Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(45min), or take a habal-habal direct. Once there you can swim in the plunge pool or
hike up to Tarangban Falls.
Guinogo-an Cave
Free • Take a jeepney to Lungsod, from where you can hire a boat (P300 return), then you'll have to walk the last 15min to the cave
he entrance to
Guinogo-an Cave
quickly leads to a wade through chest deep water to
emerge in a series of vaulted caverns, home to
kabyaw
(fruit bats). It's best to take a
guide (and torch or lantern) with you, which can be organized through the tourist
o
ce. The vast Calbiga cave system is also accessible from Calbayog, but it is best to
organize trips here through Trexplore (see box, p.356).
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
6
CALBAYOG AND AROUND
By plane
The airport is 8km out of town and a tricycle into
the centre costs P100. PAL have three weekly flights from
Manila (1hr 15min).
By boat
Calbayog has six weekly ferries for Cebu (12hr),
operated by Cokaliong (
T
055 533 89590,
W
cokaliong
shipping.com) and F.J. Palacio Lines (
T
055 209 1946), both of
which have ticket o
ces at the port, which lies on reclaimed
land 2km from town. Tricycles into town charge P20.
By bus, van and jeepney
Buses and jeepneys arrive at
the Capoocan transport terminal north of the river, 10min
by tricycle from the town centre. There are buses every
30min for Catbalogan (2hr) and Tacloban (4hr). For
Catarman there are four services a day (2hr), while Allen
(2hr) is served by jeepneys which also leave from the
bus station. A quicker alternative to the buses is to take a
Grand Tours or Van-Vans van. Both companies have hourly
services for Catarman, Catbalogan and Tacloban, which
leave from their private terminals: Grand Tours is on
Bugalion St, and Van-Vans is at the bus station. Finally,
there are also Eagle Star bus-ferry-bus services for Manila.
INFORMATION
Tourist information
Calbayog's friendly tourist o
ce
(Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 1-5pm;
T
055 209 4041,
W
calbayog
tourism.byethost7.com) has a few brochures about local
attractions and can offer transport advice as well as helping
to arrange guides.
Services
Opposite the Legislative Hall there's a park and
a post o
ce, plus a daily market in Orquin St, on the
northern edge of town near the river. There are several
banks with ATMs, including a UCPB on Gomez St and a
Metrobank on Rosales Blvd. Internet cafés around town
include Chatwave on Nijaga St.
ACCOMMODATION
Almira Garden Hotel
Gelera St
T
055 209 3240.
Many
of the rooms are windowless, but nonetheless they are
clean, nicely painted and have comfy beds, hot and cold
water, cable TV
and fr
ee wi-fi, and the deluxe rooms have
fridges (P1100).
P750
Ciriaco Hotel
South of town on the National Hwy
T
055
209 6521,
W
ciriacohotel-calbayog.com.
By far Calbayog's
best hotel, with excellent rooms with all mod cons, the more
expensive of which look straight out to se
a. Ther
e's also a
trendy lobby café, with free wi-fi and a pool.
P4800
EATING
Carlos n' Carmelos
Nijaga St
T
055 209 1259.
Fast-
food favourites including burgers (P37) and fries, as well as
more interesting choices such as fried mozzarella (P69).
Daily 9am-8.30pm.
SO Coffee
Nijaga St
T
055 209 6038.
Next door to
Carlos n' Carmelos
, this smart little coffee shop has cakes,
smoothies (P60) and free wi-fi.
Daily 9am-10pm.
Catbalogan and around
Seventy kilometres south of Calbayog, the bustling port town of
CATBALOGAN
is
the ramshackle capital of Western Samar. It is, however, mainly of interest to travellers
as a base from which to explore the wilds of Western Samar, particularly the huge
cave systems
to be found within a couple of hours of the city (see box, p.356).
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
CATBALOGAN AND AROUND
By ferry
Roble Shipping has a weekly ferry to Cebu
(Fri 8pm; 12hr), which leaves from the pier at the end of
Allen Ave.
By bus
There are buses every 30min for Calbayog
(2hr) and Tacloban (3hr), and less frequent services
for Catarman (4hr) and Borongan (5hr). Eagle Star
