An abandoned beach in remote Capul Island

I felt eyes looking at me under a grove of coconut trees where abandoned beach huts and a structure hid. I’m not sure if it was my imagination playing up but something eerie was happening. I felt it. I had goosebumps. But I was enjoying the cool water too much that I just didn’t mind, eventually.

Capul where? The island of Capul is a little off northern Samar, around 1.5-2 hours from the wharf in Allen which is also the jump off point for Matnog in Sorsogon. The island has long been an important Spanish post where galleons traveling to Acapulco stock water before heading into the Pacific.

It was long Christianized, in fact, it has one of the oldest fortress-churches in the country built by the Jesuits. The people are also different. They are called the Abaknons with their own language which has similarities with Sulu. I traveled to this island two years ago and stayed for two nights.

I hired a motorcycle, popularly known as habalhabal to explore the island. In the second day, we went south, passing by Japanese foxholes, coconut groves, an elevated trail at a promontory with exhilarating views, muddy trails and then Abak Beach Resort. It was abandoned for many years with most of the beach huts in disarray. The main resort building is still intact.

But the water was just too inviting. I had to take a swim despite feeling eerie at the place. The sea was cooler than expected, gradually inclined and just a few rocks. It had a sandy bottom. The white sand isn’t as fine as with other beaches but its a beach comber’s paradise with lots of shells, pieces of corals and insects going around.

Did I feel fear while swimming or beach combing? At first, there’s that nagging feeling of being watched but probably I’ve been watching horror flicks to much. I just enjoyed the time I was there. Great water by the way!

The island of Capul is reached only by motorized outrigger boat from the port of Allen in Northern Samar. These boats are located at the side of the main wharf that services the roro that travels to Matnog. Travel usually is around 1 PM. But please ask as it might have changed.

To go to the abandoned Abak Beach Resort, hire a habalhabal at the town center of Capul Island.