SLIGHTLY BIGGER than Boracay, Calicoan Island is part of the town of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Dubbed the “Surfing Capital of the Visayas,” the islet (see featured image) is being eyed as one of the Philippines’ next top tourist destinations.

If our featured photo has you mesmerized, you’ve already been enchanted by Calicoan, so we wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve opened another tab to look up how to get there. But don’t scroll down just yet.

Let us tempt you a little more. Part of Ngolos village, Calicoan Island has a three-kilometer white sand beach facing the Pacific Ocean. Picture yourself walking that long stretch of sand, ideal for a stroll either early in the morning or just before sunset.

Most of the island remains untouched, which makes it well suited to a peaceful getaway. It’s a place you can just as easily enjoy alone, though bringing a friend or a loved one along tends to make for a greater adventure. Then again, solo travelers are bound to meet other solo travelers on the island, away from the judgmental eyes of the world.

Beyond its breathtaking white sand beaches, Calicoan Island is also known for its unspoiled tropical forest, rocky landscape, and clear waters — waters clear enough that you’ll want to see the island’s Linaw Waterfalls for yourself. “Linaw” means “clear” in Filipino.

The water is so clear you can see straight to the bottom from above, and you won’t be able to resist diving in. Just prepare for a short hike into the middle of Calicoan’s tropical jungle to reach the falls — it isn’t the easiest lover to win over, but the trek is well worth it.

If you read ‘surf’ as ‘big waves,’ you’re a genius. This island isn’t called the Visayas’ surfing capital for nothing. Consider it a surfers’ haven, where big waves greet those who love the water sport with joy. Not many know it, but the island has served as host to an annual surfing competition for several years now.

If strolling the white-sand beach brings you peace, and the trek to the waterfalls gets your blood pumping, the roar of the big waves here will make your visit even more thrilling. During the surfing months, waves can rise to a few meters, drawing shouts of excitement from amateur and professional surfers alike, as if they’d struck a real gem. Beginners are best off coming during the summer season (January to March), when the waves sit at just 2 to 3 feet.

Accommodation isn’t a worry, as there’s plenty to choose from. Surfers tend to prefer resorts like the Surf Camp Resort, where the beach and the necessary surfing gear are both close at hand.

How to get there? Your jump-off point to the island is Tacloban City, reachable by air from Manila. Domestic airlines fly the Manila-Tacloban route three times a day, and the flight takes around 60 minutes. From Tacloban, it’s a two-and-a-half-hour trip by land to Calicoan Island. Happy surfing!

Photos from cebuplaces.com, vigattintourism.com, surftolivetosurf.tumblr.com, surf-forecast.com, and lakas.com.ph.