Suluan Island

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Suluan Island is a small island in the Philippines, in the province of Eastern Samar. It lies east of Leyte Gulf, near Homonhon Island and Calicoan Island.

It was the first ever landing place of Ferdinand Magellan's Armada after their 98 days Pacific crossing although Samar was their first land sighting. Samar did not have a safe harbor. "They headed to Suluan and dropped anchor for a few hours of respite." (source: Laurence Bergreen's Over the Edge of the World). They then next dropped anchor at Homonhon Island, where they spent a week with the natives, and then to Limasawa, where the 1st ever Christian mass was held March 31, 1521.

Coordinates: 10°46′N, 125°58′E