For our birthday celebration in October 2018, I decided to bring my family to Bohol. I've visited this place in 2009, but had not really explored the beaches, so I made sure to visit Panglao beaches during this visit. For this post, let me share with you what went down during our first day which happens to be the Bohol Countryside Tour.
We woke up early in the morning, had breakfast, and waited for our contact, Kuya Jundy. We rented his car for the day and he also served as our tour guide. Here are all the places we visited, in chronological order.
HINAGDANAN CAVE
Entrance fee: P50 per pax
This tourist attraction is the closest to the place we were staying in, so this is the first stop of our Bohol countryside tour. This cave has a natural lake which is said to have miraculous water. According to our guide, meron daw 80-year-old na lumangoy sa tubig ng lawa at pag-ahon nya, MIRACLE, 40 years old na lang sya! Haha! Our guide was so funny! He made the visit more interesting and fun.
BOHOL BEE FARM
Entrance fee: P30 per pax
Medyo educational yung tour dito because we talked about bees, herbs, synthetic rattan, and mother nature. We tried the malunggay ice cream which tastes like... well, like malunggay. It is creamy, tastes like milk, not too sweet, but the taste of malunggay really stands out. We also took photos with the bees na nakakatakot at first, pero harmless naman pala just as long as hindi sila mabubulabog. Bohol Bee Farm is also well known for their organic farm to table dishes, but we didn't get to dine in there. Maybe next time.
BLOOD COMPACT SHRINE
Entrance Fee: FREE
Isang mabilisang photo op lang kasama sila Rajah Sikatuna at pareng Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. Ang laki na ng pinagbago ng lugar na ito since I've been here in 2009. May harang na tarp ang background dahil may ongoing construction daw at pangit sa view. Meron na ring structure (hotel) beside the shrine. I have to say, mas gusto ko yung 2009 version nung shrine.
BACLAYON CHURCH
Entrance Fee: PhP 25
I'm so glad that this church is included in the tour. Nakapagpasalamat kami kay Lord for another year He has blessed us with, and for the opportunity to travel as a family. It is a beautiful and historical church built in 1737. It was hit by a devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2015, but it was re-opened to the public in March 2018, after the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the church was completed. Dito rin daw nagpropose si Cesar Montano kay Sunshine Cruz. Ayun, ngayon daw, wala nang may gustong sumunod na magpropose sa lugar na yun. Haha!
LOBOC RIVER CRUISE
Entrance Fee: P450 per pax
We had buffet lunch in a floating restaurant habang binabagtas ang Loboc River. Sulit ang one-hour cruise kasi busog ka na, ang ganda pa ng view, may entertainment (song and dance number) pa from the locals. They invite tourists to dance tinikling with them and for foreigners, this is a fun and new experience. Masakit kaya maipit ang paa ng kawayan. Haha!
LOBOC WILDLIFE & NATURE PARK
Entrance Fee: P150 per pax
MAN MADE FOREST
Entrance Fee: FREE
HINAGDANAN CAVE
Entrance fee: P50 per pax
This tourist attraction is the closest to the place we were staying in, so this is the first stop of our Bohol countryside tour. This cave has a natural lake which is said to have miraculous water. According to our guide, meron daw 80-year-old na lumangoy sa tubig ng lawa at pag-ahon nya, MIRACLE, 40 years old na lang sya! Haha! Our guide was so funny! He made the visit more interesting and fun.
BOHOL BEE FARM
Entrance fee: P30 per pax
Medyo educational yung tour dito because we talked about bees, herbs, synthetic rattan, and mother nature. We tried the malunggay ice cream which tastes like... well, like malunggay. It is creamy, tastes like milk, not too sweet, but the taste of malunggay really stands out. We also took photos with the bees na nakakatakot at first, pero harmless naman pala just as long as hindi sila mabubulabog. Bohol Bee Farm is also well known for their organic farm to table dishes, but we didn't get to dine in there. Maybe next time.
BLOOD COMPACT SHRINE
Entrance Fee: FREE
Isang mabilisang photo op lang kasama sila Rajah Sikatuna at pareng Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. Ang laki na ng pinagbago ng lugar na ito since I've been here in 2009. May harang na tarp ang background dahil may ongoing construction daw at pangit sa view. Meron na ring structure (hotel) beside the shrine. I have to say, mas gusto ko yung 2009 version nung shrine.
SIDE NOTE: An unofficial photographer will take photos of you and your group and offer printed copies of these photos for P150 each.
BACLAYON CHURCH
Entrance Fee: PhP 25
I'm so glad that this church is included in the tour. Nakapagpasalamat kami kay Lord for another year He has blessed us with, and for the opportunity to travel as a family. It is a beautiful and historical church built in 1737. It was hit by a devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2015, but it was re-opened to the public in March 2018, after the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the church was completed. Dito rin daw nagpropose si Cesar Montano kay Sunshine Cruz. Ayun, ngayon daw, wala nang may gustong sumunod na magpropose sa lugar na yun. Haha!
LOBOC RIVER CRUISE
Entrance Fee: P450 per pax
We had buffet lunch in a floating restaurant habang binabagtas ang Loboc River. Sulit ang one-hour cruise kasi busog ka na, ang ganda pa ng view, may entertainment (song and dance number) pa from the locals. They invite tourists to dance tinikling with them and for foreigners, this is a fun and new experience. Masakit kaya maipit ang paa ng kawayan. Haha!
SIDE NOTE: They'll offer you bottled soft drinks on board which you'd think is part of the P450 you've paid for. But no, before the balsa goes back to the port, they'll tell you that the soft drinks charge is not part of the package and costs P40 per 12 oz bottle!
LOBOC WILDLIFE & NATURE PARK
Entrance Fee: P150 per pax
This park allows interaction with different wild animals. The 30-45 minute tour of the park features a show-and-tell about their different animals--a lion named Cleo, birds, gators, tarsiers (in their natural habitat), snakes, crocodiles, etc. They also allow tourists to take pictures with some of the animals (birds, snakes, crocs). Photos are printed for you at a price. Fun and makukulit yung guides and animal handlers, so the tour is worthwhile naman din.
Entrance Fee: FREE
Mabilisan lang ang photo op dito. Medyo scary kasi may mga dumadaang sasakyan kaya kailangan ang timing para sa perfect insta-worthy selfie. Haha! This tourist spot is a 2-km stretch of mahogany forest. The trees form picturesque canopies and their lush foliage gives the spot its cool ambiance. You'd feel the difference in temperature once you've stepped out of the vehicle to take photos. Ang lamig, beshie!
BOHOL TARSIER CONSERVATION AREA
Entrance Fee: P60 per pax
Ang laki na rin ng pagbabago when it comes to tarsier viewing ngayon. In 2009, tourists were allowed to interact with tarsiers up close. As in pwede kayo magselfie ng tarsier as if BFFs kayo. Some viewing centers even allowed tourists to touch these primates. BUT THIS KIND OF PRACTICE HARMS TARSIERS. Since tarsiers are nocturnal creatures, dapat tulog sila during the day. And when they are exposed to humans, camera flashes, and noise, nabubulabog ang tulog at buhay nila. They easily get depressed under these stressful conditions. Since tarsiers are suicidal creatures, they kill themselves by banging their head into branches pag nadepress sila. Now, the DENR has accredited a number of Tarsier sanctuaries in Bohol and those are the only places we should visit as responsible tourists. Ang kalakaran ngayon, dapat nasa natural habitat ang mga tarsiers and dapat tahimik ang lahat para di sila mabulabog. I don't have close up shots of the tarsiers kasi nga they are away from tourists' reach and may harang na yung mga path para hindi na magtangka ang mga tao na lapitan sila.
BUTTERFLY SANCTUARY
Entrance Fee: P30 per pax
A quick tour lang din dito to see some butterflies in person. Our tour guide willingly offered his photography services to properly feature the beauty of the butterflies. The last time I was here, wala pang ganitong mga pakulo ang guides. So glad the photos look cute dahil umeffort kami ng husto.
BUTTERFLY SANCTUARY
Entrance Fee: P30 per pax
A quick tour lang din dito to see some butterflies in person. Our tour guide willingly offered his photography services to properly feature the beauty of the butterflies. The last time I was here, wala pang ganitong mga pakulo ang guides. So glad the photos look cute dahil umeffort kami ng husto.
SHIP HAUS
Entrance Fee: P50 per pax
Ito talaga ang pinaka EXTRA na museum na napuntahan ko. May pacostume pa si kapitan, besh! At may pa coffee/juice din. Haha! Residential house sya na hugis barko; thus the name, Ship Haus. Ngayon, ginawa na lang syang museum and meron din silang available rooms for accommodation at very affordable prices.
CHOCOLATE HILLS
Entrance Fee: P50 per pax
Our final stop for the countryside tour: the world-famous Chocolate Hills. I love how the hill behind us has a lightning-shaped trail. That's why I named this hill Harry Potter. Haha! They decorated the steps to the viewing deck. Very colorful and mas fun na ang pag-akyat sa taas. My senior citizen mom made it to the top dahil baby steps lang din yung hagdan. Nakakapagod man, sobrang worth it naman ang view and ang lamig pa sa tuktok. Sulit!
So there goes one whole day of our Bohol Countryside Tour! It was fun and very comfortable all thanks to our tour provider, Kuya Jundy. Below are the details of our tour.
Our sulit whole day Bohol Countryside Tour Package/Car rental is worth P2000 for 4 pax. The car was a Toyota Wigo which was spacious enough for us.
Contact Person: Kuya Jundy - He is very friendly, informative, and helpful.
Contact Numbers: 0930-095 2947 or 0926-918 1591
TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST
TOUGH PEOPLE DO
★ HAPPIDEZZ
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