Ride a Torpedo Boat in Samar, Help Fight Illegal Logging

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PARANAS, Samar – Five years have gone by since the area was proclaimed and developed as an eco-tourism destination by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to combat illegal logging, and locals are already reaping the benefits. A surge in tourism has shifted their livelihood, from cutting down trees illegally to professionally guiding thrill-seeking tourists on the river tour.

They have been receiving an average of 500 tourists per month during the summer, while monsoon season rakes in about 200 visitors a month. Thirty-six year old leader of river guides and boatmen in Tenani village, Eugene Igdalino, says that they receive P5,000 to P7,000 a month showing tourists around. The drive displayed by locals to engage in eco-tourism has also motivated National Government agencies to offer villagers assistance by building tourism support facilities, trainings, as well as provision of gears.

Karina Rosa Tiopes, regional director of the Department of Tourism (DOT) says that the site faces many challenges since its launch fifty years ago, including damaged safety gears, frequent flooding, strong typhoons, and old boats. Tiopes promises to offer more assistance to local tourism, including more opportunities for local food sellers, concrete roads to the jump-off point, trails for senior citizens, multicabs for catering, and a hanging bridge.

How You Can Experience the Torpedo Ride


Enjoy a white-water rapid ride, also known as The Ulot River Torpedo Extreme Boat Ride, on a motorized canoe deep into the Samar Island National Park (SINP) in the south central area of Samar Island. The Ulot Watershed Model Forest t is a 10.5 km or one-hour ride downstream from the jump-off point. Going upstream, on the other hand, needs about an hour and 15 minutes or a total of 21 km.

The famous river can be reached both by land and air. If you’re coming from Manila, it’ll only take a little more than an hour to Calbayog City and Tacloban City. From there, you’ll be able to find jeepneys, buses, and vans that offer regular trips to the area.

Tour packages include community development fee, motorized banca rental, tour guide’s fee, kayak rental, and use of safety gears and personal floating devices.

The torpedo ride is just a component of the Ulot Watershed Ecotourism Loop, which handles other recreation sites, including Can-maanghit Falls, Lusungan Falls, Taft Philippine Eagle Sanctuary, Pangpang Falls, Yabon Falls, Nasarang Spring, Silay Cave, Catingcoy Cave, Liaw Cave, Duloy Spring, Sulfan Spring, and Pugtak Spring.




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I’m a wandering Filipina-German living in Manila. Flower child and moonlighter at heart, I dream, write, photograph, (model sometimes), and specialize in content and user experience design.

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About Me
I’m a wandering Filipina-German living in Manila. Flower child and moonlighter at heart, I dream, write, photograph, (model sometimes), and specialize in content and user experience design

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