BREATHTAKING BOHOL

Truly, God is matchless in His creations. Visit Bohol and you will see what I mean. I finally got my wish to check out this beautiful province during a business trip.

FIRST STOP: BOHOL BEACH RESORT. No we didn’t take a dip. We had to do an ocular inspection for the program launch the following day. But the beach was breath-takingly beautiful with its powdery white sands glistening and the gently blue waves lapping against it. Perfect for swimming. But then again, I’ll just have to do it in my dreams. The production crew and staff I worked with were not even able to touch the water. Good thing our client was kind enough to give us a tour of Bohol before we got right down to serious work.

SECOND STOP: THE PEACOCK GARDEN LUXURY RESORT AND SPA. No, we did not splurge on a steaming hot bath and a refreshing massage. The posh rest house was too expensive for our taste, ahem! Designed for the A-class, the room rates range from Php 8,000 at the very least and charges up to Php 18,000 for its suites. Of course, we had to make do with the 3-star Metro Center Hotel back in the capital city of Tagbilaran. It wasn’t so bad. At least, we were blessed to have the privilege of stepping into the place for free to gather some footage. They had a cozy dining area with a band providing the ambient sounds. Outdoors is a sprawling garden dotted with white statues so reminiscent of European castles and Berlin parks blending with the gentle sea in the background. There was a pair of peacocks roaming around perhaps to justify the name. The structures though quite European in architecture had a native touch with the richly carved wooden doors and murals - a reflection of the German-Filipino couple who owns the place.

THIRD STOP: THE BACLAYON CHURCH. This is one of the oldest and best preserved Catholic places of worship in Asia. Entering the coral stone Church gives you an eerie feeling of stepping back into the past with its dark and musty interior. Just the thought of it being built by the Jesuits centuries ago in 1727 (that’s 3 centuries and 82 years ago!) really gives me the jitters. Its baroque architecture and richly designed altar are obvious imprints of the Spanish era similar to the old churches of Manila with its golden trimmings and enclaves for statues of different saints. Baclayon is just one of the many old Hispanic churches treasured by Bohol.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Those are only the man-made structures that add to Bohol’s rustic con modern amenities. Wait til you see God’s handiwork.

FOURTH STOP: THE CHOCOLATE HILLS. Travelling towards this famous wonder of the world was so enchanting. The long winding road was bounded on both sides by man-made forests of towering mahoganies. The drizzles added to the mystic effect of the 20-minute ride from Baclayon. By the time we got there, fog descended on the hills. It was such a great sight to behold. One can’t help but wonder how in heaven’s name did these mounds of limestone come about in uniform molds differing only in sizes. It was like a giant child scooped mounds of sand and some kind of magic preserved them that way through the centuries. Amazing!

FIFTH STOP: THE TARSIER SANCTUARY. Snuggled in one corner of the road, was a forested area overlooking the Loboc River. There, we found three tarsiers holding tightly to the tree branches. Dubbed as the second to the tiniest primates of the world, they were just as small as my closed fist. They were cute in a weird kind of way with their soft and puffy fur and their innocent wide eyes staring blankly at us. It was so tempting to pet them but we were cautioned not to do so. When distressed, they actually commit suicide by either strangling each other or banging their heads until they die. Of course, I did not want to cause their extinction.

SIXTH STOP: LOBOC CHURCH. By the end of the day, the group was already so weary. The heavy downpour was beginning to sound like a lullaby but we had to take some more footage of Bohol’s “natural wonders”. Set in the background of yet another old church, the world famous Loboc Children’s Choir's high notes and angelic voices soothed the tired travelers’ spirits. I was actually moved to tears by their rendition of Sebastian Bach’s Ave Maria.

LAST STOP: STK RESTAURANT. At last, our tummies growled and we checked out one of the local restos. STK stands for Sugba (broil), Tula (stew), Kilaw (raw). There were six of us and we had our fill of broiled fresh, soft and sweet squid, steaming sour soup (sinigang) with shrimps, crispy lechon kawali and hot rice. The mouth-watering food did not only satisfy our hunger, it definitely made our pockets happy. Considering the number of dishes we ordered, we just shelled out Php 200 per head. Not bad eh?

Indeed, time flies when you’re having fun. Maybe one of these days, my husband and I could go back to this breath-taking place in a more relaxed pace. It’s just an hour away from Manila by plane and we could avail of the promo packages that travel agencies offer at Php 4,000++. There are affordable hotels to check in to and the roads are really good. Bumpy rides to the tourist spots are not a problem. Not bad for wonderful nature trip.