Destination: Samboan

CEBU, Philippines - With its crystal clear beaches, lush marine ecosystem, pristine waterfalls and rolling hills, the municipality of Samboan is a wondrous place of natural variety.

Located some 140 kilometers southwest of Cebu City, the municipality is strewn with historic landmarks and tourist attractions that are all worth visiting – each backdropped by breathtaking views that give fitting form to “slice of heaven” imaginings.

Last month, the Samboan municipal government launched of its digital tourism initiatives – an occasion timed with the celebration of the town’s fiesta on September 29 to 30. The local government teamed up with new media startup InnoPub Media and Smart Communications Inc. in doing its part of the Province of Cebu’s digital tourism project, which aims to harness mobile technologies in promoting the province’s tourist spots and heritage sites.

Natural wonders meet with centuries-old heritage sites

With the town center set on top of a hill, ushering in an exhilarating view of the Tañon Strait and the neighboring Negros island, Samboan is itself a picturesque place.

Roughly four hours by bus away from the hustle and bustle of Cebu City, the town is home to one of the province’s oldest Spanish-built churches and what is attributed to be the province’s tallest and best preserved Spanish-era watchtower – with pristine beaches lining its coast and a number of breathtaking waterfalls nestled within its bounds.

Historically, Samboan is one of the oldest towns in the province of Cebu. Records note that it was one of the places discovered by the explorers of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who came by this area at the southern tip of Cebu when they were exploring the island between March 15 and April 22, 1565.

Initially an encomienda, Samboan eventually became a township. It was inaugurated as an independent parish November 3, 1784.   The Franciscan Decalzo Romualdo Avila was Samboan’s first parish priest, and one of his successors – the Jesuit Melchor de Vera – is credited to have initiated the construction of fortifications that protected the town from pirate raids.

When talking about the origin of its name, there are different historical accounts and legends on the subject. The most popular tells that the municipality got its name from a misunderstanding between the Spaniards and a local fisherman when the foreigners asked what the name of the place was. “Sinamboang!” the fisherman answered, thinking the bearded men was inquiring about the method of fishing he was doing which was rampant in the place at the time. To complicate matters further, the Spaniards thought they heard “Samboan,” and so the town then came to be called.

As one of Cebu’s steadily-growing tourist destinations, Samboan’s allure is molded by its centuries-old heritage sites and natural wonders – exactly what the recently launched “Samboan Guide” app highlights.

The “Samboan Guide” app for smartphones and tablets

Developed as a travel and lifestyle app for smartphones and tablets, the “Samboan Guide” app is a digital directory that lists the different tourist attractions and places of interest in the town. It is compatible with smart devices running on Android (with versions for iOS and Windows Phone said to be on its way) and does not require an active internet connection for it to work – only requiring internet connectivity during its installation/updating phase or for real-time marker scanning.

Featuring what-to-do and where-to-go guides, the mobile suite is easy and simple to use, a quality that’s complemented by its comprehensive directory of important emergency numbers and listings of accredited Department of Tourism service providers. Using the app, visitors to Samboan can conveniently learn more about the Colase Marine Sanctuary in Barangay Colase, read up on the Aguinid Waterfalls in Barangay Tangbo, learn what they can about the St. Michael Archangel Church, or gain significant insight on the history of the Campanario de Antigua (Samboan’s watchtower) with the least amount of fuss.

Similar digital tourism apps have already been launched in the towns of Argao and Boljoon and the city of Carcar. The “Samboan Guide” app is the second such digital tool to cover part of the cluster called the BOSS tourism circuit, consisting of the towns of Boljoon, Oslob, Samboan and Santander.