Catbalogan Samar
I plan to be in Catbalogan 4 more months so am going to put up some everyday pictures here and add to them periodically.
This is the road coming in to town from the north. The highways in Samar are getting paved this year making travel in Samar a dream.
Update: I just drove down to Leyte from Catbalogan yesterday and the road is almost completely paved. What a joy it is to cruise that road now!
Here is a jam up of tricycles waiting for the parade to go by.
Rochelle gives a wave.
Graduating college students marching by.
Here are a few pictures taken in Nov 2010.
These tricycles are everywhere – low noise and low pollution – fare in town is 4 pesos.
St Bartholomew Catholic Church
These communication towers are on the hill south of town as you come up from Leyte.
buying shoes – youtube video of the local shoe store
Catbalogan
Climbing Mount Apo
General Santos
Growing Orchids
Judy's Resto Bar
Logging with Motorcycles
Mount Mayon
Balabac Island
Biri Island
Calbiga Cave
Capul Island
Mangrove Swamp Palawan
Mikes's Resort
hello dp am from the u.k and from your web site you seem to know a lot about samar and layte i will be comming out that way 2010 on a budget for a while could you recomend some cheap accomadation have you ever heard of decobeam cable tv any info i would be truely grateful for hope to hear from you soon kind regards christine
Hello christine,
I have found that the Philippines is a poor value for accommodation for the traveler.
Transportation is cheap but hotel rooms are high. Flipinos that can afford to travel want air conditioning, cable tv and pool type surroundings.
There is cheap accommodation in the Pintuyan area of Leyte but that is an exception.
There is no backpackers trail with the exception perhaps of Sagada and Banaue in northern Luzon. If you are used to Thailand and Indonesian costs you will be surprised how expensive the Philippines is.
If you stay in one place, the Philippines can be a real bargain. I have a large two bedroom apt with balcony on both sides and it costs me less than 100 USD per month plus utilities. (4,500 pesos)
Hotel rooms often cost 1,000 pesos to 1,500 pesos per night with the budget ones around 500 pesos and up.
In the backcountry of Samar there is very little infrastructure for the traveler so I usually stay with friends or friends of friends – it is common here.
Leyte is more developed than Samar – which finally got it’s highway paved this year!
The islands in northern Samar – Dalupiri Island, Capul Island and Biri Island can all be done on the cheap.
I am not familiar with decobeam tv.
Let me know if you have specific questions and I will try to help you out a bit.
cheers
dp
hello dp thanks for your reply as said before i am comming out to the philippines some time next year and will be arriving at cebu/mactan airport staying in cebu for a short while then i plan to move around between layte and catbalogan samar i shall be doing some research on family history decobeam cable tv services is on rizal avenue catbalogan if you e-mail me i could give you more info on that as its more personnal i have been to the philippines before i got very ill and was in hospital i stayed at the cebu centuary hotel and thay looked after me very good thats about all for now hope to hear from you soon christine
Hi christine,
Thanks for the update – I am in Palawan right now but plan to be back in Leyte at the end of November.
Feel free to text me when you get to town – maybe we can grab a pizza downtown.
09205553686 smart
take care
dp
hello again dp thanks for your info sorry i have not been in touch with you sooner and would just like you to know i have not forgot you i love your web site its very interesting to me yes i would like to meet up with you when i get to the philippines and i will give you a text or call it will not be untill some time in 2010 just to let you know i am an english lady {not philippina} but there is a conection i will let you know all about it in due course have a merry christmas and a happy new year thank you my kind regards christine