Nestled along Cancabato Bay in the Eastern Visayas Region, the City of Tacloban is approximately 360 miles southeast of Manila. The city is well known for its historical spots, white sand beaches, and the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival. When planning your trip to the city, make sure to include these in your Tacloban City must do’s.

1. Get Your Body Painted and Dance on the Streets

Held every 29th of June, The Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival features native music and dances, cultural shows and exhibits, street dancing and a food fair. If you love food and you have a taste for the exotic, this is the right time to get your fill of the local cuisine. The Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival celebrates the art of body painting and ritual dances; this is a good excuse for you to get a henna tattoo and dance on the streets during the mardi gras.

2. Visit the Sto. Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum

The Sto. Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum is a sprawling two-story building that serves as a showcase for local arts and culture. Built as a shrine in honor of the city’s patron saint, the Sto Niño (the Child Jesus), it became the repository of the collections of the country’s former President Ferdinand Marcos after the president was removed from office following the EDSA revolution in 2006. The Marcos collection includes paintings from various local and foreign artists, jars, chandeliers, floor carpets, works of art, and more.

3. Visit World War II Shrines and Monuments

Like most key cities of the Philippines, Tacloban has its share of World War II stories, monuments and shrines. When visiting Tacloban, you should not miss the Leyte Landing Memorial at Red Beach, where the American General Douglas McArthur and his troupe first landed at the dawn of the Philippine liberation from Japanese occupation. Other points of interest are San Pedro Bay, which was the Japanese Imperial Navy station during the war, the Price Mansion, which served as the headquarters of the American troupes, and Redona Residence, where the Philippine President Sergio Osmeña, Sr. resided and held office during the liberation.

4. Traverse the San Juanico Bridge

Connecting the provinces of Samar and Leyte, the San Juanico Bridge is longest bridge in Asia, and definitely one of the most beautiful. The bridge is supported by 43 spans rising 41 meters above sea level, and runs across about 2.16 kilometers of water.

5. Go for a Swim

You should never leave Tacloban City without visiting some of its white sand beaches. The historical Red Beach, located less than a 30 minutes' drive from the city, is a good place for surfing and swimming.