Bohol Travel Tales: Adventures and Misadventures

BOHOL, PHILIPPINES - is the tenth largest island of the Philippines. It is a first-class province in the Central Visayas region, or Region 7 with 1 city and 47 municipalities, with Tagbilaran City as its capital. According to Wikipedia, aside from the main island of Bohol, there are 75 minor islets surrounding the island. With a land area of 4,821 km2 (1,861 sq mi) and a coastline 261 km (162 mi) long.

The island is situated 40 kilometers away from its neighboring island, Cebu. Bohol is well-known for its Chocolate Hills, a unique geological formation that resembles chocolate mounds, and for being the habitat of the smallest primates in the world, the Tarsiers.

How to get there?

There are various ways to get to Bohol Island, but the quickest and most affordable option is to enter through Tubigon, Bohol. It only takes 2 hours to get there via Weesam Express. Tubigon is approximately 50 kilometers away from the island's capital, Tagbilaran City.

01:15 PM - We departed from Cebu Pier 1 and arrived at Tubigon Port at 03:00 PM. Our first destination on the itinerary was the Danao Sea of Cloud, which is closer to Tubigon than Tagbilaran.

On our way to Danao, we took a van that went to the municipality of Sagbayan, Bohol, as there are no buses that go directly to Danao.

Sagbayan, Bohol

03:40 PM - After arriving at Sagbayan Public Market to buy some items that we forgot to bring, we found the bus terminal nearby, which was very convenient for our journey to Danao. We then boarded an AC Bus bound for Danao, which was only 22 kilometers away from Sagbayan.

Danao, Bohol

04:20 PM - After arriving in Poblacion, Danao, we immediately hailed a motorcycle taxi to take us to Concepcion, where the Sea of Clouds is located.

Danao Sea of Clouds

04:40 PM - We arrived at the entrance of Danao Sea of Clouds and paid the entrance and camping fees. Just a heads up, there are no accommodations available, so make sure to bring your own tent.

It was almost sundown when we arrived, and we quickly pitched our tents before heading up the hill in the hopes of witnessing the sea of clouds. Unfortunately, there was none to be seen at the time. We descended the hill to cook dinner and go to bed early.

04:00 AM - On the next day, we woke up super early, hoping to witness the sea of clouds. And guess what? When we were almost at the top of the hill, we could already see the sea of clouds while ascending. Yay!

There were also a few people there who had hiked super early to witness it. The view did not disappoint. I was in awe when I saw the clouds covering the whole place below. We did not waste any time and decided to pose with the sea of clouds in the background.

06:00 AM - We descended from the hill and went back to our campsite to have breakfast and break camp early because the sun's rays were getting too hot.

07:30 AM - After packing our things, we went back to Poblacion, Danao, hoping we could catch a bus going to Carmen. Sadly, there were none at that time. There were no buses plying to Carmen, Bohol.

We ended up hailing a motorcycle taxi to take us to the entrance of the world-famous Chocolate Hills. Our bumpy motorcycle ride lasted at least 40 minutes before we arrived at the entrance of the Chocolate Hills, leaving us with sore butts.

Carmen, Bohol

Carmen, Bohol is at least 22 kilometers from Danao. It is located at the center of the island. It is where the famous Chocolate Hills is located.

Credits to u/KAP_64 on reddit
The chocolate hills of Bohol, Philippines

Chocolate Hills

08:15 AM - We finally arrived at the world-famous Chocolate Hills! These iconic hills have a uniform shape and are covered in green grass during the wet season, turning brown during the hot season, resembling chocolate, hence the name Chocolate Hills. But before we could witness its beauty, we had to climb all 214 steps to reach the view deck. It was a bit of a challenge, but it was worth it once we reached the top.

Chocolate Hills is a well-known tourist spot in Bohol, so expect a mix of foreign and local tourists. It's hard to find a perfect spot without any photobombers, though. LOL. There are souvenir shops and a restaurant there, so you won't go hungry.

09:00 AM - Since people were crowding the view deck, we decided to leave and move on to our next destination. We hailed a motorcycle taxi to take us to Bilar's Man-made Forest, which is 20 kilometers away from the Chocolate Hills viewing deck. It took us around 30 minutes to reach the spot via the motorcycle taxi.

Bilar, Bohol

Bilar Manmade Forest

09:30 AM - Touchdown at Bilar Man-made Forest! Yes, it is indeed man-made. The local government unit of Bilar planted over 2,000 Mahogany trees to reduce deforestation in the area.

Although the place is beautiful, there have been controversies surrounding the "man-made" forest. Mahogany trees are not native to the Philippines, making them toxic to the environment. When you arrive at the spot, you'll notice a deafening silence, and at first, you might feel at peace. However, you'll soon realize that it shouldn't be the case. After all, it is a forest, so why are there no birds, right?

Despite my inner thoughts, we still managed to enjoy the view and pose in the center of the road.

10:00 AM - We started waiting for a bus at the forest, but it took an hour before we finally managed to catch one that was heading to Tagbilaran, where we planned to spend the night.

Tagbilaran, Bohol

12:15 PM - We arrived at the Tagbilaran Terminal around noon and immediately had our lunch before checking in to our accommodation.

01:15 PM - After successfully checking-in at our accommodation, we relax for an hour before going to our last destination of the day.

03:30 PM - Departing from our hotel, our last stop for the day was the Alona Beach Resort in Panglao. It was 19 kilometers away from our hotel, and it took us 30 minutes to get there via tricycle.

Panglao, Bohol

Panglao Island is a beach destination located off the southwestern coast of Bohol province, Philippines, and just a short distance away from Tagbilaran City. Known for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and diverse marine life, Panglao is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike who want to experience a tropical paradise.

Alona Beach, Panglao

04:00 PM - When we arrived at the beach, we noticed a lot of foreigners there. That part of Panglao is a famous destination for foreigners because of its small stretch of white sand beaches.

I decided not to swim and just enjoyed the view from the shore while drinking mango shake. LOL

05:00 PM - After an hour-long stay at the beach, we headed back to the city for dinner because it's cheaper there compared to restaurants in Panglao.

I forgot to mention that we went to Bohol during the Lenten Season or Holy Week, a significant holiday in the Philippines that spans several days. During this period, many Filipinos observe religious practices such as visiting churches, participating in processions, and engaging in prayer and reflection.

This was a lesson learned for us not to travel during this season because there will be less public transportation on the road, resulting in having to pay more money for a motorcycle taxi to reach your destination.

That's it for the first part of my Bohol adventures. Follow me, for more travel adventures on my next blog soon. 💪

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