought food for Sambawan (P71)/Prepared for tour
08:00 AM - 08:30 AM - Travel from Accommodation to Kawayan Port via Habal-habal (P150[a] RT)
08:30 AM - 09:30 AM - Travel from Kawayan Port to Sambawan Island via Boat (P750[a] RT)
09:30 AM - 01:00 PM - Explored the island/Entrance fee & environmental fee (P100)
01:00 PM - 02:00 PM - Travel from Sambawan Island to Kawayan Port via Boat
02:00 PM - 02:30 PM - Travel from Kawayan Port to Accommodation via Habal-habal
02:30 PM - 04:00 PM - Wash up/Pack up
04:00 PM - 05:00 PM - Bought snacks (P10)/Waiting time
05:00 PM - 07:30 PM - Travel from Naval Terminal to Tacloban Terminal via Van (P120)
07:30 PM - onwards - Check in at GV Hotel (P225[a])/Dinner (P109)
Total Expenses for Day 3 - P1,620

Day 4
05:00 AM - 06:00 AM - Call time/Prepared for tour
06:00 AM - 06:15 AM - Travel from Hotel to Abucay Terminal via Tricycle (P30[a])
06:15AM - 07:30 AM - Breakfast (P35)/Waiting time
07:30 AM - 09:30 AM - Travel from Abucay Terminal to Agas-agas Bridge via Van (P150)
09:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Explore Agas-agas Bridge
10:00 AM - 12:00 NN - Travel from Agas-agas Bridge to Hotel via Van (P150)
12:00 NN - 12:30 PM - Check out
12:30 PM - 12:45 PM - Travel from Hotel to Robinsons via Multicab (P8)
12:45 PM - 01:30 PM - Lunch at Bonchon (P155)
01:30 PM - 6:30 PM - Travel and explore (via Tricycle): MacArthur's Landing, MV Eva Jocelyn, San Juanico Bridge, Santo Nino Shrine Museum, Santo Nino Church, Chew Love. (P300[c] for Tricycle; P235[d]for Dinner)
06:30 PM - 11:30 PM - Arrival at Airport/Terminal Fee (P150)/Bought Pasalubong (P300)Waiting time (Flight was supposed to be at 09:00 PM)
11:30 PM - 01:30 AM - Travel from Daniel Romualdez Airport to NAIA Terminal 4 (Flight Traffic)
01:30 AM - 02:00 AM - Travel from NAIA Terminal 4 to Five Star Pasay Terminal via Taxi (P30[f])
02:00 AM - 04:00 AM - Travel from Pasay Terminal to Marquee Mall via Bus (P139)
Total Expenses for Day 4 - P1,647

Total (All-in) Expenses for 4D3N - P6,257

a - Expenses shared between me and my travel buddy, Sarah
b - Boat ride - P3,000/8 pax
c - Tricycle hire - P1,200/4 pax
d - Individual dinner + share for dinner of Kuya Vergil, Tricycle driver
e - Taxi (Grab) - P90/3 pax

Snippets of my travel below!


Friday, July 28, 2017

Sambawan Island is a small island west of the island of Maripipi. From afar, it looks like a hiding alligator watching over Maripipi. In reality, it is a series of interconnecting hills covered with grasses and is surrounded by the turquoise water.

I have been to a number of islands in the Philippines but Sambawan Island was definitely one of the best.


How to get there

From Mainland Biliran, you have three options to get to Sambawan Island:
1. Direct trip from Naval Port to to Sambawan Island. This is through a charted boat for P7,000 good for 10-15 persons
2. From Naval, take a jeepney (P35) or hire a habal-habal (P300 RT good for 2 persons) to Kawayan Port. Travel time is 45 minutes. From the port, hire a boat to Sambawan Island (P3,000 RT good for 8-10 persons). Travel time is 1 hour.
3. From Naval, travel to Maripipi island via ferry boats (P75). From Maripipi port, hire a habal-habal (P30) to Brgy Ol-og. Then charter a boat to Sambawan Island (P600 for 4 pax). Total travel time is approx. 3 hours.

To know how to get to Biliran, click here.






Tips and Basic Information
  • Boat from Naval to Maripipi Island leaves at 10:00 AM daily except Sunday. The same boat leaves Maripipi to Naval the next day.
  • If you are travelling by a big group (6 or more persons), choice 2 is the best  option. But if you're on a budget and travelling alone or with smaller groups, you can consider item 3. 
  • Another good point is that your choice of means to get to Sambawan Island depends on your available time. For option 1 & 2, you may be able to have a control of your time and tour unlike for item 3 where you need to consider the ferry schedule.
  • We were supposed to take choice 3 since my friend and I were on a budget and cannot afford to charter a private boat. However, thanks to Ate Malou, she arranged a cheaper boat fare :) We got our boat for P1,500 RT. 
  • Entrance fee is P100 that includes Entrance & Environmental Fee
  • There is no store in the island neither at Kawayan Port. It would better if you buy food and water at Naval.
  • During our stay, we had the whole island to ourselves. I loved the island because it is not crowded. By the way, we went on a Friday :)
  • There are cottages in the Island. Since there were few people, just me and my friend, we were able to occupy one cottage for free.
  • There's a view deck on top of the hill that gives you 360 view of the island. Warning: there are 100 plus steps to get there. Keep yourself hydrated!
  • You can stay in the island for camping.
  • The marine life surrounding the island is so abundant! There are snorkelling and diving areas for enthusiast. You can also rent your gears from the Island's office.
  • Fresh water is not ready available in the Island but I think the caretaker offered us one but we decided to wash off at our accommodation, TJ Pensionne. 
  • The boat ride was rough going to and from the island. We had the waves splashing at us. So no point in washing off at the island and then getting soaked with sea water. haha
  • We left our things at TJ Pensionne's reception area and just brought necessary things to the island. After out tour, we were able to wash off free of charge. :) More info about TJ Pensionne here.





Contact Persons
Kuya Fernando - Habal Habal Service to and from Kawayan Port - 09464369851
Ate Malou - For Sambawan Island reservation - 09212628154

This trip is part of our 4 days and 3 nights Biliran, Leyte and Southern Leyte Tour. For itinerary and expenses, please click here.


Thursday, July 27, 2017

Biliran is one of the country's smallest and newest provinces that lies less than a kilometre north of Leyte. It was formerly a sub-province of Leyte and became an independent province in 1992.

Surprisingly, Biliran has 30 waterfalls that Department of Tourism tagged it as the "Waterfall Capital of the Phillippines"



How to get there

From Daniel Romualdez Airport, take a passenger van going to Naval (P120). Travel time is about 2.5 hours.

From Palompon Leyte, there is no direct trip to Naval. From Palompon Terminal, ride a van going to Tacloban and ask the driver to drop you off at Lemon (P120). Travel time is about 2 hours. Last trip to Tacloban is 5:00 PM. Then, from Lemon, take a van going to Naval (P80) for about 1 hour. There's no terminal at Lemon. You may need to wait for a van passing by.



Where We Stayed
TJ Pensione
Cor Magallanes & P. Inocentes St. Naval, Biliran
Contact No. (053)500-9917/09060753213/09994226274
Room Rates
Ordinary Rooms
Non-aircon Single Bed - P350 (1 Person)
Non-aircon Twin Bed - P430 (2 Persons)
Aircon Twin Bed - P570 (2 Persons)
Includes Cable TV, free wi-fi, & access to common comfort room

Deluxe Rooms
Aircon Twin Bed - P700 (2 Persons)
Aircon Matrimonial Bed - P700 (2 Persons)
Aircon Family Room - P1,150 (4-5 Persons)
Includes cable TV, free wi-fi & comfort room within the room

We stayed at TJ Pensione during our stay at Biliran. Thumbs up for the comfortable rooms, clean common CR and accommodating staffs. After checking out, we left our stuffs at the reception before heading to Sambawan. Also, they let us take a quick shower after the tour. And all these extra services were free of charge. 


Other Place to Stay
Adjacent to TJ Pensione is El Roman Pension. I saw their contact number online.  Number: (053) 500-9100

During our Biliran: Chasing Waterfalls trip, we manage to visit the following:
1. Tinago Falls
2. Recolleto Falls
3. Ulan-ulan Falls

The whole tour took us 4 hours. We hired Kuya Fernando for habal-habal service and as our tour guide. He was nice and gave us information about Biliran and Sambawan. He charged P800 good for 2 persons. We also hired him to take us to Kawayan Port for our Sambawan Island Tour. For more information about our Sambawan Tour, please click here.


Tips and Basic Information:
  • TJ Pensione is accessible to the market, eatery, grocery and terminal
  • Tinago Falls is about an hour away from Naval.
  • You can pass by rice terraces along your way. 
  • Make sure to "water proof" your stuffs before visiting the falls.
  • In Tinago Falls, there is a walk way going to the Falls. Easy breezy :) Entrance fee is P20.
  • Recolleto Falls and Ulan-ulan Falls are on the same place. The trek is about 30 mins to one hour. Entrance Fee is P20.

Biliran has so much to offer. Other tourist spots are:

Waterfalls
  • Pundol Falls
  • Kinarahan Falls
  • Tomalistis Falls
  • Kasabangan Falls
  • Pulang Yuta Falls
  • Busai Falls
  • Tigbaw Falls

Springs
  • Mainit Hotspring
  • Libtong Hotspring
For more information about Biliran, please check their website here.


This trip is part of our 4 days and 3 nights Biliran, Leyte and Southern Leyte Tour. For itinerary and expenses, please click here.







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