I wonder so I wander: Bohol

The bulk of our Bohol Tour happened on the second day. We had to be up and about by 7 A.M. so that we could make the most out of our time there.

Pro-tip: It would be beneficial to plan your itineraries beforehand and show it to the van driver. That way, you can coordinate better. Our good friend Clemenz is our go-to person for these things. It would also help if you assigned a timekeeper so that you won't be overstaying in a tourist attraction (for this trip, our timekeeper is Erika). That's if you want to maximize your day tour in Bohol.

Our light Bohol breakfast. Saving our tummies for the lunch buffet!

Dauis Church

The church was one of the many churches that gravely suffered the impact of last year's earthquake. You can check out the church itself since it had scaffolding already. You may also go for a photo op in the nearby seaside view.

Blood Compact Shrine

Aside from the historical landmark at the Blood Compact Shrine, there was a newly-opened cafe right beside it, as well as souvenir shops. After having your pictures taken with the monuments, I think it would be a good idea to stay for a short while at the cafe or to buy your souvenirs. We did the latter.

Baclayon Church

Entry to the church and the museum itself would need an entrance fee of around Php 50. We were not able to enter the place since it opens at 9:30 A.M. and we were there at 8:45 A.M. We decided to just skip it and spend more time in the succeeding destinations instead.

Prony the Python Zoo

Prony the python was still alive the last time I went in 2010 and my, was he really large. He was in fact the largest one in captivity, until his death last year. However, instead of losing heart, Prony's caretakers made a zoo in his honor. There were a lot more snakes (not as large yet, but they're getting there), birds, and civet cats. Prony was also stuffed and his bones were up for display. Thank goodness we need not memorize the ribs of a snake!

Zip Line and Cable Car

The working boys went ziplining while the med girls didn't -- haha, says a lot about our finances. I kid. The zip line was Php 350 while the cable car was Php 250. I think that the ride is worth the price if adrenaline rush is your thing. You will also have the opportunity to view the greenery of mountains, as well as a part of Loboc River.

Loboc River Cruise

The Loboc River is one of the most iconic landmarks of Bohol. The river water is well-maintained and the air is clean. It is indeed the perfect venue for floating restaurants. We boarded the 11:30 A.M. river cruise. We paid Php 450 (350 for buffet and 100 for maintenance fee) for the experience that consisted an all-you-can eat meal and a cultural show in the middle of the river itself. The food was good, although not standout delicous, but the experience in its entirety was well worth it.

Hanging Bridge

...or bridges, for that matter. This attraction consisted of two hanging bridges made of bamboo that allowed crossing the Loboc River. To what, exactly? To a bunch of souvenir shops and comfort rooms (inside joke. Hi DJ), it turned out. There was this guy who offered to showcase his skill of opening coconut in a few seconds using his teeth, in exchange for a few bucks. No need to worry while crossing the hanging bridges because they were suspended with cables and steel rods.

Tarsier Conservation Area

Bohol is quite famous for their tarsier, the world's smallest primate. The place offered a short-distance walk in a forest, where 6 tarsiers were housed. There were guides who gave us more information about the tarsiers. While in the conservation area, one had to be extra cautious with noise and movement because some of the tarsiers were fast asleep and most were resting to prepare for their nocturnal habits.

Man-made Forest

Well technically speaking the trees are still made by God but men planted many trees in that particular area and made a forest. It was a good opportunity for picture-taking and the best part, it's for free!

Butterfly Sanctuary

This place is perfect for educational trips especially if you have children with you. Ever since childhood, butterflies fascinated me. There you will learn the differences between butterflies and moths, their mating habits, and life cycle. You can also have photo ops with butterflies.

Chocolate Hills

The viewing deck of the Chocolate Hills was ruined by the earthquake also. From the last time I was here, I could say that there were fewer hills. Ah, tectonic plates and other geology-related stuff!

Sagbayan Peak

This was our last stop of the day. Sagbayan Peak also offers a view of the Chocolate Hills. We went there during the sunset and it was glorious. Aside from the view, Sagbayan Peak has a park for children and adults alike to play around as well as a food court for hungry tummies.

We actually followed our own pro-tip about reserving ferry tickets beforehand. Our van driver asked his wife to purchase tickets for us. We then headed back to Cebu for another leg of adventure.

Click here for a rundown of our expenses for this trip.

***All photos (except the one taken in Sagbayan Peak) taken by Joey Chris Cayton
***Sagbayan Peak photo taken by Erika Crisostomo

Until the next adventure,

Dena

I'm a tarsier!

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.