Bohol Day 2: Bohol Country Side tour

This is the usual Bohol Country side tour Itinerary. We decided to use a car this time because we will be going to 10 different places. Using a tricycle is really doable and cheaper but based from our experience the previous day, we prefer the comfort of an ac vehicle since the locations are quite far from each other. It will also mean a faster vehicle so longer spare time for us for a P1000 peso difference. We started at  9:30am and ended the tour around past 4pm.

Blood Compact Site

1. Blood Compact Site: free

2. Souvenir shop. beside Blood Compact site

3.Baclayon church: free, Baclayon Museum: oldest church in Bohol:  P50/pax

Baclayon Church

I didn’t explore the church yard and museum. Just did a short photo near the Padre Pio image in the wall.

Xzootic Animal Zoo

4. Xzootic Animal Zoo: entranceP40/pax.

Prony, the biggest phyton died 3 days prior to our tour schedule. the place is not really a zoo, it’s a small area with 3 or 4  caged pythons where you can take a photo with. 2 other cage of animal and birds.

Butterfly garden

5. Butterfly Conservation Center: entrance fee: P35.00/pax

Before we went to the butterfly garden, Our driver reserved our seating for the river cruise in Loay. Guides will greet you as you enter the area and will explain the different stages of the butterfly as you go along. Unfortunately, Aaron is scared of butterflies,  we only reached the bridge part connecting to the garden then went back and waited for Pat to finish the tour.

Rio Verde Pawikan Buffet in Loay

Pawikan Buffet: total of P550/pax for a Pawikan Upgrade

5. Loay-Loboc River Cruise: We choose the Loay River cruise than the Loboc river Cruise because of the view and food choices. You may check Rio-Verde’s Site for their menu options. The last stop is the Ati tribe where you can have a photo with them. No entrance fee but donations are somewhat expected. We did not go down from the boat. Aaron was really fond of the guys jumping into the water using a suspended rope.

Bilar Man-made Forest

7. Bilar Man-made forest. Pat just took a photo from the window.

8.Chocolate Hills Carmen: P50/pax

 We’re suppose to pass through the Clarin ancestral house but since Aaron is still sleeping, we went directly to  Choco Hills Viewing Deck. I was a little shaky since I’m afraid of heights. I could feel  my hands getting cold. I realized I wouldn’t have a nice  choco hill shot because in order to do that I have to go over the wall barrier and stand without any thing or grill to hold on to. After around 15 mins, we went down through the other way.

9. Ship House: P30/pax

Next stop was in the Ship House. It’s in the road so you won’t miss it. The place is ideal for toddlers, kids and kids at heart.

10. Loboc Tarsier Conservation Area

Our second tarsier encounter. Aaron and I went back after seeing the first tarsier. We waited for Pat to come out from the souvenir area. Cute postcard type ticket.

11. Hanging Bridge Bilar: P20/pax

You already know that I’m afraid of heights so this activity is definitely a no-no for me. But Aaron doesn’t want to go with his father so I had no choice but to cross the bridge. Thank goodness, it’s started to rain. We immediately rushed back to the car. As usual, waiting for Pat to return. He said you could see the Buko king on the other end, and for a fee will open a coconut using his mouth.

Overall, it was a nice tour but I personally like the tour destinations from the  previous day. Today is more of a been there, seen that, sorth of thing.

Rate: 7.5/10 ( Nothing spectacular except for the choco hills view  and the River cruise experience)

Date of visit: August 17, 2013

Bohol Related Post:

Bohol Itinerary

Bohol Day 1: Corella,Mag-aso, Loon Macaques, Punta Cruz

Panglao Tour

Arabelle Suites

Dumaluan Beach Resort 2

Bohol Bee Farm

Bohol Day 1: Corella Tarsier, Mag-aso Falls, Loon Macaques Monkeys, Our Lady of Light Church, Punta Cruz Watch Tower

Travelling nowadays is way much cheaper .Thank you for promo fares.We got our round trip airfare from Zestair( now part of  Airasia) for less than P1000 per head plus a free baggage allowance of 10kg. 🙂

We arrived around 7am for our 8:30 flight. Then, we heard the delayed flight announcement from Zestair. We’re even singing, leaving on a jet plane excitedly. Winner!

But despite the airline’s record of inconsistent flights schedule, I’m still a fan because of the frequent low fares promotions that they release.

After a 3 hour delay, we arrived at Tagbilaran Airport, a little bit worried since the hotel was  not answering our texts and calls. We did advise them though about the flight changes. When we got out of the airport, we saw one of their staff holding a piece of bond paper with Pat’s name on it.

4-6 mins after we’re already in Arabelles Suites.Check in was a breeze! Nice ;-D

Since we’re a little bit late of  our initial schedule, instead of dining out, we had out lunch at the hotel. Menu price ranging from P100-300.  We then contacted Kuya Ramil ( 09213732462 ),our hired tricycle driver. I accidentally found him on the internet when I was searching for Kuya Ramil’s number ( car for hire operator). It’s definitely worth hiring him. Why? because his tricycle is bigger than usual (comfort:check), with build in stereo ( groovy:check), our instant tour guide and he charged less compared to others.

We agreed to meet up at BDO at 1pm and off we go to  the Philippine Tarsier Foundation in Corella for our first tarsier encounter. Entrance fee rate is P30 pesos during our time but from their website it’s already P50, including the guide/spotter. You may visit this link for more information about the foundation.

After spotting 3 tarsiers, 2 of which were asleep, Aaron and I went back to wash our feet covered with mud.While waiting for Pat, Aaron keeps saying “Shhhh, mama quite the tarsier is sleeping” and when his father came back together with the other foreign guests, he was excited pointing to the logo, “Look Papa, the tarsier is happy, he’s smiling!” And all of us agreed!

After spending more or less 30 mins in the foundation. We then traveled to a different town to see the Mag-aso Falls in Antequera.Entrance fee is P 20/adult, P10/kids. Cottage rate is P50-100. Floaters are also available for rent. On ordinary days, the water is clear and visitors could take a dip. Too bad, it’s been raining so what we saw was the muddy version of the falls but that did not stop Aaron from having his water activity. We spent around 15 min near the cottage to play. Getting down the 197 steps was easy, going up again was an extra challenge since Aaron doesn’t want to walk. Pat and I took turns carrying him.

Our 3rd next destination was in Loon to see the Macaques Mangove Monkeys. This is a guided tour with an entrance fee of P30/pax including the fruit to feed the monekys.I was so scarred and at the same time excited to see the monkeys up close. They’re literally everywhere, running towards the guide as he uses his stick to call them by tapping it on the wooden bridge. We saw around 14-16 monkeys around us in the feeding area part of the bridge.The guide told us that most of the monkeys are already full so the number we saw is still considered few. Personally, this is one of the best that I’ve seen in our Bohol trip. Too bad it’s not that popular vs the other destinations. It’s really worth visiting if you can squeeze it in your itinerary.You may check the Municipal website for more information

Our Lady of Light Church in Loon

Our 4th stop was in Our Lady of Light Church in Loon, considered as the largest church in Bohol which was also affected by the 7.2 magnitute earthquake last Octber 15.

We ended our afternoon tour with a nice view of the Punta Cruz Watch Tower in Maribojoc, now offered as a part of a tour itinerary for its ruins. We’re really lucky because we’re able to catch to gatekeeper and allowed us to enter the area without paying the P5.00 entrance fee. We only paid the parking fee of P10.00 (tricycle)

We asked Kuya Ramil to drop us @ Chicken Ati-atihan for diner. Then spent 2 hours in the pool of Arabelle Suites before we call it a night.

Day 1, 5-hour-tour Summary and Entrance Fees: 1pm-6pm 

Tricycle hire Reantal: P600.00, our tip P100. Kuya Ramil’s contact number: 09213732462

1. Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife  Sanctuary ( Corella) 😛 30/pax, P10 parking

2. Mag-aso Fall (Antiquera): P20/adults, P10/kid

3.Loon macaques Mangrove Monkeys (Loon): P30/adult, P10 parking

4.Our Lady of Light Church (Loon): free

5.Punta Cruz Watch Tower (Maribojoc): P5/adult, P3/kid, P10-15 parking fee

 

 

related posts:

Bohol Itinerary

Bohol Country Side Tour

Panglao Tour

Arabelle Suites: Tagbilaran

Dumauluan Beach Resort 2: Panglao

Bohol Bee Farm: Panglao

 

Bohol Bee Farm, Panglao, Bohol

If I’ll be coming back to Bohol, no doubt, I would be  staying in Bohol Bee Farm.
The moment I step inside for their  Farm tour, I instantly fell in love with the place and its food. Definitely, a must try!

Spot the queen bee?

Their products and souvenirs.

For more info about their room rates and facilities. You may check their website here.

Date of Visit: Aug 2013

Rate: 10/10 for the food and the place

Dumaluan Beach Resort 2

Dumaluan Beach Resort is the kind of place that will really have you think if you’re going to stay or not. Reading so many negative reviews from the internet created so much doubt about choosing the place. With its price, what if it’s not really worth it?

So, the next thing I did was to try looking for positive reviews to decrease the doubts and fear that is starting to dominate me. Well, there  are certain things that we always consider when travelling with Aaron: comfort and convenience near the to-go and see places. a pool, and near the beach.

1. We want a place near the beach since Panglao is known for its beaches. These are the 3 areas that I stumbled on the internet.

a. Dumaluan Beach Area (where Dumaluan Resort and Bohol Beach Club: nice beach but quite expensive accommodation rates, few choices to dine).

b. Alona Beach. This is where you could find cheaper accommodation rates, more food options for a lesser price, the lively area. If you like to party then, this is the place for you. Downside, no beach and sand area for the kids.

c. Doljo. This one is not as popular as the first 2. This is where Bellevue Hotel is located. Nice small stretch of sand.  low water level not good for swimming. Only the Bellevue area is well maintain, the other half is more of the docking area for the motorboats.

– Our pick: Dumaluan Area

2. Accommodation Price and Amenities: I know what area to choose, let’s check the prices. It should be within my accommodation price range of P1,000-1,500/ night for 2 pax with should include an air-conditoned room, hot and cold shower, free breakfast. (+) points would be free wifi, free airport transfers and less restrictions or freebies. ( ambisiosa talaga! hehe) Obviously, Bohol Beach Club is way out of my price range so big X.  We did consider a day tour just to experience the facilities, too bad that it’s temporary closed for renovation. So Dumaluan Beach Resort as my next option.

During research, I encountered  Dumaluan Beach Resort, Dumaluan 1 and Dumaluan 2;  prefering 1 over the 2 or vise versa. At first I thought DBR 1 is where the old rooms are located and DBR 2  for the newer rooms which is quite correct. Except that 1 and 2 are 2 separate resorts. DBR 1 room rates is cheaper by a few hundred and it is where Dumaluan Beach Resort Grill Bar is located (DBR Grill Bar).They have separate entrance gates. DBR1 guests can only access the restaurant area of DBR 2 since it’s beach front. Now to enjoy DBR2 facilities such as the swimming pool, they have to pay an certain fee for it which quite a bummer since the pool is located a few hundred meters from the beach coming from DBR1. Since, we wanted a swimming pool for Aaron. We opted for DBR 2.

-Dumaluan Beach Resort 2 room rates starts @ P1,300 for its standard room, followed by the superior deluxe room @ P2150/night/2pax. The standard room did fit our price range. yehey! But wait, if you look closely at the inclusion, it’s only an ac room. No hot and cold shower, no cable tv,  and no breakfast. Availing their buffet breakfast will cost you P400/pax. What a rip off! Now do the math. Standard room: P1.3k/2 pax= P650/pax a night. add the P400/pax breakfast: that’s P 1050/pax. For the superior deluxe room: P2150/2pax: P1075/pax. with a P25 peso difference per person, you now have an ac room with hot and cold shower,  a cable tv and a buffet breakfast.

– We choose the superior deluxe room based from the above analysis. But that is based from our comfort level needs, we are willing to pay the extra amount for longer sleep time and added comfort.

Now,for people who just wants the basic comfort of an ac room, the standard room is definitely more than enough. Same facilities, less expenses. DBR grill is already open at around 9am to catch breakfast. This is where we dine during our stay since the resort’s restaurant prices are quite expensive. Or you might also pick its sister resort, DBR1 for more cheaper room rates,

Overall, it was a good choice. We had what we need, the beach, the sand, the pool and a comfortable room. We did not experienced the negative treatments that some of the guests had here, just some minor inconveniences. First, when we got there, front desk on duty couldn’t find our booking. Since this is the common complaints from guests, I already come prepared with  the bank deposit slip copy and a printed copy of our email conversations for the room assignment. After 15min, we are already in our room in front of the kiddie pool area as requested. 2nd, the space under the bed is a little bit dusty  and  the room smelled  like it hasn’t been used for a while but  just look for any staff and they will happily clean it again for you. They even gave us extra blankets and allowed me to have the broom be left in our room since our floor needs a little brush every now  and then from the sands in our footwear. Win- win for both of us. 🙂

RATE: 8/10

Stayed: August 18-19,2013. Couple with a 3 yo toddler

Arabelle Suites: Tagbilaran, Bohol

              This was our home in Tagbilaran during our Bohol Tour last August. I was a little bit hesitant at first since I couldn’t find blog reviews about the place except in Trip Advisor.  Despite the doubts, due to its price and amenities, I was sold! And besides, it can never be that bad for a newly opened establishment.

PROs

• ac room with comfortable beds,  free wifi  and it’s near the airport
• affordable rate of P1250/2pax, P350 extra pax     (Superior Room)
• free breakfast ( YUMMY! plated, buffet during full house) & airport transfers
• accommodating stuffs
• free water refill in their refilling stations for small bottles
•  walking distance to peanut kisses factory
• swimming pool 2-4ft deep
• restaurant: tasty food, Prices range P85-300.
•  luggage area: we left most of our luggage here when we stayed overnight at Panglao.

 

 

CONs:

• so near the airport that you could hear the aircrafts come and go
• swimming pool is small thus can only accommodate a few guest
• small restaurant/ dining area that you have to wait for other guest to finish before you could take your seat
• intermittent hot temperature in their shower
• getting a tricycle to go out may take a while. no problems going back.

 

Overall, it’s a nice place to stay and  worth recommending while in Tagbilaran.

RATE: 9/10