Before you go hiking you need to eat a real breakfast, right? So this morning Danica went out and bought the breakfast... I usually advised her not to buy so much food, but as usual it was more than we could finish. For just around P100 we got noodles, chicken livers, vegetables, some kind of pork meat, soup and of course the mandatory rice! 

One of the starting points for the hike is the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary. We had decided to make a combo, first visit the Tarsier Sanctuary and then do the hike since the hiking trail starts just behind the sanctuary. As usual we were assigned a guide who took us along some narrow trails around the sanctuary. Despite the dense vegetation I was able to spot several of the shy tarsiers and I regretted deeply that I had been lazy and hadn't brought my big camera with me. Grrr... 

Our main objective this day was the hiking. We easily found the beginning of the trail behind the actual sanctuary but after a couple hundred meters into the rainforest the trail wasn't that that clear to follow. We had been told it was easy to "just follow" but suddenly it didn't feel obvious. Danica was more concerned of the potential "monsters" hiding in the rainforest but I was afraid to get lost.

Soaked in sweat with empty water bottles we finally came up to the viewing deck one. The view was breathtaking! We had almost a 360 degrees view over Bohol. It was worth all the blood sweat and tears to come here. A perfect spot to take photos from or having a romantic picnic or why not do both! Maybe even stay here overnight to experience the most awesome sunset and the sunrise... in that case I guess I have to convince Danica that there are no monsters hiding in the bushes beneath... 

It's about 13 km going to Corella from Tagbilaran City.
Via public transport: From Sikatuna Jeepney Terminal, (This is right infront of Island City Mall) get into a jeepney bound to Sikatuna via Corella. This jeepney drops you off at Philippine Tarsier Foundation. Fare is P17.00. Tell the driver of the jeepney that you are headed to Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella. Upon arrival there is a huge signage and rough road, take it and walk for 300 meters to the research building. 
Going back, just take a jeepney headed to Tagbilaran. And yes it is safe to hitch hike here. Fare is P15.00 for jeepney.
If you have your own motorcycle it's very easy to go there, just follow Google maps. 

You can start your hike either at the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary or at the Sikatuna Tree Park. There are two viewing decks to visit and the hiking trail connects the Tarsier Sanctuary with the Tree Park. Just follow the signs. Viewing deck one is closer to the Tree Park and the viewing deck two is more close the the Tarsier Sanctuary. Hiking from the Tarsier Sanctuary, visiting both viewing decks and end up at the Tree Park should take around 2-4 hours depending on your fitness level.

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, it can be very slippery. Bring lot's of water. Plan ahead so you will be out from the rainforest before it gets dark, unless you intend to spend the night there. When it's dark it will be very hard to negotiate the trail.

If you begin your hike at the Tarsier Sanctuary you should take the opportunity to visit the sanctuary itself. The entrance fee to the sanctuary is P60. If you just go for the hike, it's free of charge whether you start from the Tarsier Sanctuary or the Tree Park.

Related posts to Bohol

Since we had two friends from Sweden visiting us here in the Philippines we wanted to show them something special. So we decided to go to Pamilacan island.

At Baclayon we met with Mam Elvie who had arranged our stay at Enas cottages. The weather was good and the sea looked calm. Mam Elvie told us that it normally takes 45-60 min to go by the boat to Pamilacan.

Going from Baclayon to Pamilacan island

After an hour or so we reached Pamilacan. The sea was calm in the beginning but later on it became quite rough. Nevertheless we made it and as soon as I sat my foot on stable ground I realized I wanted to extend our stay to two nights instead of only one night. Hey, it’s not everyday you pay a visit to the paradise, right?

The accomdation at Enas cottages was simple but nice. No AC, tv or hot water. But a fan, a mosquito net and a private toilet with a bucket of cold water were available. This accommodation is not for everyone but it was good enough for us. Three meals per day were included in the price.

The main activity here at Pamilacan is snorkeling aside for just unwinding and contemplateing about how good life is after all. You have at least two beaches where you can swim and snorkel freely. Then you have the Coral garden and the Marine sanctuary where you need a guide to accompany you. We did both the Coral garden and the Marine sanctuary. We were more lucky with the Coral garden since the weather was better and the sea was more clear.

We also did dolphin watching in the morning. It was a long ride with the boat but the only thing we managed to see were the tails of a couple of dolphins. We were also supposed to see sea turtles just outside Enas cottages but we didn’t see any. My highlights were the spectacular sceneries of the island specially under the water and the quietness at night time.

The highlights of our trip to Pamilacan island

Boats are available from Baclayon on Bohol. Expect 60 min to go with the boat to Pamilacan. We paid 300 PHP per head one way. Inquire at the pier in Baclayon.
Accommodation was 850 PHP per head and night with three meals included at Enas cottages.
Snorkeling guides 250 PHP per hour. 150 PHP for renting snorkeling gears.

Related links:​
​Snorkeling at Pamilacan island
Alona Beach, Panglao​
Where to stay in Tagbilaran, Bohol​
Day trip to Isola de Francesco​
The Hills​
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)

At first we were supposed to spend just one night here at Pamilacan but I immediately felt that I at least needed two nights to satisfy my cravings for the touch of paradise. Pamilacan island is the perfect getaway from the bustling city to ease down and just enjoy life to the fullest.

Obviously you can do snorkeling here. There are the Coral garden and the marine sanctuary where you need a guide to accompany you. We paid 250 PHP per head and hour for the guide. We went out in a small paddle boat and did the snorkeling from the boat. There are other beaches also where you can do the snorkeling for free and with easy access from the shore. If you are lucky you can see sea turtles here but we didn’t.

This our experiences from the snorkeling. The clips are mainly from the Coral garden.

Related links:
Pamilacan island Philippines​
Alona Beach, Panglao​
Where to stay in Tagbilaran, Bohol​
Day trip to Isola de Francesco​
The Hills​
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)

Alona beach together with Chocolate hills and the Tarsiers might be the most popular tourist attractions here in Bohol. If you come to Alona beach you can expect many restaurants, lively nightlife and many other tourists to bond with... and of course a white sand beach.

And hey, don’t forget to watch video at the bottom!

An afternoon when we visited Alona Beach

Related links:
Pamilacan island Philippines​
​Snorkeling at Pamilacan island​
Where to stay in Tagbilaran, Bohol​
Day trip to Isola de Francesco​
The Hills​
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)

Dayview Tourist Home is an anonymous little pearl located just in between the Tagbilaran Ferry Terminal and the airport. Just a few minutes ride with tricycle from both which makes Dayview ideal as a starting point for Bohol.

Dayview Tourist Home is not a fancy place, there is no beach, no pool and neither a fantastic view. But the place is new, fresh and very clean. The bed was equipped with a spring mattress. Our room had both AC and fan. Breakfast was not included but it didn't matter because you have the Cogon market around the corner where you could buy whatever you want. And last but definitely not least, according to my experience they had the best internet connection so far in the whole of Philippines! Yes you heard right. A stable and powerful connection where you could upload and download heavy files. For some that doesn't matter but if you are working online that's worth its weight in gold.

If you are looking for a fresh and very clean budget accommodation with a central location with good WiFi and if you don't mind taking the motorcycle going to the beach and other attractions this is the place for you. On the other hand, if you like to have the beach just outside the door, near to restaurants, bars and discos this is not the place for you.

Related links:
Day trip to Isola de Francesco​
The Hills​
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)

Just take one of the free yellow shuttle boats near the St. Agustin Catholic Church in Panglao.

60 s video clip

There are also kayaks you can borrow and explore the waters around the island. Or why not just grab a regular Filipino snack near the entrance and relax in the shadow, listen to the doves... there are for some reason many doves here. I guess they have found a quiet refuge here in this peaceful environment. And yes, everything is for free here... boat ride, sea urchins, kayaks and snacks but of course small donations are always welcomed.

Related links:
The Hills​
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)

The typhon Urduja which had hit Philippines a bit more than a week ago and also just the other day, it was the Severe Tropical Storm Vinta which struck in the Northern Mindanao. We here in Bohol were lucky, we had just a couple of days with rain. Today, the day after the storm Vinta, it was sunny, clear and very hot weather here in Bohol. Our thoughts are with those who suffered so hard from these disasters.

We did this tour in a relaxed pace but expect to allow a whole day for doing this depending on how many of the attractions you like to experience.

A 60 s video clip showing the Chocolate Hills

Related links:
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)

Related links:
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)

I get many questions about my living when I am in the Philippines. To find a house for rent is often a good idea if you are staying a longer period at the same place. Either you stay at the same location or have it like a base camp when you are doing trips nearby. 

Unit 3, Seaside Grande A pool available for the residents View from my bedroom ​Sonculan-Totolan area The area was nice and quiet with a pool available for those who lived here. The downside was the bad cellphone connection with the SMART company. Most of the time the signal was so poor so it was impossible to make any calls. Same with the mobile data, only late in the evenings you could get a signal sufficient for browsing Facebook or whatever.  The kitchen and living room area As always I enjoyed to cook my own food. ​The rent 25K The rent for the house was 25 000 PHP and it was fully furnished with everything included even the kitchen utensils were there. The cost for water and electricity was additional. The master bed room. The master bath room. The staircase to the upper floor. The upper hallway. ​The house was big There were three bedrooms, a living room with kitchen and two toilets both with showers. A nice balcony where you could sit and drink your evening tea. A very short clip showing the area outside unit 3. The nice and very talkative fixer guy. He was helpful but sometimes hard to get hold on. Related links: My rental apartment in Toril Where to eat in Tagbilaran? Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines) Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines) Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines) The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common? Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa  (Panglao, Philippines) Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines) Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines) Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines) Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines) Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines) Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines) Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)

I compiled four video clips with samples of traditional dances in Philippines. For the guys, check the number two video, second part of it. It shows how to catch a girl! But in my mind I wonder what a girl would think if I tried that approach on the disco? 

This dance is said to imitate the movement of the tikling birds as they walk between grass stems, run over tree branches, or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers. The kids imitate the tikling bird's grace and speed by skillfully maneuvering between large bamboo poles. ​The name "tinikling" is a reference to birds locally known as tikling, which can be any of a number of rail species.

First part of this short video shows men fighting. They have weapons and wear masks. The second part is actually more interesting! It's about a young man courting a girl. He catches her interest and even manage to make her pregnant! So watch and learn guys!

I filmed this fire dance at Bohol Cultural Center in Tagbilaran. I don't know if fire dancing is typical for Philippines, probably not. But anyway it's relatively common all over Philippines to experience this.

This fire dance was filmed in Davao Crocodile Park.

Related links:
My rental apartment in Toril
The Uso-Uso Experience in Davao
The jumping kids of Talikud Island
Review of The Red Parrot Inn (Samal Island, Philippines)
Review of Monclair Suites (Toril, Philippines)
Samal Island (Mindanao, Philippines)
Review of Chow King Restaurant (Davao, Philippines)