Philippines is known to be highly biodiverse, even belonging to the 18 mega-diverse countries in the world. Our country is blessed with over 50,000 species of flora and fauna, and over half of this number cannot be found in other parts of the world.
We owe a respectable amount of flora and fauna to the old-growth forest. Also known as primary or virgin forests, these are vast undisturbed forests that are home to many wild plants and animals. Samar Island is home to is the largest contiguous tract of old-growth forest in the Philippines.
Samar Island Natural Park is a protected forest in the island province of Samar. It is the country’s largest terrestrial protected area, with an astounding area of 333,300 hectares (824,000 acres), encompassing 34 municipalities and 3 cities!
The buffer for this protected area is even more expansive, spanning over the island’s three provinces (Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar province) totaling about a third of the whole island’s area.
The Samar Island Natural Park seeks to contribute to the effort of conserving biodiversity in Samar Island and the Philippines by protecting the area and sustaining ecological services and opportunities. It is managed by a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB).
The PAMB is responsible for creating protective policies and the general administration of the protected forest. This arrangement for the massive expanse of forest is composed of representatives of LGUs, NGAs, POs, NGOs and the DENR.
Of course, people like us can also witness the beauty of the forest! While the park itself is protected and access for people is limited, there is one notable location bearing the same name that welcomes guests and visitors.
Appreciably abbreviated as SINP, it is a resort-style accommodation that can be found in Catbalogan. It’s the perfect place to stay if you wish to appreciate the natural park!
RATES & OTHER INFORMATION
Day use:
- SINP Entrance Fee: ₱30 per person
- Swimming pool use: ₱120 for adults, ₱75 for children below 12 years old
- Pool open hours: 10AM to 10PM daily
Cottages:
- Sohoton Cottage: ₱500
- Torpedo Cottage: ₱300
- Big Umbrella Type: ₱300
- Small Umbrella Type: ₱200
Room Rates:
- Accommodation is available at ₱150 per person, or minimum of ₱500 per room occupancy. Rooms available are:
- Ulot: 1 queen, 1 single bed
- Catnom: 1 queen, 4 single beds
- Rafaflesia: 13 single beds
- Pitchel: 7 single beds
- Tarictic: 5 single beds
- Isaw: 5 single beds
All rooms come with comfort rooms
Other Information:
- Facebook pages:
- SINP Address: Camp Uno, Brgy. Tinani, Paramas, Samar
- SINP Contact No.: 0918-223-5586
Comments are closed.