Tourist Hot Spots: Bohol Island, Philippines

One of the Philippines' Primary Tourist Attractions

Sep 10, 2009

Seeking a taste of tropical culture? With its stretches of powdery shores, glass-like waters, and countless exquisite offerings, Bohol is undoubtedly the place to visit.

The history of Bohol goes back way before the colonial period. With remnants as proof, it is believed that the first Boholanos had a culture of their own. Historians hold that the earliest inhabitants of the island were descendants of Pintados (the tattooed ones) who similarly lived in the Visayan area.

A few years after the arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in Jagna, this municipality, along with other towns, became centers for the Jesuit missionaries. Since 1595, Bohol has been a home to the Jesuits from then up until the time they left the Philippines in 1768.

Bohol officially became a distinct province, no longer a residencia in Cebu, on July 22, 1854, but was nevertheless “politico-military” or under military rule.

Soon after the defeat of the Spaniards in the Spanish-American War, they left Bohol and the province was taken over by local officials designated by General Emilio Aguinaldo. But during the World War II, Bohol was once again conquered, only this time by the Japanese. The Americans supposedly “freed” the island from the Japanese reign on April 11, 1945.

After the war, the Americans restructured and rejuvenated the island province, building homes, roads, and moving on to establish the first schools in the area.

On March 10, 1917, Bohol was officially declared an independent province by virtue of Act 2711.

The Best of Bohol

A stirred curiosity seldom, if not never, fails to convince any one to explore new grounds. So here are just a few significant reasons to come and see Bohol:

The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Baclayon is considered to as one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It is one of the best preserved Jesuit built churches in the region. The earliest Spanish missionaries in Bohol settled in Baclayon, and shortly after their arrival in 1595, this church was constructed on the spot.

Take a mini-cruise ride on Loboc River’s famous floating restaurants, where a delectable buffet is served with the best entertainment and sights to match.

A visit to Bohol would definitely be incomplete if one would miss seeing the famed Chocolate Hills – these hills, over a thousand of them all chocolate-brown, look like giant sweet treats laid out neatly on an unimaginable mass of land. This sight is a unique, natural beauty all on its own.

One of the latest and finest attractions of Bohol, Panglao Island Nature Resort offers the best of Boholano hospitality, service, and facilities. With its white sand and chaste waters, Panglao Island Nature Resort is undoubtedly a paradise for every visitor, beach-fanatic or not. A characteristic unique to this resort is the Islet (small island). The peculiar thing about this isolated place, though small, is that it appears as an island with high tide. But then, as the tide diminishes, one can actually reach the Islet by foot. In addition, the huts and villas that line the shores of the resort resemble the Chocolate Hills – Bohol’s pride – when seen from afar. Water sports as kayaking, snorkeling, diving, and windsurfing are also available.

At Panglao Island Nature Resort, guests can also visit the Cambagat Cave, where a display of intricate, beautiful array of stalactites and stalagmites can be found. Indeed, Panglao Island Nature Resort attests the immensity of the beauty and wonders only nature can offer.

One of the world’s smallest primates, the Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta), is a tarsier species unique to the Philippines. These insect-eating primates are about 90 to 160 mm (3.5 to 6.25 inches) in height and weigh as little as 70 to 165 grams (3-6 ozs). Known for their enormous eyes and 180-degree swiveling heads, the Tarsier are endangered species, carefully watched, not only in the Philippines but also all over the South East Asian islands.

Located along the border of Loboc and Bilar towns is a two-kilometer stretch of a man-made forest, densely planted with Mahogany trees. This site is commonly known as the Bohol Man-made Forest.

Before the sun rises, one can set sail to the deeper parts of the Bohol seas and watch dolphins jumping freely in and out of the waters. Throngs of dolphins settle in this area, as they are both secure and limitless at the same time. Tourists can view these gentle creatures, in their majestic nature, and experience the clear waters and tropical breeze all at once – an remarkable one-shot encounter.

Bohol is also a haven for diving and snorkeling aficionados. With proper gear and guides, they can witness and marvel at the diversity of underwater life that bloom in Bohol’s waters.

Manila-Bohol Tour and Travel Cost

A round-trip Manila-Bohol ticket takes more or less PhP 5 000. There are a lot of accessible hotels, around 10 minutes away from the Tagbilaran airport in Bohol. The rates are relative, but there are suitable hotels that offer rooms as low as PhP 3 000/day. A lot of tour agents are readily available from the hotels. Car rental and guide fee costs more or less PhP 2 500 for a tour of the Island and its highlights. The tour takes roughly an entire day. Other fees are excluded from this amount, as in the case of the Loboc River cruise where PhP 600-700/person is required (for entrance and buffet). Also, Panglao Island Nature Resort offers various packages for overnight and day tours.

Overall, the actual money spent for the trip will seem much less in value as compared to the satisfaction from the island experience.

The province of Bohol has a resonant, celebrated past. And today, owing to all the developments of attractions in the island, people from all walks of life are now able to share and experience Bohol’s rich culture with every visit to this beautiful island province.

[1] “The Island: History.” Provincial Government of Bohol 2008. <http://www.bohol.gov.ph/history.html>. 9 Sept. 2009.

[2] “The Tarsier.” Tarsier UK. <http://tarsieruk.homestead.com/tarsier.html>. 9 Sept. 2009.

[3] “Bohol Forest - 2km Mahogany Forest.” bohol-philippines.com. <http://www.bohol-philippines.com/mahogany-man-made-forest.html>. 9 Sept. 2009.

[4] Perez, Paul. “Baclayon Church, Bohol.” Waypoints.ph 2009. <http://www.waypoints.ph/detail_gen.html?wpt=bclyon>. 9 Sept. 2009.

The copyright of the article Tourist Hot Spots: Bohol Island, Philippines in S Asia/China Travel is owned by Roxanne Llamzon. Permission to republish Tourist Hot Spots: Bohol Island, Philippines in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.