Sunday, April 8, 2012

Bohol: Rich in History, Culture and Island Adventure

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The morning after, I was fetched by Gery, a DOT accredited tour operator, who services groups and brings them to the tourist spots around Bohol. Of course, my Bohol trip will never be complete without seeing the famous Chocolate Hills. The viewing deck is situated at Carmen, where the Chocolate Hills National Monument is located. There are approximately 1,776 hills, which are actually grass covered limestones, scattered in as much as 50 sq. kilometers covering several towns in Bohol.

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Another must see are the tarsiers! The Tarsier Sanctuary, a more tarsier-friendly home for the primates, is located at the town of Corella. It currently houses 113 tarsiers as of today, and will soon spike up as the mating season ended last October/November, and the tarsiers will soon be ready to bare little tarsiers. These creatures measure up to 5-6 inches big, and can live up to 15-20 years in captivity.

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Before, people were able to hold the tarsiers, but they noticed that when the tarsiers get stressed they tend to bang their heads and go suicidal, so the new Tarsier Sanctuary do not allow people to hold the tarsiers anymore. They teach the tourists the value of conservation and protection of the tarsiers, and providing for a sustainable eco-tourism adventure spot.

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The Immaculate Conception Church in Baclayon, or more commonly known as the Baclayon Church is another must see. It is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, believed to be built in 1595, when the Jesuits arrived in Bohol from Cebu. It was built from coral stones and cemented with egg white. The current building was completed in 1727. Adjoining the church is the old convent, where the priests lived. It now houses a small museum of centuries-old church artifacts, religious relics, and antiques from the 16th century. I was lucky to have heard the internationally famous Loboc Children’s Choir, practicing for a wedding that afternoon.

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For a leisurely lunch, you must try the Loboc River Cruise, an hour ride down the Loboc River on a floating restaurant with a buffet Filipino lunch and an on-board live entertainment, which ends at the Busay Falls, which is just more than a meter high. As the boat takes off, the buffet and the singing begin. As you are eating you can enjoy the lush greens slowly sliding along your table, while being serenaded by either a band or a local singer.

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From lunch, we headed back to my resort at Amorita in Panglao, but before that, we passed through 3 stops, one is the Blood Compact Monument in Tagbilaran City, where it commemorates the symbol of friendship sealed between the Spanish and Filipinos when Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna (the chieftain of Bohol), made the Sandugo or blood compact on March 16, 1565.

The next is pasalubong shopping at the only DOT accredited local delicacy shopping
center in Bohol. I bought a lot of Peanut Kisses to give to my family and friends. The peanut kisses is actually crisp and crunchy peanut and egg white cookies, a Bohol delicacy in honor of the Chocolate Hills.

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Lastly, I asked to be brought to the Bohol Bee Farm, not to see the bees, but to take a look at the nice organic farming and organic products they have at the farm-resort. Their fresh food and organic offerings which you can take home to your family are really a treat! Do not forget to try their homemade ice cream and fresh spreads and honey. I personally liked the malunggay ice cream, which I now crave for.

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27 comments:

  1. My dad is from Bohol, Antiquera that is, and every time he visits us here in Manila, we never fail to plan a trip to Bohol, we were there just last November and it still evoked a feeling of warmth and nostalgia...
    HHmm, Malunggay! In a spread and in an ice cream? Love it! Never tried it though, but Malunggay coffee I did and sell them too!

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  2. I visited once with my husband! We did all the activities you mentioned except a visit at the Bohol Bee Farm. something to look forward to for the next visit!

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  3. Tarsiers got suicidal tendency?! Never thought they had it in them.

    And speaking of mating season, I wonder how small tarsiers are when they're born!

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  4. i've been in bohol 5yrs ago, we have the same itinerary except for bohol bee farm.

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  5. Normally, Bee Farm is on a different iti since you take lunch here..
    The Loboc cruise means lunch as well.. But it different since you asked to be brought to the Bee Farm..
    Tarsier's are eternally cuddly, I feel for their plight.
    Hope this conservation project would've a higher success rate,
    considering that Tarsier's are not only threatened by humans but by each other too.
    Like bears, mature Tarsier males will kill baby Tarsier's when they get the chance to it, more so really due to competition.

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  6. I've been to Bohol twice and have been to the same tourist spots. But your photos seem to bring me to a whole new dimension. You've captured the very essence of Bohol, something that my photos didn't quite do justice for.. hehe! =)

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    1. Nako! I'm humbled by your comment. Thank you so so so much! I hope to go back there :) There's more to Bohol to explore and see :)

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  7. i totally would love to try that river cruise!! i've been eyeing to go bohol first when i go back philippines funny shots of the tarsier bigger eyes then suddenly sleepy attack haha xx

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  8. The details are incredible - the best photos I've ever seen. Your pictures have taken me back to my favorite place in the Philippines-Bohol. I am fortunate enough to have been to Bohol twice in the past.

    I am glad that you've featured the Tarsiers. They're considered an endangered specie. Please tell your readers too that taking pictures with the use of flash can blind the primates!

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    1. Nako, salamat nang marami! Hindi naman siguro best photos, good lang pwede na :)) But seriously, thank you! It was my first time there.

      Thanks. Yes, I'll add that! Thanks for this. FYI. I don't use flash in my photos, so the primates were safe. No harm done!

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  9. We'll be going to Bohol later this year. Your post made me excited. I didn't know tarsiers got stressed that much before tho. Btw, did you try that malunggay spread? How does it taste?

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    1. Wee! I'm excited for you! :) Take lots of photos! Yeah, I got to try it, and it's really yummy! :) If you have the chance, bring home a jar for pasalubong or own consumption! :)

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  10. wow namiss q tuloy ang beautiful places and people of bohol! luv these places in Bohol and ur photos truly features what this province is~..

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    1. Thank you so much sa comment! Tara, let's go back!

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  11. di pa ako nakapunta ng Bohol.. ;( but it's in my "to go list" this year. and I will surely try that Loboc River Cruise... ;)

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    1. Naku, why not? Punta na! :) I made sure I was able to visit Bohol this year. It's my first time this year. I can't wait to go back!! :P

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  12. ohhh! i miss malunggay ice cream from the bohol bee farm!
    but i definitely miss panglao more.
    btw, is that the flower salad ?

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    1. I miss it too! I crave! :))

      Yup, that's the flower salad :)

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  13. I heard nga the tendency of the tarsiers to be suicidal pag stressed out. Akala ko pa naman dati joke yon pero nung lagi ko nang nababasa na ganun nga, naniwala na ko.

    Yan ang isa sa mga pinapangarap kong puntahan, ang Bohol. Hopefully I would get to visit it this year.

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    1. You should visit this year! Daming seat sales o! :)

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  14. Bohol definitely tops my must see places. Great shots but next time if you can avoid it, please refrain from taking photos too close to the tarsier. They're sensitive creatures especially to the camera flash. Just a gentle reminder:)

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    1. Thanks! But, 1. I don't use flash in my photos. and 2. We can't/don't get too close to the tarsiers because we don't want them to get stressed and go suicidal. :)

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  15. Bohol is indeed one of country's pride! I am still about to go there :D

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  16. Oh i just miss Bohol! I didn't know they have a bee farm! looks interesting! :)

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  17. My husband had been to Bohol
    and he enjoyed the stay.
    I was so envious because
    I have never visited BOHOL and
    see for myself how little truly is a TARSIER.

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  18. Tagbilaran, sa Bohol right? minsan na akong nakapunta jan, hanap ko agad Chocolate Hills lolz

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  19. was the tour a part of your package in amorita resort?

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