TACLOBAN & KALANGGAMAN ISLAND TOUR

Tacloban

MacArthur Shrine & Kalanggaman Island

I heard about Kalanggaman Island from Jessica Soho’sTV program featuring various islands with amazing sandbar. At first, it never had an impact on me until one of my close friends posted her photos in Facebook, showing off this virgin island in Palompon, Leyte. That was the turning point for me to create a travel plan for Tacloban including this must-visit island. It was August then when I booked my flight to Tacloban via Airasia. 

NAIA (Terminal 4)

Fortunately, I got a very inexpensive 2-way airfare and it only costed P354 including the tax. A long wait was over, after half a year, I finally reached my dream destination.

AirAsia

Looking for a travel buddy, at times, is pretty challenging. You’ll have to consider their budget, availability, and interests. Nevertheless, you’ll end up spending all by yourself. Because of incessant posting in social media like Facebook and Instagram, someone decided to join this Visayan escapade. 

Arrival Area of Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport

It was such a big relief when you know that someone has to share all the expenses. Actually, I only had a month before I made a final draft of my itinerary. I was so glad to hear that one of my college friends, who used to live in Manila, but decided to raise her family in Tacloban, would love to welcome us there.

San Juanico Bridge

After one and a half decades, I couldn’t believe that I was back in Leyte. Apparently, many things have changed back then. You can’t believe how Tacloban has somehow recovered from the aftermath that super typhoon, Yolanda, brought them 4 years ago. Gladly, a few newly-constructed infrastructure are seen everywhere you go. You can’t imagine how the place was once a ghost town few days after the tragedy. Corpses are everywhere. Thousands of families had lost their loved ones, their properties, and even their source of income. Some stayed, while the majority needed to leave and start over again in the nearby provinces or flew to Manila in order to completely forget the hearth-breaking memory they had. Tacloban City, needless to say, is back on track and ready for any challenges that may come their ways.

It was last Feb. 26, 2017, and the weather was flawless, just right for our 5-day escape in Leyte. We arrived at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport at exactly 1. We were picked up by Ms. Janice with her family, and without any hesitations, they brought us on out first stop that day. 

My Itinerary

DAY 1 – Feb 26 (Sun) Tacloban City Tour

09:20 am – House to the airport

10:50 am – ETD at NAIA (Manila)

11:20 am – ETA at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport(Tacloban)

12:45 pm – Pick-up at the airport

01:00 pm – Travel to accommodation

01:30 pm – Check-in at the accommodation

02:00 pm – Lunch at Jo’s Chicken Inato Milagrina

03:00 pm – Start the city tour

           Anibong Yolanda Memorial (M/V Eva Jocelyn – ship relic)

          San Juanico Bridge

          Mass grave at the cemetery

          Korean Park

          Sto Nino Shrine

          MacArthur Shrine

          Sto Nino Church

          The Oriental (Hotel)

07:00 pm – End of the tour, then go back to the accommodation

DAY 2 – Feb 27 (Mon) Kalanggman Island Tour

05:30 am – Breakfast

06:00 am – Travel to the van terminal for Palompon

07:00 am – ETD at the terminal (travel time: 3 hours)

10:00 am – ETA in Palompon, Leyte. Register and Pay for boat transfer and overnight fee

10:30 am – Travel to Kalanggaman Island via a pumpboat (travel time: 1 hour)

11:30 am – Arrival in Kalanggaman Island. Then set-up tent

12:00 pm – Lunch time

FREE TIME

06:00 PM – Dinner time

DAY 3 – Feb 28 (Tue) Palompon, Leyte

06:00 am - Wake-up time to see the sunrise

07:00 am – Breakfast in the island

08:00 am – Swimming

11:00 am – Travel back to Palompon (travel time: 1 hour)

12:00 am – Arrival in Palompon

12:30 pm – Check-in at the accommodation

01:00 pm – Lunch Time

02:00 pm – Back to the accommodation, Free time

02:30 pm –Travel to Cold Spring Resort

06:00 pm -Travel back to Palompon

6:30 pm – Dinner Time

DAY 4 – March 01 (Wed) Tacloban, Leyte

05:30 am – Wake—up time

06:00 am – Breakfast

06:30 am – Check-out at the accommodation

07:00 am – Travel back to Tacloban (travel time: 3 hours)

10:00 am – Arrival in Tacloban

10:30 am – Early check-in at the accommodation

11:30 am – Lunch time

12:00 pm – Travel to another Cold Spring Resort (travel time: 1 hour)

01:00 pm – Swimming

06:00 pm – Travel back to the accommodation in Tacloban

07:00 pm – Dinner time

DAY 5 – March 2 (Thur) Back to Manila

06:00 am – Breakfast time

06:30 am – Visit P. Zamora St. for pasalubong

09:00 am – Go back to accommodation

10:00 am – Prepare things

11:00 am – Check-out at the accommodation

11:30 am – Check-in at the airport

01:25 pm – ETD at Daniel Romualdez Airport

02:50 pm – ETA at NAIA (Terminal 4)

03:00 pm – Travel back home

If your time is limited and you want to have a quick visit in Leyte, here's the 3-day itinerary I made that will surely make your stay in the place memorable. 

Ideal Itinerary

DAY 1 – Tacloban City Tour

03:00 am – House to the airport

05:50 am – ETD at NAIA (Manila)

07:15 am – ETA at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport(Tacloban)

08:30 am – Pick-up at the airport

Start of the city tour

           Anibong Yolanda Memorial (M/V Eva Jocelyn – ship relic)

          San Juanico Bridge

          Mass grave at the cemetery

          Korean Park

          Sto Nino Shrine

          MacArthur Shrine

          Sto Nino Church

          The Oriental (Hotel)

11:30 am – Lunch Time

12:30 pm – Travel to Cold Spring Resort (travel time: 1 hour)

01:30 pm – Swimming

06:00 pm – Back to Tacloban

07:00 pm – Check-in at the accommodation

07:30 pm – Dinner time at Robinson’s. Then buy food or things for Kalanggaman tour the next day

DAY 2 – Kalanggaman Island Tour

05:30 am – Breakfast

06:00 am – Travel to the van terminal for Palompon

07:00 am – ETD at the terminal (travel time: 3 hours)

10:00 am – ETA in Palompon, Leyte. Register and Pay for boat transfer and overnight fee

10:30 am – Travel to Kalanggaman Island via a pumpboat (travel time: 1 hour)

11:30 am – Arrival in Kalanggaman Island. Then set-up tent

12:00 pm – Lunch time

FREE TIME

06:00 PM – Dinner time

DAY 3 –  Back to Manila

05:30 am – Wake—up time

06:00 am – Witness the sunrise

09:00 am – Leave the island

10:00 am – Back to Palompon. Have a brunch at Café Umberto

11:00 am – Travel back to Tacloban (travel time: 3 hours)

02:00 pm – Arrival in Tacloban. Go Straight to P. Zamora St. to buy pasalubong

04:00 pm – Go straight to the airport.

06:20 pm – ETD at Daniel Romualdez Airport

07:30 pm – ETA at NAIA (Terminal 4)

08:00 pm – Travel back home

Next Topic: Accommodation in Tacloban City (part 1)

Blogger's Note

Please be informed that details are subject to change at any time, particularly the price, location, and contact numbers. I, therefore advise you to visit their website or email ahead for confirmation when making your itinerary. The blogger cannot be held responsible for the experiences of the readers while travelling.