Discovering More Islands: Western Samar

Here’s another proof of my being a true-blue “kaladkarin”! That only means being a “real travel junkie” for those who don’t know the word hehe. While I have heard about these many island-towns in the Visayas, I have never yet gotten to fitting my itineraries with Sto. Nino and Almagro, Samar. By my rough estimate, I should be looking at these little paradises sometime in the year 2015 or 2016 still. But when opportunity knocks, I seldom let the door untended! So I went to see them, unplanned! How did this happen?

Over dinner at Café Elsa (Ciriaco Hotel, Calbayog City) with two good friends and their kids, wife mentioned in passing that husband was going out to the islands in the morning to do a whole day of oculars for an upcoming project. Boom! Itchy feet contacted brain to do a quick review of tomorrow’s intended itinerary for a possibility of some tweaks; heart readily picked the message so pulse-rate went fast; adrenalin rapidly pumped to the whole of my royal highness that instantly directed eyes and mouth to look at friend and ask “can I go with you?”. Ganun!

Just like that, and at 6AM following day, I was even picked by their driver from my hotel room, off to discover Sto. Nino and Almagro in Western Samar. Where are they? Somewhere at the confluence of Biliran, Leyte, Samar and Masbate. Where are those? Ah, just look in the map! What was I interested to see in them places? Nothing I have ever known, really - just the grand opportunity that there I was, going off to see for myself, more of the few I have seen amongst these 7,100++ islands, in this archipelago called Las Islas Filipinas!

Off we went from the Calbayog City port. How? Via the friends’ own outrigger boat known to slice the seas faster than all others in the area can. I really thought we were just going to ride the usual public commute, which should have afforded me an opportunity to observe, even mingle with the locals. But heck, this was luxury I cannot deny hehe, we were free to twist, turn or stretch anywhere as we cruised! We opted to sit at upper deck, beside the skipper. Yes, there is an “upper deck” much like the boats I have taken from Camotes and/or to Camotes, though this one is smaller, probably just about a third in size. Just family size really, not barangay size hehe!

And after about 45mins of sailing on wonderfully clear weather and waters, we arrived at the island-town of Sto. Nino, (Western)Samar. But, that’s my next story. Abangan…

For a chronology of this trip's stories, click these numbers:
01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10




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