Bohol

Rustic yet vibrant, the island province of Bohol is a perfect holiday destination full of  natural wonders , historical landmarks, and centuries-old churches.

Bohol is famous for the Chocolate Hills; the Tarsier monkey; Pamilacan’s dolphins and marine creatures; old churches of Baclayon, Loboc, Loay, Dauis and Maribojoc;  Hinagdanan Caves; fantastic dive spots and beach resorts;  Spanish watchtowers;  and other eco-cultural tourism sites.  

Located in the heart of Central Visayas,  Bohol is approximately  620 kms south of Manila and 79 kms southeast of Cebu.  It has a population of 1.1 million and total land area of 411,726 hectares.  The main island is surrounded by 73 smaller islets, among them Panglao, Pamilacan, Cabilao, Jao, Mahanay and Lapinin.  Like most  islands in the Philippines, Bohol already had strong trading ties with the Chinese long before the Spaniards set foot in the country, as revealed by artifacts, dating back to China’s Tang dynasty , excavated from ancient burial sites.   Tagbilaran City is the entry point to the island of Bohol.

Some of the best dive spots in the country are found around Bohol Island.  Panglao, Balicasag, Pamilacan Islands attract divers from all over the world because of  their colorful and magnificent underwater marine sceneries.

Touristic Sites and Activities :

CHOCOLATE HILLS 

The Chocolate Hills are Bohol’s most famous tourist attraction.  There are 1268 hills, most of which are between 30 to 50 metres high and are uniform in shape.   They are covered with grass, which at the end of the dry season, turn chocolate brown, making the hills look like little mounds of chocolate.   At other times, the hills are green.

Legend has it that the hills came into existence when two giants threw stones at each other in a fight that lasted for days. When they were finally exhausted, they made friends and left the island, but left behind the mess that they made.   For the romantically inclined, there is the tale of the giant Arogo, who fell in love with an ordinary village girl named Aloya.  When she died, Arogo cried bitterly and his tears turned into the hills, as  testimony to his grief.

Geologically, the most commonly-accepted theory is that they are a product of  thousands of years of rainwater cutting through shells , coral formations and impermeable layers of clay  that rose above ground as the island emerged from the sea.

There are 214 steps to the top of the observation hill at the Chocolate Hills Visitor Center Complex that allow visitors a  panoramic view of  the hills.

Trips to the Chocolate Hills are part of the regular tours offered by local tour operators.

CORELLA &  TARSIER VISITORS CENTRE

Beyond the town of Corella, in the village of Canapnapan is the Tarsiers Visitor Centre, a wildlife sanctuary  dedicated to the conservation and research of the Philippine Tarsier.
Although the Philippine Tarsier is often called “the smallest monkey in the world”, it is scientifically classified with the prosimians.  Some other species of this mammal have also been sighted in the nearby islands of Samar and Leyte, as well as specific forests in Mindanao, but  Bohol seems to have the most number of them in existence.   Since the Philippine Tarsier is  in danger of being extinct,  the  Tarsier Visitors Centre  has an ongoing captive breeding programme.  

The Tarsier was first introduced to Western biologists through the description given by the missionary J.G. Camel to biologist J.Petivel in 1705 of an animal said to have come from the Philippines.   The species is believed to be about 45 million years old, dating back to the Eocene period, and probably one of the oldest land species continuously existing in the Philippines. 

The Philippine Tarsier is said to be an inspiration for ET and the other freaky alien creatures that have been  popularized by Hollywood sci-fi movies.  This little primate  can fit inside the palm of a hand, yet leap 5 metres high and rotate its head almost 360 degrees.  Its ears move towards the direction of sound and has huge imploring eyes 150-times bigger than a human.  They have sharp teeth and long tails which they use for balancing, like a tripod.  They feed on insects, hunt at night,  and are slow and inactive during the day. 

There are other clearing areas in Bohol , where Tarsiers are kept in captivity for tourists to see , but the 12.5 km hiking trail at the Tarsier Visitors Centre in Corella allows visitors to see them in a less obtrusive manner at their natural habitat.

OLD CHURCHES

As an early Spanish settlement,  Bohol has some of the country’s best examples of Spanish colonial churches many of which are made from coral stones.  Some of the interesting ones include :  Baclayon Church, the oldest stone church in the Philippines, which now houses a museum of religious art and ecclesiastical articles in the old
convent ; and the churches of Loboc ;Dauis ;  Loay ; and Maribojoc.  The Loboc Children’s Choir,  which sings at the Loboc Church, has given concerts around the world and has won awards in Choir competitions worldwide. Near the Church of Maribojoc is a Spanish watchtower in the village of Punta Cruz.  From the tower , one has an excellent view of the Bohol Sea and the surrounding islands .   Other Bohol old churches worth visiting  are those in the towns of Tubigon, Calape, Loon and Alburquerque. 

LOBOC  RIVER CRUISE

Take one of the wide-bodied native floating restaurants from the  towns of Loboc, Loay or Bilar and cruise down the tranquil Loboc River, while lunching on  fresh shrimps, native grouper  fish,  squid and other delicious samples of local Bohol cuisine.
A local singer and guitarist entertains guests during this lazy river boat trip to Busay Falls.  The Loboc River Cruise could take an hour and a half to two hours, depending on the embarkation point for the cruise.

BLOOD COMPACT SITE

 At the village of Bo-ol,  3 kms east of  Tagbilaran , stands a sculptural representation of the historical figures in the blood compact between the local chieftain Sikatuna and the Spanish conquistador, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.  The monument, overlooking the sea, commemorates  the blood compact ritual , which was the first treaty of friendship between the East and the West, or the Philippines and Spain.  

CLARIN ANCESTRAL HOME

The Clarin Ancestral Home in Loay is an example of a  typical rich Boholano home during the 1800’s.  Declared as a heritage site by the National Historical Institute, the Clarin Ancestral Home was once the residence of a former governor of Bohol, Don  Aniceto Velez Clarin, and his son, a former president of the Senate.  It is now a small museum with numerous artifacts from the 1800’s , including richly carved wooden beds and dressers, antique rocking chairs, Filipina dresses and barongs, etc.   The house was constructed in a traditional Filipino-Spanish style using huge planks of hardwood and a roof covered with nipa leaves.   Although it is now a museum, a donation towards the maintenance of the house would be appreciated as some parts of the house is
still  in dire need of repair.

A pleasantly quaint and cozy coffeeshop is run by the remaining heirs of the family at the ground floor of the museum, which extends to a quiet and private garden.   The coffeeshop serves  several native local Boholano delicacies, not found in the city anymore,  and is definitely recommended as a “must” stop for tourists visiting the area.  

PAMILACAN  MARINE LIFE TOUR

One of the attractions of Bohol is dolphin and whale-watching on the Bohol Sea. The area for this is around Pamilacan Island, a sanctuary for marine life where a fishing ban is imposed by the locals, so the area can serve as a nursery for young fish.  Whale-watching boats pick up tourists from Panglao or Baclayon.  The trip starts at six o’clock in the morning and lasts for a full-day.  A guide or dolphin and whale-watching spotter accompanies the group out to sea and points out the dolphins. At times, almost 500 dolphins can be spotted and all of them jumping and spinning in and out of the waters.  Dolphins are natural talents and are an interesting spectacle to observe.  The dolphins of Bohol Sea put on a natural acrobatic show without having to be trained.  Those who wish to snorkel can stop at Pamilacan Island, where there is another old Spanish watchtower.  
The waters of Pamilacan are brimming with schools of snapper, grouper and mackerel and is a favorite of divers.

HINAGDANAN CAVE

Hinagdanan Cave, meaning “laddered” in the local dialect, on the island of Panglao is just 2.5 kilometres from Dauis.  This cave has a large number of stalactites hanging from the ceiling and matching stalagmites sticking out of the earth below them. The cave leads to a large underground cavern that contains a pond. Swimming is not advisable inside the cave.  Bohol has about 1400 caves and some are breeding places of unusual and bizarre invertebrates like the rare albino crab, etc.

PANGLAO  ISLAND

Pristine white sand beaches , quaint thatched cottages along the shore, and well-appointed resort hotels are found in Panglao Island.  Two bridges connect the island of Panglao to Bohol.  Alona Beach is one area of  Panglao Island that has developed as a thriving tourism community popular with European divers.  On the other parts of the island are premium boutique resorts with their own beach fronts which offer more privacy.  Worth mentioning are :  AMARELA, an upmarket resort in traditional Filipino-Spanish architecture and tastefully done interiors that blend antique furnishings with modern stylized Filipino art. Very cozy old Filipino-Spanish home atmosphere, with the dining area on a balcony overlooking the sea;   BOHOL BEE FARM, a small boutique hotel done in local style , also with a good view of the ocean. The specialty of this place is organic food.  Bohol Bee Farm grows the food that they serve to visitors , as well as the other products sold in their little shop.  Best place to buy honey, baked organic bread, herb sauces and local Bohol crafts.  A visit to Bohol will not be complete without a lunch or dinner at Bohol Bee Farm;  and PANGLAO ISLAND RESORT, another oceanfront property with interiors artfully done in local Filipino style.  The resort has beautifully decorated cottages, a spa complex,  and a restaurant floating in the middle of the ocean. They have enough rooms to accommodate groups of 100 pax .