Tacloban is one of the last frontiers in Philippine travel. Eastern Visayas is a relatively poor province — known more for pig farming and resilience than for tourism — and that’s exactly what makes it worth visiting. We drove down from Clark with a friend who’s into spelunking, and what we found was a city that surprised us in all the right ways.
The city itself wasn’t what we’d call tourist-friendly in the traditional sense. There’s no beachfront resort strip, no Instagram-ready café row, no party scene catering to expats. But it was comfortable. We found decent restaurants, middle-of-the-road hotels with reliable air conditioning, and enough Western amenities that we never felt like we were roughing it. Tacloban is a real city, not a tourism product — and after years of visiting destinations that feel increasingly designed for visitors, that was refreshing.
MacArthur's Return
"I shall return." He did — wading ashore on Red Beach in 1944, and the moment changed the course of the Pacific War.
Why Did We Go to Tacloban?
The real reason we went was the MacArthur Landing Memorial. That’s it. That one piece of history was enough to justify the trip.
Just south of the city, on the beach at Red Beach in Palo, you walk out onto the sand where General Douglas MacArthur waded ashore on October 20, 1944 — a site best experienced as part of a Tacloban heritage tour — fulfilling his famous promise to return to the Philippines. Standing there are these 10-to-12-foot bronze statues of MacArthur and his landing party, striding through the shallow water with the determination that changed the course of the Pacific War. The scale of it hits you differently in person. These aren’t museum pieces behind glass — they’re right there on the beach, waves lapping at the base, the same view MacArthur saw when he stepped off the landing craft.
For anyone with even a passing interest in WWII history, this is one of the most significant sites in the Pacific theater. The Battle of Leyte Gulf that followed was the largest naval battle in history. Standing where it started, on that quiet beach south of a provincial capital most travelers skip — that’s the kind of moment that sticks with you.
What’s the City Like?
We visited roughly ten years ago, so things have likely changed — the city has been growing, especially in the rebuilding years after Typhoon Yolanda (Hainan) devastated it in 2013. But the bones of our experience still hold: Tacloban is a functional, comfortable city that doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not.
Hotels were middle-of-the-road. Nothing fancy, but clean rooms, air conditioning that worked, and hot water. Restaurants were decent — not destination dining, but solid Filipino food at very reasonable prices. We never struggled to find a meal we enjoyed.
The nightlife and expat scene was minimal when we visited — not much going on after dark beyond the BBQ stalls and a few local bars. That’s probably shifted in the years since, especially with the post-Yolanda rebuilding bringing new businesses and infrastructure. But if you’re coming expecting Cebu or Manila-level entertainment, recalibrate.
Local Gems
Skip the malls. The best of Tacloban is in the markets, the mangroves, and the secret waterfalls locals don't advertise.
What Should We Eat and Where Should We Hang Out?
The food scene in Tacloban is unpretentious and affordable. Here’s what locals actually recommend:
Magsaysay Boulevard BBQ — The move here is simple: walk the boulevard at dusk, pick a stall, and eat. Grilled chicken, pork skewers, and seafood over charcoal. Under ₱200 ($3.60 USD) for a full meal. This is what locals do on a Friday night.
Payapay Seafood Park (Brgy. 89, Payapay) — A newer spot that’s become a local favorite. Seaside Filipino kitchen with fresh seafood, plus a 24-hour fitness center, dog park, and playground. ₱100–500 ($1.80–9 USD) per person. Good for families.
Espazio Arts + Food + History (130 Juan Luna St) — The best café in the city. Coffee, art, and local history in one spot. ₱200–400 ($3.60–7.20 USD). Locals also recommend the archery range at Robinsons Place Tacloban if you’re looking for something different indoors.
Market delicacies — Head to the downtown street stalls or Tacloban Shopping Center on Zamora Street for the real finds: Binagol (taro custard wrapped in coconut shell) and Chocolate Moron (sticky rice cake). These are Leyte specialties you won’t find anywhere else in the Philippines.
Binagol is one of those Filipino delicacies that looks simple but takes real skill to make — taro is grated, mixed with coconut milk and sugar, then cooked inside a coconut shell over low heat for hours. It's a Leyte original and the texture is like a denser, earthier leche flan. When you visit the Yolanda memorial, be quiet and respectful. Many people you'll meet in Tacloban lost family members. They don't want pity — they want you to see how they rebuilt. That resilience is the most Waray thing about this city.
Japan Wares Shop in the Old Library — A quirky local favorite near the Presidential Palace. Unique shopping inside a building of “faded glory.” Worth a wander.
What Nature Is Hiding Outside the City?
Tacloban sits in a province stacked with waterfalls and green spaces that most travelers never hear about. None of these are in any guidebook.
Balugo Falls (Abucay) — Locals call it a “sort of secret waterfall.” Small, uncrowded, and exactly the kind of place you’d never find without asking around. Good for a half-day hike.
Camargues Falls — A roughly 30-meter cascade on the city outskirts. Great for hiking and photography. Bring proper shoes — the trail is steep in spots.
Tulaan Falls — A local day-trip favorite with a twist: buy fresh seafood from the fishermen nearby and roast it on-site. That’s the Tacloban experience in a nutshell — no restaurant needed, just fire and fish.
Paraiso Mangrove Eco Learning Park (208 Picas–San Jose DZR Airport Rd) — A 6-hectare marine and wildlife sanctuary right in the city. Walking paths, playground, and an entrance fee of about ₱30 ($0.55 USD). Good for an easy morning walk.
Mount Inapusong (Tolosa) — In nearby Tolosa municipality, this is the local climbing challenge. Not a major peak, but a solid half-day hike with views over the strait.
Tabango Eco Park — A hilltop greenery in the heart of Leyte with winding paths and refreshing views. Low-key and uncrowded.
Waray Culture
Eastern Visayas has its own rhythm, its own language, and its own fierce pride. Tacloban is the beating heart of it.
What Cultural Experiences Are Worth Our Time?
Price Mansion — A historic site that’s often less crowded than the main museums. Especially worth visiting during Christmas season when the decorations and atmosphere are at their best.
Pintados Festival (late June) — If your timing lines up, this festival celebrates the tattooed warriors of the Visayas. You can participate in lower-commitment versions of traditional Pintados tattoos using makeup or henna — a cultural rite that’s become part of the modern celebration.
Santo Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum — Built by Imelda Marcos as a guesthouse, now a museum. Over the top in ways that tell you a lot about the Marcos era. Worth seeing regardless of your politics.
Yolanda Memorial — The storm surge that hit Tacloban on November 8, 2013 killed over 6,000 people in this city alone. The memorials are sobering, respectful, and important. The resilience of the people who rebuilt is the real story of modern Tacloban.
Tacloban is also the best possible jumping-off point for Eastern Visayas. Cross San Juanico Bridge — the longest bridge in the Philippines, stretching 2.16 kilometers across the San Juanico Strait — and you’re in Samar, one of the wildest and least-explored islands in the country. Head north and you reach Biliran, a tiny island province where waterfalls outnumber tourists a hundred to one.
Where to Eat in Tacloban
The food scene in Tacloban is unpretentious and affordable — no fine dining, but honest Filipino cooking and Leyte specialties you won’t find anywhere else.
Ocho Seafood Grill — The most popular seafood restaurant in Leyte. Fresh catch grilled over charcoal, served family-style with rice and sawsawan (dipping sauces). The grilled squid and sinigang na hipon are the moves. ₱200–500 ($3.60–9 USD).
Giuseppino Italian-Filipino — A surprising find in Tacloban. Italian-Filipino fusion with handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza alongside Filipino classics. A nice change of pace when you want something different. ₱250–600 ($4.50–11 USD).
Magsaysay Boulevard BBQ stalls — Walk the boulevard at dusk, pick a stall, and eat. Grilled chicken, pork skewers, and seafood over charcoal. This is what locals do on a Friday night and it’s the best under-₱200 meal in the city. ₱80–200 ($1.45–3.60 USD).
Zamora Street market stalls — Head here for Leyte’s signature delicacies: binagol (taro custard cooked inside a coconut shell — denser and earthier than leche flan) and Chocolate Moron (sticky rice cake wrapped in banana leaves). These are regional specialties you won’t find outside Eastern Visayas. ₱30–100 ($0.55–1.80 USD).
Payapay Seafood Park — A newer spot in Brgy. 89 that’s become a local favorite. Seaside Filipino kitchen with fresh seafood, plus a playground for families. Good for a longer meal with a view. ₱100–500 ($1.80–9 USD).
Espazio Arts + Food + History — The best cafe in the city. Coffee, art, and local history in one spot on Juan Luna Street. Good for a morning coffee or a light lunch between sightseeing. ₱200–400 ($3.60–7.20 USD).
Where Should You Stay in Tacloban?
- Ironwood Hotel — The best hotel in the city. Modern rooms, rooftop bar, good restaurant, and reliable AC. ₱3,000–4,500/night ($54–81 USD).
- Leyte Park Resort Hotel — A heritage property with grounds on the waterfront. Faded grandeur but spacious rooms and a pool. ₱4,500–6,000/night ($81–108 USD).
- GV Hotel Tacloban — No-frills budget chain hotel. Clean, functional, air-conditioned. Gets the job done for a transit stop. ₱800–1,200/night ($14–22 USD).
- Ritz Tower de Leyte — Mid-range option in the city center with a restaurant and proximity to Magsaysay Boulevard. ₱1,500–2,500/night ($27–45 USD).
- Getting there: We drove from Clark — it's a long haul through Luzon and a ferry crossing, but doable as a road trip with stops. Flying into Tacloban (TAC) from Manila or Cebu is the sensible option. Cebu Pacific has the cheapest fares.
- Money: ATMs work fine in the city center. Bring extra cash if you're heading to waterfalls, Samar, or Biliran — rural areas are cash-only.
- How long to stay: Two nights is enough to see the MacArthur Memorial, explore the city, and do a waterfall day trip. Add a third if you're crossing to Samar or heading to Biliran.
- Transport: No Grab. Negotiate tricycle fares before you get in. For day trips to Red Beach, San Juanico Bridge, or waterfalls, arrange a van through your hotel.
- Weather: Eastern Visayas has a very short dry window — February through May. Outside that, expect heavy rain and potential typhoons. Don't mess around with weather in this part of the Philippines.
- Safety: The city is safe for travelers. Use normal precautions. The bigger concern is road conditions on rural trips — some routes to waterfalls are unpaved and steep.
- Local food move: Magsaysay Boulevard BBQ at dusk. Binagol and Chocolate Moron from Zamora Street stalls. Skip the hotel restaurant — the street food is better and a fraction of the price.
The Takeaway
Tacloban isn't trying to impress you. It's too busy being real. And that's exactly why it's worth the trip.
Tacloban isn’t a beach destination. It’s not a party city. It’s not the kind of place that shows up on “Top 10 Philippines” lists. But standing on Red Beach looking at those bronze statues of MacArthur and his men wading through the surf — feeling the weight of what happened there and what it meant for the Philippines and the entire Pacific — that’s something you can’t get from a resort pool in Boracay.
Eastern Visayas is one of the last parts of the Philippines that hasn’t been reshaped by mass tourism. The food is cheap, the people are warm, the history runs deep, and the waterfalls don’t have entrance fees or Instagram queues. We came for MacArthur and left with a genuine appreciation for a part of the country that most travelers fly right over. If you’re the kind of person who travels to understand a place rather than just photograph it, Tacloban belongs on your list.