Enchanted by the Twin Islands!

San Juanico Bridge
Photo Credit: The Wandering Angel

Excitement welled in my heart, despite the fact that it wasn't my first trip to Leyte and Samar. I was to accompany the marketing people of a fast ferry company who were assigned to take pictures and video footages of these two naturally well-endowed provinces called the "twin islands of enchantment."

We traveled via fast ferry and docked at Ormoc City--one of my favorite cities-clean and seemingly innocuous. I love to walk in the park beside the port, where I can sit undisturbed on one of the benches lined along the beach, watch the sunset, and relish a special quiet moment by myself.

We took a van from the Ormoc port to Tacloban City. I knew it was going to be a long day ahead of us, and I was resigned to getting some shut-eye on the way, but I was so captivated by the charming landscape that I remained awake the whole time. Remarkably, I felt relaxed upon arrival at the Leyte Park Resort. I guess two hours of exposure to Leyte's greenery and the warm, rustic ambiance of the resort restored my energies.

Our first assignment was the Sto. Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum--an imposing structure owned by former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos. Like all visitors, we were politely requested to take off our shoes before we were given a guided tour of the mansion. The museum's meticulous interior details and priceless collectors' items awed us.

Me at Leyte Gulf Landing

Our next stop was the Leyte Gulf Landing on Red Beach, in Candajug, Palo. This marks the exact spot where General Douglas MacArthur set foot on Philippine soil and told the Filipino people "I have returned" on October 20, 1944. A bronze monument depicts this historical event. Just a few steps is the 50th Leyte Landing Commemorative Rock Garden where tablets containing messages from leaders of different peace-loving countries are laid. We lingered there longer than we needed to, probably because the open space, beautifully manicured lawn, and clean, fresh air made us feel lucky to escape our tedious urban existence, even for just a while.

Back at the resort, part of our duty was to feature the night activities of the destination. We were relieved to find out that we need not go out of the resort premises as we were told THIS was the night hub of Tacloban City. And justly so, because in less than an hour, we literally hopped from the Ballroom Dancing arena to the Videoke and Sports Bar, to the Discotheque. We ended up at the open area right at the resort's main gate where we were rewarded with a gastronomically satisfying yet inexpensive dinner while enjoying the live performance of a local band on stage.

Leyte Park Resort
Photo Credit: glenmcbethlaw 

Early the next day, I took what I knew was the only opportunity I could get to dip in the resort's tempting swimming pool. I was pleased that, except for a gentlemanly American doing his morning laps, the pool was mine for the taking. I couldn't avoid talking with him in between gasps for air, and it was truly gratifying when he said that if you ask an American who has not been here to draw a picture of how he thinks a Philippine vacation spot would be, you will not be surprised to see that the picture will look exactly like this. His words intensified my belief that we indeed have a beautiful country.

6:30 a.m. RUSH! RUSH! After a quick shower and a meal, we boarded a van and proceeded to Basey, Samar, passing through the famous San Juanico Bridge, considered to be Southeast Asia's longest. After a few minutes, we stopped at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office in Basey town proper to pick up our guide, the amiable Mang Sedong. From there, we went to the wharf and boarded small outrigger boats that would take us to one of the "enchantments" of the twin islands, the Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park. Navigating the river was like being transported to another world. The rich panorama of endemic, rare and endangered Philippine fauna and unique limestone formations caught our interest. Of equal interest is the life of the people living in the coastal barangays, which is a sharp contrast to the suburban life we grew up in.

Upon approaching the park, which is located 25 kilometers northeast of Basey, Samar, the river became narrower and too shallow to be navigable. Our boatmen had to go down to maneuver our boats while we had a heyday with our cameras. We docked at the foot of a forested elevated area and Mang Sedong asked us to follow him. We trekked through lush foliage, passing through challenging trails. And then, there it was--the rewarding sight of the natural bridge! The magnificent stone bridge, from which the park got its name, connects two mountain ridges, and underneath flows the Sohoton River.

Inside the Sohoton Caves, we were treated to an intriguing variety of exquisite limestone formations. We were told that the cave is geologically active, as evidenced by the constant drips of water from stalactites, and were surprised to know that one square inch of stalactite is formed in thousands of years! So that means all these formations took about millions of years!

Our languor and the serenity of the surroundings had us all dozing on the boat ride back. It was a good trip, but upon docking at the Basey wharf, we were told that there was more to see. We drove around the idyllic town and were brought to a house where we observed how the local women create intricately woven mats, bags, wall decor and house accessories from buri. I was fascinated by the woven items that I bought some throw pillow covers and a colorful wall decor.

That evening, we were treated to a nice, quiet seafood dinner at the resort's Marina Restaurant. It was an open-air restaurant with native furnishings. The mood was relaxing, and we got to talk about our experiences. The photographers, being first timers in this side of the country, told me they did not expect to see such an interesting place.

On our last day, we took another boat trip to Marabut Marine Park in southwestern Samar. The Marine Park features fantastic weather-sculpted rock formations jutting out of the blue-green waters, and islets with coves of fine white sand beaches. The resort on the mainland is one you can describe as "away from it all." It has five duplex cottages with bamboo furnishings and basic amenities. We tried kayaking to the nearest islet, which was a better swimming area than the resort's beachfront. However, we succeeded only in paddling halfway, and were afraid we wouldn't have the energy to go farther that we decided to go back. So, having failed in the active life, I reverted to lethargy and slept on the hammock instead.

The others took the motorized dinghy and explored the nearby lagoon. It was a rough ride but they loved the site, especially the cemetery!

I was beginning to think we may have done an "overkill" here as the photographers were literally agog at the plethora of attractions unveiled to them during the trip. Well, I guess it was a job well done. We accomplished what we set out to do; we enchanted them with the twin islands!