THE highlight of our—or any—trip to Guiuan was our visit (and subsequent overnight stay) on Calicoan Island, the “Sleeping Beauty of Eastern Samar.” And with good reason, as the island is blessed with long stretches of unspoiled white-sand beaches, crystal-clear blue waters, 20 isolated and romantic coves, six huge and unexplored saltwater lagoons, and nature trails inside tropical virgin forests (50 percent of the area). After paying an evening courtesy call to Vibina Jauacon at the town proper, my son Jandy and I made our way to the island via hired tricycle (P400), getting to the island, not by boat but via a short concrete causeway, then traversing a dirt and gravel road which runs the length of the island. Our home on the island was its best: the luxurious Surf Camp. This hideaway, reason enough to explore Calicoan, was developed by Cebu-based lawyer and pioneer developer Maning Go (who owns about 500 hectares of the island’s 1,600 hectares) and designed, with distinctive Asian-inspired lines (Thai, Balinese, Indonesian and Filipino), by Frenchman Nicolas Rambeau, owner and creator of the highly acclaimed high-end Pansukian Resort in Siargao (Surigao del Norte).
Here, we stayed in one of its seven well-appointed, spacious bungalows with its soaring rooflines, the beach just a few steps away. Each bungalow has a native feel, with its own deck and floor with alternating dark and light wood stripes. Modern amenities include air conditioning, compartmentalized bathroom with hot and cold shower, satellite TV, minibar and safety deposit box.
Here, we watched the surging, breathtaking surf (boasting perfectly shaped left or right reef breaks) as the island’s eastern side juts out to the rolling surf of the Pacific Ocean (its powerful swells tirelessly rolling in over the 10,000-meter Philippine Deep), making it a surfer’s paradise. The best surfing months, according to resort general manager Danilo Molina, are March, April and September to October, when southwesterly winds blow offshore, piling up incoming ocean swells and carving them into glassy shaped hollows.
Surfboards are rented out for a small fee and beginner’s lessons can be provided, on request, by the resort staff. Surfers must wear booties as protection against the sharp rocks. Although the currents are strong here, the island offers opportunities for big game fishing along the “Tuna Highway,” the migratory route for tuna to Japan. Original article here http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/life/16674-hidden-paradise-revealed.html
Read more information about the island here
