Bohol Facts

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01of 07

Check out the Chocolate Hills

John Philip Harper/Getty Images

Seen from atop the main viewing deck in Carmen town, the Chocolate Hills
look absolutely unnatural: a series of giant grass-covered dome-shaped
mounds stretching as far as the eye can see. These hills—about 1,200 in all—
are distributed over 18 square miles of Bohol's land; the grass cover on the
hills dries up and browns in summer, giving the Chocolate Hills their name.

The main tourist complex from which to best view the Chocolate Hills can be
found in Carmen town, where a restaurant, resort, and view deck have been
built on two of the area's highest hills. You'll need to climb about 214 steps up
from the driveway to the top of the main observation deck, but the view is
worth the long, hard slog.

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02of 07

Explore Panglao Island's Diving Spots

Wendy A. Capili/Getty Images

Only a few minutes' speedboat ride from Panglao Island stands between you
and the excellent diving to be had around the island. A sanctuary just five
minutes from scenic Alona Beach delivers a wall with a wealth of small fish,
nudibranchs, and anemone. Doljo Beach gives you an eyeful of huge
gorgonians and sponges, and the Balicasag marine sanctuary presents an
overwhelming variety of sea life, all year round.

Most resorts in Panglao have a dive shop attached to the premises; ask your


local dive master about the best dive spots for the time of the year you're
visiting, and you'll have plenty of options within spitting distance of the resort.

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03of 07

Wander Around Mysterious Lamanoc Island

Jun Pinili/Getty Images

The town of Anda, Bohol is as far from civilization as you can get—it's so
distant, cell phone coverage only sporadically touches a single point on a local
hilltop. This distant hamlet is the jumping-off point for a "mystical" tour of
Lamanoc Island, an uninhabited limestone outcrop that is rumored to be
haunted by spirits.

Getting to Lamanoc Island involves sailing aboard a small outrigger canoe


(pictured above). Getting through the tourist trail around the island involves
plenty of climbing steep stairs and walking on slippery limestone; as you
proceed, the local guide will tell you about the prehistoric relics found in the
island's caves, the shamanistic rites performed here by local witch doctors,
and the legends associated with the town.

Beyond Lamanoc Island, Anda and its challenging terrain has also become the
setting for the Timex 226 Bohol Triathlon.

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04of 07

Cruise Along Bohol's Rivers

Lamanoc Island/Getty Images

Bohol's river cruises allow visitors to venture deep into the countryside and
see how ordinary people live in the inner towns. Cruises along the Loboc River
are popular for the scenery (the calm, clean river is an absolutely relaxing
sight) and the floating riverside restaurants.

Another river cruise with a more cultural bent kicks off at Cortes town, where
guests can ride a local boat called a "bandong" down the Abatan River, visiting
the towns of Maribojoc, Antequera, Balilihan, and Catigbian along the way,
and ending at Kawasan Falls.
Throughout the trip, the guides will explain the history of the river and the
significance of the structures you can see along the way (sights include
century-old churches and a watchtower). At each stop, the town's "cultural
collectives" will perform native dances for your entertainment and serve local
delicacies.

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05of 07

Get Your Adrenaline High at Eco Adventure Tour (EAT) Danao

Mike Aquino

This adventure center straddles a canyon carved into the limestone by the
Wahig River. This gaping maw in the earth provides the setting for much of
the fun: from the Skyride's tame cable car traversing the gap, to the more
adventurous "Suislide" (pun on "suicide", get it?), a two-way zipline across the
ravine, to the even more death-defying "the Plunge" that drops you off of a
platform with only a bungee cord keeping you from hitting the rocks below.

The local terrain offers plenty of other adventures, too: guests can go trekking
through the canyon (which used to be the hideout of a Filipino revolutionary
in the 19th century); go kayaking or tubing right on the Wahig river, or climb
up one of the canyon walls. Getting to EAT Danao is difficult without a rented
car, though.

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06of 07

Make a Pilgrimage to Baclayon Church

Mike Aquino

The Baclayon Church (officially the "Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate
Conception") is regarded as the second-oldest church in the Philippines; only
the San Agustin Church in Intramuros is older. Symbolizing Catholicism's
influence in the island, the Baclayon Church was built from corals bound
together by mortar mixed from eggwhite.

Inside the vast, dark interior of Baclayon Church, all eyes are drawn to the
gilded retablo behind the altar, a baroque confection bedecked with backlit
icons. Walk to the back of the church and you'll find carroza, or carriages for
religious processions; some walls and part of the floors are engraved with the
names of devotees presumably buried under the tiles.

The Baclayon parish museum is particularly interesting, as the church has


been quite assiduous in preserving religious mementos since the parish's
founding. Among the relics, you'll find at the museum are ivory icons of Jesus
and Mary; relics of Jesuit saints; church music written on sheepskin; priestly
vestments; and religious artwork. Photography is not allowed in the museum.

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07of 07

Meet Bohol's Mascot, the Tarsier

Mike Aquino

These tiny, giant-eyed primates are no larger than a child's fist and can be
found around Bohol if you know where to look. The tarsiers are well-adapted
to a nocturnal life: their massive eyes (relative to their skulls) can see very well
in the dark, and its large, mobile ears can swivel to better hear their prey.

To meet a tarsier face to face, visit the Rio Verde Tarsier Place at Barangay
Agape in Loay Town. The place combines a restaurant, tarsier-themed
souvenir shop, and tarsier enclosure where guests can see tarsiers up close.

Rio Verde's enclosure is not very pleasant for tarsiers, though; if you want to
see tarsiers in a more humane place, closer to their natural habitat, visit the
Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary instead, in Corella town.

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CLIMATE AND AVERAGE MONTHLY WEATHER IN BOHOL,
PHILIPPINES

In Bohol from November to April, the northeast monsoon prevails. Except for a
rare shower, this is the mildest time of the year. Daytime temperatures average
28 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit), cooling down at night to around
25°Celsius (77° Fahrenheit). The summer season from May to July brings higher
temperatures and often humid days. From August to October the southwest
monsoon prevails. The weather during this season is not predictable, with weeks
of calm weather suddenly changing in rainy days. It can rain any day of the year,
but a higher chance of heavy showers occurs from November to January. 

What is the best time of year to go to Bohol in Philippines? Here are some
average weather facts we collected from our historical climate data: 

 On average, the temperatures are always high.


 The months January, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and
December have a high chance of precipitation.
 On average, the warmest month is May.
 On average, the coolest month is January.
 October is the wettest month. This month should be avoided if you are not a big
fan of rain.
 April is the driest month.
Do these climate conditions match with when you want to go to Bohol in
Philippines? Find out where to stay here.

Payag Restaurant
18 CPG East Avenue, Tagbilaran City
Contact: (038) 501-9447
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
 

If Bacolod has Chicken House and Manila has Mang Inasal, count on Payag
Restaurant in Tagbilaran City for your insatiable grilled-meat hankerings. In the Visayan
language, “payag”  translates to “nipa hut”—according to locals, the decades-old
restaurant started out in a little bahay kubo that can seat only a few people. Now,
with over five branches under its belt, Payag is known for having the best Filipino-style
barbecue in Bohol. Chicken-crazed folks will enjoy their chicken inato, with made with
Payag’s signature sweet-salty marinade and served with unlimited rice and
zesty atchara. It’s definitely one meal you shouldn’t miss when you’re in town.
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Must-tries: Jo’s Chicken Inato (P117), Pork Barbecue (P28/stick), Binakhaw


(P109)
 

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Gerarda’s 
30 J.S. Torralba Street, Tagbilaran City
Contact: (038) 412-3044
Open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Sunday to
Friday); and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Saturday)
 

Gerarda’s stands out due to their old-school charm—an unavoidable trait since they
were once an ancestral house before becoming a full-fledged restaurant. Apart from
their very homey interiors (think grand drapes and figurines scattered in every corner),
the diner also offers something quite unique: Ubi-kinampay. Ubi-kinampay, or
sometimes just kinampay, is a kind of ube with dark purple meat that’s endemic to
Bohol—it’s so distinct that it’s the only food mentioned in the province’s hymn.
Gerarda’s whips up a meal made of sautéed kinampay  strips; unlike the
sweet ubejam that most of us are probably more familiar with, this ube dish is a
savory ode to the purple yam, which Boholanos consider special. In fact, Bohol holds an
annual Ubi Festival to celebrate the efforts of kinampay growers for keeping this one-
of-a-kind root-crop industry alive.
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Must-tries: Ubi Kinampay Guisado (P245), Seafood Kare-Kare (P475), Dinakdakan


(P255), Crispy Tadyan (P290)
 
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Oriental Garden
2/F Lite Port Center, Gallares Street, Tagbilaran City
Contact: 0917-304-2140
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
 
Only a two-minute drive from Tagbilaran Airport, this new lunch spot serves up freshly
made comfort-Asian classics at wallet-friendly price points. Thanks to Bohol’s relatively
large Filipino-Chinese community, a couple of small Chinese restaurants have popped
up over the past few years. And although Oriental Garden’s sleek but cozy interiors will
entice you to come in, their no-frills dim sum will give you more than enough reasons
to stay. Using traditional recipes and techniques, the family-led restaurant boasts their
best-selling dishes like chicken feet and siomai, which aren’t really anything fancy, but
will hit the spot if you need a quick dim sum fix after touring the city’s beautiful
historical attractions.
 

Must-tries: Hakaw (P70), Chicken Feet (P68), Siomai (P69)


 

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Tarsier Paprika
Donatela Hotel, Km. 16 Hoyohoy Tawala, Panglao
Contact: (038) 416-0952
Open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
 

If you’re after a fine-dining experience with a majestic view, then consider heading to
Tarsier Paprika at Donatela Hotel (formerly Tarsier Botanika) in Panglao. The resto-bar
sits on top of a cliff that overlooks the calm and turquoise waters of the Bohol Sea—a
dreamy sight no matter the time of the day. Here, international flavors meet local and
carefully handpicked ingredients. Start with their elegant and light appetizers like the
Kingfish Carpaccio, which is smoked in-house and garnished with fresh garden herbs
and a homemade lemon cream sauce. Meanwhile, their 1.7-kilogram grilled Tomahawk
Steak takes center stage, flaunting a beautiful charred herb crust and served with
roasted potatoes and a smooth green pepper sauce. It can feed four adults so bring
your friends, if not a very, very hungry date.

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Must-tries: Grilled Tomahawk Steak (P6,800), Smoked Kingfish Carpaccio (P300),


Italian Traditional Fritto Misto (P800)
 
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Sunset Grill Authentic Mexican Food


Tawala, Panglao
Contact: 0946-376-0504
Open from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
 
Bohol locals are lucky to have such a chill neighborhood hangout—and amid a
hodgepodge of Pinoy restaurants, it’s one you least expected. Enter Sunset Grill
Authentic Mexican Food, an easy-to-miss eatery that has a menu full of Tex-Mex
favorites. Regulars rave about the open-air hole-in-the-wall’s chicken quesadilla, laced
with sharp and gooey melted cheddar, tender chicken bits, and a side-serving of sour
cream and tomato salsa. If you want something heavier, grab one of their excellent
burritos, which are filled with spiced rice, a protein of your choice, fries, and of course,
some more cheese!

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Must-tries: California Burrito (P300), Chicken Quesadilla (P175), Nachos Supreme


(P280)
 

Aproniana Gift Shop is a one-stop souvenir shop along the National Highway in barangay Taguilon. It is
the largest souvenir shop here in Bohol.
Image copyrights belong to authors

Why Aproniana Gift Shop is special ?


Aproniana Giftshop is a one stop souvenir shop along the National Highway at Taguihon,
Baclayon, Bohol, operating 7 days a week and even during holidays. There's always a souvenir
product for you. Quality is their assurance coupled with reasonable price. Budget price products
compliment the array of different fashionable souvenirs that will cater from toddler to adult
sizes. Considered as “Bohol’s ultimate souvenir destination”, Aproniana Souvenir Shop sells
almost anything you want so you can remember the memories you spent in Bohol. Aproniana
Giftshop sells souvenir items, native handicrafts, postcards, shirts, bags, accessories and Bohol
delicacies like ube jam, penyato, cookies and the very famous calamay.

How to get to Aproniana Gift Shop?


The gift shop is located in Taguihon, Baclayon, Bohol, Philippines. Aproniana Souvernir Shop is
about 10 minutes away from Baclayon Church. You can easily take a taxi or jeepney to reach the
place.

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