How I got there: Bohol

Bohol saw a five-month countdown from the time the idea dawned on us back in January (2008). Being the vacation-starved urbanites we were, we booked plane tickets even if schedules only allowed a trip in May. You can imagine my
horror when in the weeks leading up to it, the rain brazenly announced its arrival through the national weather forecasts. Immediately it incited me to perform a series of rituals - short of making egg offerings at the Monasterio de Santa Clara. Anything to induce sunny beach weather for that weekend. 

Finally the day arrived and shortly after landing in Tagbilaran City, it started drizzling. Nevertheless, one can never be too optimistic when on a much-awaited vacation.

Tagbilaran took me right back to my childhood in Pangasinan. There was a noticeable absence of haste in the air. Sari-sari stores half closed at five in the afternoon. People strolling leisurely like they had all the time in the world. Barber shops with perched TV sets tuned in to the local news. Small intersecting streets. And when we crossed the bridge into Panglao Island, things got even slower. At the sight of that first cow under a mango tree, I felt strangely orphaned from the constant mechanical heaving of the big city.

All that Confucian profundity, in a tricycle, on top of Kuya's relentless honking. I am a city girl.

The Countryside

The staff at the Citadel Alona  Inn made arrangements for a tour around the island the next day. Kuya Roy picked us up at 7:30am in a little blue Honda. The sun was out. My optimism paid off.

Our first stop, the Blood Compact Site in Tagbilaran. We were given a refresher course on Lagaspi's smooth move to befriend the people of Bohol. Obviously learning his lesson from Magellan's use of force four decades earlier (and we all know what that led to). Thus, the blood compact between him and Rajah Sikatuna.

To continue our brush with history, we wounded our way to the Jesuit built Baclayon Church (circa 1595). It is one of the oldest in the Philippines, second only to San Agustin in Intramuros. Inside, the pillars are moss covered and the light through the stained glass windows seem to authenticate further the structure's antiquity. The museum was still closed. Instead we were left to take pictures of the little floating nun welcoming us to the church.

Back in the 21st century, we came to our next layover: the Hanging Bridge. Made of intertwined strips of bamboo, it is about three feet wide and hangs lazily over the Loboc River. No historical significance here, it was built more as a test of courage than anything else. You can challenge yourself to cross without hanging on to the railing. I failed miserably. Of course, it didn't help my self-esteem the fact that I was side-by-side with locals who had large sacks of material perched on their heads. And mind you, no hands!

There was a small zoo in Loboc where you are free to go into a staring contest with any one of tarsiers that looked liked  pint-sized Yodas. These primates are about the size of a baseball and apart from the Chocolate Hills, the one thing every single Pinoy knows about Bohol. When my colleagues first heard of my travel plans, they furtively suggested I pocket a few to give out as pasalubong. They got refrigerator magnets.

From there we passed by the Man-made Forest on the border of Loboc and Bilar. Densely-packed foliage like you'll never see elsewhere and a hefty supply of clean air to cool off those lungs.After a few pictures depicting our friend April as Maria Makiling, we're back on the road to see the Chocolate Hills. From the viewing deck some 200 steps up, you can see all 1,268 of the famous cones. We coaxed Kuya Roy into telling us the legend involving two giants and the planting of kamote. In fits of rage over their meager harvest, they beat the earth with their fists forming the hills that are now before us. If only violence can result to something this breathtaking every time, humanity won't have to worry as much.

We got on a floating restaurant at the Loboc River in time for lunch. For Php300, you can eat your fill at the buffet and be serenaded while watching the river and the lush greenery overlapping the banks. The cruise was my personal favorite; especially the way the Visayan harana complemented the unobstructed view of nature. I felt myself shifting to low gear for the first time in years. I even shrugged off the singer's rendition of Kawntree Road. At Busay falls, the boat made a u-turn to trace it's way back. So far, this leg of the trip topped my list of reasons to return.

Apart from the river, Loboc has one other curiosity that necessitates a few clicks of the camera: an unfinished concrete bridge aimed directly at the centuries-old Loboc church. Kuya Roy explained that Japanese contractors commissioned the project in the hopes of demolishing the church and allowing them full access to the treasure (I can only surmise to be the Yamashita) buried underneath. Fortunately, the operation was thwarted and now locals have taken to calling it "the bridge going nowhere". Later I read another version of the story involving corrupt local officials but whatever it was, it remains the most hilarious waste of money I have ever seen.

The long day ended with a visit to Prony, a 24-foot, 200 kilogram reticulated python whose girth rivaled my waistline. Experts hailed her as the largest in captivity, her wild counterparts normally reaching her size in 40 years, not 11. The owners opened the cage and allowed us to pet her. Friendly as she was, I made it a point to avoid her head. The paranoia due in part to the myriad of Animal Planet specials I've seen. For all you snake lovers out there, I imagine it would be a treat to get a hug from her. Not too tight though, I hope.

Heading Out to Sea

A boat was waiting for us at Alona beach early the next morning to take us offshore.

We got to the scene after a 20-minute glide in open sea to find a dozen tourist-laden boats already on the water.  In a collective roar, they would turn their noses towards a common direction for a full speed charge. A few minutes in a standstill and the ritual is repeated. One would wonder asto the reason for the ruckus. A choreographed Boholano boat dance?  A fisherman's fiesta of sorts?

Then out of the deep, a dorsal fin appears.

Let me state this now, we did not go dolphin watching. We played dolphin tag. These rambunctious creatures made a day out of having us chase them. We didn't mind though. Let the games begin!

They laid out one simple rule: we swim at a distance; you follow at snail's pace. I imagine each pod to have an assigned trapeze artist to entice us further. Every now and then we would see one fly into the air and do double back flips. Then they chuckle as the humans chug their bulky contraptions along only to find them several yards in the opposite direction, effortlessly tracing half circles over the water. It was exhausting but fun. After an hour or so, the score was Dolphins-50, Humans-0. But in the end, we still won this rare opportunity of seeing them in action.

Time to head for Balicasag for some snorkeling.

At the shore, Kuya July led us to a small hut where we can keep our bags while out on his small bangka. The place had all the makings of a Castaway episode. You can walk around the sparsely populated island in 30 minutes. White sand, occasional rocks and a tropical sea unfolding into different shades of blue.

The Balicasag Island marine reserve is a favorite among divers and we soon found out why. From the surface we peeked into the reef below teeming with all sorts of fish, corals, and anemones. We were advised to bring pandesal to feed the residents and we're glad we did. The fish crowd around you in a frenzy and even nibble at your hand long after the food is consumed. A short paddle away is the "drop-off" where the reef suddenly plunges into an underwater cliff. It can be a little intimidating at first but fascination gets the upper hand once you catch sight of swirling schools of fish in their natural habitat. Eventually, I felt a tinge of frustration at being restricted to float on the surface. Note to self: save up for SCUBA lessons.

We spent the rest of the day lazing away on the island. Ate Cora cooked us a lunch of grilled squid, fish, sinigang and maruya (fried flour-coated bananas) for dessert. In the late afternoon we started the boat for Panglao, a little sunburned yet filled to the brim with stories.

A Waterfall, A Watchtower and A Cave

Up and about the next morning, Kuya Roy is back for another countryside spin. This time we made our way to Antequera, a town in the northeast that ensconces the Mag-Aso Falls. At the gate, we were greeted by a sign warning us of the 197 steps we were about to confront. Already you can hear the rushing water. They say that in the early morning, you can see the actual mist rising from below.

The falls itself is enveloped by the woods (as with a lot of things in Bohol - which is a good thing! ed.) and we had it all to ourselves. It dives 26 feet into a swirling pool of fresh mountain water before hurrying downstream. We took a dip in the freezing cold. For the most part, I sat on the banks clinging on to rocks so as to not get swiped by the current. Kuya July and April crossed to the other side where there were steps carelessly hacked into the cliff wall. With video cameras in check, the two adventure seekers jumped from half way up into the basin, something no amount of preparation will get me to do.

From there we set out for the Punta Cruz watchtower (circa 1796) in Maribojoc some 13 kilometers from Tagbilaran. The triangular structure looks out to the Bohol Strait and was once part of the Visayan defense net against marauding slave ships. Since its retirement from active duty, the watchtower has settled to offer tourists an excellent view of boats heading to and from the neighboring island of Cebu. For Php50.00 you can also rent one of the cottages in the vicinity for a picnic.

After a quick lunch in Tagbilaran, we drove back to Dauis, Panglao to see the Hinagdanan cave. To climb down, we had to tackle several narrow man-made steps. Here's a tip, make sure to wear slippers and shorts as the underground pool overflows on to some portions of the walkway. One little known fact is that aside from the bats and stalagmites, there are also paintings on the walls they say were done by the ancients. They are easily overlooked but a guide can point them out.

To end our trip, we walked in to the Panglao Island Nature Resort, which is a stone’s throw from the Hinagdanan cave. An entrance fee of Php300.00 accorded us free use of their luxurious infinity pool and other facilities. They even had a small man-made islet several yards out into the sea. For non-swimmers, the water only goes up to your waist in high tide so you can walk all the way there. We caught sight of that spectacular sunset, the kind that makes you dread the moment you have get on that plane and fly back to reality.

Home Bound

This experience presented an irony of sorts. It is because we are deprived frequent access that we preserve the novelty of these places of refuge. City life emphasizes the beauty the locals have grown so accustomed to. I realize now that I have the advantage of being fascinated over the things that for them have become run-of-the-mill.*

We grudgingly boarded the Manila-bound flight the next day fully aware of the myriad of things we left undiscovered. Three days is far from enough to experience a lot of what Bohol has to offer. Still I'm glad, it'll give me something to look forward to on my next visit.
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Getting there: Php3500.00 round trip plane ticket from Manila. There are also regular ferries that go to and from Cebu City.

Accommodations: Php500.00 to Php3000.00/ night - depending on your preferred amenities.

Meals: Php250.00 per person, which includes your pick of fresh seafood cooked while you wait on the beach. Citadel Alona Inn has a kitchen where guests are allowed to cook their own meals. There are numerous restaurants available on every turn but if on a really tight budget, there's always the Pinoy staple, turo-turo.

Transportation: There are tricycles, buses and taxis available. For the more adventurous, there’s the Habal-habal , which entails riding on the backseat of a motorbike.

Recommended website: http://www.bohol.ph/

Text and photos by Jane Tuchlinski. She looks German on the outside but is amazingly Pinoy on the inside: loves QC, isaw, and everything else Pinoy. This was her first trip outside of Luzon. Posted: 26 January 2009

*But of course, beyond that, we know that the locals appreciate the treasures of Bohol and that is where their kind of heritage tourism is rooted in (cga) .