The Budget Travel Guide to Bohol, Philippines

Chocolate Hills, Carmen, Bohol

Whenever a foreigner asks me for recommendations, Bohol is always in my top three. The reason is simple: a wide array of extraordinary attractions. Sure, other islands in the Philippines are worth recommending, too, but most boast one or two of the following --- white beaches, incredible sites, diverse wildlife, interesting history. Bohol has them all. From wild encounters with dolphins and other marine lifeforms to the incomparable views of the Chocolate Hills, Bohol is a province that is easy to promote for it doesn't need much sales talk. And given that I've only explored the southern edge of the province and a few of its islands, I wonder just how much harder I would love Bohol when I … [Read more...]

A Bee-autiful Dining Experience at Bohol Bee Farm – Panglao Island, Philippines

Honey-glazed chicken meal, P220

We weren't there for the bees. We were there for the food. When we stopped at Bohol Bee Farm on the way to the resort, we knew that given our very hectic itinerary, we only had enough time for lunch. At the back of our minds, however, we still hoped that we could join a bee tour while waiting for our orders to be served. Unfortunately, the latest tour had already started and the next one won't start until a couple of hours later. My siblings and I agreed to just drop the idea and enjoy the rest of what the place has to offer. … [Read more...]

Pandanon Island – Bohol, Philippines

My friends

For a moment there, I felt like I was on a beach in Greece. But only for a moment. The white columns, ruins of probably a perfectly functional structure, were the first to grab my attention. Actually, the second. The first was the big house that stood by the beach like a cold, pale giant that was very imposing and very out-of-place. The house and the ruins stuck out and stood out in a sea of blues as we approached the island. Moving closer, the long white strip of sand was revealed slowly, pulling us out of our Mediterranean dream to tropical reality. Our boat was not able to reach the beach for the water was too shallow. We had to wade through the water to reach dry land and we … [Read more...]

Dauis Church – Bohol, Philippines

Dauis Church

Dauis is one of the two municipalities in Panglao Island. It faces Tagbilaran in the main island of Bohol. The center of Catholic faith in the town is the Our Lady of Assumption Church, more popularly known as Dauis Church. Founded by Jesuits Fr. Diego de Ayala and Fr. Joseph Gregorio, the original church was constructed with lighter materials. The present church was buily in 1863 under the supervision of Rev. Fr. Julio Saldana. It is actually the fifth "version" of the church. The architecture of the church is a mixture of many styles. The top part of the facade is neoclassical, the bottom Romanesque, and the tower Gothic. Even the windows of the nave were heavily influenced by … [Read more...]

Churches in Southwestern Bohol: Dauis, Baclayon, Albur, and Loboc – Philippines

Alburquerque Church

Legend has it that some time during the Spanish era, pirates invaded the coastal town of Dauis, Bohol. The townsfolk locked themselves up in the church but it wasn't long until they ran out of food and water. To their surprise, a well miraculously appeared near the altar of the church, which supplied them with water. The church was just yards from the shore but the water from the well was fresh, something the people could not explain. To this day, the well can be seen inside the church and still provides water, which many believe to have healing properties. Stories of miracles like this make old churches in the Philippines more curious, more interesting, more charming. And it doesn't even … [Read more...]

Virgin Island and the Sandy Runway – Bohol, Philippines

Pungtud Island on Google Maps (Satellite view)

The warm water had completely swallowed the entire sandbar of Pungtud Island when our boat docked and my niece and nephew could not believe their eyes. For the first time ever, they saw a lengthy, white sandbar that extended to the shallow sea from a small island. Immediately, the kids hopped out of the boat and ran to along the sandy runway, making little splashes along the way. … [Read more...]

Balicasag Island: The Turning Tides – Bohol, Philippines

Balicasag Island

It's been two years since I last stepped on the island of Balicasag in Bohol and things had changed tremendously. It was one thing that became obvious to me during my last visit a few months ago. Yes, the dolphins were still there. The tourism was still booming. The beaches remained gorgeous. So what actually changed? It did not dawn on me until I put on my snorkeling mask and dipped my face in the water. … [Read more...]

Bohol Weekend Trip: Summary, Itinerary and Budget

virgin island in bohol

Bohol is one of the best places I have visited. The province has so much, soooo much to offer. We stayed there for 4 days and there were still so many places we missed. Our energy level isn't really proportional to the beauty of this island province. Touring Bohol is really exhausting but every calorie we burned and second spent was worth it. If you're planning to go to Bohol, too, here's the summary of our trip including the expenses. I'm not saying that you should do exactly like how we did it but I hope this guides you on your travel. Click on the items for a more detailed chronicling of our experience at each stop of our tour. … [Read more...]

The Beaches of Panglao Island – Bohol, Philippines

Sunset afterglow in Panglao Island

What happens when you put eight overworked corporate slaves together on one beach? Riot, maybe. But not when you're us. In that case, well, nothing much. Just a quiet time lazing on the sand and feeling all emo while watching the waves. Two days of touring left us totally drained out of energy. For our third day, our original plan was to go to Danao Adventure Park, the newest adventure destination in Bohol, for some ziplining, kayaking and trekking. But our first two days in Bohol proved to be extremely exhausting so we decided to just stay and spend the day relaxing at the beach. … [Read more...]

Sand Bending in Virgin Island – Bohol, Philippines

The crescent-shaped Virgin Island and it's lovely sandbar!

After snorkeling at Balicasag Island, we hopped back onto our boat. We had no idea what to expect. All we knew at the time was we were heading to another island. We traveled for around 20 minutes until our boat slowed down. We noticed the very shallow water. The sea floor covered with sea grass and corals. We still didn't know where we were going until we had a glimpse of this beautiful island with a really long white sandbar. At that moment, without our boatmen confirming anything, we knew that island paradise was our next destination. And we were right. When we finally docked, we were welcomed by vendors offering something curious --- sea urchins. "How are we supposed to eat … [Read more...]

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