Visiting Bohol: An experience worth repeating

I like playing the part of a tourist in my own country. In fact, I make it a point to visit at least one domestic destination every year, preferably a place that I haven’t set foot in yet. But I also don’t mind revisiting a place that has left a good impression on me—a place like Bohol. Bohol is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines since it boasts the famous Chocolate Hills, but there is more to it than those Kisses-like mounds. Welcome to Bohol In my first trip to this Visayan province, I stayed at a modest inn situated in the capital city of Tagbilaran. It proved to be a strategic location since it was easy to get around town with the various public transport available there. But it was best to hire a private van or join a tour group to visit the must-see sights in the area, and my travel companion and I did just that. The typical tour stops at famous historical and cultural landmarks such as the Blood Compact Shrine and the Baclayon Church and Museum. Then en route to the Chocolate Hills, we passed by the beautiful Man-Made Forest in Bilar and headed to a place to get up close with tarsiers. These are the standard spots in most tours, but ours included a daytrip to Panglao Island, which is known for its white-sand beaches. But before we basked in the sun and waded in the waters, we headed to the Hinagdanan Cave first, located in the town of Dauis. Upon going into the cave’s narrow opening and descending down the ladder, I was surprised at the size of the cave and was in awe with its rock formations. This limestone cave has astonishing stalactites and stalagmites, as well as a green-hued lagoon. We walked around the area and even saw some writings and drawings on the wall. It was quiet and peaceful inside and I relished every minute I was there. When it was time to go, we ascended up the ladder, which translates to “hagdan” in Filipino, hence the name of the cave. Before ending the day, we made a pit stop in the town of Albuquerque to see Prony, one of the biggest pythons in captivity. The snake is around seven meters long and about 300 kilograms. I had a chance to caress this scary yet lovely reptile and have a photo op with it as well. It was indeed an interesting way to end our jampacked daytrip in Bohol. Hello, nice to see you again My second trip to Bohol was more luxurious than the first one. For one thing, we stayed at Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort, which has top-notch accommodations. I shared a room with my two business partners and we felt comfortable in our spacious room, which had a bathroom with a separate bathtub and shower. Overlooking the second floor terrace was the resort’s swimming pool that has a floating lounge area in the middle of it. The place also has its own massage hut and a restaurant with a large dining space. There was practically no need to go out since everything was already there but we still took time to explore the major attractions. Again, I had a chance to visit the same historical and cultural landmarks, but what made this daytrip different was our stop at the Bohol Bee Farm and Dauis Church complex. My travel companions and I went inside the impressive Our Lady of Assumption Shrine, which features neo-gothic and neo-classic architecture. It wasn’t just another old church. Near the altar, I saw Mama Mary’s Well where the water is believed to be blessed. I even got a bottle of the holy water to take home. It was complimentary but I still donated some spare cash to the church. Within the church complex is Café Lawis where travelers may rest while sipping some local brew. The café also has a store that sells all kinds of souvenirs and handicrafts. I found a nice spot at the back of the café where we relaxed by the big tree as we took in the nice view across Panglao Island. As the night started to fall, we headed to our final stop, the Bohol Bee Farm, for dinner. Instead of going straight to the buffet spread, which included native cuisine and local produce, we went to the in-house store first to buy foodstuff and trinkets. We had a chance to sample some products and I couldn’t resist getting some of the delicious honey. It was truly a sweet ending to our trip. Indeed, visiting the same destination does not necessarily guarantee travelers of the exact same experience. I had the chance of being a tourist in Bohol twice and both trips offered different travel experiences. On my third visit, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Chocolate Hills again. I heard travelers could rent an all-terrain vehicle at the foot of the hills and explore the area from there, instead of simply checking it out from the view deck. Now that’s something worth going back for. — BM, GMA News