Our lovely guesthouse hosts in Batuan, drove us to the bus, and put us on a great old banger going to the capital of Bohol, Tagbilaran. The ride was crowded, with every tiny seat being taken. Rich was seated next to a huge guy, and Sal was squashed with a backpack on her lap for the journey. But it was still wonderful- breezy, gorgeous scenery down through the hills, and all was good. Many of the English signs along the road made Sal smile- particularly cute was the Doris Day Pharmacy.
Doris Day Pharmacy....why not?
Tagbilaran bus terminal was extremely easy and organized, with separate sections for big buses and minivans, each destination displayed with a clear sign. We quickly found the bus for Panglao, our destination, and grabbed a couple of seats. This journey was not so scenic, big, busy roads, many vehicles and dusty roadworks. We were dropped at Panglao village, at the enormous St. Augustine church, and found our little room down a side street. It wasn't quite what we had expected, but it had everything we needed. It was nice to have a bit more space and a hot shower after our simple lodgings in Batuan.
Big buses at Tagbilaran bus station, Bohol
Our neighborhood, Panglao, Bohol
Fisherman's shack, coast of Panglao, Bohol
Fishing in the mangroves, Panglao, Bohol
Old style house, Panglao town, Bohol
It was slightly deflating to arrive in coastal Panglao after spending time in the hills of central Bohol. Besides the increased traffic and noise, the locals didn't seem quite as enamored to see us- we had rather become used to being popular! The scenic beaches in Panglao make this part of Bohol the most touristy on the island, and people here seemed much more used to foreign faces.
Wooden house in Panglao town, Bohol
Attractive back street, Panglao, Bohol
Old house, Panglao town, Bohol
Fishing boats, Panglao, Bohol
In The Philippines, Holy Week, (Easter to us), starts the Friday before Good Friday and ends on what we would call Easter Sunday. We had seen the worshippers attending church with their palm fronds on Palm Sunday, and were looking forward to observing more ceremonies. Our arrival in Panglao coincided with Good Friday, the most solemn day of the year for Filipino Catholics. Around 80% of Christian Filipinos are Catholic, although there are other denominations represented in the country - we had seen Baptists and Seventh Day Adventists, for example. Religious rituals here are influenced historically by Spanish Catholic customs, and apparently have mingled with pre-colonial beliefs to create a unique mix.
Outside the church in Panglao, Bohol
Many denominations of Christians in The Philippines
A typical Catholic church, Bohol
We popped in and out of the church during the few days of Easter we were there, and found the atmosphere to be refreshingly casual. People came and went, usually bringing their own plastic chairs on which to sit, apparently knowing in advance the pews would all be full. The dress code was not particularly strict, many folks wearing shorts or short sleeved shirts. Of course, there was a lot of singing- it wouldn't be a Filipino event without that! The songs didn't sounds very traditionally Catholic to us, but rather, more modern and accessible. We refrained from attending the indoor Masses and services- even in the huge St Augustin's church, the scene was way too packed and sweaty to enjoy. Sal stood at the back for some time during one Mass, and on trying to make an inconspicuous escape during a quiet part, accidentally knocked over a metal water bottle, the sound of which embarrassingly reverberated around the whole church!
A quiet time at St Augustine church in Panglao, Bohol
Strange little saint, Panglao, Bohol
Old ruin, church grounds, Panglao, Bohol
Spanish era tower, Panglao, Bohol
Hearing there might be something going on at the church across the road from where we were staying, we asked around and were told at 3pm there would be the Procession of Christ parade. Another person told us it would be starting at 4pm. We hung about the church grounds sweating buckets in the blazing heat for most of the afternoon. Rich was suspicious when we noticed all the candles being sold, and right enough, there was no action until sundown. Later, we realized that 3pm was the time for a silent prayer and service, as it's believed that's when Christ died, we just misunderstood the information.
People gearing up for Easter evening, Panglao, Bohol
Exterior of St Augustine church, with Easter crowds, Bohol
In some parts of The Philippines at Easter, devotees whip themselves in penance, carry heavy crosses in the sun, or even re-create the crucifixion, actually being nailed to crosses. Here in Panglao, a figure of Jesus was laid out on a hearse-like platform, with a splendid red curly beard and in a gossamer of white garments and flowers. He was slowly wheeled on a float out into the streets in the darkness, followed by a series of statues of saints, dressed in glittering gowns and long wigs. Apparently these are figures related to the death of Jesus, such as Saint Peter and Mary Magdalene.
Figures surrounding Jesus, Easter on Panglao, Bohol
Jesus was laying in amongst all the flowers, Easter in Panglao, Bohol
Easter celebration through a tricycle
Surrounding these idols were hundreds of devotees, carrying candles, shuffling along slowly beside the floats. Some bizarre music was playing, a mournful tune that honestly sounded something like a sultry, sad Spanish bossa nova ballad one might hear in a smoky lounge bar. It was truly strange and haunting, and created a curious atmosphere. We had read that many business might be shut, that the eating of meat is frowned upon, and noise and children playing are discouraged on Good Friday. We can confirm none of these were true in our area!
Idols carried through the streets, Panglao, Bohol
Shining in the dark night, Easter procession, Panglao, Bohol
Three short videos, which hopefully give a quick impression of the mood
The whole affair was authentic, gently intriguing and unlike anything we had seen before.
Momo and Doljo Beaches in the far west of Panglao featured white sand and clear water, and mostly full of bangka, the unique Filipino style boats with outriggers, used for fishing and tourism. On the Easter days we visited, the beaches were full of cheerful and good natured local folk enjoying picnics, the kids squealing with happiness playing in the sand and splashing around in the shallow blue water, and the adults relaxing with hammocks, karaoke machines and beer in the shade. We sat next to one group, enjoying their music, particularly the unique reggae rendition of Country Roads!
Blue sea and white sands, Panglao beach, Bohol
Fishing beach, Panglao, Bohol
Little boy relaxing, Panglao beach, Bohol
Sunset at Panglao beach, Bohol
Starfish (not our hand!), Panglao beach, Bohol
Enjoying a beach picnic, Panglao, Bohol
We moved after a few days to Danao, a much more tourist focused village, with many above and underwater activities on offer. We did initially find the vibe a bit weird, with so many posh resorts and restaurants existing alongside locals running tiny shops, or making a modest living from fishing. This part of Panglao was a mix of high-end retreats, simple bamboo shacks, 7-11s, tiny sari sari shops, tourists on motorbikes, ex-pat stores selling Western goods, Korean restaurants (everywhere), dive shops.....it was slightly hectic, but as we were out of the center, we enjoyed a quieter stay. The exclusively female staff at our guesthouse were absolutely sweet and professional, and could not do enough for us. It felt homey and low key, and out of the "scene".
Our accommodation was close to the famous Alona Beach, probably the most popular place for tourists on Bohol. Having visited some less than picture perfect beaches in the area, we weren't quite sure what to expect. The seaside lanes were full of prosperous looking businesses catering to tourists- juice shops, massages and Jollibee's (The Philippines answer to Maccas). Once we had found a place in the bustle to park our motorbike, and stroll down to the sea, we instantly saw the attraction. One section was set aside for dive boat departures, and featured many simple bars, massage joints and souvenir sellers. At the far end the scene opened up onto a gorgeous wide, clean beach. We plonked ourselves on the powdery white sand, in the shade of a palm tree, in front of a fancy resort playing chilled music. For a few hours until we felt fried, we enjoyed the healing benefits of the sun, cooling swims in the shallow, clear waters and the people watching.
"Commercial" part of Alona Beach, Bohol
Under the shade of a palm tree, Alona Beach, Bohol
We dragged ourselves away from the coast one day for a trip to the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary. We hadn't much idea about the tiny primates, and were keen to spot them and learn more. The sanctuary was set up in a similar manner to the orangutans we had seen in Sumatra some years ago- in the wild, but monitored and protected. Arriving at opening time, we saw many tourists already appearing (including us!). We were especially glad to have been early birds as we left, as many buses were pulling up and the hoards were out. At the center, we were herded into a small group, asked to watch a short video, and to be completely silent. The guide took us into the forest a short walk to see three tarsiers, apparently spotted earlier by staff. The little critters were so much smaller than we expected- they would fit into the palm of a hand. Being busy nocturnal creatures, they were all sleepy and resting in trees when we visited, and didn't seem too disturbed at having a group of foreigners snapping away in their vicinity. Absolutely adorable, we caught a glimpse of all three- the final one looking right at us with it's huge eyes. Their eyes are bigger than their brain, and they are unable to move them, moving their head instead. When they are hunting at night, they can jump an incredible five meters into the air to catch prey. Although we hate tours so much, it was worth the mild irritation this one produced in us in order to see the little cuties in their natural environment. The journey back was something of a nightmare, MapsMe sending us through the center of Tagbilaran town and busy, busy traffic. But Rich was a real trooper and got us home safe and sound.
Asleep at first.....
....then surprised.....
....and then suspicious!
Protection against the sun! Bohol motorbiking
Church at Baclayon, Bohol
Grand design, church at Baclayon, Bohol
.....next, we travel to idyllic far flung Anda, in the south east of Bohol......
Boarding our flight from Bangkok to
Cebu, The Philippines, we were happily surprised to find we were seated in the
emergency exit row. Quite gladly, we spread out with loads of legroom- the neighboring seat was also vacant, and slept for most of the four hour flight.
Well looked after cockerel in Bohol, The Philippines
Rough flight route from Bangkok, Thailand to Cebu
After quickly navigating the arrivals at the wee Cebu airport,
arranging a taxi was ridiculously expensive, due to the low numbers
of taxis and high amount of passengers waiting. We had no bargaining
power, and were forced to pay an extortionate 500 pesos/£6.00 for the short distance to
our guesthouse on Mactan Island (where the airport is located).
After a quick settle in at our average accommodation, we took a deep
breath and jumped into the madhouse of Lapu Lapu area of Cebu to get our
bearings.
Due to a combination of our early
morning wake up, the flight and no food, we were a bit overwhelmed by the
Cebu streets. A cacophony of action - cars, motorbikes, cycle and
motorized tricycles, and so many pedestrians all swarmed around with
no apparent order. The noise and visual stimulation nearly engulfed us,
but we soon fell in step, and navigated our way around.
Immediately, we found people to be super helpful. Our first priority
was to change money, and we had several people, including an Iranian
expat giving advice and stopping for chats. The exchange man was
lovely, and we used the opportunity to ask as many questions as we
could think of for our onward travels. He ended up giving us his
phone number in case we needed any more assistance!
Tricycle, Mactan Island, Cebu, The Philippines
Sal excited to be eating, as usual, Cebu
In amongst the constant noise and
movement, little ramshackle business and houses sat on the busy
roads. Peering into the darkness, it was difficult to tell what these places
were even selling. Dingy and
makeshift, houses were made from random bits of corrugated iron and
peeling wood of different colors, seemingly thrown together.
Unexplored lane ways to further neighborhoods twisted in between.
Basic pots of food and rice were on tables out the front of some
shops, and a few little scruffy kids were half-heartedly
begging.
Many big malls lined the main road, all had similar sounding names which had us confused. Apart
from changing money, and eating, the biggest interest in the malls
was the huge alcohol section in the supermarkets. Hundreds of
options were available, mostly local, including beers, rums and many other varieties of booze.
Sal excitedly bought some concoction claiming to be Margarita, but
later discovered that although the taste was OK, the headache that
proceeded it lasted the entire night.
Good selection of local booze, Cebu supermarket
Throwing ourselves into the deep end,
we jumped on a bus to save a walk, and the crazily happy driver and
helpful passengers assisted us to get to where we were going easily,
and at the cost of only 15 pesos/£0.18. Coming back we took one of
thousands of tricycles which cost only slightly more at 20 pesos/£0.24.
Although the atmosphere was buzzing and
we quite liked the strangely organized mayhem, we were not upset to
only be staying two nights in the city. Apart from shopping malls and
crowded roads, we hadn't seen a lot, but were keen to leave the chaos
get out to some natural places and appreciate more that we knew the
country had to offer.
The exchange man had advised us a good port from which to get to Bohol, an island neighboring Cebu.
Early the next morning, we found a tricycle on the street to take us
the half an hours drive to Cordova Port, for the bargain price of 150
pesos/£1.80. Unsure of what to expect, we were happy to be dropped
directly at the ferry. We bought a ticket easily, waited with fellow
passengers for about half an hour, and boarded on time. All very straightforward and orderly, and no security whatsoever. We could only base our
expectations on our previous trip to Palawan from Manilla years ago,
when the security process took nearly as long as the overnight ferry!
Bangka boats at the Cordova port, Cebu, The Philippines
Again, on the ferry, everyone was so
kind, and we loved the free-for-all system of seating. Basically,
just grab a plastic chair and take it wherever one wanted to sit on
the boat. We sat outside in the shade, and enjoyed the fresh air and
sea view. A pod of dolphins swam with us for some time alongside the
ferry, and we were just as excited as everyone else to experience
this.
Not sure where to go on arrival into
Getafe port in the far north of Bohol, we just walked in the heat
with everyone else for a while. We then asked directions from a very camp port
authority worker, who minced his way along the road to show us the bus stop. From here we packed into an AC minivan, and set
off down the west coast road of Bohol. After some time, the driver
stopped and showed us where to change bus to the inland road to
Carmen. We found a little bus stop with some extremely friendly folk
also waiting, who assured us something would be along sometime
soon. One enthusiastic man, walked with Rich down to a tiny kiosk
some distance away to get a much needed drink on the hot and sunny
day (of course, Rich then brought us all cold drinks back, and
everyone was very happy). This is the HUGE advantage to travelling in The Philippines, almost everyone speaks English to some standard, and
it makes such a big difference to getting around and also
communicating with everyday people. It really is fantastic and cannot be overstated enough! We were also struck at the extreme politeness of Filipinos- maybe it was to do with our age, but we were invariably called Sir and Ma'am.
Anyway, the brilliant old banger of a
bus eventually came along, all open and shabby, and we paid the
conductor 80 pesos/£1.00 for the half an hour trip to Carmen.
*In advance- we have to apologize to
those of our readers that dislike prices in a blog. We haven't been
to The Philippines for such a long time, and the prices of things interested us a
great deal. We wanted to compare everything to what we pay in other
parts of Asia- it's helpful for us, and other travelers will find it
of interest. So, there may be some mentions of the costs of travel
and accommodation.
The bus ride through the hilly center
of Bohol was a joy- beautiful green plantations along side the road,
and the different types of way people were living were fascinating
for us. The lush combination of banana trees, coconut palms and a
back drop of mountains was glorious, and we knew we had made the
right choice in coming to Bohol!
Classic rice, banana and coconut palm combo, Bohol, The Philippines
Hut in the countryside, Bohol, The Philippines
Buffalo in the fields, Bohol, The Philippines
Arriving at the busy center of Carmen,
there were many tricycle drivers shouting and crowds of people
meeting the bus. We quickly escaped into a tiny shop to buy some much
needed strong Red Horse Beer and cold water. A funny
sequence of events began, when the owner asked us where we were going. Her
husband came out to join in, and they both began to give advice on
the best way to get to where we were going, means of transport and
route. They were deliberating with each other and switching between English and Cebuano.More
people squeezed in and out of the wee establishment, all putting
their two cents worth in, talking loudly over each other and interrupting,
and relaying information to us in the middle of the fracas. We were
standing squashed with our backpacks on, trying to listen. The owner
took Sal's phone to show the best way to our guesthouse, and a
tricycle driver was called in to join with the chaotic
conversation. We almost wished we'd never asked for help in the first
place! We eventually left the crowd, still debatingamongstthemselves, yelling our thanks and goodbyes, and got into the
waiting tricycle. The laid back driver took us the 20 minutes or so
past Batuan village to the haven that was Khloe's Guesthouse, on the
edge of the village, up a bumpy little country road.
Set in a cul-de-sac community of
houses with lush gardens, as soon as we arrived here, we felt at
home. Very attractive and rustic, the accommodation was set in a neat
and colorful garden. The owners had built several lovely simple
rooms around their family home to rent out to holiday makers. A
lot of care had been taken to make the place clean and comfortable,
and the atmosphere was characterful and communal. The owner couldn't
do enough to be helpful, and was happy to sit and chat with guests. We were given a choice of a cute hut with shared bathroom for 500 peso/£6.00, or a little room with a bathroom for 700 peso/£8.70, which is the one we decided on. Some fellow travelers were staying, and not
in a rush we were able to have some lovely natters about travel
and life during our stay. Rich overindulged one night, having two liters of strong Red Horse beer, and like Sal in Cebu, suffered a terrible headache during the night and next morning. Not sure what goes into those local alcoholic drinks, but it cannot be quality ingredients!
Cute little room, with heart blanket
One too many Red Horse beer!
The atmosphere at Khloe's was very old school and
relaxed- we simply took drinks from the fridge freely and made ourselves
coffee. When we left, the lovely host simply asked us how many nights we had stayed, how long we took the motorbike for and what we had consumed, she had no idea. We had already roughly added up the bill total, and when we gave her the money, she only asked "Do you need any change?"- so trusting! Hopefully the faith the owners have in visitor's honesty will be justified and continue
over time.
Hiring a motorbike at Khloe's, Batuan
New friends at Batuan guesthouse, Bohol
Being on the outskirts of town, and the
sights of the area being spread out, we decided on a motorbike for a
few days. We have mixed feelings about motorbikes. The drawback is the fast
speed and rushing by pretty scenes and friendly people, but sometimes it is necessary to see sights further afield, which was the case in the Batuan area.
What a magical part of the world
central Bohol is. We spent four days exploring, and every day opened up a new beautiful aspect. On our first day, we simply
headed off along the excellent conditioned main road without too much
traffic, passing simple little shops, tiny churches and so many
schools (all empty due to the Easter holidays). A range of scattered vehicles
were present from bicycles, battered big buses, the same motorized tricycles we had seen in
Cebu, and many home-made Frankenstein mixtures of bikes/sidecars/covers. We loved the Spanish vibe- communities and business with names like Carmen and Sevilla. A small and unkempt cemetery also highlighted the Spanish heritage here with the names on the gravestones.
Jesus poster at a road junction, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
Local shops, Batuan, Bohol
Local church with buffalo, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
Giant calabash, or upo gourd, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
Little angel figure at the graveyard, Batuan, Bohol
Spanish influence showing on gravestones, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
We turned whenever we saw a side
street to be greeted with green rice fields, banana and palm
trees. It was stunning scenery, and we were very happy just toodling
along slowly, looking and appreciating. People here were so amazing,
almost every single person we passed either beamed a smile, yelled
hello or waved - a consensus of friendliness. Their behavior
reminded us of people we had encountered throughout Indonesia- open
and confident to talk with us. But here, because of their English it
felt like we could communicate a step more. The further we strayed from the main roads,
we encountered smaller communities with diminutive farms and wooden shacks. The roads worsened, sometimes only a dirt path. Grain was spread
across the roads to dry, pecked at by skinny chickens, lethargic dogs
lay in the middle of the way, and in many fields we saw water
buffalo and goats.
On the road in Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
Beware! (One of many holes in the backroads)
Smiley young lads, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
Wood and bamboo structures were the norm, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
Looking out from a bridge, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
Abandoned shack, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
Lovely bridge over a river, Batuan, Bohol
Working in the rice fields, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
Nearby Pangas Falls had been
recommended to us, and riding around, we found ourselves at the entrance, quite by accident. For a steep 35 pesos/£0.45 (!!) we gained entrance to
what turned out to be a glorious wide waterfall, with several
appealing clear pools for swimming. Taking care of the very slippery
rocks, we eased ourselves into the water and had a refreshing dip and
swim, after the heat of riding around. A friendly chap making a
little bit of money from selling Mojitos gave us some local info,
including stories from the time during the 2011 typhoon when the water level was
so high, and many roads on the island were cut off.
Pangas Falls in Chocolate Hills area, Bohol
Getting brave for the cold water! Pangas Falls, Bohol, The Philippines
Two dags at Pangas Falls, Bohol, The Philippines
Sunday was our day to wake up very
early in order to ride to a sunrise point. We passed the local church
lit up inside getting ready for an early Mass. The place to see the famous Chocolate Hills in Batuan was a commercial complex, complete with
entrance fee and guided path to a viewpoint. We'd been told about a
nearby place, where we could experience the same view in peace and
for free. It was a bit of a fast scramble to the top, as we could see
the sun coming up, but we arrived just in time, and were so happy to experience the light slowly spreading over the hills, and surrounding valleys.
Made it in perfect time, sunrise, Chocolate Hills, Bohol
Sal and the Chocolate Hills, Bohol
The Chocolate Hills are a geological phenomenon, only seemingly found in a roughly 50 square kilometer area of Bohol, and to a smaller degree on some neighboring islands. The official story about how they were formed is stated on Wikipedia (the absolute gospel on everything in the entire world, as we know 😉) .......
"These conical hills are geomorphological features called cockpit karst, which were created by a combination of the dissolution of limestone by rainfall, surface water, and groundwater, and their subaerial erosionby streams after they had been uplifted above sea level and fractured by tectonic processes. The hills are separated by flat plains and contain numerous caves and springs".
How boring! We always like the more maybe fanciful stories about the formation of geological anomalies- they are invariably much more fun and interesting! Here, theories about giant children building mud cakes, or maybe that they were the result of two giant's earth slinging match made us smile.
During our visit, the hills were mostly a verdant green, but during the dry season the color changes to a light brown hue, hence the name, Chocolate Hills.
Beautiful green colour at this time of year, Chocolate Hills
Mysterious Chocolate Hills, Bohol, The Philippines
The same Sunday was Palm Sunday, and on the way back from our sunrise trip, we were happy to see worshippers pouring out of the church into the streets, all dressed up and carrying palm fronds.
A cockfighting show was going on that Sunday evening, but having seen the aftermath of a match on our last visit
and remembering the razor blades attached to the cock's feet and all
the blood, we refrained from attending. Our host told us some roosters could sell for a small fortune. Driving around, we saw many
properties with multiple small shelters for the prized cocks- like a
small house for each individual bird. There were surely being looked
after well!
Cocks for sale, Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines
The best day was an unexpected ride
through some impressive old forests. Although the road wasn't the best, Rich
managed very well, and we gently bounced through the majestic setting, huge trees looming over us. We recognized only the enormous figs, but
there were so many other unknown species. The shady road was nearly deserted, we only
passed a few guys working inside the forests, of course, always smiling and greeting us. The addition to this trip was the touristy Man Made Forest of Bilar. It was a very enchanting looking road with the thousands of planted mahogany trees pleasingly curving over to create a tunnel. But there were a few too many signs and Instagram photo takers for our liking, we preferred the natural forest we had seen earlier in the day. The adjoining mahogany walk was short, but a great chance to see the trees close up, and appreciate the beauty. And at 10 peso/£0.12 entry, ridiculously good value.
Old forest, Bilar, Bohol, The Philippines
A pleasure to drive
Mahogany forest, Bilar, Bohol, The Philippines
Delicate flower growing in the shade of the mahogany trees
Buffalo milk shop (only Sal was brave to try the slightly lumpy and creamy beverage)
Our last afternoon in Batuan was spent chasing a Chocolate Hills sunset on the motorbike. Instead we found ourselves in amongst the hills, twisting around on small roads, seeing simple fish farms and modest homes. Looking up at the color of the sky changing behind the weird shapes of the hills was a glorious way to spend our last day around Batuan.
Some rain on the way, in the Chocolate Hills, Bohol
A friendly rainbow to see us on our way, in the Chocolate Hills, Bohol
We absolutely loved this part of Bohol, a refreshingly beautiful and friendly area, and we were now ready for more adventure in a different part of the island.
Our route from Cebu to Batuan, Bohol, The Philippines