Walking on sunshine

Ah, the Philippines — where chaos meets calm. So many beaches, mountains and exotic finds; so little time. So the best way to tour is probably island hopping — with your favorite pair of flip-flops, of course.

Just recently, Cebu Pacific invited journalists from Manila on a trip to Bohol for its Wandering Juan Travel Journal Photo Contest online. Dig this: each photo entry must include a pair of tsinelas — something Filipinos can never leave home without — to represent the wandering Juan attitude. So you can enter travel photos in any of the three categories, and hopefully win a trip to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia, Thailand or Singapore.

“Wandering Juan is a campaign that was launched to promote fun travel by uploading photos of sites and people like a travelogue,” says RG Orense, corporate communications manager of Cebu Air, Inc. “The website recognizes unique travel experiences that combine humor, creativity, warmth and pride. We chose slippers because they’re accessible to everybody.”

Since Bohol is such a scenic place, it was a perfect spot to start taking creative photos because of its ancient churches, the semi-sweet Chocolate Hills, chunky yam products and photogenic tarsiers. We were booked at Amorita Resort, which has an amazing view of the Bohol Sea and famous Alona Beach. I got an ocean-view villa with a jacuzzi. The room had dark wood embellishments, white walls, a flat-screen TV — all the things that make up a relaxing atmosphere. Best turon de Bohol ever with caramel sauces and ube ice cream. Oh, and the tiny muffins on the bedside were such a sweet treat.

Since it was my second time in Bohol, it was like revisiting its wonders. Things like having lunch at Loboc River. The 45-minute cruise involved a lunch buffet (seaweed salad, native fried chicken and various kakanins) before a tiny engine pushed us down the river with a pit stop to catch the singing and dancing locals.

As we made our way to the Chocolate Hills, there was a thick strip of mahogany trees planted to prevent landslides. There were a lot of harmless millipedes. At one point, a companion got one and put it on his foot, striking a pose for amused photographers. Such a brave soul. Last time, I used a flight of stairs to get a great view of the hills; but thankfully now, there is an easier way to reach the top, thanks to a ramp that was swarmed with Japanese and Korean tourists.

The next stop was the Tarsier Sanctuary which is a 7.4-hectare area run by Carlito Pizarras known as the “Tarsier Man.” Along the trail, we were able to see two tarsiers up close in their natural habitat. Perhaps the cutest thing was the chubby mother tarsier that looked like a cuddly stuffed toy. 

When we got to Baclayon Church, there was a Mass being held. This church is considered the oldest stone church in the country with checkered floor tiles, vintage chandeliers, silver tabernacle and wooden statues of saints. Outside, the walls had markings that formed Padre Pio and mother and child. Miraculous, indeed. 

So now it’s your turn to create your own travel journal with Wandering Juan. The contest runs from July to October. Cebu Pacific has a lot of treats for jet-setters with the lowest year-round fares and an increasing number of destinations. Plus, there’s the CP’s Fun Prints, where you can have your photos printed thanks to Mozcom. 

You will never know where your best trip will take you. And you can even spend a lifetime exploring our 7,107 islands. Maybe you don’t even need a destination to undertake your own hip revolution. Because with a dash of creative juice, it is all about taking a flip-flop ride with a mountain of happy memories to make the experience priceless.

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For more information on Cebu Pacific’s Wandering Juan promo, log on to www.wanderingjuan.com.

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Amorita Resort is located at Alona Beach, Panglao Island in Bohol. For more information, call 914-0585 and 687-3641, e-mail inquiries@amoritaresort.com or log on to www.amoritaresort.com.