How To Go To Ulot River

Ulot river is one of the latest tourist destinations in Western Samar. It is currently included in Tandaya Trail, a project of Governor Ann Tan, which was promoted only this 2015. In this article, I will write step-by-step guide on how to go and what to do there. Travelling alone is very safe because the locals are very kind and eager to help. As a matter of fact, I went there all by myself.
How to go there
  1. If you are from Catbalogan, ride a jeepney going to Buray or a bus going to Borongan. The fare is only about PHP 30.00 as of now.
*If you ride a jeepney, drop off at this intersection:
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Just walk to the left just like what that guy in yellow is doing. You will see some tricycles on the side, they can take you to Ulot river. The fare, however, is PHP 300.00, but that’s already back and forth. The tricycle driver should wait for you until you go back. If you want to save, just ride a bus.
*If you ride a bus, just tell the driver to drop you off at the office of the Department of Tourism because you still need to ask for permission from the tourism manager before you can go to Ulot river.
2. If you are from Tacloban, ride a van (Grand Tours, Duptours, or Vanvan; fare is about 100-130 pesos),  but don’t forget to tell the driver to just drop you off at Buray. If you are lucky, you can ride the bus going to Borongan so you can save money; otherwise, you have to ride a tricycle. The bus has a schedule, you may or may not see it once you arrive there.
Price Range
The price for one boat is PHP 1875.00. That already includes the fee for the:
-permit
-tour guide
-two boat men (for safety)
-safety gears
-rent for the boat
According to the boat men, one boat could hold up to 12 people, because there were some tourists who are very tight on budget. I won’t recommend you that, because you will be riding a torpedo boat. You might have an accident especially if the other passengers are heavy. I recommend only 6 people to be inside the boat. It’s better to shed some amount than risk your life.
If you only want to rent a boat, the cost is PHP 1200.00 (that already includes the fee for the driver). You can negotiate with the boat owner if you like. However, there are no tour guides, boat men, and safety gears.
When I went there, I only paid PHP 1500 instead of  PHP 1875 because I went there alone.
What to do
  • Don’t forget to ask permission from the Department of Tourism. It’s for your safety. As much as you want to save, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Besides, the difference between 1200 and 1875 is only a little.
  • Make sure that your camera is waterproof because there will be some water splash while you’re on the boat. If your camera is not waterproof, you can pack it in a cellophane.
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See this? That’s the water splash. I took this picture using Samsung S4 active. It’s waterproof, so no worries.
  • Be prepared to get wet because the water will certainly go inside the boat. I went there only to take pictures, not to swim in the river, so I came unprepared. I was very wet when I came back. haha :D
  • Make sure you bring food and water because there are no restaurants or fruit trees in the area.
  •  Although you will feel excited upon seeing the scenery, don’t jump right away. The water is actually deep than it seems. The water current is also very strong. Don’t act like you’re superman. Practice some safety precautions if you still want to go home alive. Wait for the boat men to tie a rope in the area first. The rope is necessary so that you will not be carried to a very far place by the water current or else goodbye to you. :)
  • Make sure you have already defecated before you go there because there are also no restrooms in the area. We don’t want anyone to ruin mother nature. Urinating is okay since it will be carried by the water current.
  • Enjoy and have fun, but that does not include pushing other people in the water. Don’t do unto unto others what you don’t want to be done unto you. If you don’t know how to swim, tell your tour guide beforehand so that he can give you a life jacket. As I mentioned, the water current is very strong, even a mermaid can be carried away with it.
What it looks like
This is where you will ride the boat going to the main area.
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I have to go outside of the boat when we passed the mid-section of the river because there was no enough water. The boat men needed to carry the boat so we can cross.
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The main point:
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Other miscellaneous tips
  • If you are just commuting, make sure you go home before 5 pm. It’s already difficult to ride public transpos if it’s already late.
  • Don’t forget to bring extra clothes.

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