Have a summer fun in Borongan
TACLOBAN CITY – It's almost summer and still you are undecided where to have your vacation?
Is it because you want to go to a place far from the maddening crowd to unwind? Or is it because you want a place where you can enjoy outdoor activities?
Well, we have a place suitable for you – rustic Borongan City in Eastern Samar.
In Borongan, you can spend hours at a beautiful beach undisturbed – either you meditate, read novels, listen to good music, or just laze around enjoying the cool, unpolluted sea breeze. You can also have a leisurely stroll around the city and immerse with the locals.
And if you want to have an adrenaline rush, you can go surfing, skim boarding, swimming, boating, kayaking, snorkeling or diving. (Borongan faces the vast Pacific Ocean)
If you're a nature lover, you can go river cruising, mountain climbing, trekking and spelunking. Borongan City boasts of a lush forest, scenic waterfalls, magnificent caves, and unspoilt rivers. If you love the sun, sea and sand, the city has several beautiful islets, with white-sand beaches and an amazing underwater world.
The City of Borongan, situated along the middle coastal area of the province, is the capital of Eastern Samar. It is composed of 61 barangays (villages), has a population of about 60,000 and has a land area of 475 sq. km.
The city government led by Mayor Maria Fe Abunda is giving priority to environmental protection as well as on the cleanliness and beautification of the metropolis. “Mining is also banned in this city due to the clamor of the people,” a city official said.
Borongan can be reached from Manila or Tacloban City in Leyte by means of land transportation particularly vans and buses plying the Tacloban-Borongan route or through buses from Manila. There's also a once a week Manila-Borongan-Manila flight through a commercial plane. In the city, the means of transportation is motorcab for hire, There are also available jeepneys going to nearby towns in the province.
There are several hotels, pension houses, inns, resorts, lodging houses, restaurants, cafes and dining places in the city that will cater to your dining and accommodation needs.
In her separate posts on Facebook, Cora Basada of the city government, who had been to many tourist destinations in the city, said places of interest in Borongan include “magnificent waterfalls,” 'enchanting caves,” “enticing waters,” and “majestic mountains.”
According to Basada, among the caves visitors can explore are the Kalipayan Cave at Calingatngan village, the Ganap Cave at Cagbunga village, the Linal-an Cave at Can-abong village and the Talubagnan Cave at Bato village, which is very near the city center.
Basada added that tourists can also enjoy swimming, bathing, cliff jumping or enjoy the sight of the ““four-drop beauty” of Pahungaw Falls in San Pablo village, the Pangi Falls and the Kaputian Falls in San Gabriel village and the Mono Falls at Sitio Bagong Baryo, Pinanag-an village.
She said most of these caves can be reached through hiking or by taking a boat ride along a long, winding river.
In another post, Basada described taking a river cruise along a major river in the city:
“Cruising Borongan River will take a traveler to a never-ending sights of green, clear waters and blue skies. From the river mouth in Sabang North and Sabang South, the river extends to Barangay Surok and Calingatgan, then further on to San Mateo and San Andres...and beyond.
“The shallow waters of Barangay Surok and Calingatngan were the favorites of many a weekends for bathing and laundry. Some though, preferred Maylibas, a little upstream, because it offered an expansive area of gravel and stones for drying clothes; with deeper waters where the menfolk could catch "lulung" and "orang" (river shrimps) while the women do the laundry.
“Barangay Surok was, and still remains, the rice granary of Borongan.”
She said that those looking for adventure can also try shooting the rapids at Hilangris Rapids along the Suribao River, another big river in the city.
But for those who want to relax , they can go to the Baybay Boulevard, which has several food and drinks stall. Baybay means seashore in the local dialect, but the place have been developed so that people can also watch or play beach football or beach volleyball. They can also watch surfers and skimboarders showing off their skills.
According to Basada, “Baybay has long been the most convenient (place) for refreshing dips on hot summer days. The Baybay Boulevard of yesterday (it was just Baybay back then) brings to mind the beach filled with "lambayong" (a kind of weed) and grassy patches along its length. Then came the Boulevard that took some years to finish (well, it isn't even finished yet, just halfway through the Borongan coastline), then the seawall and "Baywalk". What followed was the "payong-payong" (stores with umbrellas as shade from the sun or rain) where Boronganons would while the time away in the afternoons after office and school hours. Some even choose to eat b-b-que (barbecue) and "langbay" (a local delicacy) dinners and enjoy the view as dusk sets in.
“Now it's still the same "tambayan" (a place where people converge to relax) as before, same "pahanginan" (a place where people converge to relish the cool, refreshing sea breeze) and "pahalibwayan" (a place to relax) but with an added attraction. The beach, now as clean as can be, serves as playground to children and football aficionados.
“Baybay has also become the venue for the "Bangkarera" (motorized boat race) held every 4th and 5th of September and a favorite spot for surfers and skimboarders during seasons.”
Borongan is indeed a “one stop destination” for people looking for a place to relax or have an adventure, especially during summer. (This article was first published in the Manila News Online)
