Samar is a hidden, undiscovered gem of the Philippines. How can I say that?
Simply because the island offers a lot of beautiful places that is yet unknown to most. Pink sand
beaches, rock formations, caves, and many other natural wonders--the island of
Samar has that. In one of our (mis)adventures, we were able to try the most popular resort
in Marabut, Samar--Caluwayan Palm Island Beach Resort.
Marabut in itself is famous for
having eye-catching rock formations and beaches--but Caluwayan was a great
addition the magnificence of the place.
Caluwayan Palm Island Beach Resort is located at Brgy. Caluwayan, Marabut, Samar. It started its operation last 2005. Since then, it has been a go-to place not only by foreigners but by local tourists as well. Being a resort, guests can do a lot of exciting activities. The resort offers kajaking, island hopping, videoke, and many other water sports.
It was raining hard when we arrived in Caluwayan. We were quite disappointed--not with the view--but with the weather. If only it wasn't raining hard, then our foreign friends would have witnessed the majesty of the place. Nevertheless, they were still amazed by the beauty of Marabut. They even compared it to the famous beaches of Vietnam and Thailand.
It was past 2pm when we arrived and we were already very hungry. So the first thing we did was to eat. We ordered snacks from their restaurant. I don't know if it was because we were already very hungry but the service took very long. I think it was more than 30 minutes before our food was served.
Since we only stayed for the afternoon, we just rented a beach cottage. It cost us 500php. They have 8 cottages available.
Other amenities in the resort includes a beach volleyball court, wide parking lot, showers, infinity pool and function hall.
How to get there: You can take a van going Borongan and Guiuan and ask the driver to drop you off at Caluwayan. I'm not sure if there are vans going to Marabut Town proper. But if there are, you can also ride that van, get off at the van terminal, and ride a single motorcycle (habal-habal) to the resort. If you're going to the resort by private car, you'll be able to located the resort on the right side along the road to Quinapondan. This would take about an hour drive.
For more information about the resort, you can contact them at +63926-328-0051 or +63917-718-5098. You can also check their website for more information.
MY THOUGHTS: The place was really beautiful. Despite the heavy rains, a lot of people still visited the place. Entrance fee as very cheap, only 20php. However, you are not allowed to bring food and drinks. You really should order from their restaurant--and this is where the bulk of your budget will go. The staff were all very friendly and accommodating. As I mentioned earlier, food takes a very long time to be served; food is delish. The toilets were inconveniently far from the beach cottages. But all in all, this a must-go. You'd feel like in a very high-end, posh resort without emptying your pockets. A nice and comparative;y chepaer place to go with the family.
It was raining hard when we arrived in Caluwayan. We were quite disappointed--not with the view--but with the weather. If only it wasn't raining hard, then our foreign friends would have witnessed the majesty of the place. Nevertheless, they were still amazed by the beauty of Marabut. They even compared it to the famous beaches of Vietnam and Thailand.
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| the view from our cottage |
It was past 2pm when we arrived and we were already very hungry. So the first thing we did was to eat. We ordered snacks from their restaurant. I don't know if it was because we were already very hungry but the service took very long. I think it was more than 30 minutes before our food was served.
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| The resto is quite far from the cotages. But no need to go there to order, waiters will come and take your orders. |
After having our snacks, my friends rented a pumpboat to go around the the nearby rock formations. An hour rent costs 500php; and it is already good for 4 people. But since we were short of time and we neded to get back to Tacloban by 6pm, they only took a 30 minute-ride (250php). It only took them about 20 minutes to see the nearby rock formation. And what did they do with the remaining time? They dived and swam in the water. The boat just waited for them until their time was up.
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| You can rent a pumpboat or paddled boat to see the rock formations. |
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| Kayaks (single and double) are also available.. |
If you are planning to stay overnight, you can do so. They have a lot of rooms and room types you can choose from. Rates ranges from 2200php-4900php.
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| Rooms along the coast. |
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| Photo not mine. Grabbed from the resort's website. |
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| Beach cottages available |
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| Beach volleyball court |
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| Parking space |
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| Infinity pool. Photo is not mine. |
For more information about the resort, you can contact them at +63926-328-0051 or +63917-718-5098. You can also check their website for more information.
MY THOUGHTS: The place was really beautiful. Despite the heavy rains, a lot of people still visited the place. Entrance fee as very cheap, only 20php. However, you are not allowed to bring food and drinks. You really should order from their restaurant--and this is where the bulk of your budget will go. The staff were all very friendly and accommodating. As I mentioned earlier, food takes a very long time to be served; food is delish. The toilets were inconveniently far from the beach cottages. But all in all, this a must-go. You'd feel like in a very high-end, posh resort without emptying your pockets. A nice and comparative;y chepaer place to go with the family.
