Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
By bus and van
To move on from Catarman, hourly buses
from the terminal behind the market leave for Allen (1hr),
Calbayog (1hr 30min), Catbalogan (3hr) and Tacloban
(7hr). There are also Eagle Star services for Manila via Allen
and Matnog (12hr; P600/1100 for ordinary/a/c). A quicker
way for destinations south is to take a Grand Tours or
D'Turbanada van, which both leave hourly.
Services
There are a few banks with ATMs in Catarman,
including a Metrobank on Garcia St and a PNB on Jacinto St.
To get online, try Asphire Computer Works on Jacinta St.
ACCOMMODATION
GV Hotel
Marcos St
T
055 500 6373,
W
gvhotels.com
.ph.
Part of a small nationwide budget chain, this is a
decent cheapie close to the market. Small, clean, brightly
painted rooms have windows, c
able TV
and cold showers
and a choice of fan or a/c (P595).
P375
Pink City Pension House
Roxas St
T
055 251 8695.
True to its name, this place has bright pink rooms set
around a central water feature. Standard rooms have a/c
and cable TV but for hot water you'll need to fork out for an
executive (P950) or f
family
room (P1500-1800). There's
free wi-fi in the lobby.
P750
Sasa Pension House
Jacinto St
T
055 251 8515.
E
sasa
pensionhouse@yahoo.com.
The clean, comfortable fan and
a/c rooms (P775) at this four-storey pension offer great value
and it's often fully booked as a result. The che
apest
rooms
have shared bathrooms, but all rooms have wi-fi.
P375
6
EATING AND DRINKING
Gilda's Coffee Shop
Annunciacion St.
Gilda's
offers a
decent cup of coffee plus free wi-fi and a small selection of
local handicrafts for sale, the profits of which go to help
local children and the elderly.
Daily 8am-7pm.
Michz
Western end of Jacinta St
T
055 500 9451.
Popular café serving sandwiches (P35-70), budget meals
and drinks.
Daily 8am-8pm.
The Nest
Garcia St.
Pizza (P200-300) and pasta dishes
during the day and serves as a bar in the evenings with
live music on Wed, Thurs and Fri.
Daily 8am-11pm.
The Biri-Las Rosas Islands
Somewhere among the tantalizingly undeveloped cluster of idyllic outcrops called
Biri-Las Rosas
, you'll be able to find one to call your own for the day. Most of the
islands are only inhabited by poor fisherfolk and the infrastructure is non-existent, but
there are now a few places to stay offering idyllic beach living - many of the islands
have fine beaches - and diving.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
THE BIRI
LAS ROSAS ISLANDS
By boat
Bangkas from Lavezares, just east of Allen, head
for Biri (P60; 1hr), or you can charter a boat from San José
(where all buses stop) for around P1500 for a day-trip (you
will have to provide food for the boatman).
ACCOMMODATION
Biri Resort
Just south of Biri Town
T
0915 509 0604,
W
biri-resort.com.
Well-kept resort just across the road
from the sea, with simple fan and a/c rooms with TV and
fridge (P12
50). T
There's also a decent café on site,
The Reef
Bar & Grill
.
P700
Western Samar
Western Samar is dominated by its limestone topography, and has
caves
, gorges
and waterfalls galore. Aside from the famous
Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park
,
most natural attractions are still relatively undiscovered, and there is little tourist
infrastructure. The provincial towns of
Calbayog
and
Catbalogan
are the best bases for
exploring the region. Of the two, Calbayog is the more attractive and has better hotels
and restaurants, but to really get up close and personal with the caves, a stop at
Trexplore in Catbalogan is recommended.
Calbayog and around
Sitting pretty with the Calbayog River on one side and the Samar Sea on the other,
CALBAYOG
, on the west coast, makes a pleasant enough place for a stop on your way
through Samar.
Bangon and Tarangban Falls
are within easy reach of the city, as is
Guinogo-an Cave. To get to the falls take a jeepney to Tinaplacan, and then walk
