Some other Towns in the north of Samar Island

Catarman is the largest town in Northern Samar. Before the Catarman called Ibabao and was part of the extensive Maguindanao Kingdom, which extended from Maguindanao to Bicol. The word Catarman is derived from the Turkish word attar (oil of the roses) and inman (holy men).

The town was one of the 13 pueblos established by the Spaniards in Samar Island and was one of the settlements in the northern parts of the island.

Catarman is home to the University of Eastern Philippines the largest university in region 8 by size and curriculum.  The municipality of Catarman is politically subdivided into 55 barangays.

Allen is a port town in the island of Samar. According to the census it has a population of 20,066 people in 4,145 households. The name Allen was given by the Americans in honor of the General Robert Allen the military governor of the Visayas after the Spanish American War.

Allen is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. 

Sleeping in Guiuan

Concordia’s Place this is a large family home has an attractive waterfront backyard and several simple rooms with polished wooden floors.

Tanghay Lodge the rooms have air-cons and has private bathroom. 

Samar Islands nice town “Guiuan”

Guiuan is a 2^nd class municipality in the province of Easter Samar and it has a population of 43,647 people in 7,618 household according to the survey of census in 2004. This place boasts many beautiful scenic spots that is including white sand beaches and the town was blessed with many beaches that are perfect for swimming and surfing.  

The municipality of Guiuan is located at the southernmost tip of Samar Island. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Mercedes, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Surigao Strait and on the west by Leyte Gulf. It has a land total area of 175.49 square kilometers and it is composed of sixty barangays and only town in the province with biggest number of island barangays.

The town is rich in fishery and aquatic resources. It is considered by the fisheries authorities as the best fishing belt in region. Most of the agricultural lands are dominantly planted of coconut trees. Other major include vegetables, root crops, palay, corn, banana, and other fruit trees, coffee and pineapple.

The municipality of Guiuan is rich in minerals resources; it has estimated mineral resources of bauxite, nickel and titaferous magnate of more than 26.7 million metric tons.

Sleeping in Borongan

Hotel Doña Vicenta is the classiest place in Borongan and has a nice pool. Have modern rooms that have air-con, cable TV and hot water.

Domsowir Hotel is centrally located and the rooms have cable TV and there is good restaurant attached.

Pirate’s Cove it located near in the Borongan Port. The nipa cottages have few unusual nods of style like mosaics and shell mirrors. 

Borongan on Samar Island

Borongan is a component city and the provincial capital of the province of Eastern Samar. It is bounded in the north by the municipality of San Julian, in the south by the municipality of Maydolong, in the west by the Samar municipalities of Hinabangan, Calbiga, Pinabacdao and Basey and in the east by the Pacific Ocean. 

The city proper itself situated along the northern banks of the Lo-om River and is set back a little distance away from the shoreline of Borongan Bay.

The Borongan’s main product is copra. It has lively commercial activity throughout the year not only catering to the needs of the local city populace but serving as well as the central business hub of the entire province of Eastern Samar. 

Borongan has many fine beaches, the most notable of which can be found in Divinubo Island and in Ando Island both of which of white sand beaches, vibrant coral formations alive teeming marine life in sparkling clear blue waters, incidentally ideal also for diving and snorkeling. 

Eating Places in Calbayog

Ernie’s Pizza is a friendly place that is always busy, serving up so-so pizza and ever popular halu halo to locals.

Fortune Hotel Restaurant is a bustling large dining room on the ground floor of the hotel of the same name and serving up Chinese and Filipino dishes.

Ohayo Fast Food Restaurant is serves up Filipino fast food staples and noodle dishes.

Choritos Fast Food is a Filipino’s pastries. That serves empanadas and baked goods.   

Sleeping in Catbalogan

Rolet Hotel us a highly recommended place to base yourself if you’re exploring the interior. They are clean, modern and well maintained. There’s a bright 2^nd floor sitting area.

Summers Garden Pension House is an excellent alternative to the Rolet and this is large, immaculately kept house with wooden floors and a sunny patio and garden in the front yard. There are four rooms that all are large and have big royal beds.

Casa Christina Hotel the wall of this hotel is painted bright and happy pinks, yellows and greens.  

Fortune Hotel has a wide range of rooms in terms of size and conveniences.

Maqueda Bay Hotel is just few kilometer south of the center of town. The Maqueda has basic rooms with bathrooms but the real draw is the restaurant over the water with picture windows and perfect for taking in the fantastic sunsets.

Attractions in Catbalogan City

Antiao River has a length of 2,140 meters with an average width of 37.55 meters and depth of 1.25 meters. This river serves as the primary outlet or artery fro freshwater, transport network for some lowland and upland barangays of the city and a mooring area for small and medium sized sea craft during inclement weather. 

Calbiga Cave is the Philippines biggest karsts formation and at 2970 hectares and one of the largest in Asia, it is an adventurous playground.

Festivals in Catbalogan City

Kaadlawan Han Samar Samar Day is held in every August 11 in Catbalogan City, it is marks the celebration of Samar’s Foundation Day. This festival is participated by the provinces cities and the twenty five municipalities and it is includes cultural dances competitions, Mutya Han Samar, Agro-fisheries trade fair and the civic military parade.

The Catbaloganon Semptemberfest is a Global celebration of Catbalogan City’s in five districts which are Salug, Likud Patag, Poblacion, Ubanon and Burak, it is held in the last Saturday of September.

Manaragat Festival is held during the annual August month long fiesta celebration August 1-31. This Manaragat Festival is a tribute to the fishermen of Catbalogan City. Local fishermen share their catch of fish and other marine products which they trade in the market. This Manaragat Festive dance is characterized by a varied movements and intricate steps of the different species of the fish and sea shells that inhabiting in Maqueda Bay and beautifully presented by dancers in exotic and colorful costumes. This festival is honor its Saint Patron St. Bartholomew, which is the local believes that this saint have maintained the richness of Maqueda Bay as the major fishing ground of the provincial of Samar. 

Catbalogan City and Around

Catbalogan City is capital of Samar and it is the Samar’s main commercial, trading, educational, political and financial center.

It is also an important and major seaport that serving the island vessels.

Catbalogan City’s the central geographical location in Eastern Visayas that make it ideal as the gateway to the region’s three Samar provinces.

The people in Catbalogan City are called Catbaloganons.

Catbalogan was founded or settled in October 1596 by the priests of the Jesuit Order (Society of Jesus). Like old towns of the country, Catbalogan has narrow streets and is dominated by the Catholic Church, the Municipio with its plaza, the Provincial Capitol with its park and two piers jutting out to the beautiful Maqueda Bay.

The original name of Catbalogan was Katbalaugan or Kabalaugan. The two syllables of the name are compounds of the prefix kat- or ka- and the substance noun balaug of the Samar Leyte Visayan (waray) language. Balaug was a shrub that used to thrive along Catbalogan’s seashore and sandy banks of the Antiao River.

Katbalaugan or Kabalaugan means a place where seafarers, fishermen or sailors take shelter or protection. The total area of Catbalogan City is 274.22 square kilometer. Its urban land area is 30.71 square kilometer and its rural land area is 244.25 square kilometer. Its Poblacion covers an area of 1.30 square kilometers.

A tricycle is the main transportation around the City.

Some of the natural Attractions in Calbayog City

Mapaso Hot Spring is located in barangay Rizal II, Oquendo District, Calbayog City. They are naturally pinkish resembling scalded shrimps due to the high temperature.   

Mawacat Slide is located in Calbayog City proper to barangay Mawacat. It is a natural spoon like formation which inclines more or less by about 45 degrees and stretches 50 meters long. The water flows along this giant cistern and form the top one can slide through the mossy lane to the cool inviting pool below.      

Bangon-Bugtong Falls is located in Barangay San Joaquin of Calbayog City. It is one of the most majestic and spectacular spots that is worth visiting. It is about 30 meters in diameter and wide enough for swimming and deep enough for diving. This falls is not only a tourist spot but also a potential source of power for Calbayog City and its neighboring localities. 

Tabokno Falls is an hour drive from Calbayog City and 40 minute walk from the villages. It is a beautiful and scenic waterfall. This wonderful creation of nature is a favorite picnic site of local residents and their source of potable water.

Danao Cave is made up of seven chambers inhabited by various species of snakes and bats, the caves serves as an initiating place for those who want to acquire a talisman.

Pan-as falls is located in barangay Pilar, this falls is the primary source of water for its residents. 

Information about Calbayog City on Samar Island

Calbayog City is a city in the province of Samar. It is lies along the coastal region of the province that stretching about 60 miles from the northern tip of the island and 180 miles from the southern boundaries.

Calbayog comprises 157 Barangays, 25 of which are urban and 132 are rural and it is the largest city in Easter Visayas.

Calbayog is one of the commercial trade centers in eastern Visayas. And it is the center of coerce in Samar.

Calbayog is subdivided into three major districts; the Calbayog, Tinambacan, and Oquendo.  

Calbayog has a busy wharf area that is full of painted cargo, fishing and passenger boats.

Calbayog celebrates their annual fiesta on September 7 and 8, with parades outdoor performances and re-enactments, cultural displays and huge street markets.

Calbayog is rich for natural resources.

The big land of the city is generally divided into agriculture and forest areas. Agricultural lands are subdivided into production, built-up area, protection land, mangrove, and severe erosion area and watershed forest reserve.

Calbayog City is also an exporter of fish and other marine products. Fish processing such as smoking, salting, drying are small scale industries operating in the locality.

Samar and its places

Samar is a province in the Philippines that located in the Eastern Visayas region.

The capital of Samar is the Catbalogan City that covers the western portion of Samar Island.

The Catbalogan City and Calbayog City is the two of the three cities of Samar Island and located in the province of Samar.

The island of Samar is connected to Leyte via the San Juanico Bridge which spans the San Juanico Strait the narrowest strait in the country.

Waray is the language that commonly spoken on Samar and their traditional dance is the Kuratsa which is pattered after the courtship movements of chickens.

Samar is subdivided into 24 municipalities and 2 cities.

The Calbayog City and the Catbalogan City

The municipalities are; Almagro, Basey, Calbiga, Daram, Gandara, Hinabangan, Jiabong, Marabut, Matuguinao, Motiong, Pagsanghan, Paranas, Pinabacdao, San Jorge, San Jose De Buan, San Sebastian, Santa Margarita, Santa Rita, Santo Niño, Tagapul-an, Talalora, Tarangnan, Villareal, Zumarraga.  

Samar has a handful of towns and villages founded by or named after Americans like; Allen, Taft, Wright, MacArthur and the tiny village of Washington.

The primarily economy of the villagers in Samar is fishing and agriculture; it was the major economic activities of the province.