Seven in 7 days

As we got closer to mid-week of our 7-day excursion around the region, we continued day three of our island-hopping adventure in the waters of the Biliran Strait and the Samar Sea. Blessed with an almost-perfect weather, we rounded up a handful of breath-taking islands. But day four was another story.

ISLE TO ISLE. From the city of Ormoc, we went by land to the island-province of Biliran. From its capital municipality, Naval, we began our expedition. Our first stop was the haven of Dalutan (featured in part 2). After enjoying its unspoiled richness, we hopped back on our private pump boat to ferry to another isle. On the way to our next stop, we passed by a larger island named Tingkasan of which our host Bobby Cabañas has an interesting story to tell. Then from afar, the Tagnokan isle lures with its natural beauty. Sans the beach but with ample vegetation on its apex (the greens look like bonsai from a distance), amazing rock formations margin its perimeter. To me, the entire isle is actually a large pile of boulders. Its surrounding waters is every local fisherman's preferred spot. The rocks and reefs below abound with rich sea life ensuring a hefty catch everyday. Even from above, the marine life and colors are quite visible. After some wacky photos taken and some snorkeling, we embarked back on our boat.

It took a little while to our next stop. So we lounged with pleasure on the boat, savored the fresh air and the 360-degree vista that only Mother Nature can offer. The thirty-something isles and islets are just a stone's throw from each other. Oh no, we never covered that much. It would probably take more than a day to make a complete round but under our captain's navigation, I believe we got to see a handful of the best. And with the sun setting that afternoon, the distant and nearby protruding land masses were magnificently highlighted by golden rays of light.

I thought our tour was already over until I caught sight of Higatangan Island. Another larger island among the group, Higatangan is northwest of Naval. From a distance, a blinding white sand band stretches out like a gigantic tongue from the mainland. My friends and I just couldn't wait to jump into the crystal clear water and run around the sandy stretch! Noticeable was a current that was streaming (at that time) towards the south. Similar to Camiguin's White Island, it too shifts shape with the tides. After much frolicking, posing and fooling around, we turned to its southern side where hidden sand coves in between angular cliff faces are waiting to be discovered. The circumnavigation gave us the final glimpse of the sun. Nightfall was not too far away.

WHO'S AFRAID OF THE DARK? It was already dark when we disembarked on the bay below Bobby's place (just a reminder, we spent the night in the municipality of Kalubian across Naval). To my surprise, nobody from the team was exhausted from the all-day jaunt. After an all-seafood dinner and a shower, everyone was back to his usual vigor. Ah! The 'tagay' circle was formed and Mr. Longneck (a popular type of bottling in the country of spirits and liquors) conveniently joined. With a coconut plantation as a backyard, our rum was complimented with young coconut juice-the perfect combination!

As the night grew deeper and a couple of longnecks later, our host suggested 'ghost hunting'. Hmm, that's one thing I've never heard before in my years of travel. Mind you, in this part of Leyte, neighbors are as scarce as street lighting. Worse, rain clouds were hovering in the night skies so no moon was visible. It was pitch black for several kilometers. But who's afraid of the dark? I just needed to get on my feet and get some fresh air. Besides, I don't believe in the supernatural (being already one myself. Ha!). Our stroll began with tall-tales of the paranormal and dropping by a couple of so-called 'spooked' places, the thrill of it all faded. Instead, the darkness gave the surrounding environment a totally different light. I never realized how much peace the darkness could evoke.

The curious cats in us landed us on the beach under a town-famous Talisay tree. Folklore has it that any tree that attracts fireflies houses the supernatural. If this were true, then this particular tree must be really spooked. Out of the many trees in the area, this particular Talisay radiated with thousands of the luminescent insects. Never had I seen such a phenomenon, such a beautiful mystery. While the Scooby-gang was waiting for an unnatural occurrence, I just stood in the distance and mentally seized the vision. Needless to say, nothing ghostly happened. I guess my friend Edgar's loud mouth warded off all the spirits (LOL). The stroll certainly took a toll on us, that when we returned to our cribs, we dozed off all flat out.

WATER EVERYWHERE. We awoke on a very gloomy day four. And judging from the mass of dark clouds above, it looked like it was going to be an all-day rain. After a heavy breakfast, we embarked on our vessel. Only this time, it was loaded with other passengers. Locals were also making their way to Naval for another day of business. The shallow waters did not make things easier. We had to walk meters from the shore to get to the boat. Our luck with Mother Nature certainly failed this day. And as soon as we settled on the boat, the downpour occurred! (Stay tuned for the conclusion next week)