Discovering Bohol after the earthquake-Part 2

(Conclusion)

After getting familiar with many of Bohol's more popular sights--like the Chocolate Hills, its tarsiers, and the heritage churches--more adventures await first-time visitors of the province. 

As experienced in the "Countryside Tour" by CCT.168 Travel and Tours Corp., the Visayan island has a rich biodiversity, which many local communities have learned to treasure by showcasing its beauty. At same time, they also protect it and earn from it altogether! 

I believe Bohol is one of the best proofs of how eco-tourism can uplift the lives of people. See, it's an example of a beneficial relationship between human and Mother Earth. 

Appreciating nature

A cruise along Bohol's Loboc River

One of Bohol's most famed eco-destination is its Loboc River, a scenic 11-kilometer stretch of deep green freshwater reflecting the lush forests surrounding it. And what makes the attraction unique to Bohol is that the scenic river can be cruised and enjoyed on board floating restaurants.

Filipinos love to eat, especially when boodle style!

Usually, traditional Filipino food is served in a buffet style by different floating restaurants but for the media group, a fun and delicious boodle fight was arranged. Savored were pork humba, grilled seafood, sotanghon guisado (sautéed noodles), chicken inasal, grilled vegetables and hefty servings of rice. Appetizers and desserts were also prepared. 

At the end of lunch and the three-kilometer cruise going inland, waterfalls await at the base of the mountain. A floating viewing deck is available to snap some shots. If you're lucky, there may be locals who will give you a good photo opportunity like this!

My favorite photo from my 3-day Bohol trip

On the way back to the floating restaurants’ port was a quick stop at the riverside Cotozan Balsa Performers Association for songs and dances from the Loboc community.

Touristy thing. 

While Loboc River is best experienced by day, its counterpart Abatan River is magical by night. 

Running along the towns of Cortes, Maribojoc, Balilihan, Antequera and Catigbian, Abatan is Bohol’s third largest watershed. 

It is famous for thousands of fireflies that live in mangroves. Every night, bandong, or small boat, goes to parts of the river for firefly watching.

To further understand nature, our tour guide Joshue Hinay also took us to the Punta Cruz Watchtower in Maribojoc. There, one can see how the earthquake thrust the seafloor previously submerged in water. After the natural phenomenon, about 5 kilometers-stretch of the southwestern coastline was extended to as much as 50 meters. 

The view from Punta Cruz shows how the earthquake thrust up
the seafloor previously submerged in water

For a culinary experience that is also close to nature, enjoy a dampa-style dining outside Tagbilaran’s Manga Market selling fresh seafood bounty from Bohol’s seas.

Panglao’s wonders

Bohol's tourism industry has come a long way. It started off as a diving spot for Europeans as early as the 1980s. By the 90s, the province became a side trip for tourists of nearby Cebu. By the turn of the 20th century, it finally became a stand-alone destination.

Today, the province has opened up not only to the rest of the country but also to the world thanks to its accessibility, as well as its many accommodations ranging from affordable to luxurious.

Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort offers privacy and quiet

For the DOT fam tour, media participants were billeted at the Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort in Panglao Island, which is on the southwestern tip of the island.

Bluewater Panglao's cozy restaurant invites guests
to have a filling breakfast before a busy day tour

Unlike those situated along the island’s famous Alona Beach—also called the “Little Boracay”—Bluewater Panglao offers privacy set amidst a tropical paradise and white-sand beach. Its well-appointed 54 rooms reflect the traditional but sophisticated Filipino design by artist, furniture designer and craftsman Benji Reyes.

Complementing the overall experience is a restaurant offering international and local fare, a poolside bar, the signature Amuma Spa of the hotel chain, and sparkling swimming pools.

The resort also houses a warm and caring staff that makes it one’s “home-away-from-home” when in Bohol.

On why stay in Panglao instead of the mainland, Joshue pointed out its proximity to Bohol’s countryside destinations, like the Loboc and Abatan Rivers. Connected by two bridges to the mainland, it takes about 30 minutes by private or public transport to get to Tagbilaran City, and one to two hours to reach other attractions like the Chocolate Hills. 

Panglao is also the best starting point to the famous diving spots for underwater adventures. One can go hopping from one island to the next, including Pamilacan, Balicasag, and Virgin islands.

Pamilacan Island is home to two sea sanctuaries
that give a glimpse of just how colorful Bohol's waters are 

The media group was able to explore Pamilacan Island, home to two sea sanctuaries. Through snorkeling, I was able to get a glimpse of how colorful Bohol’s waters are. 

The merienda prepared by the locality

An authentic merienda, featuring boiled earth crops and sweetened fruits paired with the locality’s corncob coffee, was also prepared. 

Pamilacan Island is 45 minutes away by pump boat from Bluewater Panglao. The beach resort also arranges and offers island activities, diving, boat tours, fishing, and dolphin or whale watching, among others.

Another discovery at Panglao was the Hinagdanan Cave, discovered by a farmer during the pre-colonial era to be lying quietly underneath his farm. Then, only two crevices in the roof’s cave served as entrance with bamboos as hagdan (ladders), thus the name.

In modern times, a bigger entrance was made when a big tree was uprooted. Concrete steps were built for tourists to easily come and go. Once inside, there is a hidden crystal clear lagoon with eight-feet deep of brackish water.

A beautiful ending

To conclude the three-day Bohol visit, hosts from DOT together with our local guide, brought the media group to a day tour in the Bohol Bee Farm, also in Panglao.

The Bohol Bee Farm opened in early 2000s as a guesthouse-cum-restaurant serving owner Vicky Wallace’s sought-after cooking. Today, it has grown to a 4-hectare property with villas, swimming pools, organic greenhouse farming, and complementary livelihood and pasalubong centers.

Enter the Bohol Bee Farm!

But despite all its progress, its highlight remains to the restaurant that still serves the recipes of the owner, who also concocts all other edible products—from dips to ice creams—sold in the property.

For the media group to have a filling lunch before leaving Bohol, the farm prepared a buffet of its favorites: organic garden salad, Cabcab appetizer, seafood soup, grilled fish, honeyglazed chicken, spare ribs, seafood lasagna, organic red rice, and homemade breads, dips and ice creams.

(Clockwise from top left) Braised spare ribs, Cabcab with pesto and green tomato,
 seafood soup and grilled fish

No trip is complete without pasalubong-buying. The best place to get souvenirs and delicacies is at Apronia Souvenier Shop near the Tagbilaran Airport.

Be it something historical, cultural, environmental or gastronomical—beautiful Bohol truly has it all. 

(Text originally published for The Manila Times. All photos are mine, taken using Nokia Lumia 1520.)

Discovering Bohol after the earthquake-Part 1

When a 7.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Bohol on October 15, 2013, many feared that the island's eco-tourism will suffer greatly as death and devastation were reported internationally through heartbreaking images. 

Since the province is now considered one of the best destinations in the country today, the greatest question back then was, "Have you ever been to Bohol?" 

If you answered no, then too bad for you. 

Unfortunately, I was one of those who answered a regretful no. With a heavy heart, I'd think to myself, I should have traveled to the Visayan island way before the earthquake to fully see its beauty. 

Finally from October 1 to 3—two weeks before the earthquake’s first anniversary—I was given the chance to discover Bohol, representing The Manila Times in a familiarization tour sponsored by the Department of Tourism. 

And what I realized was that contrary to belief, Bohol is fast recovering from one of its most difficult ordeals. More importantly, it has remained as beautiful as before with culture and nature melting together in one destination. 

This is my first-timer, firsthand perspective of Bohol. 

(Text originally published for The Manila Times. All photos are mine taken using Nokia Lumia 1520.)

First-timers’ list
The Chocolate Hills and the Philippine tarsiers are always included in the must-see checklist of Bohol first-timers. This is why our tour guide, Joshue Hinay, presented his province’s most famous stars in the best possible ways. 

First was the natural encounter with the tarsiers, the world’s smallest prosimian, sub-order specie of the primates but million years older than monkeys. 

The little creature with amusing features

While many tourist photos circulating the Internet show them posing with or even touching the creature, Hinay discouraged these practices. For him, visitors must opt to go to the 8-hectare Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary located in the town of Corella. Built and sponsored by the non-profit Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc., the sanctuary aims to conserve the Philippine tarsier and its habitat. 

There, Carlito “Lito” Pizarras is waiting to impart his knowledge about the Philippines tarsiers, which he began studying at the age of 13. Now 60 years old, Pizarras continues to learn from the interesting creatures by serving as the sanctuary’s field supervisor since day 1. 

The 'Tarsier Man', Lito Pizarras

His dedication has earned him the title “Tarsier Man,” as well the inclusion of his name to the scientific name of the Philippine tarsier—Tarsius Carlito syrichta. 

Pizarras greeted the media group and shared tidbits of information about the tarsier. According to him, at 4 centimeters max in height, tarsier is a solitary and territorial animal that lives within a 50-square meter area, and hunts within a 1-hectare zone. Being nocturnal, it sleeps by day and hunts by night to eat its primary food, insects. 

After this, an in-house tour guide brought the visitors to the tarsiers, which are resting by then in its natural habitat. Touching is prohibited while noise must be reduced as to not disturb or stress the creatures. Photography is allowed but without flash. 

In parting, Pizarras shared his hopes to further increase the population of Philippine tarsiers in Bohol, which are now over a hundred. 

After the tarsier encounter, up next was the Chocolate Hills experience. While you can always view the wonders of nature from the government-owned and -ran viewing deck—operational again after the earthquake—there is a new place in Bohol that is offering a different perspective.

I love adventures!

This is the Chocolate Hills Adventure Park (CHAP), a well-built eco-park located in the first barangay upon entering Carmen, if coming from Tagbilaran City. 

“Situated in the most scenic of sites, CHAP offers a fresh angle on the panorama of the hills through its adrenaline-pumping thrills and scenic nature trails,” shared Jing Velasco, the managing director of the property. 

Indeed, visitors of CHAP—just like some of the adventurous members of the media tour—will get their “high” on CHAP’s The Rush, a 550-meter bike zip hanging 150-feet above the ground. While biking, let go of your fears to appreciate the magnificent view of the Chocolate Hills. 

That's me enjoying The Rush! (Photo by Joy Felizardo of gastronomybyjoy.com)

Besides The Rush, CHAP also offers various rope activities like canopy walk, Burma planks, and mini version for kids, among others. To commune with Mother Earth, there are hike trails, a Serpentarium, an animal interaction area, and a camping site.  

Opened only in April 2013, CHAP is owned and operated by Manila-based inventors who want to complement and not compete with what Bohol already has. 

CHAP is well-integrated with its natural surrounding

Velasco explained, “Our philosophy is that everything that we put up in the complex must complement Bohol, environmentally and economically. First, whatever we do is approved by DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] to keep the natural environment of the hills. And second, whatever attractions we have and will have in the future, Bohol doesn’t have yet. This is to encourage tourists to spend and return here.”

Soon, CHAP will launch its Zorb activities. In the future, it aims to build rooms for accommodation. 

Heritage churches 
Bohol is home to some of the Philippines’ oldest churches so it was unfortunate that many were damaged by the earthquake. Some even fell to the ground.

Considered as heritage sites and national treasures by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, these churches contribute greatly to the diverse tourism of the province. 

But as Hinay said, as a way of "turning something bad into good,” he along with fellow tour guides are still bringing tourists to the damaged churches. 

As part of his “Countryside Travel Package”—offered by CCT.168 Travel and Tours Corp.—Hinay brought the media group to the Baclayon Church of Bohol. 

The Baclayon Church

The coral stones of the church collected so that hopefully,
it will to be put up again during the restoration process (Photo by the author)

Officially called the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, it established Christianity in the island when the first Spanish missionaries arrived in 1595. At the place where the first visita was erected now stood the Baclayon Church with destroyed entrance and bell tower. Thankfully, the rest of the Jesuit-turned-Augustinian church was left standing, as well as its old rectory serving as a museum and a school.

The museum containing the church's old relics, statues and paraphernalia is back to operations for tourists, while students have also returned to school. As of the moment, Baclayon community hears mass in a makeshift area just outside their church.

Hinay said that Baclayon Church, along with other churches that can be restored, are now undergoing data-gathering and digital-mapping done by respective local dioceses and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

The Loboc Church

Also seen was the Church of San Pedro in Loboc, the second oldest church in Bohol. Originally built in 1602, the Loboc church was also wrecked like Baclayon but even worse as a part of its roof and walls in the middle part also caved in. 

Last visited was one of the least-damaged, the Sta. Monica Church in Alburquerque, saved by a recent restoration started before the calamity. Not seen, however, were the 17th-century churches of Loon and Maribojoc, both completely turned into rubble. 

The altar and part of the ceiling painting of Alburquerque Church

According to Hinay, the reason why many of the old structures collapsed was because the 2013 quake was unique in a sense that its movement was upward and downward. Because the churches were built hundreds of years ago, they didn't have the technology to be protected from such.

On October 15, all standing churches of Bohol rang their bells at 8:12 a.m. for 33 seconds significantly marking the exact time and length of the earthquake. Afterward, simultaneous masses at 8:15 a.m. were also held.

To be continued...