Bohol Bee Farm, Panglao Island, Bohol

I've never been this close to bees in my entire life! But I did not let the opportunity pass so I went ahead and held that thing with the bees. See the nervous smile?

Bohol Bee Farm is actually one of the many resort hotels in Panglao Island. However, Bohol Bee Farm offers its guests something different from the rest - that is, providing organic food and products and exposing them to organic farm activities. Indeed, our tour inside the place is memorable and educational as well.

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Chocolate Hills of Bohol Sadly Misleading!

The Chocolate Hills on the island of Bohol are one of the top attractions within the Philippines so in expectation of a free for all sweet buffet we set sail for the island to find out more. Our first official Ferry trip within the Philippines enabled us to the reach the island in a little under 2 hours. After some bartering at the port we decided upon 3 wheels as our best form of transport to help us reach our beach destination, very bumpy & noisy but all good fun!!

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My Bohol Surprise

I was on the earliest plane bound for Tagbilaran on a Monday morning. The sun is yet to rise as I yawned away from the bustling sound of the morning rush of the metro. I was not expecting much from what I was about to see in Bohol so I just shrugged my shoulders and told myself I will just lie on the sand all day and enjoy the sun just like what I always do when I am on the beach. This trip was my third sea getaway in just a month so I was not expecting anything spectacular. The mere beach bumming already excites me. Nothing more. Apparently, I was in for a surprise.

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My Bohol Trip part 2

Here’s the continuation of my Bohol Trip. I just found extra time today and thought of making the part 2 of my Bohol Trip. From Tagbilaran airport, it took about half an hour to Panglao Island. We stayed at Lost Horizon Beach Resort and its past 6pm when we arrived and we took an hour rest before heading out to the beach for dinner.The rooms are okay and we paid P2,600 ($56) a night per room that’s good for two but can accommodate 4 people.

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The Cabilao Island, Bohol

The small island located upstream Cabilao Bohol Tagbilaran out of about 30 km along the coast road in the direction of Loon, Calape and Tubigon. There is a ferry (about 10 min.) With outrigger boats off the island Sandingan which is in turn connected by bridge to Bohol.

Although the island relatively close to the “mainland” the island is neither a separate power supply nor a water supply. Fresh water must be either collected from rainwater or put out of Bohol by boat to the island. The three small resort facilities on the island have not organized well.

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Beautiful Bohol

This expansive farm in the town of Dauis on Panglao Island is all about embracing the natural, organic lifestyle. The small herb garden by the main entrance is a lush home to pots of tarragon, basil, dill, fennel, coriander, peppermint—all of which you can touch and smell one by one on the free farm tour for guests. Included in the tour is a 101 talk on bees and how they work. But before you set off for the tour, take a seat and eat. The menu is a page-turner—Yoga Salad with Cheese, Organic Vegetables Stir-Fried with Shrimps, Grilled Marlin, Seafood Pasta with Cocomilk, Ube Fries with Honeyed Latik, and so on. Not strong on decision-making? Treat your group to a generous buff et spread for P420 per head for a group of six.

After lunch, look for a nook you can claim your own. The real charm of Bohol Bee Farm is to be discovered in the many cozy couches and hammocks spread all over the property. Yes, lazing around is required here. Look for the viewing deck and let the sound of crashing waves serenade you. Get a traditional hilot massage to work out the kinks. Before you depart, stop by the Buzz Shop to load up on spreads, teas, and muffins.

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Of Work and Leisure At Bohol

One exciting part of working in the recruitment/marketing is that you get to travel and do offsite recruitment. If I may share, I’ve traveled to a lot of places because of work, all of them are company expense and all of them are definitely an experience of a lifetime!

I’ve been to Cagayan, Zamboanga, Cebu, Manila and Bohol for a lot of other things related to work. Although it’s company paid, you get to experience the luxury of living in the limelight with free food, travel and accommodation!

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Bohol, a reverie runs through it

Drinking had never been this lonesome. Not that I don’t enjoy drinking with Mom who, by the time I was writing this, had already finished two glasses of margarita. In this Panglao night, my glass of cabernet sauvignon is starting to fill me with reverie.

So I took my best friend, the laptop to write my story under these starry skies. Tomorrow, I would be back in the arms of Manila, my Manila. And the thought of it brings me feelings that are acute and painful Bohol is introverted like me, and amusingly very rural. No big, noisy parties, just tables for one, or two, or a few friends who would talk quietly. Is it the wine or the memory slowly unfolding? Time flies and I have to commit everything to memory.

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Bohol made a big turn-around

A few years back, 1995 I think, I was one of those people who were given the task and the chance to explain and cascade down to the people who themselves formulated the Vision of the province of Bohol. The Vision states-

Bohol is a prime eco-cultural tourist destination and a strong agro-industrial province with an empowered and self-reliant people who are God-loving, law-abiding, proud of their cultural heritage and committed to the growth and protection of the environment.

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Bohol, Philippines by Godfrey

I'm still in the Philippines and Brandon and I just back from the island of Bohol and it was gorgeous! It was how I initially pictured the Philippines, a jungles of green everywhere. Brandon's two bosses Jeremy and Jon are so busy trying to get the call center up and going by next Monday and getting into their homes that they didn't go with us. Yup you guessed it, Brandon and I ventured off to a place that we have never been to. I was ok with it once Brandon made a friend at the hotel we are staying at in Cebu told him how to get around. We got up early and packed up a suitcase so that we could get a boat over to Bohol. The boat ride wasn't that bad. It was only an 1hr45 min. boat ride and when we got to Bohol I felt really overwhelmed. The reasoning is because we had sooo many tour guides just bombarding u to have them take u on the famous Chocolate Hills tour. I told Brandon to lets just find a freakin taxi! We found a guy and Brandon tried to negotiate a price but he didn't go down but he seemed liked he could speak ok English so off we went to the hotel.

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Bohol: Diving Off the Deep End

A plunge into Bohol's pristine waters brings a reluctant, first-time diver face-to-face with the surly creatures of the deep, in a mesmerizing landscape unrivaled by anything that can be seen on land.

From a certain altitude, Bohol's famed Chocolate Hills, once a contender for a spot in The New Seven Wonders of the World, look like little green swells bespeckled with several shades of brown. They are exactly what their name implies – hills that take on a chocolate hue during the dry months. All 1,268 mounds of limestone are perfectly shaped and clustered together, a natural geological formation that occurs nowhere else on God's green earth.

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Sinulog 2010 Trip and Bohol Side Trip

It’s my first time to visit Cebu for Sinulog and boy was I really excited! I have been looking forward to this trip since December and have even asked someone for our accommodation there (Cebu). But, something happened and that someone backed out the day before our departure. Worse, when I called up the hotels that day, they were fully booked. FAST FORWARD for I don’t want to talk about it further. Tish!

My beau and I left CDO at around 11am - 12noon and expected to arrive in Cebu at around 7pm. Both of us were worried already as to where we should stay for the night. We contacted friends but to no avail, they can’t helped us either.

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Escapades in Cebu and Bohol

The last quarter of 2009 was the months of travel, food and fun for me, Edzel and Janah..not too mention expensive too..but we never get to worry..we are rich and famous as they said hahaha.

First stop during the last week of October (24th to 27th to be exact) was Cebu and Bohol. This is actually the second time I had been in these places before (Bohol way back in 2000 - I was on my 6th grade when I joined a national science workshop and Cebu in 2007 during the regional finals for Groove and Move). but this time I just went there with friends to have a short break from the stress world of our jobs.

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Diving in Balicasag Island, Bohol err maybe Snorkeling

The pride of Bohol is its underwater world. I think Amaziiing is an understatement how gorgeous it is to be down there. There are numerous hotspots where you could dive/snorkel around Panglao Island. You could go to the numerous dive shops littered along the coast of Alona Beach. The resort where i stay offer them. Its Bohol Divers Lodge.

You could hook up a boat ride to Balicasag Island anytime you like. It would be cheaper if you could tag along some more people to share the cost and just pay individually if you're diving, snorkeling, or just cruising around. If you're a non-diver like me and unlike my french friends, don't be so sad. You could opt for some snorkeling. Its not a chicken idea. Its actually better, no worries before and after if you dive. No preparations and no plus plus fees because I was using my own oxygen.

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I ate flowers at the Bohol Bee Farm

I haven't magically turned into a flower chomping goat. The floral feast was served to A. and myself at the Bohol Bee Farm. We went to their resto at the Island City Mall and the resort in Panglao island for some gustatory experience.

The flowers themselves don't really taste different from, well, flowers. The tangy dressing pretty much took over the palate. I just don't know if I could replicate the salad here in Manila using my neighbor's blooms.

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How to Go to Chocolate Hills in Bohol, Philippines

Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol is one of the wonders of the world. It has 1,776 hills spreading in about 50 square kilometers (20 sq mi). Chocolate Hills is one of the tourist attraction in the Philippines listed in Philippine Tourism Authority. The 1,776 hills are covered with green grass that turns brown during the dry season that looks like a chocolate. That is why this wonder is called the chocolate hills. This marvel of creation is probably the famous tourist attraction in Bohol.

How to go there to enjoy the beauty of this wonders of the world? First, if you're in another country like USA, Canada, Australia and anywhere in the world, you need to take a flight to the Philippines via Philippine Airlines or any Airlines that have a flight schedule to the Philippines. Once you arrived in the Philippines most probably your in Manila, you need to take a domestic flight to Cebu. From the Mactan International Airport, you need to ride a taxi color yellow especially for passengers from the plane, to the Cebu port terminal bound for Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

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Beautiful Bohol!

Just got back from 5 glorious days in Bohol, an island in the Southern Philippines. As you know, my friend Rachel is visiting and we wanted to take her somewhere that would give her a feel of the island life (versus the chaos of Manila). Bohol had been high on our list for awhile, so we decided a trip over New Year’s was the perfect time to go. This was our first time to one of the islands and Rachel’s first tropical beach getaway.

If we weren’t napping, suntanning or swimming we were most likely eating. And eat we did! Food was fabulously cheap, so we indulged. The Philippines is reported to have the world’s best mangoes – I think Rachel would concur, as she managed to make Mango a food group in every meal she indulged in. YUM! Our favorite dinner ended up being a beachside BBQ. We selected the delicious red snapper pictured below and had it grilled up with corn on the cob and baked potatoes to round out the meal. Nothing better than selecting from fish that had all been caught that morning… very unique (and fresh)!

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Bilar man-made forest

This is a photo of the Bilar Man-made Forest in Bohol, Philippines. I took this during my recent trip with my friends. This is my second time to pass by this forest (first was in 2004), but it was only in 2009 when I finally appreciated the beauty of this place.

The Bilar Man-made Forest is a sight to behold, a lovely stretch of road, en route to the famous Chocolate Hills. I loved the cool temperature that embraced my skin when we went out of the van to take pictures. Trees, coolness, and fresh air is a combination rarely experienced in Manila. And I’m happy to experience it, even for just a short while, in Bohol.

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Red Butterfly Travel Series: Bohol

From Manila, we went to Cebu to meet up with some friends then took a ferry going to Bohol.

There are many ferries to choose from. There’s Super Cat (300 Roundtrip), Ocean Jet (500 Roundtrip) and Weesam Express (400 Roundtrip). I forgot which one we took but I think it’s the Super Cat ferry… because it’s cheap. LOL!

We stayed at JJ’s Alona Rooms, Bar and Restaurant. It’s not located at the beachfront, but it’s still near the beach. The rooms are clean and roomy. And the staff is very friendly. The rates are cheap, although I’m not sure of their rates now. When I checked their website, they removed the rates. They’re probably going to change them. The best way to find out is to contact them and ask for their current rates.

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Does Tourism Speed up The Philippine Tarsiers' Extinction?

When one mentions Bohol, the first and second thing that comes to mind are Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers, the latter is considered an endangered species. In Bohol, a continually dwindling number of Philippine Tarsiers can be found. It is also found in a few places like Leyte, Samar and some parts of Mindanao.

It is by nature a small creature, measuring to about three inches to six inches in height and considered to belong in the primate group. On seeing the Philippine Tarsier, one cannot deny that its distinct feature are its wide eyes and the way it stares back at you.

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1,000+ Choco-like Mounds

A perfect trip to Bohol can never be complete without visiting Bohol’s signature and most famous attraction – the Chocolate Hills in Carmen — that comes with lots of photo ops! Of course, that was what we exactly did.

From Loboc where we viewed the cute tarsiers, it was quite a long drive to the town of Carmen. After about an hour or so, we finally arrived at the Chocolate Hills Complex (a government-owned and operated resort and the original viewing station) and paid the entrance fee of PHP50/adult and PHP35/child.

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Chocolate Hills, Philippine Tarsier, Bohol Land Tour, Bohol, Philippines

On our third day in Bohol on May 18, 2009, we went to see the place in Tagbilaran City where the blood compact was supposed to have been performed on March 16, 1565.

The blood compact or “Sandugo” in Bohol was made between Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi of Spain and Datu Sikatuna of Bohol to seal their friendship as part of the tribal tradition.

Afterwards, we went to see the Baclayon Church and Museum in Baclayon, Bohol, Philippines. The Baclayon Church is the second oldest church in the Philippines. The San Agustin Cathedral in Intramuros is the oldest church in the Philippines. Regarding the museum, it was not allowed to take any photos inside the museum.

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Bohol Beach Club, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines Trip

We went to Bohol with Cebu Pacific Air on May 16, 2009. The plane took off from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Domestic Terminal 3 in Manila at around 8:18am, earlier than the estimated time of departure which was 8:35am. The plane landed at the Tagbilaran Airport in Bohol even before 9:28am, earlier than the estimated time of arrival which was 9:50am.

At around 9:44am, we were already on our way to Bohol Beach Club, Bo. Bolod, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines. The trip from Tagbilaran Airport to Bohol Beach Club was not that long, more or less travel time was 30 to 40 minutes.

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Kayaking the islands

Sun & Sea Sports Systems, Inc., one of the country’s pioneer in the kayaking sport, together with Bohol Extreme Outdoors and the Philippine Kayaking Association, Inc., hosted a three-day kayaking adventure race and tour last December 4-6, bringing both guests and participants to an exciting and wet ride to two of the country’s most visited places – Mactan and Panglao Islands in Cebu and Bohol, respectively.

Didi Camara, project manager of the Philippine Kayaking Series 2009, revealed that the event started in 1997, and despite its long hiatus in 2002, she said that the organizers were happy that on their return in 2007 they were able to encourage several enthusiasts, local government units and national government offices to participate and promote the event.

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Day Tour at Bohol Bee Farm : Bohol Tour, Day 3

Day Tour at Bohol Bee Farm: You have to coordinate with the Bee farm crew from the reception if you want a ‘Farm Tour’ of the area. When we got there, there was a large group of student touring the Bee Farm. They let us join that group which had already started when we got there.

The part of the tour we caught was the plants and herbs the crew grows inside the farm. We weren’t able to catch the tour guide’s name as we were late on the course of the tour.

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Baclayon Church, Bohol

Actually, the name of the church is The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and is located at Baclayon, a fifth class municipality in Bohol. Many people now refers to it as Baclayon Church and is considered as one of the oldest churches in the Philippines.

The church itself has a rich history as it stood as a witness to the eventual emancipation of the Philippines from the Spanish colonizers who built the church as believed to be sometime around 1727 while the actual settlement of Spanish Jesuits mission was founded in Baclayon around 1595.

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My Bohol Trip part 1

This post was partially written while I’m still in Bohol and was just sitting in my draft folder for 3 weeks now. I originally planned to blog about this daily while in Bohol but I got so tired come night time. So today I decided to go on with it. There will be pictures included from Manila airport to Tagbilaran and our trips to different places in Bohol. So stay put, read and enjoy the pictures from the island of Bohol.

Okay I’ve been sick with skin allergy 2 weeks ago followed by cough and colds. A few days ago I went to my doctor and she said I got an acute sinusitis. No worries because all I need was rest and take my medicines on time and today I feel great already. To make long story short, I was able to proceed with my family to Bohol, a southern province of Visayas, about 600kms away from Manila by plane.

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Bohol Diaries : Day 2 – Part 3 Chocolate Hills, Butterfly Garden, Peanut Kisses hunting, Coco Vida & party craze at Oops Bar

After we passed through the winding forest-y road of Bilar, we were led to a town called Carmen home of the Bohol’s scenic yet so famous tourist spot – the Chocolate Hills. At a distance it was already a spectacular view which looked like little sweet Hershey kisses which fell from the skies. And as you go towards it – you will be more amazed.

Tip: Going to the very top of viewer’s deck has 2 entry points. First is by a winding inclined pathway located in the left most part entrance of the view site. The other one is n the right side which basically has narrow steep cemented stairs. I recommend that you try them both so you can get the full view from each sides.

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Bohol Diaries : Day 1, Paragayo Resort & Alona Beach

Its been 3 months when I visited the white powdery fine shores of Panglao and believe me getting there was hell lot of fun. The getaway was a treat for myself, as I marked another year old on my age calendar. I remember it was raining moderately when we left Manila, but when the plane touched down at Tagbilaran we were greeted by a sunny fine weather. Surprisingly, it didn’t rain in the entire Bohol for a week even if Manila was badly hit by typhoon Jolina.

I had our accommodation reserved in Panglao Island specifically in Paragayo Resort instead at Tagbilaran. Adventurously speaking for beach bums and party goers like us the island is a good catch, consider as well that it takes another hour just to get to the nearest beach if you are coming from the city.

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Exploring the Philippines archipelago underwater: Diving Bohol Beach and Apo Island

After flights from New York to L.A., then to Manila (with a refueling in Guam), Philippine Airlines connected with a flight south to the city of Tagbilaran in Bohol. Linking up with eight other divers on the tour, we boarded a van bound for the Bohol Beach Club, located a half-hour away on Panglao Island. Situated among manicured grounds, a few yards from the beach, the accommodations here focus on divers’ needs.

If I had any qualms about going such a distance just to dive, they disappeared the following morning, when I sank into the waters off Panglao Island. The reef surrounding the island slopes gradually before dropping off, where it’s thick with giant gorgonian fans – some are big enough to obscure the entire height of a diver.

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Bohol Itinerary, 3 Days – 3 Nights

Bohol Itinerary, 3 Days – 3 Nights: Here is our actual itinerary in Bohol, accomplished last August 20 to Aug 22 ‘09. This was yet another boyfriend-girlfriend trip so I was kind of expecting it to be a bit pricey, but, I was relieved to find out that other people who had been there has spend more than us, and there were like 5 of them

Bohol is an expensive place to visit anyways, so I feel like our itinerary here can be justified. Aside from the essential tour expenses, I also included tips, donations and food trips to the actual expenses of this itinerary.

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Revisiting Bohol

Bohol has been an easy get away for me in the hustle and bustle of the city, aside from the fact that its close to Cebu, I can go there without spending a single cent. I first stepped on it during the National Physics Olympics and Conference when I was in high school - one way of traveling without worrying for the expenses. I was with eight other batchmates plus our Physics instructor and for about three days we had total fun, not with the physics thing but with our bonding and tour. We've created lots of hilarious moments we repeatedly reminisce everytime we get together. In college, it became like my second hometown.

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Bohol Day 3 By Kris - Island Hopping

For our third day, we availed of the Island Hopping Your from our resort, for a minimal fee of Php 3,000 (around this amount) then we also added the lunch package at an additional Php 480 per head.

Call time was at 5:30 am,which I miraculously was able to meet despite working until 3am the night before(yeah, I brought my laptop with me), so we can head to Alona beach and watch dolphins. Dolphins, I learned, feed early in the morning, and the waters off the Alona beach are their main hunting ground.

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Bohol Day 2 by Kris- Countryside Tour

Now, we didn't really go to Bohol just because. It was actually an almost year-long decision since there are so many good places to visit in the Philippines. After all, we have around 7,000 island and you can only focus on one per visit. :)

We narrowed it down to Palawan, Boracay, and Bohol. However, while we all agreed that Palawan is probably the best bet, it is also the least safe, at least when travelling with foreigners. We had to take into account we have an American and a Welsh travelling with us so that makes us easy target. Boracay, while it has arguably the best stretch of powdery white sand this side of the planet, is just that - a beach. There isn't much to do there but island hop, swim and party til dawn. So, that left us with Bohol.

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Snorkeling at Balicasag : Bohol Tour, Day 2

After Dolphin watching, our boat docked at Balicasag Island where the snorkel site can be found. In there, we were transferred to another mini-boat. The mini-boat is mandatory when going to the snorkel site. It can only accommodate three people. It was just me, Jeff and our guide – Kuya Romeo on the tip of the boat.

There were sea urchins and sharp corals underneath so we rented aqua shoes from Kuya Romeo, per his recommendation.

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Bohol by Kris - Day 1

One of the things Ipe and I have a mutual love of is traveling. I love visiting ruins, old buildings, monuments and on the extreme, I love anything that has to do with nature - beaches, mountains, forest... So I was looking forward to my Bohol vacation with my old high school friends.

First thing we had to agree on was the place - there were lots to choose from. Personally, I would have chosed Bohol Beach Club for its beautiful swimming pool and beach. Reviews say that BBC has the best beach in Bohol. However, we all decided to go for Linaw Beach Resort since it had glowing reviews on the net.

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I bid farewell to Bohol!

As I bid farewell to Bohol in the evening, I sat in the van heading to the pier a very a contented man. While it was a rush getting into Bohol in the morning (and I even missed the earlier boat, no thanks to Hilton), I was glad that I actually made it into Bohol.

The countryside views were superb, including a view of the man-made forest. Van didn’t stop for me to take shots but it was very nice to see it anyway in the van. The above shot means quite a lot to me right now as I am hitting a bit of a rough patch. Sometimes, I wish life was as peaceful as the image above.

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Fun and Adventure at Bohol

Do you know Cathy of the PBB Double Up? She was the housemate that was chosen to be the representative of the PBB Swap to Finland. At first, I find her as just a simple and plain housemate, but during the PBB Swap, I became proud of her. She was able to represent the Philippines well. Okay…I am not going to talk about her but about her hometown, Bohol. Yes, she is a native of Bohol.

Bohol is located at Central Visayas famous for the Chocolate Hills, Tarsier, the Loboc Children’s Choir, and the yummy Peanut Kisses.

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Down the Loboc River…

One of the many things that people say you must do in Bohol includes a river cruise on top a house floating on the river. After going on the river cruise, I didn’t find that it was much to shout about until I saw some of the pictures I got. Although the food might not be the greatest (its part of the package) and the view isn’t exactly fantastic, you get to see an interesting part of life in Bohol.

And I guess that is what makes this a worthwhile cruise.

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The Star of Bohol

Last week, I said I’ll share the ultimate reason why one should visit Bohol. The above picture is the answer. At least it is the ultimate reason for me. To see a live Philippine tarsier is like a dream come true. After all, they are endangered and they are endemic to the Philippines making it the only country that you can view a live, wild tarsier.

These lil fellas, and I do mean little. They are no bigger than a fist and they are actually nocturnal animals. While I would have loved to visit the official sanctuary, and I do recommend that you try to make it there to see the tarsiers, the group I joined visited one of the many tarsier “viewing” farms scattered around Bohol.

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Coco Vida Bar and Restaurant – Panglao, Bohol

For our 3 days and 2 nights of stay at Bohol, there’s one resto that became our favorite. And that is Coco Vida Bar and Restaurant along Alona Beach, located exactly at the beachfront. Coco Vida became our dinner place for 2 nights, not only the food was great but also the service was superb.

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