Bohol Adventure 2013

It's the time of the year to take a vacation, and this time my partner and I selected Bohol. Starting last year, we chose the month of July to take a break, because it is less crowded, and less expensive (you can bargain for prices on activities and services like transport and island hopping). Follow us on this 4 days, 3 nights journey and you will only spend P18K per person, which includes:

1. Zest Air round trip air tickets- MNL-TAG-MNL- P2800 per person.
2. Panglao Palms Apartelle accommodation- we booked mid- March 2013 for a studio type room @ P1,450 per night, including breakfast.
3. Kuya Joseph, our driver from Ramyer Travel & Tour- +63939- 4260110

Kuya Joseph is always on-time, funny, organized, chatty and respectful. So we gave him generous tips of P200 a day for the 3 days that we hired him (there were only 2 of us). The drivers only get 20% of the price, no wages. When he doesn't have any tours, he doesn't have money.

Please request for a good vehicle and he toured us with a clean and almost brand-new Nissan Estate Van and Isuzu Crosswind. Since Bohol is a mountainous place (and our rears hurt from all the bumpy rides, he suggested using van or suv as service and gave us generous discounts since it is off-season (June-Sept).

During the peak season (Oct-May) you cannot haggle for prices as tourists will snap up the vehicles and activities for their original price (rental vans @ P3,500). Also, please book your island hopping tour with Kuya Joseph as my day 2 was messed up early morning. 

Day 1- Airport pick-up, Tour: 

• Blood Compact, 
• Baclayon Church, 
• Loboc Mini Zoo, featuring Prony the snake. Also have a snack at the Black Forest Hut- fantastic and authentic German sausages with curry sauce and fries, fresh garlic and chocolate ice cream on a malunggay cup! 
• Butterfly sanctuary
• Loboc river tour with floating restaurant 
• Loboc museum
• Loboc Church of San Pedro
• Chocolate Hills
• Tarsier
• Ship Haus
• drop off at accommodation. 930am-530pm. 2 yr old Nissan Estate van service- P2,000

We had dinner in our room courtesy of Alberto's Pizza. Mmmm... Generous toppings with dough that resembles your P5 pizza back in the day.

Day 2- The boatman angered me by showing up at 650am instead of 530am! Book the island hopping tour with Kuya Joseph instead.

• Island hopping tour with snorkeling, includes going to Balicasag and Virgin island. P1,300 for the boat and P200 each for the snorkeling tour, my partner didn't go snorkeling, but still paid for the mini boat. The boatman had to row, so give generously!  
• Eat sea urchin or uni at Virgin Island and dip in coconut vinegar, P20 only! This is a half day tour which ends around 11am-12pm. We took the tricycle from Alona Beach to the apartelle @ P170.
• We showered and walked to Bohol Bee Farm (our tricycle driver didn't show up), had lunch, tour and bought lots of good food to take home from there. Special tricycle by the info counter, P250. 

Delivery dinner by Chicken Ati-Atihan. Bohol's version of Mang Inasal. Nothing special. Although their lechon kawali is good.

Day 3-  We started our day at 6am, Kuya Joseph was already there at 550am.
Danao Adventure Park + Panglao Island tour = P4000, toured using 2 yr old Isuzu Crosswind.
Dauis to Danao takes 2 hrs and we enjoyed some of their activities:

• Entrance fee- P25/pax
• Cable car- P250/pax
• Suislide- P350/pax
• River Kayak- P300/pax- pls. request for a guide to help you as there is a strong current. Please give your guide P100 because the activity is tiring and they only receive minimum wage of P220/day.

Panglao tour takes you to Hinagdanan Cave. Great place to buy your souvenir shirts, starting at P99 only!

We headed back to our resting place at about 230pm.

Delivery dinner by Chicken Ati-Atihan- cheese sticks, grilled squid with generous fillings of green tomatoes, onion. Mmmm! Approve!

Day 4- Tagbilaran City tour- BQ Mall and Island City Mall tour + Airport transfer = P500 pesos. Just give Kuya Joseph at least P100 pesos.

*To avoid the hassle of your contact not showing up (like the boatman and tricycle) ask your hotel contact
to do this on your behalf. As for the transportation, Kuya Joseph is outstanding and passionate about his job,
and you will definitely enjoy Bohol with him!

*The tourist spots have entrance fees, so please bring smaller change, as they tend to frown on P1,000 bills.

More photos here:  https://picasaweb.google.com/105103536931113842359/BoholTour2013July1720?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Thanks for reading!