Bohol Family Trip | Loboc River Cruise Experience

Loboc River - Bohol, Philippines

According to our tour guide, aside from Loboc River Cruise, there is also this less popular Loay River Cruise in Bohol, both of which  traverses the Loboc River, on different ends though. However, it is Loboc River Cruise that is usually part of the Bohol Countryside Tour (excluding the entrance/maintenance fee and buffet cost, of course). The cruise is priced at P450.00 all in, P100.00 for entrance/maintenance and P350.00 for buffet lunch, per person.

Anyway, Loboc River Cruise has four operators, one of which is the Loboc Riverwatch. Again, according to our tour guide, Riverwatch is the best among the four operators in the Loboc River Cruise. He said their foods are of good quality, with variety of choices too. But also according to him, Loay River Cruise is much better, with better food quality, better food choices (read "crispy pata") and more seafoods (read "giant crabs") in the menu. However, since we're here in Loboc, we have no choice but to enjoy it hoping that the foods they would serve would be good. We registered and paid the required fees first and then we went to the docking area and hopped in the Riverwatch. First agenda here - take photos...hehe! Here are some of my photos from the cruise:

Loboc River Cruise - docking area

Loboc Riverwatch, one of Loboc River Cruise's operators

After taking some photos, I went to the buffet table (my mom and nephew were already having their lunch) to get my lunch. The tour guide was right, there were several choices here but they don't look very appetizing to me, looked and tasted like the usual foods served in our homes. The foods were not bad actually, just very ordinary. I was just glad to see some crabs, not too big a crab but at least there were crabs in the buffet table. I'm just wondering, though. If Riverwatch is the best they have, how about the others...hmmm! :P

food choices (clockwise, from bottom-left), my plate (bottom-right)

After the so so lunch, more picture-taking! :D

all green!

foreigners taking a bath... :P

Busay Falls in Loboc River

small falls in Loboc River

Reaching these falls signify the end of the cruise, the turning point that is. From here, we sailed back to the docking area.

locals preparing for their cultural presentations

local cultural presentation, adults singing and the children dancing (inset)

On our way back and before the cruise ended, we stopped in the area where the locals set up a floating stage for their cultural presentations. Here, we watched the locals perform; we watched them sing and dance and showcase their talents. After the presentations, the locals invited us tourists to join them and to buy their products, too. Afterwards, we continued our sail. All in all, the cruise took about an hour to finish.

And that's it, we're done with the Loboc River Cruise. I'm glad we have cruise like this in Bohol. It showcases the beauty of our countryside, the place and the people, that is. The view around the river and the river itself is amazing, the locals' performance and the cultural  presentations are good. Except for the not so good foods, this cruise reminds me of the first cruise I had back in 2011, the Chao Phraya River Cruise me and my friend joined when we were in Thailand. This cruise also reminds me of my thoughts back then, for the Pasig River to become a tourist attraction too, like that of the Chao Phraya River. I wish! :)