Wide awake under the sun in Bohol

I surprised my family when I came home on Friday and announced I'm going with them to Bohol. I am so glad I decided to go because as expected it was sooo fun with us cousins goofing around and just laughing our hearts out (although it would have been the best if all of us cousins were complete) and I was able to be with Daddy M and Mommy B for even a few days. We owe a lot to our "adopted cousin", Tita T, for organizing everything for us. ;)

I am so proud of my beloved country, the Philippines for it's beautiful places like Bohol. This beautiful place is even supplemented by its beautiful native people, the Boholonians.

Bohol is most famous for the Chocolate hills. I was really awed by seeing the chocolate hills for the first time. They indeed look like how they are in my gradeschool history textbooks. The Chocolate hills are a range of more than a thousand hills. They are called as such because of their brown color brought about by the dried up cogon grass that grows on them during the dry season (they are actually green in the rainy season so perhaps the name could vary to the Chocolate-Mint Hills at this time? hehehe).

Bohol is also famous for the Tarsiers. These are the smallest primates (i.e. monkey) in the world! See how small it is as it sits on my shoulder? They are cute but I find them actually a bit scary because of their big eyes, hehe.

Another thing that you should not miss if you're in Bohol is to cruise the Loboc River. This river has a grand ambiance, I find it fascinating, with its clean, green waters, and the coconut trees that grows on both sides of it. This river extends to the sea but on the other end, the river ends with waterfalls. Loboc river is also a source ofspring water. There are springs on its sides but the water is not hot since there are no volcanoes around. This river is also popular for fireflies watching at night, which we did not see since we cruised the river in the afternoon but I was happy enough to learn that there are still fireflies existing because I used to see them like a usual thing when I was a child but I noticed as I grew up they seemed to have disappeared so for the younger generation, like my brother who's 7 years younger than I am, seeing a firefly for him would perhaps be extraordinary.

The beaches in Bohol are also superb. And I heard that the people of Bohol would like to keep their beaches to be as natural as they are so the government does not allow the construction of commercial buildings/structures near the beaches, land owners of beach side lands are required to turn their place to a resort only. I think this isgood because it makes the Bohol beaches a tranquil and serene place where you can enjoy and relax.

Although I did not get the tan I was hoping to get even if I had myself barbecued under the sun (either my sun block was too effective or the morning sun of Bohol is too mild), I got all the warmth I needed -- from my family. :)

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Going to Bohol from Singapore in a not so big budget:

Option 1 - Take Cebu Pacific Air going to Manila and then take a connecting flight to Tagbilaran

Option 2 - Take Cebu Pacific Air going to Cebu and ride a ferry (2 hours) going to Tagbilaran

You may also take Option 1 route via Philippine Airlines if you feel like spending twice as much. :)

For more information on Bohol visit their website: http://www.bohol.ph/