Another point of entry into Northern Samar is through the northwestern town of Allen. It is possible to take the ferry from Matnog off Sorsogon (the southernmost province of the Bicol Region) to this town which is connected to Catarman by the winding highway along the coast.
Travelers will find Allen a convenient take-off rest-point to explore nearby attractions, most of which are reached only after considerable journey.
Then for a return to the 16th century, a visit to Capul Island is a must. The island can be reached by a two-hour motorboat trip from Allen. Only missionary fervor could have made building a church on this island possible. Capul also features a stark watch tower in its landscape, a further reminder of the loneliness of this islet.
Capul Lighthouse
Location: Capul Island, one hour by boat from Allen, Northern Samar, 247 km. from Tacloban City.
The lighthouse was constructed by the US army corps and engineers. This is situated at the northernmost point of the island and serves as the guidepost for traveling vessels. The big guns once mounted there were intended to support the “SHO” plans. It was the Japanese Imperial Navy’s grand design and last desperate assault to destroy the American Landings at Leyte Gulf.
Capul has 12 barangays.
* Aguin
* Jubang
* Landusan
* Oson
* Poblacion Barangay 1
* Poblacion Barangay 2
* Poblacion Barangay 3
* Poblacion Barangay 4
* Poblacion Barangay 5
* Sagaosawan
* San Luis
* Sawang
* Capul Church and Fortress
A must visit when you came to Capul
The church of Capul, built during the Spanish Colonial Period, is dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola and is surrounded by a square fort with bulwarks of dissimilar designs.The church structure was actually the third that was built on the site. The first two structures, made of hard wood and nipa roofs, were razed when Moro pirates plundered the island in 1615 and 1768. In 1781, Fr. Mariano Valero, a Spanish architect-priest led the restoration of the church and built the stonewall fortress similar to that in Intramuros, Manila that would fortify it against Moro attacks.
* Capul Watchtower
Located on a hill near the Capul fort overlooking the town harbor, a stone watchtower was erected to serve as a sentry or warning system and a refuge for indigents during Moro raids.
* Bito Cave
Bito Cave, also known as Beto Cave, is a popular natural attraction located in Sawang.
* Timon-timon Rock
Timon-timon is a rudder-shaped rock formation located near the southern point of the island.and
* Capul Island Lighthouse
Capul has a different language from the rest of Northern Samar and the rest of Eastern Visayas. The native language in the island-municipality is Inabaknon. Inabaknon has been classified by linguists as a Sama language related to the Sama languages of Mindanao, rather than a Visayan language
