Hello, again hivers! Today, I will be sharing with you about this coastal municipality in the province of Leyte, Hindang, my hometown. It is a one-hour ride from Manila by air and a three-hour road trip from Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport. Or if you prefer it to be by land and Ro-Ro vessels, brace yourself for a 26 to 28-hour long road trip.
The universe must have conspired with all the stars to align and luckily put me in this corner of the world, to be born and be raised in this tropical paradise. I was able to enjoy its long shoreline, giving me a glance at the seemingly-endless view of the glittering stretch of mesmerizing West Philippine Sea. Its shores used to be my big playground and a remarkable summer rendezvous. Growing up, I was blessed to have been able to spend and enjoy my childhood running and playing with the sands and its enormous waves whenever the weather was bad (long before climate change has made typhoons these days to be more destructive 😔). This place has sprinkled magic, far more than any amusement park can do, giving me sparkles of the best childhood ever.
Unlike any other popular beach destinations, we do not have luxurious hotels here. But we have here transient houses at a very affordable price.
Fishing is the locals' bread and butter here. We owe it so much to the sea how we have made both ends meet every single day.
Mama helping the fisherman to get the fish out of the net, and to have the fish for free as a reward.
Its tropical view surely is a haven for those wanting to escape the chaotic city life. We have grown plenty of palm trees here which shelter our shore, as well as give us an unlimited supply of fresh and sweet coconut "buko" juice. And of course, the source of our hometown's very own version of red wine, tuba. You will never completely experience your visit here if you do not try an intoxicating sip and taste it. 😉
Me sitting on this slanted coconut tree that I planted when I was 12 years old.
Literally harvesting the fruit of my labor. 😁
You can also visit here a diving board, which requires you to pass through a long and narrow bridge. The crystal clear water with its rich coral reefs and a variety of colorful fishes dwelling in them is surely perfect for a snorkeling experience. Or just simply enjoy the scenic view of the shivering diamonds floating in the bed of the sea's blue blanket from above as well as the vast view of the charming Bontoc mountain, which has kept an enchanting tale that goes on from generation to generation.
Whenever the tide is low, the sea offers the residents a variety of seashells. It is always my favorite time of the day to do seashells-hunting or manginhas as we call it in our Visayan language. I always have my manghud (younger sibling) and my Mama doing this, either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Armed with our keen eyes and determined arms and legs, we can surely have a bountiful harvest of aninikad and litub which is enough to make a fresh and delicious soup to share at the table, without spending any money. I used to enjoy doing it when I was young, and I will never get tired of doing it over and over again, now that I am old. We are grateful for mother nature's giving us the perks of living near the sea.
The rural life here also gives me an amazing farm-to-table experience, courtesy of none other but Mama's effort in growing a small garden. Thankful for this place is naturally blessed with fertile soil, and with the help of her green thumb, she has grown lots of healthy and fresh vegetables.
To truly enjoy an up-close and personal experience with nature, you can also visit Bontoc cave which is just a 15-minute trek from its jump-off point. You can have an overlooking view of the town's breathtaking beautiful view of the sea. You can also enjoy a zip line with the mountain's green scenery. And also, for the highlight of this place, you will get to meet the monkeys inhabiting this cave. Just make sure to be careful not to annoy them to avoid any trouble, for as we all know, monkeys are naturally wild.
And as I mentioned, my hometown is a tropical paradise. It can offer you a pristine beach experience by visiting its island barangay Himokilan. It is one of the scenic islands in Leyte, the Cuatro Islas. It is the largest among the four islands. Its white sand and clear blue waters are truly stunning.
And of course, who wouldn't love a sunset? As the sun paints the sky gold, fall in love with its astounding view, dramatically saying that endings, can be beautiful too. And I can say, that no matter how many stunning sunsets I have seen everywhere, this one, closest to home, will always be my favorite.
Watching my favorite color.
I hope by writing about this place and flexing everything this paradise has to offer, gives justice to how beautiful my hometown is. No matter how many places I may roam, Hindang is a place I always love coming back home to.