During the time we travelled there was some unrest in Bohol. A couple of weeks before we were due in Bohol, there was a shoot out between a military group called ASG and the Philippines military. We had met some people along the way who has decided to change their plans and not go to Bohol. No travel alerts had been issued though so we decided we would go anyway and keep up to date with what was happening. We regretfully left Siquijor to go to Bohol! We were at the port in Larena, Siquijor at 10am for the 11am boat only to be told the 11am boat had been cancelled and the next boat was at 1pm which we waited for as patiently as we could. When we got into the port in Tagbilaran we took a tricycle to the jeepney station (20PHP) and a jeepney jam packed with as many people and children as would fit to Alona beach for 25PHP. You can take private tricycles all the way from the port in Tagilran to Alona beach but these can cost up to 500PHP.
We stayed at Alona beach, the main tourist destination on Panglao island. Panglao is joined to the main land via a bridge. Alona beach itself is quite touristy, a stark contrast to Siquijor. Bars and restaurants line the beachfront with men calling out as you walk by offering tours and motorbike rentals. I wasn't overly keen to be honest preferring a more quiet atmosphere. For our first night, Amy and I stayed in a basic family run hostel. Another thing that struck me was that the accommodation was more expensive at Alona beach compared to anywhere else we have stayed in the Philippines. We caught up with Faye who was staying five minutes away and went to the beach to watch the sunset, after we went for some extremely bad food that night at a Filipino fast food type restaurant called Binalot obviously complete with karaoke. As we had a jam packed day planned the next day we all had early nights.
We rented scooters early the next day from a place down by the beach for 350PHP per bike. I was still on a self induced driving ban after dislocating my shoulder falling off one a few weeks before so I went on the back of Faye's. Trusting my life in her hands.
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| Gassing up the scooters |
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| Driving through the man made forest |
We set off and spent the day exploring Bohol stopping at the main attractions of the Tasier sanctuary (those little animals are too cute). The smallest primates and only local to some islands in the Philippines. The sanctuary thankfully works to preserve them. To get there we drive up into the jungle of Lamboc and through a 'man made' forest. On our way out of the sanctuary we asked two girls to take a photo of us. We chatted to them for s but and they told us they were from a region South called Mindanao and were on holidays with their family, what followed was bizarre but ended in them asking for our photo and what can only be described as a ten minute photo shoot with them and their extended Filipino family as the entrance to the tarsier sanctuary. Mad.
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| Adopted Filipino family posing |
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| Cute little tarsiers |
After our photo shoot we continued north to the famous, natural chocolate hills. Apparently dubbed the chocolate hills as in the dry months the grasss on them dries out and turns brown, looking like mounds of chocolate. It was 50PHP entrance. The scenery was beautiful but again it was quite busy and I wasn't blown away by the hills.
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| Chocolate hills with the storm brewing overhead |
After the chocolate hills we decided to head to a nearby village to get some lunch, five minutes into driving, the heavens opened! Leading us to shelter at a petrol station for an hour until the storm (and the terrifying thunder and lightening passed...I've never heard booming thunder like it before)! We went and had lunch in local eatery in a town called Batuan. We all shared plates of pork adobo, pork asado and you guessed it...pork with black bean sauce, rice and coconut milk vegetables. We finished it off with a coffee and a fresh pastry from the bakery next door. The whole meal cost less than $1 each! SE Asia we love you. After lunch we headed back to Alona beach, stopping at Loboc river along the way to watch the floating restaurants sailing up and down the river blaring questionable country and eighties tunes. We drove back through the man made forest, rice fields, jungle and along the coast.
Amy and I moved to Faye's hostel for our last night as they had space. Working there were two, pretty camp young Filipino guys, they were so friendly and good craic. That night they cooked a big local 'family' dinner of (more) Pork adobo, BBQ fish, kinilaw (Filipino ceviche) and vegetables of bitter gourd. cabbage, courgette and carrot. Those boys could cook! We enjoyed the meal with them, some of their Filipe friends, two German guys and six French.
The next day and with only a few days left of our trip we got up early to make our way to a lesser know island called Camiguin with Faye going on to another town on Cebu island.
Next stop: Camiguin island
Stayed: Henrys hostel $8 for dorm, Alona Hammocks $6 for dorm incl breakfast, Alona beach, Bohol
Food and drink: binalot for (bad) local Filipino food costing $1-2 per dish. Local eatery in Batuan - $1 each for pork, rice and coconut vegetables plus coffee and pastries. Home cooked dinner in the hostel of pork adobo, whole BBQ, kinilaw, stir fried veg, rice and melon for $4 each. Red horse beer!
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