Samar joins cruise tourism circuit, welcomes NZ ship
TACLOBAN CITY—Samar welcomed 130 foreign guests aboard a cruise ship this week, signaling the province’s entry into the international expedition cruise circuit.
Operated by New Zealand-based Heritage Expeditions Ltd., the Heritage Adventurer arrived at Pier 1 in Catbalogan City on June 16 for its guests’ daylong guided tour of the province’s natural and cultural attractions.
The visit marked not only the ship’s maiden call to Samar but also the province’s debut as a stopover in international cruise itineraries within Eastern Visayas region.
“This is one for the books as it marks the first-ever expedition cruise shore excursion in the province of Samar,” said Karina Rosa Tiopes, Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director.
“This visit has opened the door for Samar to become part of the expedition cruise product portfolio of the region,” she added.
The Heritage Adventurer is a purpose-built 1A Super Ice Class expedition vessel designed for navigating remote and challenging environments from the Arctic to the tropics. Originally launched in 1991 and refurbished in 2022, the ship can accommodate up to 140 passengers and is known for its small-ship, ecoconscious cruising that focuses on wildlife, conservation and meaningful local encounters.
It is part of Heritage Expeditions’ mission to connect travelers with untouched parts of the world while supporting biodiversity and sustainable tourism.
Most of the guests on board were from Australia, New Zealand, France and other European countries.
Their Samar itinerary began at the Paranas Eco-Trail, located within the Samar Island Natural Park— the country’s largest contiguous forest area and a declared protected landscape. There, visitors enjoyed birdwatching, forest trekking and guided tours focused on biodiversity.
The group also explored a 2-hectare privately owned arboretum in Paranas, home to several rare and native tree species cultivated by the landowner.
From there, the visitors traveled to the island town of Daram to see the Kandiwata Rock Formation, a natural limestone formation surrounded by turquoise waters that has become one of Samar’s most recognizable ecotourism spots.
Sampling local cuisine
Adding to their cultural immersion, the guests were treated to authentic Samar cuisine prepared by heritage cooks under the Secret Kitchen of Samar, a provincial government initiative that promotes heirloom recipes and local culinary traditions.
The DOT records showed that Samar welcomed 6,982 foreign tourists in 2024, alongside 376,833 domestic visitors, generating an estimated P2.2 billion in tourism receipts.
For the first quarter of 2025, the province already saw 1,035 foreign tourists and 67,680 local visitors with a corresponding revenue of P399.44 million.
With this momentum, the DOT and the provincial government led by Gov. Sharee Ann Tan are now developing more shore excursion offerings across Samar to accommodate future cruise arrivals.
Other provinces in Eastern Visayas such as Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran and Northern Samar had already been receiving cruise ship visits, but Tiopes said Samar’s inclusion was a breakthrough for the region’s western seaboard.
“This is a significant step toward positioning Samar as a sustainable and experiential destination in the global cruise tourism market,” she said.
