|
Northern Samar is a destination that is popular for its rock formations. Facing the Pacific Ocean, this geography helped mold the dramatic seascape of this province. An island destination has placed the province on the tourism map with its collection of these massive rock formations BUT these seascapes are not confined just there. So… in my quest to explore my 71st province, I opted to go beyond the usual and enjoy the coastal views of Mapanas in Northern Samar.  Time to explore an off beat destination on my 71st PH province. Mapanas is a laidback town that lies along the eastern coast of Northern Samar. Sandwiched by the mountains of Samar and the Pacific Ocean, this destination is so rural that, as early as 6pm, the town grinds to a halt for the day. But do not be deceived by its rustic vibe because it holds a lot of natural attractions that will keep you in awe. Pictures and videos of these attractions have recently trickled down into social media feeds that is putting the natural beauty of Mapanas on the tourism spotlight. From towering rock formations to clean river escapes to untouched beach spots, I think I got most of it covered on this trip so I could share with you the hidden gem of Mapanas. Guinpandayan Coastal Scenery I must admit that it was the videos of this Mapanas coastal view that caught my attention when I was planning my Northern Samar trip. The serene view of a rugged coastline opening into view from a highway road curve was just immensely captivating. This cemented Mapanas on my #GOT71NorthernSamar adventure.  This view of the Guipandayan View Deck caught social media by storm. The Guinpandayan View Deck lies along the national road of Northern Samar. Carved along the side of the mountain, the road sharply curves to the right opening to a dramatic view of Mapanas’ rugged coastline. I held on to my breath as we approached the curve and got swept off my feet with the amazing overhead view of the coast. It was simply breathtaking. It is no surprise that people on the road would often make a quick stop to catch this breathtaking view. A view deck was built for visitors on the side of the road. From the deck, you can enjoy a full view of the snaking coastline with Pinusilan Rock and Balukawi Point Rock Formations jutting out of the waters of the Pacific. The white sand shores of Manapas also dots the coast of the town. The rugged coastal scene was simply captivating. The coastal highway runs adjacent to this amazing views. This spot is also where a lot of photos and videos are taken while “on the road”. Just make sure that you take extra precaution since it is a major highway. Pinusilan Rock Formation and Blue Lagoon Just a couple of minutes from the Guinpandayan View Deck, we rolled in the Pinusilan Rock Formation and Blue Lagoon. There are three massive formations in the area. Two rock formations guard the white sand cove where a resort now stands. A third rock formation is located off-shore, connected by a concrete boardwalk that spans over its rocky shoreline.  Enjoying the rock formations of Pinusilan in Mapanas. Local stories shared that its name “Pinusilan” was derived from the same waray word that translates to “gunshot”. The place was believed to be a place of execution during World War 2 where American forces brought Japanese prisoners to be shot. From its dark stories, it now rises as one of the attractions of Mapanas where you can enjoy the view of the rocky coast of Mapanas. The towering rock formations looked like guardians of the cove, protecting it from the waves coming from the Pacific Ocean.
The boardwalk connects the mainland to an islet where you would find the Pusilan Blue Lagoon. Tucked within its rock walls, the deep crevice is filled with saltwater creating a pool with a blue hue. This is a favorite spot of locals and guests who are looking for a quick saltwater dip. The lagoon and the boardwalk also offer a panoramic view of the coastline of Mapanas. Balukawi Point and Beach Balukawi Point and Beach is another destination that is worth checking out when you find yourself in Mapanas. It is one of those spots along the coast that juts out to the Pacific Ocean with a massive rock formation at its edge. In fact, you can actually see Balukawi Point’s clustered rock formations from the Gipandayan View Deck.  Balukawi Point is a low-ket attraction along the coast of Mapanas. Similar to other beach spots in the area, it has a white sand coast and a rocky shore as you move out further to the sea. It is best appreciated during low tide where you could see the rocky bottom of its shores. You could easily see fossilized remains of anemones. Locals enjoy take advantage of the low tide to catch small crabs in the area. The clustered rock formations of Balukawi Point can be seen from a distance. The rock cluster adds more drama to the amazing landscape of this attraction.
There is a small resort at Balukawi Beach that offers basic facilities to tourists who want to experience a serene and rugged vibe of Mapanas. There’s no doubt that Balukawi Point can give you that space to disconnect and just enjoy it serene atmosphere. It also lets you connect with the rugged coast molded by the Pacific. Kan Langka Cold Spring Tucked on the hinterlands of Mapanas is the Kan Langka Cold Spring. Laidback and unassuming, the place is a favorite hangout of locals for that quick and refreshing mountain spring water dip. It took us about 45 minutes, on a habal-habal, to get to this natural attraction.  We moved inland to explore the Kan Langka Cold Spring. Surrounded by the lush forest covers of Mapanas, the Kan Langka Cold Spring is an attraction where two rivers meet to become one downstream flow. You can enjoy taking a dip from the larger river where water flows through its natural path and also enjoy “sliding” under a bridge where the second one flows. There is a huge and deep turquoise-colored pool at the junction where the rivers meet where there is an area where you can swim. From the junction, the river flows into one river downstream.
The place was developed by the locals with picnic huts and tables that dot both the river sides. There is an area deep enough where you can swing and jump into the deeper portion of the pool. You can also rent make-shift inflatables if you just want to enjoy “running” with the flow of the river. This mountain spot is a perfect place to just unwind, connect, and recharge with nature. Binabalidawan Rock Formation/Mayong Payong I have read that the best place to catch the sunrise in Mapanas is at the Binabalidawan Rock Formation. Unfortunately, we had a small hiccup that caused me not to catch the sunrise BUT I had enough time to explore the place and enjoy the early morning sun. Aboard a habal-habal, we rode through the rough trails to this pristine beach spot. The trail is sandy that we had to carefully tread through the trail. The seaside views were captivating along the route. This beach spot is best explored during the low tide.  A perfect way to start the day... enjoying the view of Mayong Payong at Binabalidawan Beach. Binabalidawan Rock Formation is along the edge of a white sand beach cove. This massive limestone formation stands like a vanguard protecting the pristine cove on this side of Mapanas. The cove is an untouched tropical paradise where you get to enjoy the solitude of the place since it is far from the communities. Although it has spots of white sand shorelines, the beach is largely rocky shores that is ideal for mangrove growth. You can find a spot and enjoy the cove all for yourself.
From the cove, you can catch the towering rock formations of Mayong Payong. These three rock formations lies a few meters from the cove and it is best explored during low tide. It would be easy to walk to these islets. The rock formations were called Mayong Payong because one its rock formations was shaped like an umbrella. Unfortunately, water was already setting in when we came in and I was not able to explore the rock formations up close. I did get to enjoy the view of these massive rock formations from the shores of Binabalidawan. POST TRAVEL NOTES It took a couple of amazing shots of Mapanas’ rugged coast to convince me to explore this off-beat destination. Who would have thought that these rock formations are not confined to an island but there are amazing formations that dot the coast of Northern Samar. These exposures, like this blog, can give new opportunities for tourism growth in the area and alternative livelihood opportunities for its locals.  Up next... a mountain waterfall, a sleeping lion, and a taste of Spanish-period history. Social media is pivotal in turning a lowkey and laidback destinations into the a hot PH attraction. This gives local travelers more opportunities to bring to the front unknown destinations to the psyche of local and international travelers resulting to opening up new opportunities for the community. Hence, it is important that local tourism offices are more adept in discovering their own attractions and drafting a sustainable program for tourism. This will give them a more proactive approach in promoting their own tourism brand rather than being taken into the limelight without a plan. Key word is proactive approach. Watch out for the release of my Mapanas and Palapag adventure on my Youtube Travel Channel soon. #MahalinNatinAngPilipinas Getting there: Philippine Airlines flies to Catarman on specific days of the week from Manila and Cebu. You can take a trike from the airport to Colorhub Paint Supply along Bonifacio Street. The van terminal for Mapanas is just across this hardware. Trips to Mapanas from Catarman are usually in the morning while van trips from Mapanas to Catarman are only from 3am to 6am You can stay at Jacob’s Haven at the town center of Mapanas. They also assist with your Mapanas tour arrangements. You can reach them at +63955 273 6297 or through their FB page: Jacob’s Haven. Shoutout to my travel buddies - HULL & STERN Dry Bags for keeping my stuff safe and dry during my travels and MAGWAI for their alternative and eco-friendly products for my local travels.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Marc del Rosario
I believe in education, entrepreneurship, and caring for the environment. 
Archives
November 2025
|
RSS Feed