Calicoan Island, Surfers' Paradise

Infinity pool at Surf Camp

I know I have been promising travel posts for this blog but I have been kept busy by work and domestic concerns. My travel has been limited to the office, downtown and the grocery, nothing beyond a 5 mile radius. Fortunately for me the memory of the road trip I took two months ago with my friends is still fresh in my mind. Add to the good fortune are the pictures graciously lent to me by my good friend, Pedro Bimbo Tan of OTOP DTI.


The Surf Camp, steps leading to the ocean

We went to Calico-an as a side trip to a more spiritual destination. You had to pass by the island on your way to Suluan, a pilgrim site famous in the region. The trip took a good three hours which we hardly felt as the road was smooth and fully asphalted. On the way we were treated to a beautiful view of Eastern Samar's


The Surf Camp

coastline. We reached Calico-an and quickly stopped by a resto-resort which had the Pacific Ocean as as its front neighbor. Its roaring waves is perfect for surfing but not for the weak-hearted like me whose swimming know-how never went beyond the dog-paddling stage. So I contented myself just savoring in the breeze and taking pictures of the Pacific Ocean. I wish I could add it to this post but the CD where I stored them is lost somewhere. But not to fret, Mr. Tan's pictures is more than adequate to give you a glimpse into the beauty of the island.

A trip to Calico-an is certainly worth your while as not only do you get breathtaking views of the ocean but you also get a taste of the abundant and fresh seafood bounty of Guiuan as we did when we went into one of the restauraunts in the island. We ordered sinigang na tangingue perfect as the fish was just hours from being picked from the sea. The same was true for the kinilaw. But what makes the island stand out is the white sand of its beach fronts. It is soft and powdery comparable to the beaches of Boracay. Slowly, tourist arrivals are increasing in numbers bringing much needed income to the province. Indeed, the island is coming into its own as a tourist destination.

For awesome pictures of Calicoan, check out the site of a professional which I came upon while did I some different kind of surfing (this time no waves, just the Internet). Just browse around in his galleries and look for "The Surf Camp at Calicoan Island".