Bohol Family Trip | The Countryside Tour

Bohol Chocolate Hills

I've always dreamed of bringing my parents in an out-of-town trip; for them to experience traveling, for them to see other places which in the distant past was an impossible endeavor. Last March, I was able to make this dream possible. Before the trip, I always check Cebu Pacific website for promo fare. Luckily, I saw one so I immediately booked our flight. As I said, the vacation was supposedly for my parents but my father begged off, it was just me and my mother and my nephew.

During the planning stage of this trip, I texted the numbers I came across in the blogosphere offering Bohol Countryside Package Tour. The numbers belong to Kathy, one of Bohol's tour operators. The tour is priced at P2,000 (entrance fee excluded) which include visiting the following: blood compact shrine, python, tarsier sanctuary, Chocolate Hills, man-made forest, Loboc river cruise, butterfly garden, Baclayon Church, Bohol Bee Farm, Hinagdanan cave, hanging bridge and shiphaus. It was the same price I read from other blogs so I book for it. I also acquired their services for resort transfers, from Tagbilaran port to Dumaluan Beach Resort and vice versa for P1,000.00, P200.00 cheaper than the cost of the same service offered by Dumaluan. One thing I like from this tour operator, she didn't require us to make a deposit as a proof of confirmation (I don't know if it's standard practice with all Bohol tour operators), she just told me to text her the exact date/time of our arrival and they'll be there to fetch us.

True to her (Kathy's) words, the driver (which happened to be her husband) was already at Tagbilaran port when we arrived. And on the day of our tour, the driver/guide (not her husband) arrived at the resort a few minutes before call time which was 8AM. And though we're only three in the group, Kathy sends us an Innova so we're very comfortable. The car is clean and looks well maintained (looks new), with good air-conditioning and with a driver/guide who is very accommodating; did not even rush us nor give us time limit in our tour. For those who would be interested, Kathy's numbers shall be posted below, at the bottom of this post. ☺

1st stop: Blood Compact Shrine

According to our tour guide, the Blood Compact Shrine is not the actual site of the Sandugo, the treaty of friendship between the Filipinos and the Spaniards. The actual site, according to him, was held near a well in between a river and a shoreline. He showed us the actual site but we didn't stop there, there's nothing to see in there anyway, just a marker telling that it was the actual site of the blood compact. We went to the shrine instead, the one where people go for a visit and for photo-ops. But I don't have something to upload here, I had a hard time taking photograph of the shrine alone as there were lots of tourists during that time.

2nd stop: Python Viewing

Prony: the largest python in captivity | inset: me touching Prony... :P

I'm afraid of snakes! And who's not? I guess most of us are afraid of those venomous creatures. But python viewing is included in Bohol's countryside tour so off we went, despite the fear. Prony, named after its captor, is said to be the largest python in captivity. And Prony was the first snake I ever touched! For photo-ops, caretakers in the area urged me to touch it, and so I did. And you know what? When I was about to touch her, she moved and stuck her tongue out. I was surprised I screamed. Thankfully, she wasn't alarmed or may be she did not like me for lunch...hehe. Anyway, I was still able to touch her, a quick touch that is. She's cold with rough and scaly skin, a little damp too, somewhat slimy...ugh!

3rd stop: Tarsier Sanctuary

Tarsier Conservation Area

As I said in my previous post, tarsier is one of the tourist drawers of Bohol. What with its cute and pitiful face, some people could not resist touching it. Tarsiers, being nocturnal animals get stressed out whenever they were touched. See the tarsier in the photo below? She looked so gentle right? She looked as if she's begging people not to touch her. So for those traveling to Bohol, please don't!

please don't touch me! :P

4th stop: Chocolate Hills

Bohol Chocolate Hills

Another tourist drawer of Bohol, these Chocolate Hills were flocked by tourists, local and foreigners alike. And just like everyone else, I was in awe watching this magnificent wonder of nature. Sadly, with the so many tourists in here, it's hard to get our photo with the Chocolate Hills as our backdrop. Also, my mom didn't make it to the viewing deck, she's afraid of heights just like me (now I know where I inherited my fear of heights..hehe!). Anyway, despite the so many tourists, I enjoyed being here; glad that at least I was able to see and visit another one of my childhood dream destinations. :)

5th stop: Bohol Man-made Forest

Donnie Ray's words: lakas maka-twilight! :D

This is another for photo-ops site. And just like other tourists, we stopped here just to take photographs and that's it, we left afterwards. But our driver/tour guide told us that the mahogany trees lined up on both sides of this highway stretch in Bilar, Bohol were planted way back in the 1960's. And that no one has cut the trees eversince, he said it is prohibited to cut down any trees from here. Only mother nature, through storms and other calamities can cut-off these trees. ;)

6th stop: Loboc River Cruise

Since I have so many photos from our Loboc River Cruise experience, I made a separate post about it. Here's the link: Loboc River Cruise Experience. :)

7th stop: Butterfly Garden

at the Butterfly Garden

According to our driver/guide, there are several butterfly sanctuaries in Bohol but we're just to visit one. He mentioned the name of the butterfly sanctuary but I forgot it, sorry peeps. Anyway, the butterfly sanctuary we visited is just like the other one I visited in Paradise Ranch, with only few butterflies flying around the garden. Several species where in display though, and if you want to be half-human half-butterfly (in photo), you can have your photo taken by the garden's staff, he'll do a trick shot where you'll look like one. :P

8th stop: Baclayon Church

Baclayon Church

Baclayon Church (1727) - The oldest coral stone church in the region; one of the oldest in Asia and foremost among the best-preserved Jesuit-built churches in the Philippines (source: Church marker). We stopped here for a while and we thanked Him for making this Bohol family trip possible.

9th stop: Bohol Bee Farm

Bohol Bee Farm

I read from an online account that Bohol Bee Farm's muffin is good so when we went there, I made sure to check out their muffins, squash muffin in particular. Sadly, no free taste available so I first bought a piece (P15.00 each) and tasted it. And I agree with what I read, their muffin's good, it's soft and a little moist, I loved it. I so love it I bought two dozens, one for my family back home and one for me...haha...takaw lang! We also tried different flavors of their ice cream, this time there's a free taste on each flavor, I chose malunggay and ginger flavors I think. They're okay, it's just that I'm not fond of ice cream without nuts or anything crunchy on it so it didn't appeal to me that much. If I could have another chance to visit Bohol again, I'll surely visit Bohol Bee Farm. Next time, I'll try their all-organic buffet and of course, I'll buy more squash muffins...hehe!

10th stop: Hinagdanan Cave

Hinagdanan cave entrance

I went caving (spelunking) only once and that was in Bayukbok Cave in San Miguel, Bulacan. It was such a memorable experience, an experience of a lifetime; then I thought I won't be able to come out of it. Our Hinagdanan Cave experience was different. This cave is small, with concrete stairs and handrail that make going inside easy. It has a pool-like water source in the middle, said to be the source of water for drinking, bathing and washing by the early inhabitants. The guide told us that we could go swimming there but of course we didn't do it; tried dipping my feet though. We had fun touring this cave, our guide (like all the others) is so funny, he made us do some funny pose which we gladly obliged, not for public viewing though. :D

inside Hinagdanan cave

no-stop: Hanging Bridge and Bohol Shiphaus

These two sites/attractions were supposedly part of our Bohol countryside tour. However, when we were supposed to go to the Hanging Bridge, it was already lunch time we were all hungry we decided to skip it. Anyway, hanging bridge is a common sight in the province and I'm sure my mom won't cross this bridge so we skipped it. Bohol Shiphaus should also be a part of the tour but I don't know, I forgot about it and the driver/guide did not bring us there I've no idea why. Nevertheless, we still enjoyed the tour and would still recommend the tour operator to other would-be travelers to Bohol. I guess I'll just reserve the hanging bridge and the shiphaus for my next Bohol visit? ;)

~ oo00oo ~

Bohol Countryside Tour by Kathy Cubero

Contact numbers: (+63) 921-7299549 (Smart)

(+63) 927-8218352 (Globe)

 (+63) 923-8440241 (Sun)