Life Is Good In Samboan, Cebu

I got invited again by some friends over the long weekend. This time, we went somewhere a little bit farther. So, where exactly did we go?

We went to Samboan, the town next to Santander – the southern end of Cebu. Samboan is around four hours away by bus (3+ by V-hire). So if you can’t take very long trips, make sure to make stops in noteworthy towns you see along the way. (Read: Carcar, Boljoon, Moalboal, Badian, Santander – well, all Cebuano towns are great!)






See Map:

Samboan is a quaint little town around 150 kilometers away from Cebu City. Little is known of this awesomely gorgeous town. I didn’t know too much about it before the trip, either. So, experiencing the town, the people and the scenes (and not just passing through) is truly a memorable experience for me. I shall never soon forget how Samboan made me let go of all the negatives in me and just enjoy nature, the company, and myself. I’m definitely coming back! Thank you Irene, Ryan and Aiz (and her parents) for the awesome time. And to the lovely ladies – you’re all awesome!

Fishing is one of the main industries in Samboan.

 

I love this shot. Too much light ain’t too bad at all! Cute kids!

Ryan and Aiz ready for the very long trip.

Last minute shopping – Ampao, Otap, Dried Mangoes, Masareal

The bus has a TV set! Cool!

Magic Tree (Lemon flavor) – Helping you throw up during long rides since 1980.

Ahhh! The South National Road! Gorgeous!

Ai-ai’s parents’ ancestral house looks quite nice. Reminds me of my grandparents’ house in Negros.

Just across the street, past the national road, is the beach! Waaaaaaaaaaaah!

There’s a little sari-sari store next door and it sells some of my most favorite local stuff.

Ai-ai’s mom prepared fried fish, sinugba, and seafood soup (squid) for us!

First time I’ve tried eating squid soup. Not bad, actually.

The ancestral house from a different angle.

A photo of Ai-ai’s great-grandparents can be seen on one of the pillars of the house.

Time to enjoy the beach! Tugnaw!

A little neighbor isn’t too shy when it comes to photos.

While waiting for a bus. Don’t do this at home!






Afternoon view from across the street. Lovely.

38 thoughts on “Life Is Good In Samboan, Cebu

  1. What a lucky dude! Four lovely ladies in a magnificent place? I’m sure the guys will be jealous of you. The scenery is beautiful & the snacks, yummy!=) Shamrack, is the maker of otaps. The owner’s son was my classmate in USP.

  2. Hi Leylan,

    I like your blog. I totally agree with you! “LIFE IS GOOD IN SAMBOAN” very laid back. I miss Samboan especially looking at the beautiful pics you took made me more homesick :'( Looks you had a great time though it was a brief visit. Balik na pud mo ini January for Fiesta. Anyways, Love the photos you took, especially the old old house of my grandparents. You take amazing pics like a pro. Keep it up!

  3. Hello arlene! Nindot gyud didto. Lingaw kaayo. Swerte mo naa moy house didto nga lugar. Hayahay kaayo. Will post pics of beach house and pool Ginatilan! =) Thanks.

  4. Coco, frankly speaking, I’m no “spring chicken” anymore. LOL I’m from the 1960’s batch!! The USP on Mabini Street. I was there from Kinder to grade three. Then my father transfered me and some of my siblings to UV because the tuition fees were half-price. LOL He taught Law & Criminology courses there. I went to college in Colegio dela Inmaculada Concepcion (CIC). My mother & Eddie Gullas are best of friends, they used to play together when they were children.=)

  5. Good pics you got down there… It is really nice in there.. Very nice… Our Little Village has nature’s best to offer… Actually, our place is about 145KM from the city for about 3.5 to 3 hours of travel.. Balik-balik mga bisita…

    1. My family name is Senires
      Great Grandfathers’ name is Gregorio
      Grandparents name is Bernardo and Eugenia Senires
      Father’s name is Adolfo Senires

      that’s all

  6. hi leylander,

    gimingay na nuon ko sa samboam….. anyway nindot ayo imo blogs

    next time if muadto ka pag pic pud ug samboan church..

  7. hi leylan, i googled ‘samboan’ & found you again! my grandfather is from this town (villarin) but moved to bicol and settled there. thanks for the amazing pics once again.
    –dolores–

  8. if you turn right when you reach carcar, padulong na ug barili. but if you go straight, padulong sa santander, oslob, etc. until mu-turn ka balik padulong barili, moalboal, etc.

  9. thanks, Ley for the info. . i ‘ve been to Dumanjug (pa’s birthplace) via Barili ages ago (ur not born yet) n jst surprise not to see it in the map- i remembered the ‘lamayagan’ (Barili was famed for) and there was that natural spring before that flows into that kind of swimming pool-said to have therapeutic element?? Is it still existing?

  10. Ley, member ka ba sa Cebu’s FL project something like ‘Suroy-Suroy’ sa Cebu-seems you are very much familiar the both ends of Cebu and its nook and cranny. . .

  11. Hi Arlene & Leylan,

    i just googled samboan and came across your page. it looks really good. the reason i googled samboan is because it’s where my dad came from. sad thing is, i haven’t really visited the place. thought of visiting the place the next time i visit philippines – kon naay panahon. nag wonder lang ko kon naa ba miy pamilya didto – catingan. i think the villarin’s are our paryentes…

    anyways… nice pics and nice blog…
    -boboy- guelph, on

  12. hi there! i just googled samboan since i really missed my hometown and seen your blog.. great job!.. you’ve took the good shots! there was one in tangbo, right? near saksakan.. lol! well, hope you can visit there again soon and post more pix.. wish you could have one in dalahican..hehe..Thanks!
    -Vherly-

  13. hello… it’s so nice to discover this site.. i appreciate a lot to the person who build this… i am from tangbo and all the photos posted here were so familiar to me… i saw Ate Inda’s store and so the beach in front of their house…. also Nang Demok’s house…. the ancestral house…

  14. Hello ley,

    Thank You very much for all the photos u took sa Samboan. Next time I hope to see the Jacob’s ladder or eskalon. Taga Kalin-ay ko pero naa naku sa gawas karon. I googled Samboan then got your page. I love the pix. Kana Si Boboy Catingan naa iyang paryente sa Samboan. Naa ko classmate Catingan. Most likely he is also my relative cuz I am a Villarin.

    Thanks again. Keep up.

  15. hi i am here in australia with my aussie husband we just marry 20-12 09 i just see my beautiful home place samboan hi to all my families and friends see you soon one day always in my heart regards mrs jacky and francis medley australia

  16. hi leylan!

    how many times have you been to samboan? it is my hometown and i think you got acquainted with a few of my relatives, señires is my grandma’s family name, samboan is a nice town, peaceful, and very laid back c”,) the beach is nice, white sand!
    your photos made me long to go back there, haven’t visited the town for so many years….

  17. Hi, my mother was from Samboan, her maiden name was Aurelia Dingal Aranas and married Elpidio Bacayo Dosado from Sogod, Cebu. I had a cousin who moved to California in the late 50s or early 60s and her name was Belen Senires. Wonder if we are relatives somehow.

    1. Hi Deanna,
      I am a relative of Belen Senires. I know your mother. She is the sister of my grandmother, Clotilden Aranas Rafols. The mother of Belen Senires & my grandmother were sisters. Belen Senires is in San Francisco, CA. She will have her golden wedding anniversary this coming December 23. I am the son of Eufrosina Rafols Balbuena your first cousin. I lived in Fremont, CA. My email address is alexrbalbuena@comcast.net. Best regards!

      Alex R. Balbuena

      1. Hi Alex, it’s good to know that I have cousins in California from my mother’s side. My brother, Ambrosio, my husband Jose, two of my sons (Eduardo and Guillermo) were in Cebu this past May and visited Samboan. There, we saw Manding Ruth (Belen Senires’ sister) and had dinner with her. Can you send me Belen’s email (if she has one) so that I can send her an anniversary message? I shall forward your message to Ambrosio so that he’ll know. Yes, I do know Eufrosina, but as you know, that was when I was still a little girl.

  18. Love to visit Samboan the birth place of my grandfather late Marcelino Lisondra who leaves and died in Zaragosa, Badian, Cebu.

  19. yes samboan is indeed a very quite and lovely place and you will be inlove with its scenery.. its a home away from home, it leads you back to Nature.. For me honestly, I spent my vacation in this awesome place and I cant help but fall inlove all over again everytime I visit.

  20. Hi I am tracing the roots of my mother she is Susana Catubay Llaguno Tinga, her mother was born in Samboan, Cebu, but seeing the map, Samboan is composed of 15 barangays. Maybe you could help me traced her roots. Here is my number 09055437862. I live in 120 N.P. Cruz St. Ususan, Taguig City. Thank you.

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