7 Highlights on our Leyte Province Trip

     It has been a month since we visited Leyte but its beautiful montage haunts us to go back. We know that there are still a lot of places to visit in the Philippines, the world rather, so we will just leave it with a listicle which tells the 7 highlights of our visit to this beautiful province. Perhaps, after few years, we can go back to this place bringing along our larger family.

Here our 7 Highlights for our Leyte Province Travel:

1.) Kalanggaman Island 

     The Island is very difficult to reach with the fact that you have to ride a plane from Manila, sit in a van for almost three and a half hours, then travel by boat for almost an hour. Yet, the experience we had here is so beautiful we dread of going back. You will be just amazed on how God wonderfully created this island setting and be thankful that you have been to this place. Next time we go back– and to change the travel experience, we plan to island hop from Malapascua Island, Cebu until we reach back this place. Watch out for our future travel blogs– and hopefully vlogs.

2.) Palompon town

    We spent almost 5 hours in this town trying the local delicacies, getting my haircut, and waiting for the boat to Kalanggaman Island. We would define this town as ‘simple yet majestic’– the life here is very simple- the local barber does not expect a tip, sellers are all smiles even on a very sunny and humid weather, kids are contented swimming naked along the shores- perhaps enjoying their youth.

3.) Buga Buga Hills

     ‘Over there is Buga Buga Hills,’ pointed by our van driver. The hills are the last hold of the Japanese Military. Although World War II ended since 1945, one crazy Japanese general (in the name of Suzuki) kept on hiding in these hills and attacking locals. He ended up committing suicide only in the 1970s after realising that the war really ended and his country accepted defeat.

4.) McArthur Monument

    I first saw McArthur  monument in textbooks when I was seven years old, Grade I student. Before, I wondered if I will reach this place and re-enact his famous line ‘I shall return’. Well.. One item crossed out in my bucket list!

5.) San Juanico Bridge

     Like the McArthur Monument, the San Juanico Bridge was introduced to me when I was in elementary school. This is the longest bridge in the Philippines, so it is a must-see (at least for every Filipino).

6.) Mass grave or MV Eva for sustainable tourism

     What I saw reminded me that we should support sustainable development goals of inter- and intra-government organisations as these are for the betterment of the human race. No one would like to experience the severe causes of climate change like this typhoon Haiyan which devastated this beautiful city in Tacloban.

7.) Tacloban City adventures

I appreciate Charles Young ,my friend, for touring  me in his city. I think the least you could give to a friend is your time. The most cool thing we did was standing and holding on the jeepney’s back rails ‘cowboy style’.

See you again Leyte! We shall return.