Bohol Island

We arrived on Bohol with high expectations after falling in love with Palawan. Our stopover in Cebu city was great for a hot shower and reliable power and Internet but we had no desire to stay there beyond one night. Getting to Bohol from Cebu was very easy, fast ferries run regularly and take 2 hours.  We opted for the cheapest tickets (non air con, outside) which cost P475 including luggage and terminal fees.  Tourist class tickets (with air con and access to toilet) were about P850.

In Bohol, we stayed on the Loboc river which is a pretty sleepy area dotted with small villages along the river.  One of the locals, Troy, (who was our Stand Up Paddle ‘SUP’ boarding instructor) told us that there were around 28 villages in Bohol, his village had about 450 people. With Christmas coming up, Troy was telling us about the local celebrations which start on 25 December and go pretty much to end of January. Over the course of the month families and friends from different villages host parties and invite each over over. Detox in Feb must be a killer!

One of our first impressions was that Bohol was slightly more developed than Palawan but we soon discovered that it maintained a sleepy, friendly and relaxed vibe. No one seems to be in a hurry to go anywhere which made it a perfect spot for us to hire a scooter and cruise around the island. 

First stop was the #1 tourist attraction on the island – the chocolate hills. The chocolate coloured part is really only relevant in summer and we were here right after wet season but the hills were still an interesting sight. Personally, I found the ride through the countryside and up the winding roads to get there more beautiful than the hills themselves (probably due to the number of tourists).

We then set out in search of the island’s other tourist must dos which included seeing the local tarsiers. We got distracted on route as we drove past a zip line that goes right over the Loboc river. The scenery flying across the river was breathtaking and really worth doing. We had to wait half an hour or so before we could do the return zip line as the rains came in (they do this every few hours for a brief down pour then the glorious sunshine returns). Zip lining ticked off we were soon back on the bike. 

Tarsiers are one of the smallest primates in the world starting at around 8.5cm with massive disproportionately sized eyes.  They are endangered mostly due to having been unfortunate enough to share the planet with humans. As they are tiny and nocturnal the chances of seeing them in the wild is basically zero. Bus loads of tourists excited to see these cute little guys head to the Tarsier Conservation Centre to snap photos, shout excitedly and try to touch little tarsiers kept there in cages. It is one of the top tourist attractions on Trip Advisor and one we rode straight on pass (with me booing loudly). The fact is tarsiers hate the attention and actually commit suicide if placed in these types of conditions. Fortunately we had read in advance (a great write up at http://iamaileen.com/bohol-philippines-loboc-tarsier-conservation-area/) and rode on to the far smaller, wilder and better controlled (entrance with guide only, silence, no flash photography) Tarsier Sanctuary. This gave us the opportunity to see a few of these guys in the trees even if it meant I struggled to get good pics. #ethicaltravel

Overall, the ride itself was the highlight for us. The freedom that comes from being on the bike means you can see so much more of the local life. We found the same when we went for walks through the local villages in Loboc. Everyone was super friendly and just wanted to say hi (especially the kids). At one point we were offered to try river worm which was being extracted from a chopped wooden log as we walked past. Maybe later in the year when we are more hardcore (and hungry) backpackers we may say something other than no thank you (Jen did later ask one of our SUP guides about the worms who confirmed they are eaten raw and are salty and apparently delicious). 

On our first night in Bohol we headed for a short walk near the hostel towards some loud music. We assumed it was a horrid tourist boat or bar ruining the ambience for the locals. Turns out it was a roadside, open walled karaoke room where most nights some of the young local guys (maybe girls too but we didnt see any) go to sing their lungs out. A very popular activity in the Philippines we are told. We considered joining…. but didn’t. Maybe once we are more hardcore backpackers…

Our hostel was actually a SUP tour company and the owners built a few huts for accommodation over the past couple of years. The hostel is right in the middle of one of the villages. We opted for the private room with a private outdoor shower and toilet, a cool experience but had to watch for mozzies and spiders while enjoying the great outdoors.

We started day 2 with a one hour SUP tour that fortunately was just the 2 of us. A stunning way to quietly cruise along the sleepy river whilst getting some exercise in. Having enjoyed the experience we went out again for the 2.5 hour night time SUP. Guided only by an occasional head torch from one of the guides we SUP’d under the stars along the river hunting for fireflys (of which there were many!). An awesome way to spend a night but sadly the GoPro failed to capture anything other than 50 or so pitch back photos so the day time ones will have to suffice. We hope to find more places to SUP on our travels.

Currently a typhoon is making its way to the Philippines and likely to hit Bohol so we decided to play it safe and jump a ferry back to Cebu a day early. We very much hope that it is not a severe storm and does not impact the island and locals, especially given that it’s Christmas. 

Sadly, we now have to leave the Philippines. I had fairly moderate expectations coming in (due to lack of research) but we are very eagerly trying to work out how quickly we can come back!

NEXT STOP….. Seoul for Christmas with Mark and Hanse.