BOHOL! My Dream Trip On a Budget :) Part I

The Author--Relaxed and Happy at the Bohol Bee Farm

(Pls. click on image for larger view. Special thanks to Lheila and Pyke for the pictures.)

My Bohol trip was sort of a dream-come-true vaca for me. I've been planning to go there way back in college since a very close college friend, Dorothy, is a Boholana who has been intriguing and enticing me with stories of her beautiful home province. I cannot wait to lay my biyahera feet on Bohol's soils. Hence, the morning we left Cebu for Tagbilaran, my usually lethargic, nocturnal body snapped to wakefulness 4AM sharp, at the sound of my alarm. Yup, I was darn excited! Tired and still slightly sleepy, but happy and excited.

As per my previous post, we first went to Cebu before heading to Tagbilaran in order to save on airline fare. While in Cebu, we paid a visit to the Basilica del Sto. Nino, strolled around the city, bought Santo Ninos and other trinkets as pasalubong, stopped by at SM Cebu and spent the night at La Guardia Hotel.The following morning, we headed to Tagbilaran via a fast craft. We checked out of La Guardia Hotel before 5AM (yup, I've learned how to take 15-minute showers) and immediately hailed a taxi to the port. We arrived at the port still early for our 6AM trip.

Our Ride from Cebu to Tagbilaran

Now back to the subject matter, we bought our ticket from Oceanjet, although there are other carriers offering Cebu-Tagbilaran-Cebu trips such Weesam and Supercat. Fare rate among these three is similar. We had ours for PHP500.00 (one way) but you can get tickets at super lower price if you book earlier. The fast craft, by the way, was quite comfy even though we were only at the regular air-con area. I believe, there's a 'deluxe' area where fare is higher. Rows of cushioned chairs filled the craft and we chose those nearer the front. There are also fold-able mini-tables for eating and a large screen TV in front, which, at that time, was playing re-runs of Pacquiao fights.

Early AM D-I-Y Tourists: On board Oceanjet, on the way to Tagbilaran

The Cebu-Tagbilaran trip lasted around one-and-a-half (1&1/2) hours, enough for us to catch up on sleep. Luckily, the weather was good that our trip was also smooth and fast. When I woke up, I can see the silhouette of the island already. Prior our trip, by the way, I've already contacted Kuya Ranil, one of the many tour providers, for car rental. He was to be our sundo-driver-guide. The rental we've agreed upon was PHP2,000.00 for an entire day of touring. It was a good deal, the car being a new Toyota Avanza, so we were quite comfy inside, plus the driver agreed to make stopovers along the way as we please and to take us to the place where we intend to stay. Anyways, so sweet of Kuya Ranil--he was constantly instructing us even before we left Cebu and when we arrived at the port, was already waiting for us. We arrived at the port at 8AM and requested to drop-by at McDonald's first to buy breakfast which we ate along the way.

Arrival at the Port of Tagbilaran

Our itinerary for the DAY TOUR was:
1) Hanging Bridge of Bilar
2) Chocolate Hills at Carmen
3) Man-Made Forest
4) Loboc River Cruise
5) Tarsier Sight-seeing
6) The "Real" Blood Compact Site in Loay
7) Prony the Python at Alburqueque
8) Baclayon Church
9) the Sandugo Shrine
10) Bohol Bee Farm
11) Dumaluan Beach Resort


Map of Bohol (taken from http://www.bohol.ph/map.php)

1. The Hanging Bridge of Bilar

Lheila, at the Hanging Bridge of Bilar

The famed hanging bridge is made of bamboo strips woven together to create a bridge floor. It hangs right above the Loboc River. While crossing the length of the bridge, one gets the chance to enjoy the refreshing view of the calm, green-colored river--unless of course you have a fear of heights and creaky bridges! Part of the excitement of crossing the bridge is that it creaks and heaves underneath the weight of the persons crossing it;it also wobbles mildly. Anyways, the bridge spans several meters from near the roadside to the other end where there are a number of pasalubong shops and from where we bought dozens of peanut kisses, Bohol's specialty sweets made from egg whites and peanuts. Yum.

2. Chocolate Hills

Chocolate Hills

Even at a young age, I've already heard about the beauty of Bohol because of its Chocolate Hills. The Sibika at Kultura classes back in elementary days taught about the beautiful places in the country that Filipinos should be proud of and one of said places, of course, is the Chocolate Hills. The grass-covered limestone surface of the mounds turns brown during summer, hence the chocolate-y name.There are more than a thousand of these almost uniformly sized limestone hills scattered across the towns of Carmen, Sagbayan, Batuan, Bilar, Sierra Bullones and Valencia. Therefore, there are several ways of getting there, but we chose the one in Carmen as it is nearer and within our charted travel map.

The catch is that tourists have to climb a flight of stairs consisting of hundreds of steps. The reward of an amazing view, of course, makes it all worth it.

3. Man-Made Forest

At Man-Made Forest

The next item in our itinerary is Bohol's man-made forest, a two-kilometer stretch of monoculture mahogany plantation that spans the towns of Loboc and Bilar. The forest offers a scenic view and a cool shade while driving past the gigantic rows of mahogany trees. As is the practice of tourists when passing by, we stopped first and had our pictures taken with the forest and the large trees as our backdrop, although we had to wait first and let the other cars pass by until the road is clear.This patintero with speeding cars was also worth it. It was fun and our trip would be incomplete without stopping by.









4. Loboc River Cruise


Our driver-cum-tour guide was in a great hurry to bring us early to Loboc River ahead of the other tourists for our cruise and buffet lunch. It was only after boarding and while enjoying our meal that we realized his concern: tourists do tend to flock and wait in long queues for a chance to board the boats, save for those who came early :)

Before Boarding the Boat

Loboc River

I've heard about the Loboc River cruise years ago and have been dying to try it. When the moment arrived, it was not really mind-blowingly extraordinary; but neither was it disappointing. The dishes served for the buffet meal were typical Filipino lutong-bahay (home-cooked dishes) such as adobo, fried chicken, bbq, etc. Food was just OK. I loved the grilled tuna and the seaweed (lato) salad, though. There was also a dessert of fresh fruits.

The Cruise Buffet Lunch

I think the meal was just worth the PHP350 fee. After all, it was a more unique experience than simply dining in a restaurant. What is more, we ate our lunch while being serenaded by the guitar-slinging baritone singer together with his band. The band sang local Bisaya songs but also impressed us with some love song classics. Hays, it was a great lunch with an even greater view of the super clean river (there's a fine of PHP1K for littering). Plus, there's the company of company of fun lakwatsa friends.

Dining while being sang to by this guy :)

At the end part of the river is the Busay Falls, a small falls with a height of around more than a meter. It was after reaching this point that the boat turns around to go back to the starting point. On the way back, we stopped for a while to watch some performing kids sing for the tourists. After the Loboc River cruise, we got back to our rented car and continued with the rest of the trip.

5.Tarsier Sight-Seeing


Tarsius syrichta or Philippine Tarsier



Any Bohol trip will not be complete without catching a glimpse of the famous Philippine tarsier, the world's smallest primate.The sight-seeing break was a welcome stop during our noontime drive, as the heat has started to become uncomfortable. More importantly, who would not love the cute, furry creature? The Philippine tarsier is so small that it can fit easily in one's hand, although touching it is not allowed because the cute animal is also very timid and shirks away from human contact. The Philippine tarsier has already been listed under "Endangered" category by the IUCN Conservation Monitoring Center. It can only be found in limited areas in the Visayas and Bohol is one of said places where the endangered primate is still found. No wonder that they are considered pride of Bohol and are well protected as such.





6.Blood Compact Site in Loay




@ the Blood Compact Site in Loay

Our tour guide took us next to what he called "the real blood compact site" located in Loay. The Sandugo Shrine in Tagbilaran (discussed later) has long been considered the site where Rajah Sikatuna and Spanish conqueror Miguel Lopez de Legazpi performed their blood compact. Yet according to our guide, a recent study discovered that the historic event was actually conducted in Loay. Hence, a newer Sandugo shrine was set-up there.




We stopped for a while to pose for the pictures, but decided later to try on the costumes. It must be the heat or simply our crazy mood that made us act out a harana (traditional serenade) scenario in the makeshift kubo =) Anyways, the caretakers of the place were more than willing to take our snapshots and assist us in our costume-fitting and role-playing spree.



Back to the car and onward to our next location.

7. Prony the Python

Our next stop was at Alburqueque, Bohol to view the gigantic pet python named Prony. Prony has turned into some sort of a community pet of the residents, in the sense that the whole town is proud of "their" Prony the Python. I forgot about the whole story on how Prony's owners acquired her, but apparently they reared, bathed and fed their unique (but rather dangerous) pet until it reached its current humongous size--not yet quite like the computer-animated snakes in the Anaconda movie, but huge enough to amaze (or scare) the guests. Prony was calm when we arrived; in fact she seemed to be always calm and immobile. Or perhaps she is normally in that languid mood especially after a meal. Guests have to line up outside the python-pen for a chance to enter the snake pit and have a picture with the special attraction.It is even better that we're allowed to touch Prony! :) *goosebumps*


The Celebrity of the Day: Prony the Python

The one taking the pictures is actually one of the owners of the place. Apart from Prony, there are also other rare animals and birds there, making the place like a mini-zoo.From the smallest primate to big pythons, Bohol really has a unique set of wildlife attractions!

8. Baclayon Church


Aged Walls: Baclayon Church



Given the number of old churches in Bohol, I reckoned that the Boholanos are really religious and pious. And they love their churches too. Our guide was so proud to tell us that the Baclayon Church is actually one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines. Its stone walls bear the mark of its long years of existence. Unfortunately though, they have this policy forbidding the taking of pictures inside the museum adjacent to the church. Inside said museum is where antique images of saints, vestments of priests, photographs and other church objects are on display.


Getting Holy @ Baclayon Church

Before entering the church, I was stopped by one of the employees and was asked to don an improvised shawl since I was wearing a spaghetti-strapped dress. Apparently, they have a strict dress-code policy when it comes to persons entering the Church, a fact which I actually did not mind. Sleeveless shirts and shorts are not allowed. Not that they will prevent you from entering, but they'll give you a large piece of cloth for covering.



Good thing, taking pictures inside the church is already allowed. The interiors of Baclayon Church, for me, is eerily old. It's as if I entered another era or century reminiscent of the Spanish friars and the Noli Me Tangere times. The woodwork inside the church is fantastic, evidencing the great talent of the Boholano people in this craft.


9. Sandugo Shrine


@the Sandugo Site

Our next stop was the Sandugo Shrine, the place where Rajah Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi was traditionally believed to have held their blood compact. This event is historically significant because it signifies the coming together of the two cultures and is regarded as the first treaty for peace and friendship between the island-dwellers and the Spaniards. The statues created in honor of this event were made by no other than National Artist Napoleopn Abueva, who is himself a Boholano. The appearance of the statues aims to recreate the supposed image of the toast between the Boholano royalties and the Spanish conquerors. An added beauty point is that behind the site is a wonderful view of the ocean.







10. Bohol Bee Farm





A part of the tour which I was really excited about was the Bohol Bee Farm in Dauis, Bohol. I am not a big fan of beefarming/beekeeping, only that it's rare to hear about a bee farm in the Philippines and this one in Bohol is the most oft-cited. Unfortunately, there was not much bee-farming at the Bohol Bee Farm when we arrived and we only got to see one box of bees in the entire "farm". On second thoughts, maybe we did not just fully explore the place because we chose to relax before the sea-side hut and eat ice cream :)





For me, the main attraction of the place is its fantastic view of the sea and its rustic, colorful huts. We took the time to enjoy the view of the ocean from the terrace of the big hut perched on the edge of the sea. The ocean-side bahay-kubo evokes that relaxing ambiance of the simple, provincial life. As I sit back and relax, I put my feet up, listened to waves and felt the warm sea breeze and sunshine on my skin.











We also ate home-made ice cream, though we chose to eat it from an ice cream cup instead of the cone made from a local plant known as cabcab. The resort boasts of its ice cream for the latter's unique flavors, including malunngay, durian, pandan, and avocado flavors. At P40 per cone, it wasn't bad, although I've heard some guests comment that the taste is kakaiba (weird or different). Indeed taste depends on the taster, all I can say is that it's not ordinary.

11.Dumaluan Beach Resort


The skies and seas of Panglao Bohol


Life's a Beach! The author at Dumaluan, Panglao

Finally, our driver took us to our last destination for that day and the place where we would spend the night: Dumaluan Beach Resort. I first researched about Dumaluan in the Internet weeks before our trip and also made inquiries. I've read that many tipid budget travelers have availed of the native bahay kubos and tree houses of the Resort. Our tree house was dirt cheap at just P1200.000. I so heart our treehouse. It's so simple but mapresko and it has a nice view of the beach.


Tree House near the beach @ Dumaluan Beach Resort

The place was a bit crowded, so we were lucky to have the tree house. The inside of the kubo was furnished with two beds with foams and linens and an electric fan. We requested for two more additional mattresses with no additional charge. The kubo's large enough to fit around five or six persons.Sans the comfort of five-star amenities, we contented ourselves with the beauty of the nature around us. Dumaluaon shares the same shoreline--and sea, of course-- with the other known classy and expensive accommodations in Panglao, Bohol, particularly the Bohol Beach Club, which is only adjacent Dumaluan with only a fence separating the two resorts. In our treehouse, we have a nice vantage view of the posh neighboring five-star resort hehe (nangangarap na lamang!) :)



Before sunset, Squall and I decided to survey the surroundings and to take a dip while Lheila and Pyke went back to the city to buy our dinner. They have to rent a "single"/motorcycle for Php30/person/trip since public transport was quite difficult especially during nighttime. After dinner of--guess what?--chicken Mcdo (to reiterate, we were quite short of funds hehe so we can't afford to splurge on resort menu), we had the customary drinking spree and then went to sleep for our island hopping the next day, a topic which I would discuss in my next post. :)




Tired travelers...


Before we left our tree house...

Overall, my Bohol trip was really sulit and so full of new adventures. We were able to go to the places which we intended to visit in the first place--and so much more! I also enjoyed the company of Boholanos, the people we met along the way, who were so proud of their home province and are ever willing to assist and give directions to tourists. It was a comfortable trip (except for the part where I have to wake up early hehe) and unbelievably inexpensive.Below is a summary of our budget.

Major Expenses:

P2000 (divided by four) -- car rental for the day trip, which covered the following stopovers:1) Hanging Bridge of Bilar, 2) Chocolate Hills at Carmen, 3) Man-Made Forest, 4) Loboc River Cruise, 5) Tarsier Sight-seeing, 6) The Real Blood Compact Site at Loay, 7) Prony the Python at Alburqueque, 8) Baclayon Church, 9) the Sandugo Shrine, 10) Bohol Bee Farm, 11) pasalubong shopping, and finally, 12) Dumaluan Beach Resort.

P 1200 (divided by four) -- tree house at Dumaluan Beach Resort

P 1500 (divided by four) -- boat rental for half-day dolphin-watching, snorkeling and island hopping (to be tackled in the next post)

P1000 -- Cebu-Tagbilaran-Cebu ferry fare

P350 -- Loboc River cruise + lunch buffet

other minor expenses for entrance fees, which are normally very cheap.
breakfast, snacks and dinner, depending on one's taste and budget :)
pasalubong expenses! don't forget to buy peanut kisses. Addictively yummy, if not for the calories hehe...

Basta overall, I only spent more than PHP 6K for my Cebu-Bohol trip. It was so tipid but I did not feel deprived. The technique is to book early, research before going there and establish contacts so you can bargain well.Research as much as possible to learn of the different options and to maximize the limited time. I'm also so grateful to friends who made referrals. Before I forget, here is the no. of Kuya Ranil, the car-rental kuya who also helped us with our tour: 09193443365. I just hope he didn't change his number.

FIN.