Philippines - Palawan & Bohol

I have always wanted to go to the Philippines. I know many Filipinos, and I have a lot of admiration for them. They are remarkably joyful people who love to laugh, sing and enjoy life despite their problems. Very nationalistic (they have all reason to be!),  they made me dream by describing their hometowns with their particularities to me.

I finally managed to set foot in this wonderful country on February 2015 for a ten-days trip, and covered two gems of the archipelago : Bohol and El Nido.

From Singapore my friends and I landed in Cebu, and directly hopped on a ferry bound for the Island of Bohol located two hours away. We spent five days there, then headed back to Cebu where we took the plane for Puerto Princessa (Palawan).

Bohol Province

When my very good friend Loupey told me about "The Chocolate Hills" and the Tarsier animals back when I was living in Japan, I instantly checked them out on Google and told myself  that I needed to go see them with my own eyes one day!

We arrived in Bohol in the morning, checked in our hotel in Panglao (South West of the island) and booked an inland tour for the next day, to go see the two above-mentioned city highlights.
We then went to Alona beach to enjoy some grilled fish and the delicious  local ("Bee Farm") avocado ice-cream. Saying it was the most delicious ice-cream I every had would be an understatement! I strongly recommend it to anyone who visits Bohol.

8:00 am the next day, I jumped out of bed feeling refreshed and excited for the day that was awaiting me. Finally time to see the Chocolate hills located in Carmen which was a two-hour car ride from Panglao.

Upon our arrival to Carmen we went up a few steps to reach the view point where we could admire a panoramic view of the undulating hills.
Here there were ! the impressive hills were finally right in front of us!
It looked like some detail-oriented individual took the time to carve hills and to meticulously position them across the 50 Square kilometres area.
A legend says that this formation is the result of a quarrel between two giants who were throwing sand balls at each other, and who forgot to clean up their mess after their relationship was restored.
As I stare at the outstanding environment, I continuously repeat to myself, just like every time I witness something unique: "It is amazing what this world has to offer".



Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol Province

The "triplet hills"

They were covered in grass that would turn brown during the dry season, hence their common appellation.
We took a myriad pictures but none did them justice, so we decided to rely on our visual memories and left for the second stop : the Tarsier conservatory.

Tarsiers are a highly endangered spices, this is why they are kept in a conservatory.
When some people in Bohol realised that these world's smallest primates attracted a lot of visitors, many of them were captured for commercial ends.
Moreover they have a very low rate of reproduction, female Tarsiers give birth to a single baby after a six-month-term.

We had to remain silent while walking around the conservatory, not to disturb their sleep.
These small bundles of love are the size of a human thumb.
They are solitary animals and spend most of their time sleeping during the day.
Some opened their eyes when they would sense some movement, and stared at us with their big round eyes which looked like car headlights, giving us the impression that they were surprised by our visit.


Tarsier in Bohol

After seeing the two main "attractions" that were the purpose of our visit to the province of Bohol,  we went to Snake Park, which I did not particularly like because it lacked originality or more frankly, simply because I am slightly herpetophobic. I had a quick glance at the Python and started quaking at my boots.

We also zip lined above the Loboc river at the Danao Adventure Park  which I highly recommend if you do not fear heights. The view is incredible.
Our second day in Bohol ended with another sea food dinner in Alona beach.

For our third day we went to visit  Balicasang and the Virgin Island.
Balicasang itself was not the most beautiful island I have ever seen, but it is a world class diving spot.
The highlight of our visit there was that we got to meet some local people as we wandered around the island.
We walked by a primary school in which a very warm and friendly teacher invited us to come in.
The children were shy but happy to see us.
We took pictures and sent them to the school by mail in duplicates so the parents of the kids could have them as well. Of course the locals were really friendly and kind which was as I expected.

Cute pupil at Balicasang Island

Unexpected School day in the Philippines

 

Beautiful little girl playing with her friends in Balicasag

Island kid taking a nap

We then went to the Virgin Island which was absolutely magnificent.
A dreamlike island with fine white sand and chrystal clear water; it just seemed surreal to me.
Since we arrived there during the low tide we could walk along a thin sandbar in the middle of the ocean  as the water gently swept over our toes.
 


Starfish at the "Virgin Island"

Dolphins swimming team

Bohol is the perfect destination for calm and relaxing vacations.
It offers a wide range of activities, from snorkelling, scuba diving, to zip lining, and nice beaches for those who prefer sunbathing.

The landscape in Bohol were absolutely breath-taking but it was just the beginning of a trip full of surprises that completely blew our minds away.

Palawan - EL Nido

El Nido, located in the north of Palawan island is the closet you can get from paradise.
Home to hidden lagoons, beautiful turquoise water, and white sand beaches, it is a mecca for nature lovers and for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life with a bit of tranquillity.

There is a lot to cover on the island of Palwan such as the Underground river in Puerto Princessa, a series of caves considered as a nature wonder of the world, but we had to be very selective due to a limited amount of time, so we headed directly to El Nido located at the north of the island.



Palawan Island Map

To get there we took a two-hours flight from Cebu to Puerto Princesa, then went on a five-hours van ride en route for El Nido.

Although  the roads were fixed recently, they were still really bumpy at some parts, which can be a little tough if you suffer from mention sickness. They are also hardly lit up which is good for stars-watching but also a bit  terrifying in terms of safety.

Thankfully we arrived safe and sound at El Nido bus terminal and got into a tricycle that took us to our lodge.

There are quite a few lodges and inns in in the island but do not expect luxurious ones unless you want to stay in one of the private islands' resorts which will cost you an arm and 3 toes.
I strongly advise you to book a room way ahead of time during the high season.
We went there during Chinese New Year, and it was extremely difficult to find a place to stay at.

Immediately after checking-in our hotel, we booked an island hopping tour for the next day, and paid the mandatory 200 pesos ($5) Eco-Tourism development tax on the same occasion.
There are four island hopping tours in El Nido, all of them cover four to five islands and include a delicious freshly made lunch.

We rose at 8 am the next morning and went to the beach where our tour guide was waiting for us to have breakfast. The beach was nice, but the best was yet to come. In fact I thought that this was  El Nido, but in reality it was just a base to visit other uninhabited postcard-like islands.



Breakfast in El Nido

Our tour started on time, we go into the traditional boat and sailed away.
As the boat moves further from the coastline, the scenery becomes increasingly picturesque with the towering limestone cliffs and the changing water colours.
What we saw that day was out of this world, I never thought that I could afford stepping foot on such a beautiful place. We swam and relaxed at amazing beautiful beaches, waded through caves before reaching some "secret lagoons", ate freshly grilled fish, fruits and vegetable on deserted islands...
In short, that place was truly a Paradise and luckily, one that remains affordable (if you live in Asia).



El Nido - Palawan

Kayaking in Las cabanas at sunset

 

 

 

 

The "Snake Island"

 

On the way to a Lagoon

  

 

I left the place with some concerns on whether this piece of heaven will be preserved and remain the same in a few years. I was sad to notice tourists stepping on corals, and the boat driver throwing their anchors without even checking where they would land. I sincerely hope that the government of the Philippines will take the necessary measures to protect this place from mass-tourism and to maintain the eco-system.

If you do visit the place, please do it responsibly and practice some vigilance as to where you put your feet.
Also, let me warn you that Palwan will ruin and spoil you! It will be difficult to be amazed by other beaches afterwards.

Salamat Philippines, salamat dear Filipinos!