HAVEN OF FUN BEACH RESORT IN DALUPIRI ISLAND, SAN ANTONIO, N. SAMAR

God is indeed good. On the day of our scheduled vicariate outing the weather forecast was bad. There was a gale warning because of the south-west monsoon which forecasted from rough to very rough sea conditions affecting the Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao seas. We planned to visit Dalupiri and Capul islands in N. Samar. There were 13 of us priests from the vicariate of Ormoc who joined. When we arrived in Calbayog indeed we saw the sea was very rough. The waves were strong and constant that the sea was foaming white all over. We had booked ourselves at the Haven of Fun Beach Resort in San Antonio, N. Samar in Dalupiri island just across the town of Victoria            in  N. Samar. Victoria is in between the towns of San Isidro and Allen which are already on the western side of N. Samar. Fr, Alwin, a good priest friend from Catarman recommended to me this place. The date we selected was July 28-30. It so happened that July 28 was the vesperas of the town fiesta of San Jose where Fr. Alwin was the parish priest and July 30 was also the vesperas of Capul the other island we wanted to visit. Fr. Alwin who wanted to join us but could not because of his fiesta offered to send us a lechon. Last Tuesday while we were on the way already to N. Samar I received a call from Fr. Alwin if I could have somebody pick up the lechon since he had no way to send it to Victoria (which was about 30 km away) as everybody was busy because of the fiesta. When we had our lunch in Calbayog where we joined the clergy of Calbayog at the seminary where they had their presbyterium meeting we were advised that we better use the south road passing through Lope de Vega and Catarman in going to Victoria because of the rough road from Calbayog to San Isidro. Although it was indeed a long way it was just timely as we were able to pass by San Jose to pick up the big lechon that Fr. Alwin prepared for us. We also passed by Allen to pick up another lechon and to partake of the food that Msgr. Apang, the parish priest prepared for us as he mistakenly prepared lunch for us that day when it should have been Thursday still. It was already late in the afternoon when we arrived in Victoria, the town from where we would get the boat for the Resort in San Antonio. We passed by the convento of Victoria where we had to park our car. The parish priest, Fr. Obet who was a former student prepared some fruits for us before we embarked on the boat. We gave him half of the big lechon that was given us. It was already about six o’clock when we took the boat for the 25 minute ride to Haven of Fun Beach Resort in San Antonio. Wonder of wonders, the sea was already very calm and the boat ride was really uneventful.

We found Haven of Fun Beach Resort beautifully developed. It had native cottages with aircon and non-aircon rooms. The non air-con rooms were made of Ifugao houses. It was a one bedroom house on stilts. The bed was upstairs while the toilet was down. The sand on the beach although not fine was white and the shoreline was not affected by the tides like it was in the other side of the island where during low tides one had to wade far from the shore just to take a bath. Kiosks with concrete porch ran along the beach which was just about a meter away from the sea. The resort was beautifully landscaped.

We stayed at the resort for two nights. The whole time that we were there we experienced very good weather. There was not even a drizzle, while back in Ormoc it was windy and raining cats and dogs especially in the evenings. On our second day we made an excursion to Capul island which was just at the back of Dalupiri island. Although the waves were still strong in this part of the island the day before, but the wind died down on the day that we visited the island. We were truly blessed.

The town of San Antonio is composed of seven barangays: Burabod, Pilar, Manraya, Rizal, San Nicolas, Dalupirit and Vinisitahan. Although it is already in N. Samar yet the main language is Cebuano except for two Barangays of Dalupirit and Vinisitahan which has Waray as its spoken dialect. There is a 27 km circumferential road around the island which is not yet fully cemented. We noticed as we went around the island that each barangay had their own cemetery.

Nine years ago when I first visited San Antonio there was already a good beach resort which was frequented by foreigners. However an accident happened which led to the dwindling of tourist arrivals and eventual closure and destruction of the resort. Two foreigners were scuba diving in one of the diving sites when a fisherman seeing bubbles rising to the top thought a huge fish was underneath. He threw a dynamite thereby killing one and badly injuring the other. That incident blacklisted San Antonio from foreign tourists but on the bright side it finally ended the illegal dynamite fishing in San Antonio. It is hoped that with this resort and others which are slowly being opened tourists will once again pour into San Antonio.

Haven of Fun Beach Resort, Cel 0927-7618824 / 09202990180. Webpage: www.havenoffunbeachresort.com. The aircon rooms have a rate of 1,000 and 500 for the non-aircon Ifugao houses of which there were 6 of them which could accommodate a maximum of 4 occupants. The rate is a little bit higher during high season. The boat ride from Victoria to San Antonio is only 30 pesos per passenger. There are plenty of boats plying the route even at night.

Haven of Fun Beach Resort in San Antonio, N. Samar

A picture taken with Bp. Abarquez of Calbayog at the seminary in Dagum Hills where we had our lunch.
The Church of San Jose, N. Samar.

The Altar of the Church of San Jose.

The parish Church of Allen, N. Samar

The altar of the Church of Allen

Our host Msgr. Apang (left) with his assistant Fr. Bong in their new rectory in Allen which is still under construction.

An aerial view of the island of Dalupiri where the town of San Antonio is found. The mainland of Samar is on top.

Haven of Fun Beach Resort in San Antonio, N. Samar in the island of Dalupiri.

An early morning view of the resort

Plants line up the along the passage lanes of the native huts and cottages.

These are the aircon duplex cottages.

The resort had six Ifugao houses which could accommodate four persons for 600 pesos only (500 for low season). It had electric fans only. The toilet and showers was downstairs.

The kiosks were just by the beach which had very clear waters.

There were a few vegetation on the waters as it was just white sand. The few corals had plenty of small fishes.

Feasting on the two leachons that were given us.

Our drivers were also enjoying the break

Night swimming on the clear and calm waters of Haven of Fun Resort.

Beside the resort was a stagnant stream with water reddish in color which at this time did not flow right into the sea.

Fr. Romel quietly savouring the serenity and the beauty of the resort.

A typical sari-sari store in San Antonio

This mosquito tournament caught my eye

The street going into town from the resort. The resort was just a few minutes walk away from the town center.

The town proper of San Antonio is protected by a sea wall.

The parish church of San Antonio.

Altar of San Antonio

They were trying to replace the wooden posts of the church with concrete.
We paid a courtesy call to the parish priest (left) of San Antonio.

The chapel of Dalupirit which is found at the western side of the island.

Altar of Dalupirit chapel

The chapel of Manraya

Inside the chapel of Manraya
The beach near Vinisitahan.

A fisherman digging for sasing, a kind of seaworm that he will use as a bait in fishing

The sasing that the fisherman collected.

Lagbangan Lake. The footbridge going to the kiosks in the middle of the lake has been left in utter disrepair.

The lake could be one of the tourist spots of the town. We were told that former representative had the place developed but abandoned the project when he lost in the election.

Pilar Chapel

The chapel of Rizal

Inside the Rizal Chapel
The town of San Antonio is trying its best to segregate its garbage and put into good use those that can still be reused hence every barangay has this Material Recovery Facility.

The Vinisitahan Chapel

The Roro port of Vinisitahan. The port has not yet been put into use except in times when boats or ships would dock here to escape some typhoons.
The resort next to Haven of Fun Beach Resort.

Some of the life forms found in the resort.