As the year 2024 arrived, there were still a few Philippine provinces I’ve yet to visit: Apayao, Sulu, and Dinagat Islands. Out of the three, the latter is the one I knew the least about. Ever since it gained independence from Surigao del Norte and established itself as a separate province in 2006, information about this island province has been scarce. However, there was one particular parricide case that captivated the nation and also the one that first caught my attention about the island in the early 2000s.

What an impressive view

Cutting through the mountains and hillsides of Samar from east to west, the 90-kilometer Ulot River, the longest river in Samar, is a thing of beauty. Surrounded by verdant forest and limestone karsts featuring dramatic rock formations, clear cascading waters stream through a setting that conceals a vast network of cave systems, including the Langun-Gobingob Cave, widely regarded as the biggest in the country and itself, the river once known as a distribution channel for illegal logging has now become an emerging adventure tourism destination.

Group shot at Deni's Point of Ulot River