 Some
630 kilometers South of Manila lies the province of Northern Samar,
a place which abounds with nature. More than half of its 3,498 sq. kms.
land area is virgin forest, while its many small islands have beaches of
fine white sand.
The region is the country’s top producer of high-grade copra and the
strongest quality hemp made from a wild variety of abaca. It also takes
pride in being the biggest producer of rice and pili nut.
Since coconuts abound here, the province is also known for producing
local liquor like bahalina or fermented tuba (coconut sap). Visitor’s
may also sample manyang, a local vodka made out of nipa sap (nipa is a
type of grass).
 Northern
Samar has a beautiful main highway while secondary roads are paved with
all weather calcified shells and sand. It is an ideal place for
adventurous backpackers since the main means of transportation, unless
you hire a jeep, is motorcycle piggybacking, referred to by the Samar
locals as habal-habal. The Samarenos prefer the habal-habal since the
motorcyclist only has to pick up 1-2 passengers unlike jeeps which have
to be filled with 12-16 passengers before it leaves the terminal.
Some daredevil motorcyclists can reportedly load a cargo of three sacks
of copra plus one person on top.
Dry season in Northern Samar lasts from March to September. It is rainy
from October to February. Don't come during the northeast monsoon,
referred to as the tampak, which blows frontally upon the western coast
of the province from September to January—with October to January
receiving the worst weather.
In anticipation of an increase of visitors to the province, an airport
is being constructed on San Antonio-Dalupiri island, with improvements
on the runway that was built in 1995. Reached by a 45-minute pumpboat
ride from Allen, San Antonio is being eyed as the holding area for
visitors to Northern Samar.
More hotels and resorts will be put up in the next few years. A
circumferential road is being planned to serve as a jogging, cycling and
walking area. The Labangan Lake Ecotourism Development is projected to
protect and enhance the area for tourists. On Bin Island, a new gravel
road will connect the town to rock formations.
What to do/ see
The fiesta season is in the months of March to September (Fiestas are
celebrations in honor of a Catholic Saint or religious day). Coincide
your coming with one of the festivals so that you can enjoy the virtual
town parties held during these occasions.
The moro-moro celebration called Embajada is celebrated in Laoang and
Catubig in January and in Catarman on the !9th of June. Each
participating municipality fields as many as 150 costumed participants
complete with tolotong drums and horn blowers and well-rehearsed dance
steps.
 The
municipality of Pambujan holds its Kadayaw Festival on the first
full moon of the year in January. Laoang has its Sakay-Sakay Fluvial
Procession on the last Sunday of January that begins in the morning with
a moro-moro reenactment, culminating in an enchanting torch parade in
the evening.
San Roque Municipality has its Parayan Harvest Festival on the 16th of
March complete with street-dancing and stage performances.
Dalupiri-San Antonio has its Pasidungog Festival where fishermen on the
island prance around dressed up in colorful costumes.
Lavezares has its Bangkathon on the 20th of August in honor of Nuestra
Senora de;Salvacion.
 The
most colorful celebration of all is the Bangkules (tuna) Festival of
Palapag on the second week of June. Preceded by a rayhak or merrymaking,
the festival on its final day lets all the fishermen in town row our to
sea to catch fish in the early morning. Returning laden with all kinds
of fish at mid-morning, they hand over their harvest to the people on
the beach who have readied fires and ingredients to cook the bounty.
(Bring Kikkoman and wasabi for sashimi slabs of raw tuna.) Everyone on
the beach has to consume everything — roasted, boiled, fried, or raw.
Northern Samar specialities you must not miss are: the ninorte or
carabao (water buffalo) adobo cooked in coconut milk; roast pig cooked
with mango leaves and lemon grass, and stuffed with steamed gaway or
gabe leaves (taro leaves).
 Visitors
can also try the minuron sa kawayan (ricecake bamboo tubes) at P10 at
the airport, or manlalara (a Northern Samar version of the popular
Filipino chicken soup Tinola), cooked with tomatoes, green finger
pepper, sour calamansi (Philippine lemon) and camote (sweet potato)
leaves.
HOMESTAYING IN
NORTHERN SAMAR
 The
best way to truly enjoy and experience a place in Northern Samar is to
homestay. With Provincial Tourism Officer Frumencio “Frumens” Lagrimas
as official innkeeper, visitors wanting to see the sights call in for
early booking, and Frumens connects travelers to appropriate homes.
Since 1992, for lack of appropriate hotel accommodations, home-staying
has become the practical solution to billeting the increasing influx of
tourists to Northern Samar, especially in much-visited places like Biri
and Capul.
Homes with extra space and good facilities, usually belonging to locals
married to foreigners, open their doors for bed and breakfast. Rooms are
large and homey, and so are the beds, and there are always folding beds
ready or a local mat or banig of tikog (a local grass) if you want to
rough it on the wooden floor.
Overnight rates range from P300 to P400 per room for two, plus an
additional P100 for an additional bed. Groups of 10 or 15 can get a
whole house for about Pl,500.
Visit the Beautiful Philippine Islands today! A great vacation for the entire
family...
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