The island province of Leyte has many things to offer to visitors in terms of tourist destinations. From sightseeing tours, immersing in culture and history up to communing with nature, these destinations give a chance for tourist to engage in enjoyable activities.

Tourists who are into sightseeing tours about history will not be disappointed with Leyte. Historical landmarks and sites are scattered around the province waiting for history buffs. Tacloban has the Leyte Provincial Capitol, CAP Building (Price Mansion) and Redona Residence. These places are worth the sightseeing tour because these had significance during the liberation of Leyte in World War II. Meanwhile, there are also similar places found in Palo. The General Douglas MacArthur Landing Memorial and Guinhangdan Hill (Hill 522) are also significant historical places during the War era. On the other hand, The Hilongos Bell Tower in Hilongos, Leyte has significance from the Spanish era.

Tourists who want to immerse in the rich cultural heritage of the island should visit some of its notable museums and library for a sightseeing activity. The People’s Center and Library, located in Real Street, Tacloban, boasts of historical artifacts and a collection of dioramas depicting ethnic tribes in the Philippines. The Santa Fe Community Museum, on the other hand, showcases antiques and artifacts from the Spanish period up to World War II. Finally, the Santo Nino Shrine and Heritage Museum in Tacloban has an impressive collection of religious art and cultural artifacts. Paintings about the Stations of the Cross, a bas-relief wood carving depicting Malakas and Maganda (Philippines' version of Adam and Eve), statues of the Santo Nino and paintings done by national artist Fernando Amorsolo are some of its notable collection on display.

A religious pilgrimage of shrines and holy sites can be done in Leyte. Sightseeing tourists will appreciate the varied religious life in the province. The Madonna of Japan, located in Kanhuraw Hill, Tacloban, boasts of a beautiful garden where the statue of the Japanese Goddess of Peace known as Maria Cannon is found. The Santo Nino Church, located also in Tacloban, is the location of the image of the patron saint Santo Nino where devotees attest that it is a miraculous statue. Another attraction is the Buddhist Temple in Anibong District. Finally, the La Purisima Shrine in Palo is the house of the image of the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception.

Aside from sightseeing, there are destinations in the island of Leyte that give a chance for tourist to commune with nature. Activities like swimming, diving, island hopping, hiking can be engaged by tourists from across different destinations of natural wonders of mountains, islands, beaches, nature parks. White Beach in San Jose, Red Beach in Palo and Cuatro Islas (Four Islands) are ideal destinations for water activities like swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, boating. Mount Kankahanay in Jaro, Mahagnao National Park in Burauen, Leyte Mountain Trail, Tongonan Hotsprings National Park and Lake Danao in Ormoc, Amihan Cebu Woodlands and Mount Pangasugan Ecopark in Baybay are ideal places for tourists who want to adventurous by hiking or hunting.

Leyte is one of the industrializing provinces in the Visayan region of the Philippines that feature inviting medical facilities. Leyte hospitals and health care institutions always provide good quality services to the residents and tourists in the province. Most of the medical establishments in the area have private rooms, wards and laboratory facilities. In addition to these, the institutes employ registered medical doctors as well as professional health care assistants. Below are some of the most popular and accessible health care establishments in the province.

Leyte Provincial Hospital

One of the public health care facilities in the area that offer efficient services is Leyte Provincial Hospital. To improve the quality of services that the establishment provides to patients, the provincial government initiated improvements in the facilities of the institute, which include the addition of new medical equipment like an ultrasound, a CT scan and several X-ray machines. Aside from these, the government also added 25 beds and 10 rooms. Consultation fees at this establishment are free and the costs of medicines and other treatments are cheaper than in other Leyte hospitals and health care facilities.

Dr. Jose Silao Memorial Hospital

Another health care facility that provides affordable medical services to the residents in the province is Dr. Jose Silao Memorial Hospital. This establishment employs medical doctors and health care professionals who have sufficient knowledge on the different areas of medicine like surgery, general medicine, pediatrics as well as obstetrics. To provide comfortable stays to patients who are admitted to the place, the administration of this health care institution decided to renovate and improve the facilities, rooms and wards of this establishment.

Bethany Hospital

Individuals who want to seek medical help in private health care establishments can always go to Bethany Hospital, which is situated in the City of Tacloban. It provides enough space for patients who need to be admitted because it has 125 beds. To make sure that all the patients will receive immediate treatments, this medical care establishment employs 175 medical staff and physicians. This facility is operated by the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. Even if this is a private hospital, the medical costs are not as high as in other tertiary health care establishments in the province.

Divine Word Hospital

Situated along Avenida Veteranos Street in Tacloban City, the Divine Word Hospital offers good quality medical and dental services to residents in the area. It also specializes in pediatrics, family medicine, surgery and emergency medicine. Since it is considered as a teaching hospital, some medical students enroll their internship at this health care facility.

The Province of Leyte

Eastern Visayas Region would never be completed without the Leyte Province. The province of Leyte occupies most of the area of Leyte Island (almost 75%). Leyte Province is situated at the west part of Samar, north of Southern Leyte and Bilaran's south part. Cebu Island is just located at the western part of Leyte Island (across Camotes Sea).

People and Culture

Cebuanos and Waray-Waray are two of the main groups or natives occupying the island. These diversities are principally due to language and dialects. Cebuanos dominate the southern and western regions while the majority of the Waray-Waray natives occupy the east and north part of the municipality.

Financial System of Leyte Province

Agriculture is the main economic driver of the province of Leyte. In low flat areas, like in Tacloban, rice planting and production is prevalent trade or business. In high or mountainous vicinities, coconut farming, which produces coconut oil, is the chief means of earning money. Another popular source of livelihood among locals or native is fishing. Nonetheless, Leyte Province has the largest geothermal plant in Asia making it one of the provinces in the Philippines that is rich in natural resources.

The Symbol of the Official Provincial Seal of Leyte

The province of Leyte, has a rich historical and cultural heritage even before foreign occupations. The official seal of the Province of Leyte is the summarization of significant events and experiences that happened throughout the history of Leyte Province. The alphabet on the cross argent is the prehistoric Visayan paleographic syllable of the letter 'L' which stands for Leyte. The forty-one (41) municipalities of Leyte and the everlasting flame signify the heroes who offered their lives during the Second World War. The second chapter of Leyte's expansion is represented by the white cross when Magellan stopped in Leyte on his route to Cebu. The landing of the American Liberation Forces spearheaded by General Douglas MacArthur in Leyte during the Second World War is commemorated at the upper part of the seal which is a standpoint of the national Freedom Park.

Trip to Leyte Province

Experiencing the cultural and historical legacy and heritage of the province of Leyte is more enjoyable through the help and assistance of travel agents. If the theme of going to Leyte is more of an educational tour, but not compromising the leisure part of the trip, LGTT or Leyte Gulf and Travel Tours agency is one of the best travel agencies to consider. The said travel agency, aside from promoting the usual tourist spots of Leyte Province and other nearby (Visayas Region) municipalities; they are trying their best to support tourism by discovering potential tourist destinations. Leyte Gulf and Tours is situated at Calle Zaragosa Independencia Street, Tacloban City, Leyte 6500. Just to makes sure of the given information, it would be wise to check the internet for real-time updates. A hassle-free vacation is definitely the most relaxing getaway.

The Province of Leyte in a Nutshell

Leyte Provinces is considered to be one of the most historic municipalities of Philippines. It is one of the provinces that rebelled and reacted against the Spanish suppression. Leyte is also known because of the historic landing of the United States Armed Forces during the Second World War. The official provicncial seal of Leyte bears or reflects the historical significance or consciousness of the municipality by the stars indicating the towns of Leyte and a letter on a white cross denoting the antique letter 'L'. The White Cross denotes the second chapter of the progress of Leyte during the Spanish era when Ferdinand Magellan passed by going to Cebu. The upper part immortalizes General Douglas MacArthur's landing based on a viewpoint of the National Freedom Park. The city of Tacloban is the main or the capital city of Leyte nad is considered to be the most important seaport on the eastern seaboard. The western coast of Leyte is taken cared of the by the cities of Baybay and Ormoc.

Arts and Culture of the Leyte Province

Even before the Spanish era, there were already settlers living on the place. These settlers, according to historical facts had their own culture, in a way or two. The first locals of Leyte were said to be covered with tattoos or body paintings and they were referred to as the Pintados. In commemoration of these tattooed people of Leyte, the locals held a yearly Pintados Festival. Another notable contribution of Leyte to the culture and arts of the Philippines was through the dance called Tinikling. Tinikling was once considered to be the National Dance of the Philippines. The dance steps or movements are based on a bird known as 'tikling'. The dance involves two long bamboo poles (parallel with each other) that serve as 'rails'. These bamboo poles or rails create a beat as they are being hit against the ground and then the poles tend to 'clasp' (as per beat) and the dancers would try to avoid getting trapped or caught by these bamboo rails. As the dance goes on, the beat becomes faster and dancers should be more alert to avoid being caught by the clasping poles to the audiences' delight!

The Province of Leyte and the World Wide Web

In order to make their culture and assets be known all over the Philippines and to the rest of the world, the Leyte Province made an official website (http://www.leyte.org.ph/) where in a few clicks of the mouse button tourists and visitors alike would have a glimpse of what the province of Leyte is all about. The official website has a comprehensive information regarding some noted facts, tourism and doing business in Leyte Province.

Travelling in and around Southern Leyte need not be a problem because of the many modes of transportation available at your disposal. Below are the various Leyte transportation options worth your consideration.

By Air

The two major air carriers plying the Manila to Tacloban route are Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific. There are three flights daily and the total travel time is an hour and ten minutes. Air Philippines has four flights weekly serving the Cebu-Tacloban route.

At present, only the airport in Pananawan, Maasin is operational. It is a feeder airport with a length of 1200 meters and width of 30 meters. However, it does not have any commercial flights. The facility has no terminal and can only accommodate general aviation planes below 12,000 pounds.

By Sea

From Manila, Sulpicio Lines has three weekly trips. The total travel time is thirty six hours. Make sure that you book your trip one week in advance.

There are twelve seaports in Southern Leyte with two – Maasin and Liloan – classified as national ports and the other municipal ports. From the ten, five are now fully operational. From Cebu, travel time to Tacloban is around six hours on a regular boat and about two hours on Supercat and Waterjet. A ferry ride from Liloan to Surigao is 3 hours long.

Public Transportation in Leyte

There are five bus terminals in the province. They are located in open spaces and functions as a parking area so there are no buildings or other amenities. Bus companies, such as Cedec, Inland Trailways, Philtranco, and Ciudad, regularly traverse the Manila-Maasin route. Bachelor travels from the Ormoc-Maasin-Davao route.

If you are coming from Maasin going to Tacloban City, the total time of travel is 5 hours. From Pasay or Quezon City, travel time is 23 hours while from Davao, it is 19 hours via the Liloan ferryboat.

There are various modes of transportations that will take you to and from the various attractions within Tacloban City. Aside from jeepneys, pedicabs, and tricycles, rental car services can be arranged by the hotel where you are staying.

Getting discounts is possible by looking for the best deals first. Bear in mind that the first is not always the best deal available. Search for tour packages to make the most of your time in the province.

Whether it's for business or pleasure,the various Leyte transportation options can make your trip worthwhile.

I learned to appreciate a lot of things because of being informed. I appreciate things if and only if it is possible to have a direct experience with it. When I started to learn appreciating music, it was not enough for me to just listen and watch concerts and see the bands play their stuffs. To satisfy my 'appreciation', I needed to learn music by playing and making them by myself using a musical instruments. Same goes with other things, like going to a place and exploring it. Before trying to be in a new place or location, I really try to have bits and pieces of information to really appreciate and 'understand' what is going on (well, my point here is for me to have a 'feel of the place'). As for me, appreciation is more of setting expectations for myself than others trying to set expectations for me. It is like throwing questions to the tour guide than have the tour lead have it all the way. As for now I would like to discuss some facts about Leyte. I would be acting as a virtual 'tour guide'.

A Bit of a History

Leyte had been actively trading with merchants from neighboring nations particularly with the Chinese until Spanish set foot to Limasawa in 1521. The local chieftains had been amicable in accepting the Portuguese navigator none other than Ferdinand Magellan. Since then the rural place had taken transition from simple rural living to a relatively modern lifestyle. However, some asserted that it was Ruy Lopez de Villabos was the first Spanish conquistador to be in the island in 1543 and coined it Las Islas Felipinas. One of the most significant historical events that took place in the surrounding seas of the island was the 'Battle of Leyte Gulf'. The event occurred on October 1944. Its historical significance was the reclamation of the Allied forces of the island that spelled a crucial element for the victory of both Americans and Filipinos against the invading Japanese in the Philippines during the Second World War.

Leyte as of Today

The island of Leyte is composed of three (3) cities and forty (40) municipalities. The municipalities had been gathered into six (6) legislative or congressional districts. Tacloban City, the island’s main city had been declared highly-urbanized city way back 2008. However, the city of Ormoc is an independent component city. These two (2) cities have independent administration from the island itself meaning residents of these cities do not participate in electing provincial officials. The other city (technically speaking) is Baybay City.

Island's Business

The main commerce or business in Leyte is mainly depends on agriculture. Planting rice is the main thing especially in the lower flatter areas like in Tacloban. Another economic drive for the island is coconut farming and making coconut oil has been an income generating trade for the island as well. Fishing is another main source of income among locals. Having the largest geothermal plant in Asia, Leyte has become one of the Philippines' resource-rich provinces

Experiencing it Live

The Festival of Festivals which is the 'Kasadya-an' showcases the uniqueness and colorful history of Leyte. The word 'Kasadya-an' itself means gaiety, merrymaking or fun. The festivity is defined by lively, lovely and colorful parade that everybody would enjoy to see! The natives, in honoring the miraculous Señor Sto.Niño de Leyte, have their bodies painted (as Pintados). This has been a practice since the early times of the locals' conversion to Christianity. This festivity has become one of the landmark occasions in Leyte. It only happens annually on the month end of June.

Leyte Island's significance can never be completed without understanding or being aware of its history. I honestly had some goose bumps before getting to the island as I read the complete account of the battle of Leyte. I even pushed a simple tour around some safe locations in the Leyte Gulf just to fully understand and at least be one with those who had fought and offered their lives for the sake of freedom and this island. As for me, experiencing is 'experiencing as'.