I wonder so I wander: Boho-ho-hol with Eytsch (Day1)

It is becoming my college barkada's tradition to travel somewhere every year. I'm not complaining one bit because it is in fact one of the best ways for us to learn more about each other (especially with stressful incidents like delayed flights and risk-taking activities--more on this later). I also feel that in every travel, we continue to grow as individuals and as a group.

This December, my friends DJ, Erika, Joey, Clemenz, P.Ross, and I decided to travel together to Bohol and to Cebu for the aptly named "Visayas Invasion with Eytsch". This is the first of my series of posts from that trip. P.Ross will most likely blog about it also, so head over to brainfartsgoplaces.blogspot.com for more details about this. Think of it as using two video cameras to take two angles of the same subject!

I met my friends at the Mactan International Airport since they took the flight to Cebu so that we can head over to Bohol together, hand-in-hand (nah, I'm totally joking about the "hand-in-hand" bit, most of us can't even give decent hugs to each other). From the airport, one can ride a taxi that would take you to Pier 3 in Cebu.

Their flight was delayed for more than 2 hours! Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

This taken in the middle of the street. All smiles! :)

Pro-tip: Although there are flights that would take you directly to Bohol, it is more advisable to take the Cebu flight followed by a ferry to Bohol. The airplanes to Bohol are smaller and their schedules are far in between, thus increasing delay in case of cancelled flights.

Upon reaching Pier 3, we went straight to the ticketing office of MV Starcraft to purchase our tickets, priced at Php 220. Luck was on our side since we were able to take the last 6 tickets for the 10:30 A.M. departure of the ferry. We opted to deviate from the usual route taken by tourists who visit Bohol by taking the fastcraft that will dock in Tubigon Pier and by riding a relatively slower ferry instead of a fast craft like SuperCat with tickets at Php 500.

Pro-tip: Luck may not always play on your side. It is best to ask someone in Cebu to reserve your ticket in advance. Here is the daily schedule of the ferries and fast crafts.

Months prior to this trip, we contacted a van rental service that will take us to the popular tourist destinations of Bohol. We were able to haggle the van rental with the owner. The usual Php 3,500 to Php 4,500 per day rental was decreased to Php 3,000 on the first day (from Tubigon to Tagbilaran plus day tour) and to Php 2,500 on the second day (day tour plus travel back to Tubigon Pier).

Pro-tip: It pays to be extra courteous and chatty. Our good friend Joey is the expert in this field. Our van driver was Kuya Dodong, with contact number 09063509144. Hit him up if you plan to tour Bohol also and remind him about the tupperwares that we left inside his van! Haha.

Kuya Dodong was really patient even if we were 3 hrs behind schedule.

In Bohol, we stayed at the BPSTEA Pension House in Tamblot, Tagbilaran. I asked for my dear mother's help in contacting them, since it was run by a teachers' cooperative. We paid Php 184 per person for one night in airconditioned rooms good for three people each.

Pro-tip: Aside from the one mentioned above, Nuts Huts and Bohol Bee Farm also offer cheap lodging for Php 200. Google for details.

Oh, before we proceed, it is worth noting that unfortunately, my friends' flight to Cebu was delayed, so we had to readjust our schedule. We swapped the plans for days 1 and 2. Yup, resilient like that. So without further ado, here's day one of our Bohol Tour:

Maribojoc Uplifted Ridges

Just last year, Bohol was shaken by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that left permanent damages on certain landmarks. An example would be the Maribojoc Uplifted Ridges, wherein the shoreline became longer. The place's landmark had an old watchtower with parts that broke off due to the earthquake. The entrance fee was Php 25. We ate our packed lunch there.

Pro-tip: If you are looking for major savings, try packing your own food instead of eating in restaurants.

Hinagdanan Cave

"Hinagdanan" is a Bisaya adjective for something with stairs. True to the meaning, Hinagdanan Cave had stairs that led from the cave's mouth going inside. Entrance fee was Php 25. One had to pay Php 100 if he/she wanted to swim in the chilly waters right inside the cave. The water was sooo inviting and please, please take a dip if you visit the place. We were not able to do so due to schedule contraints - again, resilience. There were many souvenir shops there, too. Just fine tune your haggling skills. Remember, you can buy a 16-pack Peanut Kisses for only Php 140, shirts as low as Php 99, and keychains for 8 pcs at Php 100.

Shell Museum

We then went to the Shell Museum where there was a wide array of shells displayed for our eyes only. Entrance fee was Php 30. Did you know that all shells have the capability to create their own pearl, but some species rarely do it as compared with others? Also, did you know that the color of the pearls created by shells depended on the color of their saliva produced? Now you know. There's a wealth of information there, not to mention patterns and pretty colors of shells. The place also had its own souvenir shop, so go ahead and buy jewelries for loved ones there. I bought shell bangles for my mother there.

Pro-tip: Freshwater pearls are expensive jewelry. At the Shell Museum, you can purchase freshwater jewelry, such as a necklace, for as low as Php 450.

Panglao Beach

The reputation of Panglao is that of pristine waters and white sand. The seawater and the beach do not disappoint. I think it would be a good idea to swim in the water there if you had enough time to do so. However, it should be noted that the place is rather crowded with dive shops, souvenir stores, and people.

Bohol Bee Farm

One day, when I retire, I want to stay in a place like Bohol Bee Farm (hey, a girl can dream). It is an organic farm that provides lodging for visitors and guests, and offers them organic healthy food homegrown in the farm. There is a souvenir shop that sells an assortment of products like honey, coconut wine, food, even makeup. I especially liked the creative flavors of The Buzz ice cream such as: coco rhum, spiced ginger, malunggay, tsokolate, peanut kisses, and dragonfruit, available at an affordable price of Php 40 per scoop! It also has its indoor swimming pool with ambient instrumental music, as well as a restaurant that overlooks the sea.