Travel flashback: Bohol countryside tour and Cebu leisure day

This getaway was the reason for my first ever domestic flight, and my first ever tour outside Luzon, and could have been full of preserved memories if only I owned a digicam back then. But I had a trusty camera phone which had somehow acceptable quality and resolution during those times. Thanks to my Tito Boy for giving it to me as a gift, because I wouldn’t buy otherwise!

The Cebu-Bohol trip was an organized tour by my mom’s former boss, who was a Cebuana. All my mom and her colleagues had to do was book round-trip flights to Cebu and bring some cash for the already arranged accommodation. All the food and tours would be shouldered by their boss. I was glad that Mommy brought me along!

We arrived at Mactan International Airport late in the afternoon, and had a grand dinner at my mom’s boss’s place. Of course there was lechon Cebu! I remember being hit with fruit seeds on my head, and realized they had a tree with a pet monkey tied to a branch. I was being a constant target before I saw that monkey. Of all their visitors, why me?

After dinner and some fun, we had to go to our hotel to sleep and wake up early for our ferry ride to Tagbilaran, Bohol. The boss’s driver brought us to Castle Peak Hotel. The next day, we took a quick cab ride to the pier, took the ferry (already pre-arranged by the boss) and arrived in Tagbilaran after almost two hours.

There was already a tour bus waiting for us, and we were taken to Chocolate Hills first. And since it was my first time to join an organized tour, I admit I had that “postcard” syndrome. I don’t know what to call it but I would describe it to be somewhat like a kid who never thought would actually see in real life what he or she would only see in postcards.

Chocolate Hills

And then we were taken to a tarsier sanctuary. Another “postcard” syndrome! One of their caretakers approached me discreetly with an invitation to hold a tarsier, as if it was a privilege only for me. He took us to a private area, took photos of me with the tarsier, and then he asked for donation. He frowned when my mom stopped me from picking from my pocket. Mommy gave him PhP 20. I think he failed in picking among the tourists those gallant ones. He was wrong to judge us. LOL

The Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta)

I would describe this baby as very gentle! They have no fingernails! I can place him anywhere in my body! I was very scared of hurting him, but he seemed very much used to being cuddled. At least my camera phone had no flash.

Come lunchtime, we had lunch during our Loboc river cruise (also already pre-arranged by the boss). Because everyone in our floating restaurant was beyond my my age range, the songs played by the musician were oldies but goodies. Very much not a problem for me!

Loboc River cruise

Along the cruise, we had a stop by the Ati tribe’s post, where the Ati tribesmen performed some tribal dance and archery tricks. I didn’t expect that we would all enjoy this part of the tour because the men in our group had to remark the natural abs of the Ati men! There were also ladies in our group who generously gave out peso bills. They could have just dropped them in the donation box but they wanted the lean tribesman to reach for it instead. J



After the satisfying lunch, we headed to other places where our length of stay in each stop was relatively brief (I don’t remember the exact order): Baclayon Church (there was a wedding going on and it was June), blood compact shrine, Hinagdanan Cave, man-made forest, and a souvenir shop where we bought peanut kisses, chocolate hill-shaped chocolates, and t-shirts. May I just say how beautiful the surrounding waters were all throughout our entire countryside tour?

Baclayon Church

Blood Compact shrine


It was late in the afternoon when we were brought back to the Tagbilaran port. We took the ferry back to Cebu. Again, we had another grand dinner in a big grill the Cebuano way (courtesy of the boss!).

The next day in Cebu was all about snorkeling, lunch in a floating hut, shopping at Taboan for danggit and what-not’s, and dinner at Mr. A where we had a great view of the city at night.

From upper left clockwise: "Puso" (rice in coconut leaf pouch), me getting ready for snorkeling,
Mr. A bar and restaurant, floating kids selling shell necklaces

I know my trip in Bohol was not really complete because I missed the fun of experiencing at least Panglao and Balicasag, among many more. And all the more, I didn’t really have a thorough tour of Cebu. It’s true that there’s no place in the Philippines that is not worth coming back to. I’ll be back with my future kids and give them that “postcard” syndrome!