Samar for the Adventurous Traveler

Samar is an island from that part of the Visayan region that dares face the challenges of the Pacific head on—like super typhoons, several times annually. Locally, it is a province where some of the bravest people in the country are known to come from.

When we hear the word “Waray” anywhere in the country it often brings our thoughts to the island province of Samar where inhabitants are known for being extremely daring. At the same time, we picture a people with known hospitality and mild manners. Samar people are a mix of both extremes.

Samar is literally “wound” or “cut,” probably describing the rugged terrain of the island. It has a rough and craggy topography (though no high mountains), thickly forested, and cut by numerous streams and creeks.

Samar people mostly speak Waray or Waraynon or Samarnon, except for some island localities, like Almagro and Sto. Nino, where Cebuano is more popular. Hence, Samar natives are also called Waray. The province can be divided into north, south, west, and east parts but we only frequently hear of northern, eastern, and western Samar.

Down Samar is its closest relative—Leyte—and then Surigao in Mindanao. To its right are the vast Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Trench. To its left are the Visayan Sea and Masbate with far flung Cebu and Bacolod. To the north of Samar is the Bicol Peninsula. Strait, gulf, sea, and ocean surround it. The capital city is Catbalogan, another city is Calbayog (only 2 cities here), with 24 municipalities.

Samar fosters a rare art form said to trace way back the 1600s or 1800s A.D. The art is a subtle mix of Oriental and European swirling strokes of interwoven line designs, texture multi-layering, and some 3D space illusion effects. Locally, this is known as “Kut-kut”—something only the extremely adventurous would dare take time in.

And talking of daring adventures, Samar history is replete with exciting risk-taking episodes. To name some, around the late 1500s the island took on various identities and names (Samal, Tandaya, Ibabao, among others) and even risked perpetually being a mere annex of Cebu when the Spaniards came. Then, of course, who would forget Homonhon Island in 1521 when Magellan and party first stepped on Philippine soil

Today, Samar affords lots more adventure for the extreme thrill seeker. There are still scores of uncharted caves, subterranean rivers, rock formations, waterfalls and dive sites. Samar has numerous things to reveal to daring travelers who want more than just the usual risks.