French cruise ship visits Leyte’s Cuatro Islas

INOPACAN, Leyte, June 23 -- The French cruise ship, L'Austral, again made a port call in picturesque Cuatro Islas here Friday, bringing 200 tourists.

Justin Friend, tour handler of L'Austral, said this is the cruise ship’s second and last visit to Leyte this year, but the French firm operating the ship, the Compagnie Du Ponant, is already preparing its itinerary for 2020, which may include Cuatro Islas, and is likely to add more island destinations in Eastern Visayas in the future.

As in its previous visit, L'Austral docked at the Himukilan Island in Hindang town and Mahaba Island in Inopacan town.

In Hindang, locals and schoolchildren queued up at the entrance of the Himukilan Elementary School for a cultural presentation. Residents presented a traditional dance while children serenaded visitors with Visayan songs.

A performance of the traditional tinikling and kuracha enticed tourists to dance, which was one of the highlights of the cultural presentation.

Visitors also tasted local dishes prepared for them by residents of Himukilan, bought souvenir items made in Romblon, and also played palo sebo, a traditional Filipino game that requires players to climb a greasy bamboo pole.

Tourists took a sip of tuba, a local wine made from coconut juice, and observed how tuba is gathered and processed into wine. They also learned the process of making mats and bags out of dried Romblon grass.

Cuatro Islas, composed of four islands, is surrounded by crystalline waters that change color from deep blue to turquoise green and teem with marine life.

The islands of Digyo, Mahaba and Apid belong to Inopacan town, while Himukilan Island is part of Hindang.
On April 23, 2000, the environment department declared Cuatro Islas as a Protected Seascape and Landscape.

In Mahaba Island, tourists swam in the turquoise-colored sea water for about three hours. Some just relaxed at the white sand and basked under the sun while others tried snorkeling.

Rina Apostol, the Department of Tourism’s accreditation officer and tourism development area manager for Leyte, Biliran and Southern Leyte, said two more cruise ships are expected to visit the region this year. The next cruise ship is scheduled to visit in October. (RTA/PNA)