10 things to love about Bohol by Ricky Lo and my comments :)

I fell in love with Bohol the first time I went there three years ago to attend the wedding of a friend's brother. I've been going there every chance I get since then, to what my Boholano friend Raoul Tidalgo and I call "our paradise on earth."

When my big-city-trapped friends ask me why I'm always in Bohol (it just seems like that because I keep on mentioning the place and the people in this corner every once too often), I want to tell them, "Let me count the ways," rattling off the following "10 Things to Love About Bohol" (not necessarily in this order):

1. The Tarsier - I saw it perched on a tree along the Loboc River made even more famous by Cesar Montano, one of Bohol's pride, in his movie Panaghoy sa Suba. I looked at it eyeball-to-eyeball and that's how I noticed lonely its eyes were, so huge that, for a while, I felt that those eyes would kill me with gentleness. (you could also visit the National Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella, Bohol - Ivy)

2. The Chocolate Hills -One of Da King FPJ's favorite settings of his blockbusters, the hills are alive with the whatever sound you can imagine, all those 1,268 mounds (count 'em!). If you have the stamina, try climbing the 200-plus steps up one of them and, from the peak, be mesmerized by a panoramic view of the province. Breath-taking! How did the hills got the name? Give the credit to the Americans who, many years ago, stood transfixed by the natural wonder that reminded them of Chocolate Kisses. Thus, Chocolate Hills. (there are 2 views of the hills: the older one is in Carmen and the newer one is in Sagbayan Peak. I still like the Carmen one better. But, Sagbayan Peak has a nice butterfly garden too. - Ivy)

3. The Amarela (in Panglao) - Touted on its flyer as "...not just a beautiful beach resort but also a showcase of Bohol's rich cultural and artistic heritage...", Amarela is Spanish for yellow. Said its owner-manager Doy Nunag, "We called it Amarela by accident. Three years ago when we were on a family vacation in Portugal, we noticed that the subway lines were identified by color, one of them the Amarela Line. We were looking for a name for the resort and we thought that Amarela was perfect for it." Most of the rooms face the sea. Watch the sun rise and set from your window, and you will sing the famous Sunrise, Sunset song from Fiddler on the Roof with new lyrics coming spontaneously from your heart. I heard that Bea Zobel stays at Amarela when she's in Bohol, which is often. (Note: For inquiries, call 038-5029497 to 98 or cell phone 0906-5884145.) (Great food, and great service. - Ivy)

4. The old churches - Raoul and I visited 14 churches the first time I was in Bohol, completing the Visita Iglesia even if it was the Lenten Season. We lingered a bit in the vicinity of Baclayon Church in Baclayon town, several meters away from it stands the lighthouse where Cesar Montano proposed to Sunshine Cruz at sunset, to the enchanting music of the Loboc Children's Choir. Romantic! (what an awesome way to propose!! i didnt know that fact.:) )

5. The Bohol Bee Farm - Owned and managed by Vicky Wallace, the Farm serves all-organic food, including - would you believe! - Bougainvilla Salad ("Anything that the bees eat is edible," assured Vicky, a retired nurse who worked in the States, now the widow of an American husband) and Camote Bread. To digest an "organic" meal, you can stroll around place and have a close look at the bees of various species, coming from different parts of the country (and Australia). (I think Wallace is Australian, not American. Anyhow, Bohol Bee Farm food is my favoritest EVER!!!)

6. The Peanut Kisses, Ube Jam and Torta - Don't just bring home beautiful memories from Bohol, complete with album-fuls of pictures. Remember to drop by any of the groceries in department stores (BQ Mall - BQ for Bohol Quality - one of them, owned and managed by Raymond Ong who also owns and manages Metro Center which has a cozy hotel at the heart of Tagbilaran City) and stuff your back-pack with as many packs of Peanut Kisses and Torta and Ube Jam as you can. Family and friends back home will love those pasalubongs. Yummy! (I'd also like to endorse BOHOL CAFFE LATTE!!! :) )

7. Payag Restaurant - Your weekend in Tagbilaran will not be complete if you don't take lunch or dinner at Payag (#18 CPG East Avenue). My favorite item on the menu is the Chicken Barbecue, served with fresh achara and cold buko juice (or any juice of your choice). When Floy Quintos brought balikbayan international model Anna Bayle to Bohol, they went to Payag for dinner. "They occupied that table in the corner," Raoul pointed out. "Anna looked as delicious as the chicken inasal, holding a bottle of ice-cold Beer Light." Burp before you leave the place. (Note: For reservations, call 038-4112527 or 038-5019447.) (There's also Payag in ICM Mall, btw. But nothing beats a resto feel.)

8. The Loboc River Night Cruise - For a touch of romance, take this tour with a loved one (lover or friend) - or even alone (you can "romance" yourself, can't you? By day, the cruise comes with buffet lunch. At night, you first take dinner at a floating restaurant and then you transfer to a boat that sails oh-so-slowly along the river between tall trees on both banks, adorned with lights that turn from red to orange to pink to violet to green to blue and then to light blue-green. Those lights were donated by Carlos Chan (Benchan's brother) to the tune of... P12 million!?!... including the Children's Palace where the Loboc Youth Band caps the cruise with an hour of soothing music. But first, enjoy a homegrown group composed of children and adults, waiting on a raft at the far end of the Loboc River to serenade the "cruisers" during the brief stopover. (Don't forget to donate a few bucks to the singing group; they need it.) Cruise prices are very affordable. (Note: For inquiries, call the Loboc Tourism Port Office at 038-5379292 or mobile phones 0928-5077627 and 0920-9623550.) (Cruise with lunch buffet...I forgot how much per person but I don't think it's past 300php per person. The opening song is...Welcome to Bohol, the land of the chocolate hills...):)

9. The Panglao Island Nature Resort - Owned and managed by Raymond Ong, this resort is another haven for weary souls from the big city. If you're looking for a place so quiet and so serene that you can feel your heart gently beating and yourself thinking, with only the sound of the wind rustling among the trees, this is the place for you. Your muscles grown tired? Walk to The Spa nearby. Or take a swim or do a lap or two at the Olympic-size pool. Or run to the beach just beyond your cottage. The resort's new feature is the just-opened Verdant Pavilion which is a perfect venue for concerts (Sitti was the first to hold one there; and, if negotiations push through, Martin Nievera just might do a Valentine concert there in February next year, keep your fingers crossed!). For inquiries, call (63-38) 411-5875 or 502-2451. (PINR is extremely romantic, and they serenade you during dinner...you can drop by for day stay, around P250/pax consumable...don't you just LOVE Bohol?!?! Same's true for Bohol Beach Club and most resorts. Eskaya, the most upscale one, is P1000 for day stay, also consumable.)

10. The Beautiful Boholanos - Bohol has produced a lot of stars, including Cesar Montano (of course, who is rumored to be running for governor or congressman), Luke Mejares, retired actress and now US-based Rebecca del Rio, Giselle Sanchez, the late Yoyoy Villame, StarStruck finalist Rich Asuncion, Star in a Million Champion Jerome Sala (now managing the family's hollow blocks business and, on the side, driving the family-owned passenger jeepney), Rebecca Lusterio, Hot Babe Sheree, Lutgardo Labad, 2006 Bb. Pilipinas-World Mariz Igpit and "adopted son" Maryo J. delos Reyes (who has a house in Tagbilaran. And, last but definitely not the least, my friends (aside from Raoul Tidalgo, Raymond Ong, Vicky Wallace and Doy Nunag), Betty Veloso-Garcia (and the Veloso Family), Boy Echavez and Liklik Schroeder (now based in Sacramento, California). (And...*EHEM*)

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com) - Ricardo F. Lo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Bohol's tour guides are RP's best--Durano

By Carmela Fonbuena, Newsbreak, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/08/2008 6:02 PM

If you ask tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, it’s not only the Chocolate Hills or the tarsiers that make Bohol one of the country’s favorite destinations of local and foreign tourists.

“The tour guides in Bohol are the best tour guides in the country. We give standard training to local government units. For some reason, their tour guides are university professors or clergymen,” he said before congressmen in today’s briefing on the budget of the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Even if House committee on appropriations vice chairman Quirino Rep. Junie Cua requested that they focus on national policies and refrain from raising “parochial” issues, the congressmen—from Batanes to Davao —alternated telling Durano of the problems of their local tourist spots and asking him about the plans of the DOT in promoting them.

Durano told congressmen the importance of the cooperation between local government units and the private sector to take initiatives to attract visitors.

He cited how an old convent in Bohol was converted to a museum and coffee shop. The tour guide is the dean of a local university. “They have top minds as frontliners in the industry,” Durano said.

He also cited an initiative by the private sector in Bohol . They developed a new offering—a river cruise. At the end of the cruise, the tourists are to meet locals dressed as Ati villagers, a group of indigenous people in Bohol . They would dance and interact with the tourists.

“They’re in their grass skirts and they are given bolos. It’s like in Disneyland ,” Durano said.

Surpassing Targets

Durano reported that the DOT will already meet this year the 2010 target of five million tourist arrivals—inspite of the economic slowdown in the U.S. and Japan.

The top markets from January to July this year are South Korea , U.S. , Japan , China , Taiwan , Hongkong , Australia , Canada , Singapore , U.K. , and Malaysia .

Majority of them come to the Philippines for beach holiday vacation (47.3 percent). Other reasons are to visit friends and realties and to meet business partners.

as of 09/08/2008 6:02 PM

Ferry Services and Schedules to Bohol

Click on the pics to enlarge. These are from The Bohol Chronicle. :)

Tagbilaran City among RP's best cities

Makati, Cabanatuan, Tagbilaran are RP's best cities to live in

By CARMELA FONBUENA
abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak

Among the best cities in the Philippines, Makati City, Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija, and Tagbilaran City in Bohol offer the best quality of life, according to a new survey of the Asian Institute Management (AIM).

These three cities ranked highest in the quality of life category among 25 cities that made it to the AIM’s Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking Project 2007, a survey of cities’ global competitiveness.

The cities were separately ranked according to size. Makati, Cabanatuan, and Tagbilaran were categorized as metro, mid-sized and small-sized, respectively.

Quality of life is one of six categories in AIM’s survey. The other categories are cost of doing business, dynamism of local economy, human resources and training, infrastructure, and responsiveness of local government units (LGUs) to business needs.

Unlike its previous surveys, AIM decided not to rank the cities based on total performance.

This is the 5th round of the AIM survey on Philippine Cities Competitiveness Ranking.

Quality of life is considered one of the yardsticks in determining which cities have successfully developed and which have succumbed to the ills of urbanization.

Among the relevant aspects of quality of life are social welfare of the people, peace, and order, quality of living environment, and local amenities.

Cabanatuan and Tagbilaran ranked first in their respective city sizes, rating 7.17 and 7.97, respectively. The highest rating is 10 points. The average rating in their city sizes is 6.31 and 6.43, respectively.

Makati ranked second among metro cities, with a rating of 6.98. The average rating of metro cities in terms of quality of life is 6.06.

Cabanatuan was credited for its good access to commercial banks, low or non-existent informal fees, and total crime solution efficiency.

Tagbilaran was noted for its low or non-existent informal fees, good supply of water, and low water rates. Its local environmental planning and management program was also praised.

Makati was recognized for its good access to commercial banks, total crime solution efficiency, and supply of potable water among others. AIM also noted its programs such as the Makati Health Program, the “Yellow Card,” the Makati Command Center, and its Satellite Real Property Tax collection.

A total of 90 cities were surveys—20 metro cities, 25 mid-sized cities, and 45 small-sized cities. The AIM survey was conducted in collaboration with the German Technical Cooperation, International Finance Corporation, International Labour Organization, SM Investments Inc., and Petron Corporation.

The following is the complete list of the top performing cities.

Metro Cities:
1. Davao
2. Lapu-Lapu
3. Makati,
4. Manila
5. Marikina
6. Quezon City

Mid-sized Cities:
1. Cabanatuan
2. General Santos
3. Lucena City
4. Olongapo City
5. San Pablo City
6. Tagum
7. Tarlac

Small-Sized Cities
1. Bayawan
2. Calapan
3. Calbayog
4. Dagupan
5. Dipolog
6. Laoag
7. Malaybalay
8. Naga City-Camarines Sur
9. San Fernando City-La Union
10. Surigao
11. Tagbilaran
12. Tuguegarao

Welcome to Bohol, Island Paradise :)

The Island Paradise of Bohol is located in the Central Visayas Region in the Philippines. It is one of the current top tourist destinations and Panglao Island, a small island part of Bohol, has always been one of the world's best divespots.

First off, how do we get to Bohol?

1. By plane - from Manila (Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific) to the Tagbilaran Airport
2. By boat - from Cebu (OceanJet) to the Tagbilaran pier. Another alternate route is through the Tubigon pier.

How much are the fares?

1. Plane fares from Manila cost approximately P6000-7000 roundtrip for peak season (December to June I think), and half those prices for off-peak.
2. From Cebu, it's P500 one-way via the OceanJet.

Who should go to Bohol?

1. Families
2. Barkadas
3. Honeymooners and lovers
4. Photographers
5. Foodies
6. Really stressed people
7. Nature-lovers and trekkers
8. Divers
9. Beach-lovers
10. Anyone who wants to get value for money on a trip =)

How long should we stay in Bohol?

Personally for tourists I think the optimum time would be 4D/3N. =)

What dialect/s do they speak there?

Boholano or Bol-anon is essentially Cebuano, save for the J-dominated words. Since it is a tourist hotspot Boholanos are very fluent in English and Filipino-Tagalog.

Why should we go to Bohol?

1) quiet, pristine white sand beaches and resorts
2) cheap food and accommodation
3) Loboc river cruise
4) old original churches that date back to the Spanish era, esp. in Baclayon
5) the national tarsier sanctuary
6) a wonderful man-made forest in Bilar
7) Chocolate Hills
8) Hinagdanan Cave
9) Sikatuna-Legazpi compact site
10) dolphin and whale watching
11) places like Panglao and Balicasag which are one of the best diving spots in the world
12) Bohol Bee Farm

Where can we stay in Bohol?

For a comprehensive list of resorts and transient places, visit the official website of Bohol.

Great forums on Bohol:
Bohol 1
Bohol 2

I believe there are a lot of YouTube videos on Bohol too. :)


***
Yay, I finally started this blog. I've been meaning to start one for Bohol for the longest time. I plan to include write-ups on the different tourist sites in Bohol for interested tourists. I'm not an official tour guide nor do I own any travel agencies or resorts. This is just for fun. I am based in Metro Manila but I fly to Bohol at least once a year (and my mom, almost monthly!) because my grandmom lives there. I have been helping friends and people online plan their trips to Bohol for several years now. The same questions keep coming up and so I thought of starting a blog.

- Ivy