Strategically located at the heart of Eastern Visayas or Region VIII, Tacloban City lies along the northeastern side of the island of Leyte. Tacloban’s location and accessibility have made the city the commercial, educational, government and political hub as well as the tourism service center of the region.
Tacloban City is 360 miles (580 km) southeast of Manila. It is situated approximately halfway the entire length of Maharlika Highway running from Northern Luzon to Southwestern Mindanao making it a perfect place for road-weary travelers to unwind.
Tacloban City has sparkling jet-black sandy beaches, warm climate and even warmer people. The place is also perfect for windsurfing and jetskiing with calm waters surrounding the city. for scuba diving enthusiasts, dive sites are just few minutes drive away across the San Juanico Bridge to the mysterious and beautiful island of Samar.
As a service center of the local tourism circuit, the city has a number of convenience establishments, supplies and support facilities for visitors. Points of interest under this circuit include historical places that is connected with the events during the liberation of the Philippines.
Getting There
AIR
The Daniel Z. Romualdez airport service flights from other points of destination in the Philippines. Major airlines serve Tacloban City with daily one-hour flights from Manila and a 30-minute flight from Cebu. At the airport there are a number of rent-A-Car companies that will take you to the heart of the city or to any point within the region.
For the budget-conscious traveler, public utility jeepneys ply the airport-downtown route.(travel time from the airport to the city center takes about 15 to 20 minutes.)
SEA
A major shipping company service the seaport of Tacloban with weekly voyages to Cebu City and Manila. Fastcrafts call on Ormoc City via a two-hour trip from Cebu. From Ormoc it will take you another two hours to get to tacloban City aboard shuttle vans that leave Ormoc on an hourly interval.
LAND
From Manila you can reach Tacloban City via the Maharlika Highway. Philtranco, Ultrabus, Silverstar and other bus companies service this route. Travel time is 20 to 22 hours. From the south, scheduled bus trips ply the Davao – Tacloban route. Estimated time of travel is 17 hours.
Attractions
- Price Mansion (now CAP Bldg.)
- Sto. Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum
- San Juanico Bridge
- Hill 120
- Gen. MacArthur Landing Memorial Park
- Palo Metropolitan Cathedral
