The Tandaya trail in Samar province has expanded, adding more sites for tourists to explore.
Samar provincial tourism officer Marvin Piczon said in a press briefing Friday that the Barobaybay River Cruise and Mangrove Tour in Barobaybay village in Calbiga, Samar, will be the new offerings this year.
Operated by the Barobaybay Mangrove and Marine Conservationist Association, the site for the cruise is within 216 hectares of mangrove and nipa area that stretches along the Calbiga River way up to Maqueda Bay.
The tour, which is set to launch in September, will give tourists an experience of the locals’ way of fishing.
Introduced in 2015, the trail has only three sites: the Sohoton Cave in Basey, rock formations in Marabut town, and the Ulot River in Paranas town.
Aside from these three sites, the trail now includes Lulugayan Falls and Calbiga Cave in Calbiga town; Lobo Cave in Jiabong town; the Golden River cruise in Basey town; and the seafood dishes at San Juan by the Bay against the magical backdrop of San Juanico Bridge in Sta. Rita town.
“We are also promoting the province as a food destination through the Secret Kitchens of Samar,” Piczon added.
The Secret Kitchens of Samar Gastronomy Tour includes cooking demonstrations, meeting with kitchen heroes, and savoring the flavors of authentic Samar cuisine passed down through generations.
Tandaya is the ancient name of the province and is being used by the local government to promote its tourism.
Stepping up the promotion of Tandaya Trail is part of the celebration of the 183rd founding anniversary of the province of Samar, which officially started earlier Friday.
The provincial government lined up several activities from Aug. 1 to 12 to commemorate its founding day.
Samar Day was previously celebrated every Nov. 10 to commemorate the election of the first officials of the province.
During the martial law era, the celebration was moved to Aug. 23.
In the late 1970s, officials changed the date to Aug. 11 to commemorate the day when Queen Isabel of Spain signed the royal decree that established Samar as a separate province from Leyte. (PNA)
