Banig Weaving of Basey

Banig are the mats Filipinos sleep on, sit on and wrap things in, and Basey in Samar makes the finest of them from tikog, a marsh sedge that grows in the surrounding wetlands. The stalks are cut, flattened, sun-dried, dyed in bright colours and woven into mats with geometric patterns, lettering and pictorial designs - work that takes days for a single large piece. The detail Basey is known for is where some of it happens: weavers work inside the mouth of a cave near the town, because the constant humidity there keeps the tikog pliable and prevents it cracking as it would in the open air, and the cool is welcome besides. Mats, bags, table runners and wallets are sold in the town and at the Sohoton visitor centre. Basey took heavy damage from Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, and the craft has been part of the town's recovery.

What's there

• The tikog preparation - stalks flattened, dried and dyed.
• The cave weaving - work done in the humid cave mouth.
• The patterned mats - geometric and pictorial designs.
• The town shops - mats, bags and runners for sale.

When to go

December to May for road travel. Weekday working hours; the cave weaving is not always in progress, so ask at the tourism office in town.

What to expect

Weaving in the cave depends on who is working that day - it is not a scheduled demonstration. These are small producers; buying is the courtesy after watching. Large mats are bulky to carry.

Nearby

The Sohoton caves and natural bridge are up the river from Basey; Tacloban and San Juanico Bridge are an hour away.