Baybay Beach
Baybay is known as the hub of business and industry for the western coast of Leyte, with a commercial service sector in the city that includes banks, virtual assistance centers, restaurants, cafes, night spots, sports centers, as well as retail and wholesale stores. The city's seaside promenade is the most visited, especially at nighttime. Other things you may want to know about the city include:
- Generally an agricultural city, the common means of livelihood are farming and fishing. Some are engaged in hunting and in forestall activities. The most common crops grown are rice, corn, abaca, root crops, fruits, and vegetables. Various cottage industries can also be found in Baybay such as bamboo and rattan craft, ceramics, dress-making, fiber craft, food preservation, mat weaving, metal craft, and Philippine furniture manufacturing and other related activities.
- It is the home of the premier university of the Visayas and also in Philippines and one of the leading schools in Southeast Asia on agricultural research, and was called as Resort University, the Visayas State University.
- The city is the second largest city after Ormoc City in the province in terms of land area. Before, Baybay was the biggest town in Leyte in terms of land area covering an area of 46,050 hectares (459.3 km2).
- People of Baybay called as Baybayanons or Baybayanos (depending on the usage) which are a Cebuano-speaking people.
Festivals
- Binaybayon Festival - is the city's festival, is celebrated every 27th day of December (the city fiesta) in honor of the Patroness of Baybay, Our Lady of Immaculate Conception for the blessings that she gave every year. It also depicting the rich history of Baybay and also, showing the main source of livelihood of most Baybayanons like fishing, farming and weaving.
- Halaran Festival - is celebrated at Brgy. Sto. Rosario every month of October in honor of the Holy Rosary. It also depicting the history of Brgy. Sto. Rosario and also, it shows the main source of livelihood among residents in the place which is fishing, because the barangay itself is resided beside in the seashore.
- Sirong Festival - is celebrated at Brgy. Pomponan every 13th day of June in honor of Saint Anthony of Padua. Like other festivals in Baybay, it also showing the history of Brgy. Pomponan and its main source of livelihood which is farming.
Shopping Centers
- Prince Mall of Baybay
- Metro Baybay (soon to rise)
- Prince Mall Baybay
- Prince Tiangge-Tiangge
- Novo Baybay
- Centro Department Store
- HM Enterprises
- Sanying Commercial
- Allison Marketing
- VSU Market Complex
- Fatima RTW and Footwear
- G and S Store
- Melinda's Baclaran Store
- 572 Enterprises
- Lifeline
- Bacdivisoria Enterprises
- Chabita Fashion
- Amony Fashion
Industries
- Ching Bee Trading Corporation
- Green Carbon Inc.
- SC Global Coco Products Inc.
- Specialty Pulp Manufacturing Corp.
- Visayas Oil Mill Inc.
Accommodation
- Palermo Hotel
- GV Tower Hotel Baybay
- Lady Sam Residence
- Palermo Hotel
- Uptown Plaza Hotel
- Asia Novotel
- Baybay Townhouse Hotel
- VSU Hostel
- The Apartelle at VSU
- VSU Garden Resort
- JR Pension House
- Kilim Bayview Pension house
Transportation
Baybay can be reached by different types of transportation. It is 5 hours from Cebu City through ferry, 6 hours from Mindanao (via Bachelor Express) and 20 hours from Manila by passenger vessels. It can also be reached by air from Manila through Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport which is located in Tacloban City. From Tacloban, ride a public utility van and it takes 2 hours, or by a bus, which takes a three-hour trip. Also, from Ormoc City, ride a bus and it takes one-hour trip, same as from Maasin City.