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Bohol 2019

By Danica Eliana Ferino

November 22^nd, 2019

The Actuarial Society of the Philippines' (ASP) annual convention is done in November and is usually held at luxury resort hotels around the country. I have been fortunate enough to be able to attend this event, with the expenses mostly sponsored by our company. It is now my fourth time to join the convention.

For this year, the annual event was held in Bohol. I've always wanted to see Bohol ever since I was little - I remember being very curious if the famous Chocolate Hills are indeed made out of chocolates. But Bohol is more than the hills and has so much more to offer.

HENANN RESORT

The ASP Convention was held in Henann Resort for two days. The program was a bit jam-packed so there wasn't much time to explore all the facilities in the resort. The resort's beachfront is very beautiful. It makes me want to go back for a nice vacation.

BOHOL COUNTRYSIDE

Shrines and Churches

After the 2-day convention, we got the weekend to ourselves. My friends and I booked our tours from TravelWorld PH which is managed by our friend and former colleague, Kaye. Our first tour was Bohol Countryside.

The morning was a bit uneventful. We started around 10:00 in the morning and visited the Blood Compact Shrine and Baclayon Church.

Sanctuaries and Gardens

Just before lunch, we stopped at a python reserve - a somewhat decrepit-looking zoo (?) where the remains of Bohol's biggest python in captivity were kept and displayed for tourists. To be honest, I feel sad for the animals. I would've preferred seeing them in larger enclosures. There was a guide before you start touring the grounds. I didn't get most of what was said but the most important part was that the owner really adored his pet python. I guess the owner loves animals so much that's why he has so many. The captive animals don't look unhealthy, which is a good thing. So maybe even though the enclosures were small, they are being treated right. I hope.

We also visited a butterfly garden and a tarsier sanctuary. I feel sad for the tarsiers in captivity. They're nocturnal, little guys but when there's a flock of tourist, they have a hard time sleeping. We were there around 5:00 in the afternoon and as you can see in the photos, their eyes are wide open. I feel bad for them. :( Next time I visit Bohol, I'd skip seeing them.

Of rivers...

For lunch, we boarded one of the balsa in Loboc for a buffet while cruising the river. This is definitely one of the highlights of the tour. The river cruise was so beautiful. We also got to stop at one of the stationary balsa and watch a few folks perform local dances. The balsa sails through the river until it reaches a mini waterfall that is more stunning in person than in pictures. After that, it will turn around and cruise back to the port where it started from.

After lunch, we stopped at the bamboo hanging bridge. The bridge sways as you walk and some bamboo parts also look broken. For someone who is afraid of heights, this part of the tour is nerve-wracking.

... and highways

The man-made mahogany forest in Bilar, Bohol is one of the most beautiful highlights of the trip for me. The local residents and boy scouts of Bilar all worked together to plant these trees some 50 years ago to prevent landslides around the area. Now, it has become a famous tourist spot where people pose at the middle of the road for photos. Everyone needs to be wary though of incoming vehicles from time to time.

Chocolate Hills

This is the culminating point of our first day tour. The hills are indeed majestic, especially at sunset.

PANGLAO ISLAND

Bee Farm

For our last day, we only got a half day to tour Panglao Island. This island is more famous for its beach and island-hopping activities but since we don't have time, we only got to do the land tour.

Our first stop was the bee farm. Note that there are no enclosures for the bees. Tours start at 8:30 in the morning - earlier than that, the bees are out of their hive.

The bee farm also has a souvenir shop where they sell mostly organic products they produced. They also offer free tasting of their food products.

A word of advice: don't buy Peanut Kisses from their shop. You can get it for a lower price in Hinagdanan Cave.

Dauis and Panglao Church

Honestly, I forgot which is which. But both churches are beautiful. I'm not a catholic, but I have to admit, the architectures and designs of catholic historical churches are something!

Hinagdanan Cave

Based on what our guide said, the lake inside the cave is seawater. In the afternoon during high tide, the water rises also inside the cave. When we got there at around 9:30 in the morning, the deepest part is about 11 feet. Outside the cave, there are a variety of souvenir shops selling cheap goods. It's better to buy here the popular souvenir items than in the bee farm. But if you're gonna get tableya, mais coffee, and other organic products, it's best to buy it at the farm.

Shell Museum

Our last stop is the Nova Shell Museum. They have a wide variety of seashells and other vintage products that the owner likes to collect. They also have a souvenir shop where they sell pearls and other products.

We're a bit pressed for time on our Panglao tour because some of us have flights back to Manila at noon. It would have been nice if we got more time to enjoy the beach.