Philippine Travel Bohol

The country's tenth largest island, Bohol could be found at the center of Visayas, just between Cebu and Leyte. Bohol is a popular destination for divers, being surrounded by dive spots such as Panglao, Cabilao, Lapinin and Pamilacan just to name a few. Panglao island is a perfect destination for those seeking peace and quiet. It does not have the beach party life of Boracy, so if you've come out to relax and rewind, you should definitely visit Panglao.

We were faced with a dilemma, go whale and dolphin watching or take the day trip that would bring us all around Bohol. The whale and dolphin watching package guy said that we would be boating starting at 5 AM, and it is not guaranteed we'll be seeing anything. We opted for the day trip instead. A Bohol day tour would include the exact spot where the blood compact between Rajah Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi took place in 1565. This blood compact between the Muslim chief and the Spanish conqueror is celebrated every Just with the Sandugo Festival.

You will also be taken to the world famous Chocolate Hills, as well as a protected sanctuary where you could see the world's smallest monkey, the Philippine Tarsier. This nocturnal animal is no bigger than a closed fist, and lives on hunting live insects at night. It could only be found on the hills of Corella, 10 kilometers from Tagbilaran. Little is known about this creature and it is certainly one of the more protected animals in the Philippines.

. Lunch was at the Loboc River, where a floating restaurant took us to the stretch of the river and back while we were having our buffet lunch with live music in the background. It was supposed to be a 3 day 2 night trip for us at Bohol, but on our third day we weren't ready to say goodbye to the place. Two more nights wouldn't hurt, we thought, so it ended up being a 5 day 4 night trip. .

Places to Stay:. Bohol Beach Club Bolod, Panglao, Bohol (038)4115222 to 24 Superior rooms, restaurant, poolside bar, white sand beach, tennis courts, facilities for snorkeling and diving. Dumaluan Beach Resort Bolod, Panglao, Bohol (038)5029081 / (038)5029092 Air-conditioned rooms, pool, restaurant, dive shop. .

By: Noel