Bohol, Philippines Adventure – Summer 2017 (Day 2)

This was the last day of our trip! Our second day in Bohol! Our day was limited because later that day was our flight back to Manila. We witnessed the beauty of nature that God created. Amazing! Exquisite! Unwinding! I did not want to leave at all. Below was our itinerary. (Highlighted in yellow were skipped due to time constraint)

Bohol IT 2

We woke up early to have breakfast (included in our overnight package). Hubby chose ham and egg, while I had corned beef and egg, both with garlic rice plus your choice of iced tea, coffee, or juice. (We waited though longer than expected) It was heavy breakfast for me.

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Using the motorcycle we rented at Hey Joe, we drove all the way from Tagbilaran to Panglao; about 16 km distance and 30 minutes travel time. I did not search through Google any picture before this trip. I wanted to be surprised by what is in store in Bohol.

As we arrived Panglao, specifically the beach area, I felt mesmerized! I told my hubby immediately, “Can we just stay here?” Then, he smiled. He knew I fell in love right there. You can choose among Alona Beach, Bohol Beach Club, Dumaluan Beach and a lot more.

See to appreciate.

The Beach

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These videos will tell all!

Needless to explain why I did not want to leave? Did you appreciate Bohol now? Come and visit the Philippines! Feel free to contact me for any details.

Hinagdanan Cave

Hinagdanan Cave is a cave in the municipality of Dauis on Panglao Island, in Bohol Province, in the Philippines. It is a naturally lighted cavern with a deep lagoon and many large stalactites and stalagmites.

The cave is lit by sunlight which filters through holes in the ceiling. The underground lake is a popular swimming spot, but it has been known to test for high levels of various pollutants, since it is fed by ground runoff.

Hinagdanan Cave is made of limestone. The entrance of the cave is a hole of about 1 metre wide in diameter, visible from a limestone hill. Cemented steps lead to the interior of the cave. The cave is slippery, but there’s a railing made of rope to hold on to avoid accident due to slippery stones of the cave. The cave is filled with sleeping birds in small holes in the ceiling. – wikipedia.org

From the beach, we hopped to Hinagdanan Cave. It is about 10 km from the beach where we came from and about 18 minutes ride. After paying the entrance fee, (viewing fee OR viewing + swimming fee), we brought with us our snorkeling gears and went down to the cave. Our tour guide kuya Boni (short for Bonifacio) was very informative and helpful with our photos. He took our pictures using our smart phones. He even had effects used to make our pictures impressive. He also told us that the water level usually is 12-15 feet. We spend our time there swimming, the water was cold, like those from the fridge.  See to believe!

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Watch our video in Hinagdanan Cave!


We bought peanut kisses for pasalubong. After this adventure, we went back to Aliria. The motorcycle we rented will be picked up at Aliria 24 hours from the time it was delivered. Then we packed our stuff and changed clothes going back to Manila through Tagbilaran Airport. Our flight back was 2:55pm. We parked at NAIA Terminal 3.

But we did not head home yet. We had to go to Quezon City to celebrate Mommy Tita’s 79th birthday at Cabalen located at Quezon Avenue. Then we head home. We were excited to give our pasalubong and see our kids after 4 long days.

Our 4 day Cebu-Bohol journey ended here. I hope you enjoyed too. Feel free to ask me about this trip.

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See related posts:

Cebu Day 1

Cebu Day 2

Cebu Day 2 (last night)

Bohol Day 1

Bohol, Philippines Adventure – Summer 2017 (Day 1)

We were late for this trip! From Cebu, we took the Star Craft Ferry. It was 1 hour ferry ride from the Cebu Port 1 going to Tubigon Port in Bohol. We overslept, probably tired because our two day trip in Cebu was jampacked with activities. We should have left the hotel earlier to make it to the first trip which was 5:45 AM. Even if we arrived at 5:45 AM, the ticketing booth was already closed to accept passengers for the first trip, instead we were for 7AM trip.

The ticketing booth is not located inside the port. It can be found outside. I had to ask the guard where it was. There was a challenge, it was still raining. As soon as we bought the tickets, the service arrived at the ticketing booth (which did not look like it was a ticketing booth but an abandoned commercial space). That service gave us a ride to the port. Nice. We did not have to run in the rain.

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There are two ways to travel from Cebu to Tubigon, Bohol. First is through the Fast Ferry. It is a high speed passenger service. It is about three times higher the fare of a regular ferry. But, its first trip from Cebu Port is at 8:45AM. We wanted to arrive early in Bohol to utilize the time we have left. So, it lead us to the next choice. Second is through the Star Craft (what we availed). It is the cheapest. It cost us only PhP250 each (if not mistaken) but not 300. Then, there is Ocean Jet, its route is Cebu to Tagbilaran. It is for about 2 hours trip at PhP800-PhP1,000 each. You can check the schedules here https://www.bohol.ph/article107.html

When we arrived in Tubigon, we took a trike going to the van terminal which brought us to another trike terminal. The fare at the van was PhP90 each. We also paid for our luggage as another person. It was cheap, thinking we had a roller coaster ride. Whew! The passengers inside the van were like in a can of Ligo Sardines; no space to move. The van even stopped in front of a waiting shed and got another passenger. What? Hubby and I were just looking at each other. Well, I want to enjoy the trip, so I just smiled.

Welcome to Bohol! Below was our itinerary. We missed those highlighted in yellow due to weather condition and time constraint.

Bohol IT 1

Soon as we arrived at Aliria Bed and Breakfast, the motorcycle we rented for 24 hours was already there waiting for us. Free delivery by Hey Joe Motor Bike Rentals as requested. You can contact them sir Tim (foreigner/business owner) at 09152781949 and 09205821355. We rented a Honda Click 125i 2016 with a rental cost of PhP700 per day. It was a new model from what I knew. It was fast and smooth to ride on. The motorcycle rental was inclusive of 2 helmets. Requirements were photocopy of driver’s license and/or passport. We were wearing another personalized shirts I made with Tarsier of print and texts “Third & Porsche explored”.

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Loboc River Cruise

The Loboc River Cruise is also known as the Loboc Floating Restaurant. We were so hungry since we did not have breakfast yet from the time we left Cebu. We hurried to Loboc. It was around 35 minutes motor ride with 25km distance. Hubby took-in-charge. I am not capable of driving a motorcycle, I can only drive a car. We enjoyed the view, 25km was a little far from what I expected. When we arrived, we were given a number and waited to be called to pay our fee. When done, we were instructed where to go and which floating restaurant we should be. It was #1!

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Here is a video while we were at Loboc River Floating Restaurant

The food was good enough for a hungry tummy, nothing great. Yet, we really enjoyed the view, the vibe, and the quality time we spent as a couple. A live band was playing near the buffet table to entertain the passengers while on cruise. I observed, I had to ask for a refill of the dessert after it ran out before they did. We were with foreigners on that cruise. I bet they enjoyed too.

Man Made Forest

On our way to the Tarsier Conservation Center, we witnessed how awesome this Man Made Forest was. Speechless!

The Bohol Man-Made is a mahogany forest stretching in a 2km stretch of densely planted with Mahogany trees located in the border of Loboc and Bilar towns. Before and after you reach the man-made forest there are also naturally grown forests of Loboc and Bilar which has a thick kaleidoscope of green foliage, different kinds of trees and giant ferns lining the road. – wikipedia.org

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Tarsier Conservation Center

We got lost at first. Waze pointed out to the previous location of the Tarsier Conservation Center. We stopped by a house and asked a lady doing her chores. She pointed us to the right location. Loay Interior Road, Loboc Bohol is the new location. A fee must be paid on the entrance. Strict policies were: DO NOT touch the Tarsier and NO camera flash. Fair enough to secure the tarsiers. I observed the staff there were mindful of the tourists. They said “No” and “Excuse Me” a couple of times, when the tourist was getting near the cute endangered species. I asked how many tarsiers can we possibly see there, I was told only 10. The rest were inside the conservation area. After the experience with the tarsiers, you can buy souvenirs from their shop such as wallet, keychains, ref magnet, bags, pen holder and other stuff with tarsier in it.

An initial three-hectare area is now ready for tarsier viewing with pebbled pathways for visitors laid out around the wooded sanctuary while a thatched-roofed waiting area showcasing tarsier souvenirs has been constructed to accommodate the expected influx of visitors. Tourists can still have the opportunity to see these cute primates but the centralized effort now makes sure that stricter rules are implemented for the benefit of the tarsiers. Visitors may amble on a pebbled pathway meandering around the three-hectare mahogany forest and see the tarsiers in their natural habitat. From big to small. From reptile to primate. From monstrous to the cutest. Bohol is home to not just the world’s biggest snake in captivity but also one of the world’s smallest primates. – http://www.thepoortraveler.net/

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The Chocolate Hills

I remember my son; Fourth when we reached there. The Chocolate Hills was already part of their lessons in school. We had to go up the designated photo taking area to get a perfect view of The Chocolate Hills. It was 214 steps! I had to stop once in awhile and catch my breath. There should have been a lift. How about the senior citizens? How can they reach the top? It felt that I cannot make it at all, but of course I did! I had this idea that on our way down, to be more exciting, there should have been a slide straight to the bottom. What do you think?

The Chocolate Hills (Cebuano: Mga Bungtod sa Tsokolate; Filipino: Mga Tsokolateng Burol) are a geological formation in the Bohol province of the Philippines. There are at least 1,260 hills but there may be as many as 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometres (20 sq mi). They are covered in green grass that turns brown (like chocolate) during the dry season, hence the name. – wikipedia.org

 

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I don’t look happy.. yeah? I cannot breath anymore.

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Pangas Falls

We never planned to get to Pangas Falls. We never knew it from that time. On our way back to the Aliria Hotel, we saw an arrow sign that says, “Pangas Falls”. We asked the tricycle drivers from the said road. It was about almost 5km, if I remember it right. Since, we had a motorcycle we wanted to give it a try anyway. At first, it was a cemented road, the next part of the road was not at all. Some part were even slippery because of the rainfall. I was glad we made it. A PhP10 fee was asked with a receipt from the Bohol government. Have a look!

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Looks like a turtle right?

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Loboc Church

What we saw there was ruins of the earthquake in October 2013. According to the news I watched, the Loboc Church is currently undergoing renovations. No mass service there since the earthquake for security reasons. There are still a lot of work to do.

The San Pedro Apostol Parish Church (also Saint Peter the Apostle Parish Church), commonly known as Loboc Church, is a Roman Catholic church in the municipality of Loboc, Bohol, Philippines, within the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tagbilaran.

Loboc Church before

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Photo credit:  akrosdayunibers.com

Loboc Church as of March 2017

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Bell tower

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Across the Loboc church is a vacant lot with stalls for snacks such as BBQ, balot, and others. beside where we ate was the ruins of the bell tower. There were also comfort rooms for men and women. A stop over won’t hurt. We had a nice time there.

Check this video!

Fields along Loboc Road (Random)

Appreciating nature…

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Aliria Bed and Breakfast

Before we went back to our Aliria Bed and Breakfast we looked for a decent place for dinner. However, we were too tired to park, sit down and order. So, as we reached the hotel, we used their landline phone to call Jollibee for food delivery.  After dinner, shower and had the rest we deserved! Early again for tomorrow’s itinerary. Day 2 Bohol trip was the best on this trip! See my next post.

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Feel free to leave a comment or if you have any questions, just shoot!

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Cebu Tour Day 1

Cebu Tour Day 2

Cebu Tour (Last Night)

Cebu, Philippines Adventure – Summer 2017 (Day 1)

As a couple, we have been to places but never been into a flight together. He flew before and I did too. But we never knew each other yet that time. So, first time to fly in a plane together would be exciting, I think. Plus, it was hubby’s birthday.

First destination, the airport! There were no flights available to Cebu from Clark which we preferred, given the distance from Bulacan where we live. Good thing our flight was at 5:50am so we left at 2am going to Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The kids were safe with my aunt; Sanse Ine, cousin; Kuya Bobot and mom; Susie. We arrived at 3am because no heavy traffic came our way. We were early of course. Already web checked-in few days before the flight so we went straight to the baggage check-in counter at once. We had so early breakfast at Mini stop in the airport. Big chicken part! Airline was Cebu Pacific, one-way tix on promo for both of us. I prayed hard not to have any issues. Thank God nothing such happened. We witnessed the early morning sun and it felt really good. I was sitting near the window. View from up above was really great while on flight.

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Second destination, Cebu! We were very happy to know that our cab ride going to our hotel was for FREE! Sponsored by Uber (worth PhP500) or Grab (worth PhP300). It really amazed me. Was it partnership between these two companies and the Cebu airport management? Our ride was worth PhP279.00 because our hotel is situated in Osmena; The Crown Regency Hotel and Towers. And yes, we experienced heavy traffic just like in Manila. We were in Cebu City, but of course we enjoyed the trip to the hotel and chat the Uber driver about his daily experiences driving within Cebu. He was interesting to talk to. Our hotel is located practically to everything we needed from mall, fast food chain, peddlers, bus station, port, etc.  Another thing, our 3 days, 2 nights accommodation was FREE! Another story for that; but I can say, one of the many perks of a blogger. Let me know if you want to have the same so I can give your name to this vacation club. Voucher is valid in Cebu, Davao, Boracay and Metro Manila.😉 The shirts we wore in the entire trip was made by me. Personalized thru Facebook.com/CTeesPrints. Check it out!

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hotel posting

DAY 1

It was raining when we arrived. We had an itinerary to follow yet we had to change a bit. We skipped the first one since we were still carrying our luggage and bags. So, straight to the hotel. Below is our itinerary. Feel free to copy or ask me about this. (Highlighted in Yellow were skipped, due to weather condition. Whew! Of all the days, why on our tour?)

Cebu IT 1

Next, we had an adventure while walking from one place to the other. See the pictures below!

Fort San Pedro

From the hotel, we took a jeep going to Fort San Pedro! It was raining cats and dogs. How come rain poured on the first week of summer month? Anyway, it was like Fort Santiago in Manila. Walls and flooring were remarkable. I was stepping on hundreds years of age structure. I bet we had a better view if only it was a sunny day.

Fuerte de San Pedro is a military defence structure in Cebu (Philippines), built by the Spanish under the command of Miguel López de Legazpi, first governor of the Captaincy General of the Philippines. It is located in the area now called Plaza Indepedencia, in the pier area of the city. The fort is triangular in shape, with two sides facing the sea and the third side fronting the land.- Wikipedia

fort san pedro posting

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Malacanang sa Sugbo

On our way to the Magellan’s Cross we passed by this building. Not sure if it is abandoned. For what it’s worth, it was a spot.

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