Philippine Travel Blog » Bohol

Bohol Island : Tourist Paradise

Philippine Travel Blog — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:52:26 +0000

The oval-shaped island province of Bohol has been recently named as a world-class destination in Central Visayas because of its pristine beaches, majestic sunset, hidden caves, ancient structures, magnificent mountains, friendly people and “Chocolate Hills.”

Bohol lies southeast of Cebu and southwest of Leyte. The island, characterized by hilly and rolling terrain, has around 167 mountains, 73 islets. The provincial government was created by Republic Act 2711 on March 10, 1917. It was the site of two revolts against the Spanish colonial government-Tamblot Rebellion (1621) and the Dagohoy Revolt (1744-1829).

Bohol has slowly but steadily been able to develop the needed infrastructure for its tourism industry. The infrastructures include hotels, resorts, roads, and upgrading of airports and other ports.

The province has a total land area of 411,746 hectares divided into 47 municipalities and one city, Tagbilaran, the capital. Nearly all the 47 municipalities have natural attractions that draw both local and foreign tourists.

They include the Kaingit Beach in Tagbilaran City; Banati Hill, which overlooks the vast sea of Mindanao; Negros and Siquijor provinces and the Straits of Panglao Island; Elly Hill with an elevation of 100 meters, its formation similar to Chocolate Hills; Rajah Sikatuna National Parks; Hinagdanan Cave in Dauis town, which has an underground bathing spring lit by a pair of natural skylights; Punta Cruz watchtower, an ancient stone structure built to repel Moro pirates during the Spanish times; Baclayon Church; floating restaurant in Loboc; and the towns of Laoay, Bilar and Loboc.

Ringing Bohol are smaller islands like Panglao, Pahjian, Paro and Poso, known for their beautiful diving sites. Panglao provides the most attractions, which is 9,000 hectares of land mass. The island has two kilometers of white sand beach that stretches about 700 meters inland and five to six kilometers southward.

One of the resorts here is Panglao Nature Resort, which is nestled in a natural terrain, adequately secluded and built the exotic beauty of the land, complimented by the tranquility of the sea.

The resort has 13 bungalows available for $ 200 per room/night; 14 duplex rooms at $ 150 each and 12 quaduplex rooms at $ 125 each. All rooms are equipped with air-conditioning units, cable TV, IDD/NDD telephone facilities, refrigerators, and hot-and-cold shower.

One may choose to go swimming, snorkeling, kayaking or island hopping, fishing, scuba diving. Other popular dive sites are Arc Point, Bikini Beach, Alona Beach, Puntod Point, Pamalican Island, Cervera Shoal, Balicasag Island, Doljo Point, Momo Point, Gak-ang Point, Napoling and Tagnan Point. There is also the Bohol Beach Club.

Adjacent to the inland boundary of Panglao Nature Resort is another 90-hectare area, which is ideal for an 18-hole golf course. This is part of the first phase of the development envisioned for Panglao.

The most famous of the natural tourist attractions is the Chocolate Hills, numbering 1,268. These almost perfectly coned hills, which abound in various heights and sizes, are scattered throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Baclayon.

Chocolate Hills was believed formed two million years ago by the uplift of coral deposits and the action of rainwater and erosion. During the dry season, the grass that covers the hills turn brown, thus, the name “Chocolate Hills.”

Two of the 1,268 mounds have been developed into a resort. On top of the first hill are two youth hostels with a conference room, cozy cottages, a swimming pool and a tennis court. On the second hill is an observation deck with 215 concrete steps. At the top, one can view an exquisite panorama as far as the eyes can see.

Bohol, one of the oldest provinces in the country, is known as the site of the First Blood Compact (March 16, 1565) between Rajah Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. The annual spectacular festival of the province is “Sandugo,” which features an agro-industrial fair, a cultural and historical showcase, sports events, beauty pageants and street dancing, which culminates with the re-enactment of the blood compact. The week-long fun is held in the third week of July.

The province is home to the oldest stone church in the country, the Baclayon Church, built by the Jesuits in 1595 in the town of Baclayon, seven kilometers from Tagbilaran City. The church’s massive edifice still retains its century-old architectural design.

Religious relics of the early 16th century can be found in its museum. There are old urns, antique chalices, missals made of sheepskins and other religious items. On the other hand, the Tagbilaran Church was built by the Jesuit missionaries in the 18th century.

Valencia, 42 kilometers from Tagbilaran, is the site of the Badian Springs, which is noted for its clear, cool waters. Another popular camping site is the Boy Scout Reservation Camp, which has a natural swimming pool. Talibon is the birthplace of Carlos P. Garcia, fourth President of the Republic.

In the municipality of Dauis in Panglao is a wonderful underground showcase of natural stonework. It is an eerie underworld of stalactites and stalagmites vividly reflected in an underground pool of cool, fresh water gush from the cave’s rocky sides. Through a couple of natural openings, rays of sun pierce through and the shafts of sunlight serve to illuminate the whole underground scenery.

The floating restaurants of Loboc are a special treat while cruising by boat along the palm-fringed Loboc River in Loboc town, some 24 kilometers away from the capital. The floating restaurant not only provides good food but as fascinating boat ride from Loay Bridge to Busay Falls.

The smooth journey begins at the Loay outlet of the river, snakes through the serene waters for at least an hour or more and ends up at Busay and its surrounding smaller falls that invite one to take a dip in the cool waters.

Of special interest to environmentalists is the Tarsier, the smallest primate found only in Bohol. The Tarsier, known locally as maomag, mago, magau or amag, feeds on the fruit trees and can live up to 20 years. The mating month for the Tarsier is from December to March; the female gives birth from June to July.

The newborn Tarsier is about the size of a thumb and clings to its mother for the first two weeks as it suckles while the parent goes about its business. By the first week, the mother begins to augment breastmilk with insects. The color of the baby Tarsier changes from brown to reddish brown as it gets older.

It measures four to five inches with a tail slightly longer than the body. It has brown eyes, large hairless ears and long claws, and its head can turn almost 360 degrees.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) operates to Tagbilaran thrice a day from Manila or Cebu City. For more leisurely travel, one can reach Bohol by boat, especially now that we have the roll on/roll off (RO-RO) and the Eva Macapagal International Terminal at the South Harbor.

Pamilacan Island in Bohol offers dolphins, whale watching

Philippine Travel Blog — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:42:52 +0000

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is promoting Pamilacan Island in Bohol as the place to go for visitors who want to see dolphins and whales frolicking in their natural habitat.

Tourism Sec. Joseph “Ace” Durano said “Bohol is a haven to more than 11 species of dolphins and whales, including the bottle-nose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, pan-tropical spotted dolphin, long-snouted dolphin, Fraser’s dolphin, melon-headed whale, short-finned pilot whale, Bryde and the sperm whales.”

Seldomly seen are the pygmy-sperm whale and the Blainville’s baked whale. Other non-marine mammals encountered in the area are manta rays and whale sharks.

The small island of Pamilacan is nestled in the heart of the Bohol Sea. Its name is derived from the word pilak, which is a large hook made and used by islanders to capture manta rays.

Durano said other attraction in Bohol include the historic centuries-old Spanish fort and the white sand beaches.

In Spanish times, the island was an outpost for spotting pirates and invaders, as evidenced by the fort on the northeast side of the island.

Pamilacan is a coral island, and fossilized seashells are preserved on the island’s rocky hill. Jaws and other bones of marine mammals and whale sharks adorn some homes in the village. The blue waters surrounding the island teem with lush and colorful marine life.

The marine realm of Pamilacan provides whales and dolphins with the ideal refuge. Although there is no guarantee that one could experience the thrill of seeing whales and dolphins during the trip, looking for these mammals has become easier.

Stressing the need for the preservation of the ecosystem and the promotion of ecotourism in the country, other tourist destinations are being developed and enhanced under the DOT and allied agencies’ various projects.

Aside from the DOT, the dolphin- and whale-watching tour in Pamilacan Island is also supported by the Inter-agency Task Force on Marine Mammal Conservation, Pamilacan Island Dolphin and Whale Watching Organization, WWB-Philippines, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and provincial government of Bohol.

Asia’s bets in top 7 in “New Seven Wonders of Nature” search

Philippine Travel Blog — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:04:50 +0000

Seven entries from Asia are currently included in search for the New Seven Wonders of Nature as of June 5 live ranking.

Three of the top seven nominees are from the Philippines namely Tubbataha Reef in Cagayancillo, Palawan, Chocolate Hills in Bohol and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan.

Other nominees in the magic seven list are Ha Long Bay of Vietnam, Ganges River and Cox’s Bazar Beach of Bangladesh, and Mount Everest of Nepal.

The country’s Mayon Volcano nominee is currently in the 10th spot in the top 77 candidates of the New 7 Wonders of Nature Nominees ranking.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has called on Filipinos to vote online to help the government in its campaign for the inclusion of the country’s bets in the online voting for nominees of the worldwide wonders of nature search.

She stressed that it would be an honor for the country to have these beautiful spots become part of the seven new wonders of the world to further boost Philippine tourism and its growing economy.

“So we need all Filipinos to vote for them. It’s an online voting and you have to vote for seven new wonders to ensure that they would get included in the worldwide search for nature.

Online voting for nominees is at New7Wonders website, www.new7wonders.com .

“Nominations can be submitted for the New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign until December 31, 2008,” said a New7Wonders website article about the campaign.

A panel of experts will create a list of 21 candidates from which voters worldwide will elect the New 7 Wonders of Nature upon the culmination of the online voting. The 21 finalists will then be put to popular vote.

Philippines proud to have four of its natural wonders to be chosen as 7 wonders of the world

Philippine Travel Blog — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:55:31 +0000

The Philippines stands at the crossroads of the developed western world and the Orient. It lies in the heart of Southeast Asia, stretching more than 1,840 kilometers and composed of 7,107 islands.

The South China Sea washes its western shores. Taiwan, China and Hong Kong are northern neighbors and further north is Japan. To the west are Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Its unique location has made the Philippines the commercial, cultural and intellectual hub of Asia.

Far from being a mere cluster of islands on the southeastern corner of Asia, it is an archipelago blessed with an endless array of landscapes. It brims with beaches, forests, mountains, plains, cliffs, caves, marshes, lakes and rivers, all of its set amidst a stunning backdrop of clear blue skies and an emerald sea.

Itâ€™s only now that the Philippines experienced that four of its natural attractions has been chosen as the Seven Wonders of the World.

All you have to do is cast your vote online and presto! Your vote will be included.

The voting last June 3, 2008, have placed the Philippines in the 10 category â€“ Tubbataha Reef, third place; Chocolate Hills, fourth; Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, seventh; and Mayon Volcano, tenth.

The overall line-up are as follows: Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, first; Coxâ€™s Bazar Beach, second, Tubbataha Reef, third; Chocolate Hills, fourth; Ganges River, Bangladesh/India, fifth; Mount Everest, Nepal, sixth; Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, seventh; Amazon River/Forest, Bolivia,/Brazil/Colombia/Ecuador/Peru/Venezuela-South America, eight; Mount Fuji, Mountain, Japan, ninth; and Mayon Volcano, Philippines, tenth.

Tubbataha Reef Natural Park (TRNP) lies in the middle of the Sulu Sea and falls under the jurisdiction of Cagayancillo, an island municipality situated 130 km. to the north. The Reef is 150 km. south-east of Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan.

It is a coral reef composed of two atolls, north and south reefs. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel eight kilometers wide.

The coral atolls of Tubbataha began to form thousands of years ago as fringing reefs of volcanic islands along the Cagayan Ridge. Over millennia, as the volcanoes became extinct and the islands sunk into the ocean depths, only the corals remained, as they continue to grow upwards towards the sunlight.

After more than 20 years of conservation efforts, the TRNP is home to no less than 483 species of fish, 396 species of corals (about half of the species in the world), 44 species of birds, nine species of dolphins and whales, and nesting Hawksbill and Green sea turtles.

The Chocolate Hills are probably Boholâ€™s most famous attractions. They look like giant mole hills, or some say, womenâ€™s breasts.

The Chocolate Hills consist of no less than 1,268 hills. They are very uniform in shape and mostly between 30 and 50 meters high. They are scattered throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Baclayon.

The unique landform was formed two million years ago by the uplift of coral deposits and the action of rainwater and erosion. They are covered with grass, which, at the end of the dry season, turns chocolate brown, thus, the name â€œChocolate Hills.â€

Two of the 1,268 mounds have been developed into a resort. On top of the first hill are two youth hostels with a conference room, cozy cottages, a swimming pool and a tennis court.

On top of the second hill is an observation deck with 215 concrete steps. Once on top, one can view the exquisite panorama of Godâ€™s wondrous creations spread below as far as the eyes can see.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP) is located about 50 km. north of Puerto Princesa and was inscribed to the World Heritage List.

It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites and several large chambers.

The lower half of the river is brackish and is affected by the oceanâ€™s tides. An underground river that flows directly to the ocean and the associated tidal influence makes it one of the most unique natural phenomena of its kind to exist. It is said to be the longest navigable underground river in the world.

At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the waterâ€™s edge.

Beautifully symmetrical Mayon Volcano, which rises to 2,462 meters above the Albay Gulf, is the Philippinesâ€™ most active volcano. The structurally simple volcano has steep upper slopes averaging 35-40 degrees that are capped by a small summit crater.

It is classified by volcanologists as a stratovolcano (composite volcano) Its symmetric cone was formed through alternate pyroclastic and lava forms

Since 1616, Mayon has erupted 47 times. In 1814, it killed more than 1,200 people and devastated several towns. The most recent eruption, in 1993, began unexpectedly with an explosion. The initial eruption lasted only 30 minutes but it generated pyroclastic flows that killed 68 people and prompted the evacuation of 60,000 others.

Loboc, Bohol gathers sectors to draft tourism standards

Philippine Travel Blog — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:07:37 +0000

LOBOC officials now eye a standard for its eco-tourism in community based based river cruises.

To attain just that, officials put on a multi-stakeholder forum to protect its people’s venture during a review and formulation workshop, March 10 at the Loboc tourism complex.

Here, government agency representatives, tour operators, drivers, tour guides and floating restaurant operators rolled sleeves with local government unit officials and legislators to come up with a foundation of a unified set of rules to be implemented in the cruises, says Councilor Melquiades Corona Jr, during the workshop.

Corona sits as the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Tourism Committee chair.

It’s laborious, but that is the only way we can make this sustainable, Corona added, after a forum that lasted almost midnight.

Earlier, Loboc mayor Leon Calipusan has cited the need to elevate the operations of the river cruises including its accompanying ventures to meet acceptable standards in international tourism.

While they see the a bright eco-tourism venture, officials say it is their responsibility sustain the project and safeguard its people and the environment, which they consider as their biggest capital.

“The only way we can do this is to find ways to involve everyone’s good idea to keep the whole river cruise package come up with standards that we can execute, according to Calipusan.

“The workshop outputs would be validated in consultations with the community and the tourism stakeholders to formally agree on a standard for the operation of the accompanying tourism enterprises involved in the venture,” the mayor said.

The validated outputs would constitute the backbone of a local ordinance that would institutionalize measures in operating the river cruises, Corona explained.

By putting up a standard, at least we put our cruises at least on minimum standard with the demands of international tourism and allow us to compete in the global tourism market, agrees Bohol Tourism Officer Oroncia Balio.

Upon the invitation, a city-based tour operator said it’s about time that local officials move in because one negative incident involving tourism in Loboc and everybody would lose.

Part of the discussed areas for legislative spine is the environment preservation especially in the river use, river safety measures, navigational speed limits, floating restaurants’ on-board operational standards, food handling and tourism facility use.

Philippine Travel Blog » Bohol

Bohol Island : Tourist Paradise

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