Known as the city with the highest population count in Eastern Visayas, Tacloban should never leave your go-to travel destination. Most people might know this area as the place that has experienced catastrophic destruction from Typhoon Haiyan or Super Typhoon Yolanda. Despite this storm resulting in large damages to the tourism of Tacloban, combined efforts from the Filipino community made it possible for it to rebuild itself to what it is now.
San Juanico Bridge is a monumental bridge for it is considered the Philippines’ longest bridge that crosses a particular body of water. This 2.16-kilometer stretch connects Leyte to Samar across the San Juanico Strait. This landmark was completed in 1973 and was previously called the Marcos Bridge for it was built and finished during the rule of former president Ferdinand Marcos. Rumors say that it is a testimonial of the love of the ex-President to his wife, who is known to be a native of Leyte, Imelda Romualdez Marcos.
As a Catholic country, the Philippines is home to many historic churches. Tacloban Church, also known as Sto. Nino Church is considered one of the oldest churches in the country for it was built in 1860. It has a unique structure which was primarily made with coral stones and adobe. It also houses a dome-like ceiling with the interiors painted in pure white.
Most visitors also drop by to see the five-story belfry, also painted in white, which strongly stands even after the destruction provided by the strong storms in the area.
Do not finish your Tacloban City tour without dropping by the Santo Nino Shrine and Heritage Museum. It is one of the most visited spots in the city because of the history that it shoulders. Most of us are aware that the late President Ferdinand Marcos has built many Presidential rest houses around the country during his term, and this is one of his most famous ones.
When touring the said museum, make sure that you avail its guided tour. This is to ensure that you get to have a glimpse of the deep history it holds. Rest assured that the knowledge and experience that you will gain from this is worth the entrance fee.
Still hungry for some history? Don’t worry as the Kanhuraw Hill and Madonna of Japan is there to satisfy your geeky self. Kanhuraw Hill is popular because it used to be the Japanese soldiers’ campground when they were battling in World War II. On top of the said hill lies the Madonna of Japan status, also known as Madonna Maria Kanonat. This was built as a friendship symbol between the Filipinos and Japanese from that time up to this time. It also serves as a tribute to the soldiers who have given their lives in this battle.
Looking for a unique activity when in Tacloban City? The Paruparong Bukid Nature Conservation Center is a wellness center that is centered around detoxification programs. It also offers other exciting activities like fishing, butterfly watching, kayaking, and bird watching. Don’t forget to order their veggies and fruits selection that are organically produced in its surrounding mountains.
Tacloban City is an area that has a tropical rainforest climate. This means that rainfall is pretty common throughout the year and no dry season is experienced. However, it is in the months of October to February where the city faces more days of rainfall so traveling at this time is not advised. If you want to have a fully enjoyable experience of Tacloban City, better to block off your calendar anytime from March to September.
Planning to visit Tacloban City in the next coming days? Checkout the weather in Tacloban City.
Coming from key metro cities in the Philippines, the very first touchpoint that you will have with Tacloban is the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport or more popularly known as the Tacloban City Airport. This is approximately a one-hour flight from Manila and a 40-minute flight from Cebu.
However, if you’re more of the adventurous type, you may opt to traverse the roads leading to Tacloban via land travel. There are buses that take the Manila-Tacloban route and this usually consumes 23 hours out of the 24 hours that you have in a day. If you’re from Cebu, you may also opt to undergo the 2.5-hour fast craft trip to Ormoc City followed by a long two-hour drive to Tacloban. There are also boats from the Ormoc port where travel time usually lasts for 5 hours. Lastly, if you’re from Mindanao, there are also buses from Davao that you can take. On average, this is a 17-hour trip to Tacloban City.
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