Travel: Philippines. manilla and bohol

 

BOHOL 

PANGLAO CHOCOLATE HILLS RESORT

https://www.booking.com/hotel/ph/panglao-chocolatehillsresort.en-gb.html?aid=356980;label=gog235jc-1FCAsotAFCHHBhbmdsYW8tY2hvY29sYXRlaGlsbHNyZXNvcnRIM1gDaIkCiAEBmAEJuAEYyAEN2AEB6AEB-AEMiAIBqAIEuALqqZX9BcACAdICJDJiOWRlMTVhLTk5ODEtNGJhNS05MTJlLTE0ODQ5NjAzZTRmMtgCBuACAQ;sid=868dd310933f6bbc632f762ebfd75961;all_sr_blocks=49507001_121450709_0_0_0;checkin=2021-03-15;checkout=2021-03-16;dest_id=-2444356;dest_type=city;dist=0;from_beach_non_key_ufi_sr=1;group_adults=2;group_children=0;hapos=1;highlighted_blocks=49507001_121450709_0_0_0;hpos=1;no_rooms=1;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;sr_order=popularity;sr_pri_blocks=49507001_121450709_0_0_0__197999;srepoch=1604670824;srpvid=557a61b3753000ac;type=total;ucfs=1&

our room was a shared dorm, it was on stilts with stairs leading up. the bathroom was downstairs and outside with the showers in a communal area. the room was high ceilings, wooden, the beds comfortable too. though we had a loud snorer - and olde Italian man perhaps in his late 40s. I had a top bunk, bae however didn't and felt uncomfortable with the height so she moved her mattress to the floor. perhaps for the better. during the night she drunkenly stumbled, didn't quite make it to the door/outside and vomited all over the floor, she did a poor mop up job, and heavily splashed onto robin's bag. it STANK. the rest was outside. pretty grim. needless to say she didn't jump up fr the breakfast, which was nice, with 2 choices plus all you could drink juice/tea or coffee. 

after the we checked out the local beach, a 7 minutes walk from the hotel, it was quiet, clean and barely a soul around. bae came just as we were leaving, the hotel even gives yo a lift in their mini truck. from this we wandered to the main road and waved down a tuktuk to take up to the city centre.

Tarsiers. are considered the smallest primates  all of its species living today are found in the islands of Southeast Asia, specifically the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. with a lifespan of 2-12 years, a height of 3.3-6.3inches and a weight of 2.8-5.6oz (113-142g) . its eyes are bigger than its brain and are nocturnal. 

we then got the bus to head to the Tarsier sanctuary 

although nocturnal and small and hard to find the guide takes you around a small enclosed area and points out some for you. so you can actually see them, having at first given us all a brief introduction to the species and warned us to be quiet. after this we checked out a small exhibition on the mammal, which included a Skeleton, enabling you to see just how large their eyes were. 

https://www.bohol-philippines.com/tarsiers.html

how to get there: take a bus from Tagbilaran Integrated Bus Terminal to carmen, or a jeepney

after the tarsiers we headed back on the jeepney and chilled by the river, we decided not to do the loboc river cruise but instead just relax before heading back to the centre. we stopped at a dunking donuts before heading to alone beach area, the main tourist area with bars and beach, later meeting Bae there. yes more lively but the beach isn't so nice, small and busy, unlike our quite chilled area.

ALONA BEACH

the next day we got up extra early and went to the port to get a ticket for the ferry to Siquijor. unfortunately they were all sold out! we could only go the next day. **NOTE** BUY 2 DAYS IN ADVANCE. 

Instead we booked a cheap city centre hotel - a double room, it included breakfast. we left in our bags and got a jeepney back up to the Lombok area and got a tuktuk to the see the twin bamboo bridges. unfortunately en route, my friend realised her dropped his spare phone with his Chinese SIM card. 

Daffy's place 

https://www.booking.com/hotel/ph/daffy-39-s-place.en-gb.html?aid=356980;label=gog235jc-1DCAsotAFCEGRhZmZ5LTM5LXMtcGxhY2VIM1gDaIkCiAEBmAEJuAEHyAEN2AED6AEBiAIBqAIDuAKOjc_9BcACAdICJDdkNDQyODliLWQ5MzAtNDk3Yi05NmM5LTI1MjA0NmJiNGM0NdgCBOACAQ;sid=868dd310933f6bbc632f762ebfd75961;dist=0&group_adults=2&keep_landing=1&sb_price_type=total&type=total&

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1066348-d12841167-Reviews-Daffy_s_Place-Tagbilaran_City_Bohol_Island_Bohol_Province_Visayas.html

Sipatan Twin Hanging Bridge

2 twin 40m bamboo hanging bridges that cross the loboc river. after the first bridge there's a small market area with souvenirs, you can even buy some bugs to try...if you dare!

After this we took a jeepney headed towards the centre and jumped off at the butterfly sanctuary, it's super cheap and includes a free tour that's super informative and fun. with the guide helping us take lots of pictures and even letting us hold or stroke some of the animals. you first walk into a large butterfly inclosure, we were given a detailed explanation about the butterfly life cycle, and even informed that one of the butterfly breeds mate for 24 hours straight! crazy!

https://www.bohol-philippines.com/butterfly-sanctuaries.html

our guide took some fun pictures for us making it look like we had butterfly wings and at the umbrella ceiling entrance. after the butterfly section there's some other animals, we were able to see the rare national Philippine eagle, the rufuos hornbill, known locally as the Kalaw, and some of the Philippines  flying fox bats, one of the worlds largest bat species in the world, along with some huge snakes which we could take pictures with. 

 

https://www.philippineeaglefoundation.org/the-philippine-eagle

https://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-what-you-need-to-know-about-that-human-sized-bat-going-viral

https://www.birdlife.org/asia/news/critically-endangered-hornbill-becomes-community-flagship-forest-conservation

we headed back to the centre and randomly went to a shopping mall which was holding a show for Chinese new year. there was even a chinese dragon, which when we bumped into the dancers outside let us try it! we headed back to our room and later on went for a walk coming across a small local market full of 2nd hand clothes stalls, some food vendors and lots of random betting games.