Let's go to Bohol for a weekend getaway!
We booked a joiner land tour online for ₱600 plus each. The tour package only includes transpo from one stop to the next with a maximum of 12 people in one van. Entrance fees and meals are not included.
Bohol is just 2 hours away from Cebu via ferry so we hopped on the boat as early as 5:45 AM. Although the trip is at 6AM, the ferry is known to depart on time so we arrived as early as 5:15 at the port. It was absolutey the right decision, since we still had to go through bag inspections and queueing up for boarding.
We wanted to maximize the time, so we chose a whole-day tour that kicks off at 8:30-9AM. Expect some delays due to the number of guests and how far the hotels are, since they are doing hotel pick-ups even from Panglao hotels. I didn’t realize how close Panglao was from Tagbilaran then.
Since we were the only ones coming from Tagbilaran Port, we were shuttled from Tagbilaran port to a pick-up point in Panglao. Good thing it was a convenience store so I was able to grab some coffee and relax while waiting. We waited there for a few minutes - just enough time to finish my coffee.
When the tour group was complete, we were all set to go to our first stop: Chocolate Hills. Entrance fee is at Php 100 ($2). Prepare your stamina to climb up 214 steps especially on a hot & sunny weather. The viewing deck is basically an open area overlooking the hills. There used to be some souvenir shops & photo stations on top but I guess they were all transferred at the base of the staircase. Speaking of which, they have a bigger cafe alongside souvenir booths.
Second stop was the Tarsier Conservation Area; entrance fee at Php 170 ($3). When visiting this place, you have to take note of some rules such as not using camera flashes and most importantly, navigating through the area silently so as not to awaken the sleeping nocturnal creatures. It was difficult to find them, really! Good thing there were guides who help tourists spot them camouflaging among the tree branches.
Third stop was a quick one at Bilar Manmade Forest. It was tricky to get a photo due to the other tourists and incoming traffic plus the shade of the trees affecting the lighting wasn’t ideal for photos taken by normal cameras. Fret not though, some photographers are stationed there to take & print your photo while you wait. You also get a softcopy of your photos shared to your email for just Php 150 each shot.
The next stop was the long-awaited lunch buffet. Although we arrived there at around 1PM, there were still a lot of people waiting to get on board. We really didn't go thru the process of reservations and lining up individually. As soon as we got there, we already had a boat number for our entire tour group. I believe, it was arranged by the tour company before we even got there. We only waited for at least 5 minutes before we head out to the docking area where our assigned boat was waiting for us. The buffet selection was not as great as you would have in a typical all-you-can-eat restaurant at a mall, but the ambience and the cultural shows were surely worth it. Although the food selection wasn't huge, the dishes were truly an authentic Filipino taste. The river cruise lasted for an hour with some quick cultural show stopovers where the guests can even join the dancing.
The final parts of the tour were basically just quick stops and some souvenir shopping recommendations, most probably a way to cap off our jam-packed day. Right after lunch, we headed to our next destination -- Baclayon Church. We made a quick 180 around this significant historical landmark, which dates all the way back to 1727 and it's still standing today with much of its original coral stone structure still intact.
One last important stop that puts Bohol in a historical spot, was the Blood Compact (Sandugo) Shrine. This monument signifies the first treaty of friendship between the Filipinos and the Spaniards. The shrine sits in a wide open green space with a park where local souvenir shops are lined up.
Before heading back to our respective hotels, we dropped by an artsy souvenir shop nearby. It was called Aproniana Gift Shop, if my memory serves me right. Our van took us door-to-door to our hotel in Panglao. We arrived late in the afternoon, so we just had a couple of hours to freshen up before making our way to Alona Beach for dinner. But that's a story for another post!
xoxo,
