Sambawan Island
A Rock Ridge With A Viewpoint And A Curving Bay, Off An Island Province Better Known For Its Landslides · Maripipi, Biliran
SAMBAWAN IS A SMALL ISLAND OFF MARIPIPI IN BILIRAN: A SPINE OF ROCK RUNNING OUT INTO THE SEA WITH A SHORT CLIMB TO A VIEWPOINT, a curving bay of clear water beneath it and a handful of cottages. It is one of the most photographed small islands in the Visayas and it is STILL GENUINELY QUIET, because Biliran is a province almost nobody goes to on purpose. THE REST OF BILIRAN IS WATERFALLS AND HOT SPRINGS - ULAN-ULAN AND TINAGO ARE THE TWO, and the island is volcanic, which is why the springs are there. AND THE HONEST PART: BILIRAN IS STEEP, WET AND UNSTABLE. Tropical Depression Urduja in December 2017 caused landslides and flooding that killed people here and cut the island off; the roads and the slopes have not stopped moving since. The beauty and the instability come from the same geology. Stay overnight, because the day boats leave and the island becomes a different place, and bring what you need - fresh water is limited and there is no reliable power.
Sambawan Island, Maripipi, Biliran, Maripipi, Biliran, Philippines
BILIRAN IS REACHED BY ROAD FROM TACLOBAN OR ORMOC to NAVAL, roughly two to three hours, across the bridge from Leyte - THERE IS NO AIRPORT IN USE. SAMBAWAN IS THEN A BOAT FROM KAWAYAN OR MARIPIPI, roughly an hour, WEATHER-DEPENDENT AND CANCELLED IN ROUGH SEAS. THERE IS A SMALL ENTRANCE FEE and COTTAGES AND TENTS CAN BE HIRED ON THE ISLAND; facilities are basic and there is LIMITED FRESH WATER AND NO RELIABLE POWER. THE VIEWPOINT IS A SHORT BUT STEEP CLIMB on rock steps. ULAN-ULAN AND TINAGO FALLS on the main island need a short walk and a small fee. THE WET MONTHS, ROUGHLY JUNE TO JANUARY, bring landslide risk on Biliran's roads. Carry cash; banking is thin outside Naval.