In Pinay's footsteps: BACK TO BOHOL 2012

Thursday, April 26, 2012

BACK TO BOHOL 2012

It is Summer again!
This Summer, it is Bohol for us!

It has been about twenty years since my last visit to Bohol and for Joko and Jing, about 5 years ago.

This was Panglao Island, then.
See no other people in the beachfront! - - I guess, that is the difference!

Now, I am coming back to Bohol and I am happy to visit the place again but...not really too excited.

In my mind, "okay, it will be more modern" or "the sights may remain the same" or " how about restrooms in the remote areas?" -- always, this crosses my mind! (These were just my initial thoughts!)

So, for me, what is important is that I will be with my family and very good friends... and if the place is beautiful, that will be the BONUS!

We are now on our way to Tagbilaran City, Bohol!

Things are better now... there are fast crafts now which take us to Bohol in two hours.

I remember, we had to ride the traditional ship and it would take four hours. We had to sit or lie down on the "teheras" or was it the "tejeras"?

With an American accent, my cousin, Hope said, "What's a "teheras"? when two young handsome boys offered their cots to us)

So we had cots, then ... no comfortable seats nor beds.

Now we have the choice of the Weesam Express or the 2Go Fast Ferry (previously, Aboitiz shipping and now, Negros Navigation).

On our way to Bohol, we rode the Weesam Express. First of all, the 2 pm schedule was good for us since our flight to Cebu was expected to arrive at about 10 am.

We are now at the Pier Quatro.

The fare was P500.00 per way.
But if we got the ticket 2 days earlier, P500.00 is already a round trip ticket.

The Terminal

The Weesam Express.

Bye Bye , Cebu.

We slept most of the way. We weren't exactly in the most comfortable part of the fast craft because we weren't in the air conditioned area.
But for the photographer in me, our place was quite fine!
Thus, all this GIFs!

Now, we are approaching the Tagbilaran Port in Bohol!

Well, I really had a grand time in Bohol!

Much more than I ever expected the place to become!
My initial so-so happy feelings were replaced by superlatives. As "GB, the tourist guide" said: spectacular! amusing! perfection!"
Bohol is the place to go to...

We contacted a van, although, there are lots in the Port of Tagbilaran.

We visited the following:
Day 1 : arrive in the afternoon

Panglao Island - arrived in the afternoon and stayed in one of the resorts.

Day 2 : start at 8 am for the Countryside Tour

Hinagdanan Cave
~~ Buy your souvenirs here...it is cheaper!
Baclayon Church
Prony the Python
through Man-made forest
Loboc River Cruise and Floating Restaurant for lunch
Chocolate Hills in Carmen
Tarsier Conservation
Loboc Eco-Adventure Park

We didn't pass the Hanging Bridge ( we had many in Zamboanga), Butterfly Garden and the Sandugo (too many people!), by choice so they could do the zipline!

Day 3: stayed at the Panglao resort
~~ woke up at 5: 30 am until 11 am
~~ able to swim, ride the banana boat and jet ski

The place is ready for tourists:
~~ sights still maintain the rustic feel and views = = still like how I remembered it 20 years ago!
~~good transportation with itinerary available
~~nice roads (just like Camiguin)
~~great tourist guide at the Hinagdanan Cave
~~ good rest rooms = with airconditioned and janitors! (here I go again!)
~~ community involvement at the beauty spots
~~nice people
~~clean place

On our way back to Cebu, we rode the 2Go Fast Ferry because we wanted to go home at 2:30 p.m.

Here is the Tagbilaran Terminal.

The guys are standing near the air-con because it is the coolest place....
And actually, we were standing most of the time...

And note... most of the seats are occupied... by bags!
The only drawback there!!!

The pink 2Go Fast Ferry.

This was actually the nicer ride!
Each had assigned seats.
Instructions were given just like in the airplane.
Restroom clean and accesible.
Very clean and comfortable!

This is the price and schedule for 2Go Travel.