Bohol Island: Nature

Bohol is a small island that boasts tons of exciting tourist spots. If I want to, I can easily visit the said island without thinking much about the transfer and accommodation - since my sister-in-law is from Bohol. But hey, I've only stepped foot on this island twice, but these visits were truly memorable. 

First experience was way back in 2010 with my best friends and college friends. It was like, uhm an impromptu decision wherein we had to decide where to stay, what to do, how much budget we needed and where to get a ride - 8 hours before we needed to leave!  

The second time (2013), well it was sort of team building (5 members). haha. We stayed at the house of our teammate and used his car. And he became our driver/tourist guide for a couple of days. *wink

Now the question is, what are the awesome spots to visit in Bohol? 

Without further ado, here's a list of what to see in Bohol (that I have tried).

Chocolate Hills

Once named as one of the 7 wonders of the world, who wouldn't want to see the panoramic view of these hills? Think of Hershey's chocolate, then you can easily imagine how these hills looked like. The chocolate hills don't really showcase chocolate color all year round; sometimes they appear greenish because of the grass that grow on them. They often get the chocolate hue in the afternoon and when the grass have dried out.  

Sagbayan Peak

The Sagbayan Peak is like a perfect balcony if you want to get a good view of the chocolate hills. The peak is somewhat a little park at the top of a mountain where you can find butterfly sanctuary, huge statues of cartoon characters, and get up close with the infamous tarsier. There is an open area where you can savor the enchanting scenery around, including the chocolate hills. Fill your lungs with fresh air at the Sagbayan Peak.

Loboc River

Loboc River - top view.. Image by Camille

The floating restaurant at the Loboc River has lured so many tourists. In fact a huge number of guests both local and foreign have experienced the Loboc river ride. Guests will go on board a (flat) boat cruising to certain parts of the river while being serenaded by local choirs or performers. This floating restaurant offers a wide array of seafood choices. Every guest can relish the natural beauty of the river while filling your stomach.

the floating restaurant... Image by Camille

EAT Danao Adventure Park

Danao adventure is one of those must-try tourist spots in Bohol. From the name itself, one can expect great adventure when visiting the place. There are several extreme activities to do here. So what did we do there?

• Plunge - a heart-stopping activity. It's similar to bungee jumping, minus the jumping part. In this, you will be slowly released from the platform and will be swung in the mid-air between the two cliffs. In 2010, we paid Php700/person for a 15-minute plunge experience (not sure if the rate is still the same). This isn't for the weak-hearted. So if you are brave enough, take the plunge!

can you spot?

• Suislide - Yes it is like zipline (with a different name haha). It's a 480-meter ride from one cliff to another with 200m altitude. You'll have to zip twice! Why? Well you don't wanna stay on the other mountain do you? So you have to zip back. Riders have to do it in "superman" position, oh yeah! You have an option to go solo or with a partner. My best friend was scared so she asked me to go with her. Was it scary? Nah, I love it! In fact, I was able to take pictures while sliding. If you think of it, it was freaking scary because below was the river with huge rocks. Yikes. Suislide cost Php350/person. It's worth it, I swear.

my bff and I.. ready? set! Go!

Here we go.....

yikes, this was the view I got while sliding.. super zoom in shot!

Other activities in Danao Adventure include, river trekking, wall climbing, sky ride, caving etc.

Historical Sites

we love this century old structure cuz it looked like a frog..

In almost every place in the Philippines, there is always something that'll remind us of the rich culture and history of the country. In Bohol, there are plenty of old structures, such as the old churches and the Sandugo (blood compact), that tourists can explore. Though it's sad that some of these UNESCO heritage structures were badly damaged by the 2013 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Lucky me, I was able to visit these historical structures before they were ruined.

open sesame!

Beaches

crystal clear water..

white, fine sand

Pristine water and white fine sand. Oh yes, you can find this in Bohol. Panglao is probably one of the most popular beaches in the island. It is simply amazing. However, if you don't have enough budget for high-end resort, there are beaches without entrance fee. Swim all you can.

our cute accommodation..

Waterfalls

we didn't damage it.... I swear.. *evil grin

During my first visit, we went to a small waterfall called "Mag Aso". It was a nice place. The water was cold and the entire place was quite. You can get the serenity you longed for in this place. But I didn't really enjoyed it. Why? Well because I don't know how to swim so I just stayed on those huge rocks and watched my friends had a good time.

i didn't have a good shot..

So these are the places I have been in Bohol.  These tourist spots are so awesome. My experiences in Bohol were memorable and exciting. There are also numerous restaurants in Bohol; hence you'll never starve yourself.


Have you been to Bohol? What did you do there? Share your experience!