CEBU, Philippines – If nature is your passion, then welcome to your paradise. A book entitled “Your Guide to Bohol, Philippines,” by Quennie Sanchez-Bronce, Honey Jarque Loop and Daniel Carpentier inspired my trip to Bohol. We, (my husband Wolf and good friend Mary) booked our tickets and headed to Tagbilaran City in the early morning on Ocean Jet, taking us directly from Cebu.
Driving across town, I could already smell the fresh green scenery, brightened up by the sight of the endless Loboc River, floating restaurants, man-made forest, locals wearing saroks (a native umbrella-shaped hat used by farmers), a cemetery facing the ricefields and having an impressive view of many tourists cycling under the heat of the sun.
Bohol has so many notable sights. We began our excursion at the world famous Chocolate Hills, the pride of every Boholano. A hearty lunch at the Chocolate Hills Hotel Restaurant gave us the energy to scale all 240 steps to get to the top of the hill for a captivating view of this natural asset. We didn’t miss throwing a coin into the wishing well at the top of the hill and have our photographs taken on a witches broom flying in front of a chocolate hill backdrop.
No trip to Bohol is complete without a visit and walk across its suspension bridge, “The Hanging Bridge” made out of steel and bamboo. How about saying hello to our very cute friends at the Tarsier Sanctuary? Petting or taking photographs with flash is strictly prohibited at this preserve. What a laugh I had when I was told to turn my camera flash off (which wasn’t even turned on to begin with) by a tourist whose camera started flashing away!
Fresh coconut juice to quench my thirst and grilled bananas weren’t a miss before visiting the next attraction, Prony the python. I was very intrigued to witness the biggest and longest snake in captivity!
Introducing ourselves to a rich cultural heritage, we also visited the Baclayon Church, the Philippines’ second oldest church built in 1595. I particularly liked the baroque instrument, the Baclayon Pipe Organ (1824) that graces all masses celebrated in this historic church. My friend, Mary was given the chance to ring the church bell twice, which made one of the highlights of her visit!
A historical landmark and a spot offering a great sea view is the Blood Compact site. If there is enough time during your visit, a trip to Panglao Island for another captivating view is highly recommended.
We couldn’t miss Bohol’s treats – the famous classic calamay (a sticky and sweet delicacy in a coconut shell), peanut kisses and toasted pandan muffins. How about some broas or shirts from Island Souvenirs? One shirt that I had to purchase was with a caricature of the Tarsier with its bulging eyes in yellow and black. It is probably the cutest shirt I have ever seen!
In Bohol, all you need is transportation to make it easy to discover the sights. Guaranteeing both comfort and safety, our driver, Arnold Namor had been extremely helpful, making such an off-the-beaten track itinerary for us. Many thanks to Elsa and Daniel Stucki for the complimentary transport around Bohol, as well as the tasty goodies. We all had such a wonderful time!
Bohol is such a lovely place with so many natural wonders, guaranteeing a trouble-free holiday experience. There are still so many sights and activities that I didn’t get to experience in Bohol, but I guess that it is definitely a reason to go back!