Bohol Tour » Three Island Adventures in Panglao You Should Not Miss

This will be the last in the series of posts about our Bohol Tour (whew! finally.) I should’ve posted it on consecutive dates but my evil foe Mr. Procrastination was always winning lately – blame it on the rain and cold weather. To keep the life flowing on this blog, I deliberately posted some “inserts” in between my bohol tour series. Also, I intentionally reserved our Panglao island hopping escapade to be on the last because for me, this is the most memorable and exciting part of our tour – maybe because I’m a water-and-sunset hopeless-romantic type (weeee).

Don’t miss these three activities if you want to visit Bohol: 


1. Dolphin Watching /Chasing) – Pamilacan Island

I didn’t expect that on this year, I would wake up on a paradise, lazily prepare to go on a boat trip, to chase dolphins.

Well, that is exactly what we did to escape SSDD (Same Shit Different Day) this year – we chase dolphins in Pamilacan Island, how about that for a change? It sure was a lot of fun plus seeing the diverse natural underwater creatures was a sure treat. 

 It's hard to take picture of the dolphins, so we just took some videos

I’ve seen dolphins before in a trained dolphin show in Subic but not those swimming freely in an open sea. These Panglao dolphins are not the common trained entertainers but I’m sure you will enjoy it because I saw other foreign and local tourists, also chasing dolphins who are seemed to be transported in a chorus of jolly cheers and high spirits. Likewise, we are so thrilled everytime we saw school of dolphins jumping off the water. Not too long, the area looks like a cheering contest, with a number of boats carrying other tourists who are also in for some visual and chasing thrills.

2. Finding Nemo - Snorkeling at the Balicasag Island 

It’s now time to calm ourselves after we got our dose of morning adrenaline rush from the thrilling dolphin chase. We docked at the sandy coral line beach of the picturesque Balicasag Island and immediately prepare to look for Nemo. The locals in the island offer fresh fishes and seafood for lunch so we order fresh octopus/squid and a kilo of fish first and have it cooked, while we do our snorkeling spree.

We boarded a smaller banca to bring us to the sanctuary where we will look for Nemo.

Compared to my snorkeling experience in Boracay, the fishes here are more colorful and friendly and showy. We brought with us a pack of loaf bread for the fishes (and for our merienda of course.) I suggest you bring your own loaf of bread for the fishes because the price is tripled if you will buy it on the island. They also provide snorkeling gear and aqua shoes.

Sea urchins offered by bankeros to be eaten raw with vinegar.    

After an hour and a half of fun in finding Nemo and feeding his colorful relatives, we decided to come back to the island for lunch. We had a really delicious fresh sinigang, and adobong pusit – Hakuna  Matata!

3. The Virgin People: Island hopping at the Virgin Island

Our sumptuous lunch re-energized us so it’s now time to sink an Island! We had another few minutes of motor – banca ride from Balicasag until we saw this amazing oasis amidst the open and pristine sea – it’s the Virgin Island!

 What makes this island notable is the long and looping shallow white sand shore that looks like a slightly submerged white semi-circle bridge.

our calendar-girl travel buddies

the beach boys

A few meters on both sides of the “sand bridge” are shallow sea-grass that gives the water a dramatic turquoise touch drifting into dark blue.

Of course, we immediately ready ourselves for our favorite shot – the JUMP SHOT!

On our way back to our resort, we had a quick nap at the banca, we are all exhausted but still, we got this light feeling. Somewhere on the deep recesses of our mind are the happy memories and the bond that this trip brought us.

Our hide-out at the Alona Beach

This is the view that will greet you every morning

calm reflections

when the clock stops ticking

The struggle of the clouds vs. the rising sun

peace on a bloody sunset

Yodz's Note:

We all have busy corporate lives, but this tour and other trips like this gives us the opportunity to pause the bundy clock. To touch base again. My best memories are forged on trips, so I do whatever is necessary to save some money to make an occasional out-of-town trip. Our next stop, maybe Palawan.

Here's the summary of our 2-day Bohol Tour:

» Tagbiliran City Tour
» Visit to Chocolate Hills
» The Blood Compact Site
» Bohol’s Famous Old Churches » Baclayon, Dauis and Loboc Church, Panglao Watchtower
» Minor Stopover » Tarsier Viewing, Man-made Forest, Hanging-bridge, Python and Ostrich Viewing
» Loboc River Buffet Luch Cruise, Hinagdanan Cave, Bohol Bee Farm

___________________________

Our tour was arranged by C. Rule Tours and Transpo Services, which offers the cheapest package tour in Bohol for only 3,000 Pesos per head (all-in). I advise you avail of a promo fare from PAL or Cebu Pacific first to save on airfare.

Inclusions:
    * Aircon transfer from airport/ pier to hotel/resort and vice versa.
    * Aircon van for day 1 and day 3 tours
    * Hotel/Resort accommodation (2nights)
    * All entrance fees and permits in all tours
    * Buffet lunch at Loboc River Cruise at day 1
    * Motorized banca for BalicasagIsland(one of the best 3 dive site in the world)
    *dolphin watching and snorkling/swimming.
    * Snorkel Gear / Mask & individual lifeguard/guide.
    * Driving tour guide

Contact Details:

e-mail: c.ruletours@yahoo.com

Mobile: Kuya Cirilo 0917 6310388 or 0922 8748768

More Info Here: http://sulit.com.ph/563742


INFORMATION ON WHERE YOU CAN STAY AT ALONA BEACH
(Our hide-out at the Alona Beach - Highly recommended!)

PLAYA BLANCA de ASTERIA Heritage House
alona beach, danao, panglao, bohol 6340
cel# 09203535708-aster (owner/ general manager)
cel# 09309355875-gene
tel# 502-8307 (evening phone)
tel# 502-4117 (day phone)
email: aster_blessing@yahoo.com

-all rooms are provided with cable TV, private toilet & bath with hot & cold shower.
-wi-fi ready
-beachfront (20-25 meters away from the beach)
-room rate only. no breakfast included
-extra person (mattress only) -Php 200 per head

for convenience, we can also arrange you for:
-massage
-bohol island tours
-boat trips (Island hopping/ Dolphin watching)
-diving packages
-motorbike rentals
-car for hire with driver or self-drive
________________

I Leave All My Worries at Tingloy Island

Day 1 :  Feb. 6, 2010

Even if I had a good seven hours sleep, I still got irritated because my clogged nose wake me up very early today. Yesterday, that mindless tricycle driver keeps on closely tailing another tricycle not minding the thick diesel smoke and dust it is belching directly at me, activating my nasal allergy again – this allergy is my punishment since childhood, activated by a certain kind of smoke and dust. 

Therefore, I wake up today, my throat as rough as sandpaper, head spinning and eyes red and watery. But hell no, this damn sinusitis can’t ruin my weekend, so I force myself up, grab my backpack and take few stuff for a two days trip to Tingloy Island in Batangas City.

         
We meet at the Araneta Center – Cubao around 9:00 am, take a three hours bus ride going to the City of Batangas and another half hour for the motor banca ride going to Tingloy Island – giving me a bit of the Boracay trip nostalgia. It’s a refreshing country side trip, like escaping the prison-like life in the damned City of Metro Manila.

Tingloy Island - The Island Of Dreams

After an hour of riding the motorized banca, the jovial high-tide waves smoothly rocking us as if sensing our enthusiasm, the picturesque Island of Tingloy serenely welcomes us. With its soft curves and slightly steep mountains, it is like a radish, romantically half-submerged in blue water.   

Tingloy is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. I learned that about 20 percent of the 18, 000+ residents are seafarers. Because Tingloy is a small island, the place is surrounded with beaches and dive points and known for its white sand and beautiful sunset at the beach's tip of the coast.

We had our sumptuous lunch at the Garcia’s residence, our island host, before we go to our first destination, the Olypic Point Island Resort, which is another ten-minute banca ride on the other side of the island. 

My runny nose didn’t stopped me from enjoying the water and we stayed at the resort until eight in the evening. It was a fun evening with friends, with lots of beers, grilled tilapia and pancit while talking about relationships, work realities, seafaring (because most of our buddies are seafarers), and of course our favorite topic – sex.

On our way back to the Garcia’s, while on the banca, I caught a glimpse of the bioluminescence planktons giving specks of silver light like small fireflies as the dark water was disturbed by our passing banca. It caught my interest because I just finished reading Dan Brown’s “Deception Point” where the conspiracy and government fraud, which is the novel’s main theme, was discovered because of those bioluminescence flagellates.

We continued our drinking session at the Garcia’s terrace overlooking the bay with more foods, more beers, videoke, and more random talks, until all of us finally dozed off.

Day 2: February 7, 2010

I am awake but I still keep my eyes closed for a few minutes, the morning sunrays intruding the room from the open window, temporarily blinds me. I thought I am in my room in Mindoro but when my eyes finally adjusted, I remembered that I’m at the Garcia’s. Effects of beer I guess. Well, I love houses with big open windows, it reminds me of my grandparents’ old Spanish house where natural light and air can enter the rooms giving you a light feeling and carefree ambience. You can seldom find houses with wide windows in the city nowadays – having it is like luxury and a threat. 

After breakfast, we decided to visit the other side of the island, the side where you can see my beloved home island of Mindoro. We trekked for about an hour, passed by steep mountain paths and dried rice fields until we reached the scenic beach. We immediately plunge ourselves in the crystal-clear water, eager and excited like children on the first heavy rain of May. We enjoyed the beach for about an hour before heading back to the town, trying a longer and steeper route back under a burning afternoon sun. We came back at the house exhausted and half-baked but enjoying the memories of that new experience.

The Heartwarming Tingloy Hospitality

The other thing we will remember, aside from the island’s beauty, is the hospitality of the Tingloyans, especially Jeoff’s parents and relatives. We are welcomed not like a first time strangers but like a long lost visiting relatives. We are given the best foods, best rooms in the house, warm smiles and excited reception – making this short trip truly memorable.

Heartwarming classic Filipino hospitality is still very much evident in Tingloy. After we received all the best in the house, we were given two boxes of bibingka (rice cakes) as pabaon (parting gifts) 

While writing this blogpost, I am enjoying that rice bibingka while sipping hot coffee, occasionally staring at the shells and stones I brought with me as island souvenir.

And yes, I feel like the island washed away all my worries about everything. 

HACUNA MATATA! 

MORE PICTURES CLICK HERE