The travel was already a year ago, but the memories still lingers with me...
We're a bit slow for catching Cebu Pacific's Piso Promo, but lucky enough for Zest Air's Manila-Cebu @P488 round trip.
Night 1: Spending a night in Cebu.
Booked our one-night accommodation in NS Royal Pensione , located 15 minutes away from the Port of Cebu, and 30 minutes away from Mactan Cebu International Airport. Its a good area -just around the corner from lots of restaurants, malls & bars and with easy access to jeepneys and taxis. Its already a dated hotel, but the rooms are clean and comfortable. The room rate includes complimentary breakfast, basically toasts, eggs, corned beef, beef tapa, juice and coffee. Its a good choice for those who are in budget...like us. :-). Deluxe Room rates @ Php 2062.50.
NS ROYAL PENSIONE
Pension House Juana Osmena Street, Cebu City
for inquiries/ bookings: Philsights Tours & Transpo -632-5248225
email at philsightstours@yahoo.com
Day1: Ferry to Tagbilaran, Bohol
Headed our way via Ocean Jet Ferry. Cebu to Tagbilaran & vice versa one-way trip is Php 800 (Tourist Class) ; Php 1000 (Business class). Time travel is 1 hour & 45min. Actually, there are other fast crafts available also aside from Ocean Jet. These are the Weesam Express, and Supercat while regular ferries include Sulpicio Lines, WG&A Super Ferry & Trans-Asia Shipping Lines.
TIP/WARNING: Don't leave your belonging unattended especially upon boarding time in Tagbilaran Port.
Our tour guide met us at Tagbilaran Port for our country side tour. The package includes visiting known-tourist spots such as the Blood Compact Shrine, Baclayon Church, Clarin Ancestral house, man-made forest in Loboc-Pilar boundary, tarsier viewing, river-cruise in Loboc River, and the Chocolate Hills in Carmen.
Picture taking in BLOOD COMPACT SHRINE
The Blood compact statue depicts the noble occasion that celebrated equality and friendship between Datu Sikatuna (of Bohol) & Miguel Lopez deLegazpi (of Spain).
The sculpture is situated in an open space near the Bohol Sea.
Antiquity at CLARIN'S ANCESTRAL HOUSE
The house situated in the municipality of Loay, is a very old place dating back to the 1840s.
Inside this place, are old-fashioned kneelers, rocking chairs, and dressers. Present at the site are numerous antique furniture as well as other interesting materials including kitchenware, lamps, and jars.
For hungry tourists, guests, and visitors, Clarin Ancestral House features a little dining facility called Café Olegario, which features special Boholano dishes like putomaya, hot chocolate, and torta Loayan.
Face to Face with the smallest primate ,Tarsier
Tarsier, one of the smallest primates on earth, naturally shy, and sensitive to lights.
(I'm referring to the tarsier, not me :-)
Tarsier up close, has tail longer than its body, has large mesmerizing brown eyes, hairless ears and long finger-like claws. Tarsiers can rotate their heads 180 degrees in each direction.
Meeting Prony, the famous Bohol Python
Prony is caged in Upper Sta. Felomina in the town of Albur, which is about 15 minutes away from Tagbilaran City. They used to fed
Prony live chickens but due to her large consumption and the cost of chickens, they now fed her with pig or goat every month. This Python has an amazing ability to sense unsuitable food such as sick pigs and goats.
Prony doesn’t like dark, spotted and dirty pigs. She chooses clean white pigs that weigh over 40 kilos. The Python is given a bath 4 times a day and celebrates her own birthday annually.
Entrance Fee : Php10.00 /per person
BACLAYON CHURCH, Philippine Heritage
The church is considered as one of the oldest in the Philippines. The construction begun in 17th century where some 200 native forced laborers (obras pias) cut and dragged coral blocks from the sea, using only bamboos in moving and lifting the stones in position. Millions of white eggs were said to have been used as cement.
(reference: bohol-philippines.com)
BOHOL'S MAHOGANY FOREST
I was mesmerized by the man made forest of mahogany trees stretching for more than 2km. As per our guide, it was planted by every HS graduating students during Marcos time. The moment you
stepped down from the van, you can really feel that the breeze of
air is so much different. Its a cool fresh air out there. The forest seldom sees the sun and most oftenly
rains here. This forest stands out because of its uniformity in height, the spread of its branches and the thickness of the leaves. Truly, a nature's wonder...
