Northern Samar capital used for Biri Island trips, waterfalls, caves, and local Visayan street food.
Catarman is the capital of Northern Samar, a modest provincial city that most visitors pass through on their way to Biri Island — and then wish they had stayed a little longer. It sits on the northern coast of Samar, far enough from the main tourist circuits to feel genuinely local. The streets run slow, the mornings smell of fresh tamalos from street stalls, and the University of Eastern Philippines — the first state university in the Visayas — gives the town an unexpected academic energy.
The city's main draw is as a base for exploring Northern Samar's natural landscape. Pinipisakan Falls, a multi-tiered cascade surrounded by limestone and forest, is one of the better waterfalls on the island. Adjacent Sulpan Cave has winding chambers and a subterranean river running through it. The coast within a couple of kilometres of town has a beach passable for swimming.
The real highlight is a day trip to the Biri Island rock formations, about an hour northeast by jeepney to Lavezares and then a ferry crossing. Biri's formations — carved by Pacific swells over millennia into arches, channels, and tidal pools — are among the most dramatic coastal geology in the Philippines. Magasang and Bel-at are the most visited spots; getting between them requires a bangka tour of the island's perimeter.
The Our Lady of the Annunciation Cathedral anchors the town centre. The pinyato sold at roadside stalls — a local take on peanut brittle made with carabao peanuts — is the thing to bring home.
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Getting There
Catarman has its own airport — Catarman National Airport — with regular flights from Manila operated by Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines. The flight takes about an hour and fifteen minutes and puts you directly in the provincial capital without the long overland journey. Book ahead: seats fill on weekends and during public holidays.
By land from Tacloban (the major regional hub to the south), the bus journey takes around five to six hours on the road through Eastern Samar. Buses leave from Tacloban's central terminal. The road follows the coast for much of the way and the scenery is good, but the ride is long and the road quality variable after heavy rain.
There is also a ferry connection from Allen, on the northwestern tip of Samar, to San Isidro on the Eastern Samar coast — useful if you are coming from the Bicol region of Luzon. From Allen, habal-habal or jeepney connections run to Catarman.
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When to Go
Northern Samar lies in a typhoon belt and takes direct hits more often than most Philippine provinces. The dry season runs roughly from March to May — the best window for Biri Island visits, waterfall hikes, and cave exploration. June through November brings increased typhoon risk and heavy rain that can make the access road to Pinipisakan Falls impassable.
December through February is cooler and generally manageable, with lower typhoon risk than the peak wet season, though occasional storms can still disrupt the Biri ferry crossing. Check weather forecasts before any boat trip.
The Catarman Fiesta in April celebrates the city's patron, and the streets fill with processions, music, and street food that give the town a livelier face than it typically presents.