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Sunday, September 5, 2010

NORTHERN SAMAR: Biri Island

Biri Island, is located in the province of Northern Samar. Island is blessed with its natural scenery  and known for its exotic rock formation w/c  has been carved by the tools used by nature itself.




It is a little less than 8 kilometres long and at its widest point is roughly 2 ½ kilometres. This has also been the location of a number of Filipino movies, one of this are the “Spirit Warriors directed by Chito Roño”.




The most famous rock formation to visit here is the Magasang , but there’s a lot to see in Biri such as Magsapad, Macadlao, Bil-at and the baby Mangroves along the island.



I must say that it’s a perfect place for a laid back kind of person and a playground for all the landscape photographer. I suggest that you should hire a guide to explore the place coz’ there’s a lot of walking trails crossing the island through the tropical rainforest.





Locals from Biri are very hospitable and accommodating, you can seek help from them w/ regards to your tour needs. I advise that getting around the island you should bring your own snorkel gear coz’ there are no dive shops in the island, our guide also told us that scuba diving here is also possible, some of their foreign guest did that… and of course bring sunscreen lotion as the sun was really hot that makes your skin very dark (I forgot to bring mine..tsk! tsk!)






ITINERARY

Day 1, August 29 (Sunday)
05:00am – Meet-ups @ NAIA Terminal 3
06:30am – Boarding of Passenger ETD Manila to Catarman
07:45am – ETA Catarman
08:00am – Cataman to Jeepney Terminal
08:10am – ETD Catarman to Lavezares
09:10am – ETA Lavezares
09:30am – ETD Lavezares to Biri Island
10:20am – ETA Biri Island
10:30pm – Meet our Guide, Lunch, Prepare, Rest
11:00pm – Check-in @ Villa Amor Pension House
12:00nn-02:30pm – Sleep, Rest & Prepare
03:00pm – Mag-asang Tour, Photo-ops, wait for sunset
07:00pm – Back to Pension House
07:30pm – Dinner, Take a Bath, Rest
11:00pm – Lights-off!

Day 2, August 30 (Monday)
03:00am – Wake-up Call
03:30am – Biri Island mangroves, Photo-ops, wait for sunrise
09:00am – Back to Villa Amor Pension House
10:00am – Breakfast
12:00nn – Lunch
01:00-02:30PM –Sleep, Rest & Prepare
03:00pm – Bil-at Tour, Photo-ops, Magsapad tour wait for sunset
07:00pm – Back to Pension House
07:30pm – Dinner, Take a Bath, Rest
11:00pm – Lights-off!

Day 3, August 31 (Tuesday)
03:00am – Wake-up Call
03:30am – Macadlao Tour, Photo-ops, wait for sunrise
09:00am – Back to Villa Amor Pension House
10:00am – Breakfast
12:00nn – Lunch
01:00-02:30PM – Sleep, Rest & Preparee
03:00pm – ETD Biri Island to Lavezares
04:30pm – ETD Lavezares to Catarman
06:00pm – Check-in @ DCC House
07:00pm – Dinner, Take a Bath, Rest
08:00pm – Lights off!

Day 4, September 1 (Wednesday)
06:00am – Wake-up Call, Prepare, Take a Bath
07:00am – ETD DCC to Catarman Airport
08:00am – Boarding of Passenger ETD Catarman to Manila
09:45am – ETA Manila

________________________________________________________

EXPENSE:

AIRFARE:
Manila to Catarman (via Air Philippines) – Php735.00
Catarman-Manila (via Philippine Airlines)– Php1,455.00

TERMINAL FEE:
Manila-Catarman: Php200.00
Catarman-Manila: Php25.00

CATARMAN – LAVEZARES –BIRI –CATARMAN:
Catarman-Lavezares (Jeepney Ride): Php120.00/2pax
Lavezares-Catarman (Jeepney Ride): Php110.00/2pax
Ø  Standard rate is Php55.00-60.00/pax
Lavezares-Biri Island (Boat Ride): Php200.00/2pax
Biri Island-Lavezares (Boat Ride): Php500.00/2pax (special trip)
Ø  Standard rate is Php50.00/pax
Ø  If special / private trip Php300.00/pax


 ACCOMODATION:

Biri Proper:
Fan Room with Private Bathroom:  Php1000.00/2 nights/2pax
Optional:
Fan Room w/ private bathroom: Php500.00/night/2pax
>  If additional pax in Fan room, Just add 150/pax (room is good up to 3pax)
Air-con Room w/ private bathroom: Php1000/night/2pax
>  If additional pax in Air-con room, Just add 250/pax (room is good up to 3pax)
Cooking Fee Charge: Php50.00/meal

Catarman Proper:
Fan Room with Private Bathroom:  Php150.00/night/2pax


FOOD & DRINKS:
Breakfast, Lunch, Merienda, Dinner: Php1,100.00/2pax including/3days & 3nights
NOTE: (food for our guide is included) 


TOUR GUIDE:
Biri Tour includes: Magsapad, Magasang, Macadlao, Bil-at, Biri Mangroves, Isalnd Side Tour 
> Php1,800.00/3days/2pax 
Standard Rate: Guide Fee w/ Habal-Habal: Php300/pax/day

___________________________________________
@ US$47 rate

SUMMARY OF EXPENSE w/ food & airfare
TOTAL (per pax) = Php5,030 or US$107.00
___________________________________________

HOW TO GET THERE:
By Plane: 
A.)   Flights from Manila will take you to either Catarman, which is the closest to Biri Island or to Calbayog, which is on the western side of Samar to the south of Biri Island. However, the best route is to fly to Catarman and take the short trip west along the coast to Lavezares, it’s a 1hour 20minutes ride.
You can take Air Philippines/PAL, Cebu Pacific, and Zest Air, most of the plane departs in the morning.

B.)    Once you have arrived at either airport you need to get yourself to the town of Lavezares, which is the jump off port, to get you to Biri Island. Numerous jeepneys will take you to Lavezares, 1 hour ride worth Php55.00-Php60.00 per person. Here you have a choice to experience topload J.

C.)    From Lavezares market, you will take a boat going to Biri Island, a 45minutes ride worth Php50.00 per person, or if you opt to have a special trip, you can rent the boat and pay Php500.00 for a private small boat good for 2-4pax.

By Land:
The best way, is to get a bus from Manila, bus transport such as PHILTRANCO & ELAVIL TOURS PHILS. INC  travel to port town of Matnog, which is on the southernmost tip of Luzon. This trip will take you about 15 hours.

From Matnog you need to catch the ferry to the town of Allen on Samar. Ferries make the crossing every hour or so.

Once you have arrived in Allen, get yourself into either a jeepney or a tricycle and head for Lavezares, which is where you need to be to get you to Biri Island, or follow the steps on letter C on By Plane.

__________________________________________________ 

For Island Trip Arrangement, Boat, Guide, Accomodation, Please see below contact details:

TOUR GUIDE, BOAT RIDE ARRANGEMENT:
Mr. Orlando Bulosan – 0920-5246773

ACCOMODATION:    
Biri Island
Manang Oning Amor
Villa Amor Pension House
Biri, Northern Samar
Contact Nos.: 0906-9681137
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