Bohol Land Tour | Part 1

I feel like Carey Bradshaw right now blogging by my window. Haha. Riiiiigggghhhttt.

My friends and I love to travel. But we 'usually' do not intentionally plan getaways. It's the spontaneity of our travels and the spur-of-the-moment that make our trips even more exciting and memorable. And based on experience, a place is as good as the people you're with or sometimes surprisingly, the individuals you meet along the way. Friends are like these little pieces of home you bring along with you when you're somewhere far from family and yes, they help keep you sane or…. not. - works both ways. :)   

BOHOL's definitely in the top of our barkada travel bucket list.

The first place we visited was the Blood Compact Site. It's located at Brgy. Bool, Tagbiliran City. It marks the historical site where Datu Sikatuna established blood compact with Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. The two leaders entered the first pact/treaty of friendship between Spain and the Philippines.

Sandugo - Visayan word meaning "one blood"

Our next stop was Baclayon Church. It's considered as one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It dates back to early 1700s. The stained glasses bring about colorful lights, illuminating the interiors of the church.

                                   photo from my friend's cam                                                        photo from my friend's cam

When you speak of Bohol, top of the list that generally pops to any Filipino's mind ---> Chocolate Hills. For a girl who only gets to see it in history books (usually in black and white print) and postcards, well, you can just imagine the expression on my face when I finally saw it in the flesh. I was completely thrown away. It was pretty amazing. To add to that, the weather was perfect! It was sunny and the sky was clear and vivid blue. You have to climb 214 steps to get to the top of the view deck. Once you're there, you'll find yourself surrounded by these spectacular formations. As you can see below, they do not look so chocolatey. It's because they only turn brown when the grass dries up after the rainy season. There are 1,268 of these hills and the sizes range from 30-50 meters. You will also find a large plaque there that explains how the formations came to be as they are now. It says there that the chocolate hills were formed by the uplift of coral deposits and the action of rain water and erosion. 

You are truly mighty awesome, Mother Nature. Up top!

Chocolate Hills

Chocolate Hills up close

My Friends and I at the View Deck

Bohol is also home to the Philippine Tarsier. Our tour guide brought us to a local's house where some tarsiers were kept and taken care of. We weren't allowed to touch them and flash photography was strictly prohibited. The caretaker said their eyes are very sensitive and they get stressed easily.

Philippine Tarsier

Me and the little critter :)

What I found relaxing was the man-made forest located at the border of Loboc & Bilar. Here, you'll find a long stretch of Mahogany trees on both sides of the road. We pulled a stop to take photos and enjoy a breath of fresh air. The sun is heavily blocked by the towering trees. Walking pass the shaded spots on the road gives a calming feeling. I guess I'm a tree hugger. :) 

Be careful though coz there are many vehicles passing through here. 

Man Made Forest