Bohol

TThe Province of Bohol is best known for two things: The Philippine Tarsier which is the smallest primate in the world and the over a thousand intriguing perfectly cone-shaped hills of similar sizes spread out over 50 square kilometres in the island’s centre scattered over in the towns of Batuan, Carmen and Sagbayan. This hills are lovingly called Chocolate Hills (below)- since the grass and vegetation dries out and the hills looked a lot like huge chocolate mounds baking under the tropical sun. The hills are conical karst in nature, which is pretty similar to those seen in the limestone regions of Croatia and Slovenia sans the caves. It is so that the words Bohol, Tarsiers and the Chocolate Hills are so synonymous that one cannot mention Bohol in the same sentence without mentioning the other two. And if that is not enough, chances are you will be able to pick up a souvenir shirt on your way home with Bohol written along with the images of the Philippine Tarsier and the Chocolate Hills emblazoned in front. There are Philippine Tarsier conservation areas located along your way to the Chocolate Hills from Tagbilaran City, the provincial capital. This is where one can check out these nocturnal creatures hanging in the branches of trees along the winding Loboc River.

Speaking of Loboc River, it has become a must for visitors to take the approximately PhP300 lunch cruise (Filipino cuisine) along the green waters of the river which terminates near a couple of small waterfalls. The cruise usually includes an in-house singer, usually a kid from the local school choir, the Loboc Children’s Choir. The choir gained national and international attention, when it bagged the First Prize and the Festival Cup at the 6th International Folksongs Festival held in Barcelona, Spain.

There isn’t a lack of historical places in Bohol for the history-buffs. One can drop by at the second-oldest stone church in the Philippines (oldest is San Agustin in Intramuros, Manila) – Baclayon Church (above), 6 kilometres away from Tagbilaran City. The church has beautiful antique crystal chandeliers, silver tabernacle, an ornately carved pulpit and an altar with gold inlays. Close to the church is the town of Loay, the original site of the blood compact between local Chief Sikatuna and Spanish Captain Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. The blood compact, known as Pacto de Sangre in Spanish and Sandugo in Filipino is celebrated in a festival in July of every year.
For the beach bums and sun-worshippers, Bohol boasts of world-class white sand beaches especially in the nearby corraline island of Panglao of which Alona Beach and Dumaluan Beach are the better known. For divers, Alona Beach (above) is definitely the best place to base oneself, where dive shops and resorts from budget to upper midrange hotels are located. The main drawback is that this tiny strip of beach is such a small community that touts would harass you at every opportunity. Expect to get asked for boat rides and island hopping over 20 times in 24 hours. If Boracay is bad, Alona Beach is the worst when it comes to touts. Food on this beach is overpriced and the taste is not exactly mind-blowing. A heap of boats are also anchored not far from the shore, thus, the ocean scenery is obstructed. In complete contrast, Dumaluan Beach on the same island, has fewer resorts (there are only two- the more expensive Bohol Beach Club and the super-cheap Dumaluan Beach Resort), and has a wider and cleaner beach.
There are at least 13 dive sites around Bohol, with Pamilacan and Balicasag sites the most popular with dolphin-watching an added attraction. Pamilacan Island has an almost year-round convergence point of mackerel, tuna, dolphins, groupers, and hammerhead sharks as well as endemic species of dolphins, melon-headed whales, beaked whales, and the gasp (!), sperm whale. No wonder studies by the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program in coordination with over 100 marine scientists placed the Philippines at the centre of the world’s marine biodiversity with 26,000 square kilometres of coral reef with the highest concentration of marine species per unit area. That’s nothing short like having the Amazon underwater. Up until now, new species are being discovered off the coast of Bohol as with many other research stations all over the Philippines.