Summerventure#1: Island Hopping in the Most Unexploited Islands of the Province in Biliran🇵🇭

Hello @steemit @steemph, summer adventure begin in the Philippines in the month of March. It is really a hot season that everyone wants to go to the beach, falls or any summer recreational activities and adventures that would fill up and beat the heat of their summer life.

If you are looking for a great sand and sun adventure in a very quiet, perfect and magnificent unexploited islands, I am recommending you the beautiful islands in the province of Biliran.

Where it is Located?

Generally, the Province of Biliran is one of the country's smallest and newest province which was a subprovince of Leyte until it gains independence in the year 90s. It is specifically located at the tip of Eastern Visayas and is the last province in the Southern part of Region-8. Naval is the town capital of Biliran. It is an island that is being connected by a concrete bridge going to Leyte.

Day-1

How to get there?

Going there is just an hour from Tacloban, the city capital of Leyte and is the nearest airport going to Biliran if you wanno take a plane, but if you are in a skimpy budget, you may Ride a bus from Manila to Biliran/Tacloban Via Samar Road yet it is so time consuming that would take almost a day to reach Tacloban. From Tacloban to Biliran takes almost 2 hours. The fare is P150.00 via UV Express/vans. Prior to your arrival in Naval, the capital town of Biliran, just tell the driver to drop you off at the Naval Port. So be sure to catch up the trip going to Higatangan Island around 12:00nn since they only have single trip in everyday going to the amazing island of Higatangan. The fare is P50.00 which takes morethan an hour to reach the island. It is possible also to take a special boat if you can't arrive in the port on the said departure time yet its a lil' bit expensive.

This was a view at naval port upon our departure going to Higatangan Island..

In our case, we arrived at the Naval Port around 12:30pm from Tacloban, and we departed around 1:00pm in the afternoon. It took an hour before we departed for it maximizes the passengers' capacity of the boat.

So after an hour, Finally we were at Higatangan island.

PLACES OF INTEREST and Its Unique Features

📍Higatangan Island This island serves as our homebased for our 3-day and 2-night island hopping since it is the only nearest inhabited island and one of the island-barangay in the town of Almeria, we stayed there for 2 nights.

Upon our arrival in the island, approximately 3pm in the afternoon, we were welcomed by a local tour coordinator of our contact agency in Biliran and is actually the owner of the Eworts lodging house that we used to stay there.

So, we stayed in Eworts Lodging House. The place is very refreshing and has a good ambiance since the house structure is made of a native bamboos and nipas.

This is the signage of Eworts Lodging House .

This is the mini-pavilion of the place. It is sorrounded by Nipa huts which serves as the visitors area and good for resting.

The place has also a lot of resorts, transient/lodging house to choose and stay with. The only problem is that it has only a limited stores there. You may buy foods before going to the Island. It has also a poor signal there. So don't expect for a LTE signal 😂.Also, be reminded that since it is an island, it has no fixed electricity. There's only an standby power (generator) which will operate from 6:00pm to 11:00pm. Just be aware by these time for you to charge your phones and gadgets.

After a few minutes of resting, on the day of our arrival in the island, around 4:00pm in the afternoon we walked around the small island and went to one of the beautiful features of it.

✔️Shifting Sandbars is just a walking distance from the residents area of Higatangan. Along the way to the sandbar is a peaceful community of the island. After a few minutes of walking. Here we are to the amazing sandbar of Higatangan. And so lucky since we unintentionally captured the sunset.

The entirety of the sandbar can only be seen when it is lowtide. Thats why it is being known as the shifting sandbar of Higatangan Island. At first sight, you can conclude that it is just a short ordinary kind of sandbar. But when we walked going its edge, I realized that it is quiet long and is actually 200-meter long sand bar. It makes more stunning in the scenic view of Maripipi Mountain and the white glittering sand and the beautiful tiny corals which you can see also along the sandbar. Since the sandbar has a little rough-sharpy type of sand because of corals, it is not advisable to barefoot at the sandbar.

So this is how the corals look like, as it is being blended in the sand. It turns to a glittering sand.

This amazing sand bar is said to be the resemble of a giant tongue facing the ocean and the only sandbar in the Biliran Island. The transition of colours from the blindingly white sand to the pristine blue waters is enough to take your breath away.

Some photos along the sandbar. Its a curved shape type of sandbar where others used for camping, pictorial, any outdoor activities, etc.

The beach along the sandbar has also a unique kind of clear water and sand.

After witnessing the sunset, we went back to residents area. And have some early rest for tomorrow's island hopping.

Day-2
Early in the morning, ready for an island hop adventure, we took breakfast abruptly and immediate proceeded for an island adventure.

This was our breakfast in the island. I ate rice since I don't drink coffee in the morning.hehe

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These were my company during my Biliran Adventure, they are people working from Plan Philippines, an International NGO who gives assistance to those helpless children. They are very friendly and approachable. So nice to meet people who have the same purpose of living😍

After lessthan an hour of sailing, we reached our first island destination. No other than Capiñahan Island.

The sea is so calm, as if it was intended for an island hopping. This was our way to the first island..

📍Capiñahan Island is one of the three islands topographically located in the west coast of Biliran, fronting the coastal town of Almeria. The said island is being boasted because of its crystal clear waters and white sand beach. The place is perfect for diving, snorkeling, swimming, or merely lying on the shore beneath the shades of the trees and breathing its fresh sea breeze and the sweet scent of nature. This quite place is not yet being touched by a modern civilization, that is why nature lovers will surely be awed by the island’s beauty and wonder.

So here we are at the first island..

The unique characteristic of this island is that it has a clear water and rocky pieces as being combined in the sand.

At my back is a portion of the island where it is dominantly made of rocks.

Currently, this Island is now owned by a private individual and is a businessman in Naval. The resort is open to tourists and to the public for an entrance fee of P20.00 for the maintenance of the island.

After Capiñahan Island, we sailed again to another island. And just 10 minutes, we got to see the beauty of another pristine island. An overview to that island is here:

📍Dalutan Island It is part of the municipality of Almeria and is 9kms away from our homebased island, Higatangan.

Among the island best features are the white sand beach that is being shaded by overhanging trees consisting of coconut, nipa palms and ipil -ipil trees. It boasts of a beautiful white beach good for swimming.

This is the shaded portion of island being covered by trees and other Flora and Fauna. And is also used in snorkeling activity..

The place is mainly underdeveloped. The said beach resort is privately owned by an individual and collects a small fee per tourist which is P20.00 for the maintenance of the island.

Overhanging trees provided a much needed shade from the blazing sun. Beach explorations and snorkelling among the coral gardens in the island, are the main activities of the tourists.

The island is also recommended for adventurous people, they may do kayaking or swimming around the island, exploring the caves and climbing into the amazing rock formations.

The island also offers nipa hut cottages that serves as shelter and resting place of the tourists. The comfort room is also available in the island.

After hours of roving, exploring, and having some adventurous activities in the island we moved to another island. It takes an hour to reach the most travelled island in Biliran and being known as the province top leading destination because of its amazing features that is incomparably different and unique from other islands.

So here we go, this was taken prior to our arrival in the island. The scenic view of the place..

📍Sambawan Island This island is also an uninhabited place which is part of the Municipality of Maripipi, Biliran which is located 5km of the west coast of Maripipi Municipality, south of the Samar sea which is fast becoming the most visited attraction by the tourists in the province.

This is the map of the island that lays down the activities and the places of interest..

The best features that the island has is a rip-roaring view of the interconnecting rocky islet where can be viewed at the islets view deck tower which was built at the highest point of the island.

Some photos in the highest point of the hill and its interconnecting rocky islets..

The island has semi- curved beach with soaring rock formations covered with greeny lush grass as a backdrop creating a bubble of fantasy that you are entering another dimension. Utopia is indeed define in this place.

The beach has also a white sugary sands, palmy marine life and warm blue waters that is cuddling up the tree-lined shore that is a must for those wanting a quick escape.

The island has also a lot of sites to visit, some of these are scuba diving site, Snorkeling area, the famous J19 bridge, causeway, water reservior area, organic vegetables farm, sheep and goat pasture, the islet watch tower. And among the island activities are diving, snorkeling, swimming, overnight camping, and hillside trekking.

Some sites to visit in the island..First, is the J19 bridge which connects from one islet to another.

Then, the view deck tower which is situated in the highest part of the hill and can only be reached after a slight stair trail going up..

Cottages and canteens are also available just a walk from the shore..

For the maintenance of the island the management collects fees such as entrance fee which is P100.00 and environmental fee which is P20.00.

In the afternoon of our second day of hopping, after 4 hours of stay in the island of Sambawan, we proceeded back to Higatangan Island, where in our way going back, we stopped for an hour in the amazing rock formations of the island which is situated at the back of Higatangan Residential Area.

✔️Higatangan Rock Formations It is the second famous tourist attraction in Higatangan after the shifting sandbar. The rock formations can be found at the back of the Higatangan island, facing the Visayan sea.

This is the resort near the rock formations. The cottages in this area are being divided by beautiful formed rocks fronting the seashore..

The main attraction of the said place is the spectacular rock outcrop that was being crafted by nature’s own hands. It is a result of hundred of years of the resulting elements of heat, wind, erosion and the crashing waves.

To get the most vantage point of the rock formations one has to ride a boat to stand in the middle of the sea to calture the amazing panoramic view. With the cool green waters and the greenery accentuating the formations it is really nature at it’s best.

Here are some photos in the amazing rock formations of Higatangan Island.

This is how the greeny clear water of Higatangan looks like.

Me beating the heat in the sunny afternoon..

As it was getting darker, we went back to our homestay and take a rest. After our dinner the Eworts Lodging House as part of our tour offers an island socials among other travelers. This was the best way to serve and appreciate the purpose of traveling, to meet new friends and being acquainted. The place offers a live band, video ok and have some slight drinks for the night. So here we are. Hahaha. Living in a moment of worriless.

Sing, talk and enjoy😉

Day-3
Early in the morning, we leave the island of Higatangan with full of beautiful memories. After an hour, we arrived at the main island of Naval.

We roved around the town capital, with our new friends. And luckily, we used to try the best restuarant of the town featuring the best especial halo-halo of Biliran. And here we are. Hahaa. Seems so close with each other after 2 nights of stay in the island.

Photos taken while roving around the town capital of Naval.

Entrance of Naval State University

At Jelous Restuarant where you can test the very delicious homemade halo-halo of the province.

Then, upon talking to each others experiences, we have came into one plan to visit the amazing falls of Biliran and is 45 minutes away from the capital town.

This was not part of our island tour, we have just DIY it going to the falls. We ride a habal-habal for almost and hour which was good for P200.00 (vv), so here we are to our Biliran Sidetrip Adventure.

Tinago Falls is the most popular falls in Biliran and is located in Brgy. Cabibihan, in the municipality of Caibiran. It is dubbed as the most hynotic waterfalls that magnificently lay its beauty in the heart of Caibiran rainforest where you can see different indangered inhabitants, exptic plants, vines, and others Flora and fauna and that is being accompanied by the cooling and fascinating sounds of rushing streams.

So here we are, from the jump off going to the water falls takes 5 minutes going to the welcome of the natural park. We have passed a quiet long stairs that is morethan 100steps down to the welcome of the Tinago Falls.

After such, here we are. The entrance fee is P20.00 only. The comfort room is available at their local tourism office. And there are only few stores available there, so be better to bring foods before going there.

Taking a pose in the welcome signage of Tinago Falls

Dubbing in the welcome signage with the squad.haha

This is what constitutes Tinago Falls.

The shelter area of the falls. Visitors used to stay in this place to take rest and enjoys having some recreational activities.

Having some abrupted pictures in the Falls, since the current and impact of the water is very strong and vicious.

After visiting the falls, we went back to Naval Proper. We took photos in some of the Naval's Landmark including its I ❤️ Naval Signage before we went home.

All in all the province of Biliran has still so many islands and attractions to visit. The pristine beauty of this place is indeed a slice of paradise.

I just realized somehow, that the hardest part of traveling is going home. That you will be leaving those places that you used to visit with. But in the end, memories are still reminding me to treasure all of the experiences and adventures I acquired through travelling.

Thanks guyths. Don't miss to visit the amazing place of Biliran and be part of your PH bucketlist.

enjoy wandering

Xoxo,
Renzil