It seemed like a bad idea to hop on a plane and fly to Bohol while a typhoon was raging in Manila.
Convincing oneself that the weather was perfect was the easy part — convincing Mom and Dad that there was no typhoon was another story especially since 1) Typhoon Enteng was in our midst; 2) The sun had been shy; and 3) Sometimes parents just do not listen.
Bohol is definitely a sunspot! With a nice airplane view of Chocolate Hills, the helpful steward informed us that whenever rain hits Manila, the opposite happens in Bohol, as the place is blessed with good beach weather all-year round.
The best thing to do once in Bohol is to organize a grand tour of its finest attractions. We were able to rent a car that included driver Ely – the best driver in Bohol. He helped us cut costs by being both driver and tour guide. He also entertained us with funny and interesting chismis and other stories about Bohol.
Our first stop was the Blood Compact site which was where Miguel Lopez de Legaspi of Spain and Datu Sikatuna, a native chieftain, shared a common cup with drops of their blood to symbolize peace and freedom on March 16, 1565. Next was the Baclayon Church, a 404-year-old stone church established by the Jesuits and houses a museum that showcases religious art, ecclesiastical vestments, and buffalo skin librettos of church music. We visited the Loboc River where one can see the Tarsiers, the world’s smallest primates. It was a bit disturbing though to see these really tiny and cute primates caged, and away from their natural habitat but then again, the Tarsier sanctuary is doing a good job by breeding these primates. As a matter of fact, these Tarsiers are so well-fed that when one tries to feed ‘em crickets on a stick in their feeding grounds, most of these primates ignore them.
For an additional P900, one can rent a boat and cruise the Loboc River, where one can see the lush surroundings of Bohol, and notice the well-preserved natural environment of Bohol. The river is lined with nipa, mahogany, molave, and bamboo trees. It is so amazing how Boholanos takes special care of their river and of their agriculture by keeping tourist destinations clean. The locals are also very friendly and accommodating. I have been to Vietnam and cruised along the Tien River and toured their provincial cities but I must say that Bohol’s Loboc River cruise and sightseeing tour is way better and something to be proud of.
Along the river, the boatman took us to Busay Falls (Dream Falls), which according to driver Ely are "cute-cute falls" and seeing them makes one understand why! The Busay falls are two small waterfalls and near them is a small cave where one of our national heroes, Francisco Dagohoy hid from the Spaniards. Another historical sight in Loboc is the 402-year-old Loboc Church. Loboc Church has its own drama for across the church is the longest bridge in the world — longest NOT in length but in terms of the construction of the bridge that started in 1918 and up to now has not been completed. The story behind the unfinished bridge is that a certain Spaniard discovered hidden treasures under the Loboc Church. The treasure-hungry Spaniard wanted to build a bridge that would cross the river and would directly hit the church. The residents protested, and the bridge was never finished. Driver Ely brought us to a hanging bridge in Hinugitan which I had every intention of crossing while imagining myself being in an action-adventure flick. The hanging bridge seemed safe but noticing how high up it was from the river below and its length a person can easily chicken out of crossing it.
The Chocolate Hills are hundreds of uniform choco-looking mounds which are truly a beautiful and mysterious sight. It’s a must-see that visitors everywhere take the challenge of climbing up 216 tiny steps to get the best view. If one still has time, a quick trip to the Hinagdanan Cave would be best for those who want to see its cool spring water and observe the sanctuary of bats.
After touring the sights of Bohol, one’s next activity should be a dolphin and whale-watching trip at Pamilacan Island – a whole day tour that begins at 5:30 a.m. and lasts until about 3 p.m..
There are a lot of resorts on Panglao Island depending on one’s budget. The newest resort is the Alona Palm Beach. And this is where we opted to stay.
Alona Palm Beach is nestled along Alona beach on a landscaped grassy garden planted to beautiful and tall coconut trees that make the resort stand out. A stroll through Alona’s luxurious garden to the swimming pool became the major objective of my day. I had come to Bohol thinking of participating in active pursuits suggested by the locals, but hanging out at the resort’s pool bar while listening to the waves crashing on the beach made me realize what relaxation was all about. My friends and I had done enough sightseeing and we wanted time to chill. The resort has 12 villas with their own private balcony while lying under the trees and sipping on a Mai Tai.
Night-owls can head off to Oops Bar! and Safety Bar for a few cocktails, while home-cooked style meals and beach café types prowl over to Trudis and other restos beside it. For good continental dishes and the best gelato in Bohol, hop along to Alona Palm Beach Resort, where their Swiss chef (Chef Uli) can whip up Italian, German, French, American, and Asian dishes. And if Asian cuisine is your flair, then let your palette be satisfied with Ananyana Resort’s Thai and Vietnamese specialties.