The Philippines

From Negros it is very easy to get a fast ferry boat to Tagbilaran, Bohol. It takes only 1 hour and the boat goes at least 2 time a day. In the harbour of Dumaguette you can buy tickets for the boat all day. In Bohol we first went to Panglao island for a few days. From Tagbilaran many buses drive to Panglao for p250.
We thought Panglao Island was an ideal opportunity to relax 2 or 3 days on the beach. And it was quit relaxing indeed, but only for a few days. We stayed at Hotel Plays Blanca, in the more touristic area of Alona Beach. There is not really much to do and to see here, but the atmosphere is pretty good.

On the beach are some good spots to lay down, but you have to conquer the (sand)flies. For diving this is a good spot I think. I did a trial dive here, which was a great experience. My first one ever. The water was amazingly blue and we did see loads of fish and even 2 sharks. These are rare in this area, so it appeared I was very lucky to see them here. My Canadian dive instructor Captain Kirk was very relaxed and showed me some good spots between the corals. It won't be hard to find Captain Kirk, because everyone knows him and he is always walking around with his white 'captain's hat'.

Alona Beach at nightfall

From Alona Beach we took the local bus back to Tagbilaran, from where we took another bus to Loboc. On the internet we read about a good place to stay, run by 3 Belgians. We wanted to check that place out and it turned out to be a great spot to stay for 5 days. This place called 'The Nuts Huts'  and had just opened a few weeks before. They build a few 'cabanas' just next to the Loboc river. From here you can go to the Chocolate Hills, rent a bike, make a boattrip over the river and walk around in the Loboc area.  

 

Just a view of the Loboc River	Even the water is good for a swim

From Loboc we went to the Chocolate Hills. It is about 25 kilometers away, so for the sporty people it is possible to do this on a bike. Since we are not that sporty, we took the bus. The Chocolate Hills are a strange phenomenon. There are about 1250 (!!!) hills, which are almost of the same hight, overgrown with grass. At the end of the dry season the grass turns brown, so they look like (with a little bit of phantasy) chocolate hills. No one knows exactly how these hills came here, but of course there is an old legend which goes like this: 'Arogo, a young and very strong giant fell in love with an ordinary mortal girl called Aloya. After she died, the giant Arogo cried bitterly. The Chocolate Hills are claimed to be the proof of Arogo's grief, for his tears turned into hills'.  

On one hill the Philippine Government build a hotel with a high viewpoint. The hotel itself is not recommendable, but from the viewpoint you have a marvellous view over the more than 1200 hills.

The Chocolate Hills, after the rainy season (so not brown yet).    On Bohol you can also find the smallest monkey of the world, which is called the Tarsier. This animal is not much bigger than a fist. It's eyes are very big and his feet/hands look like  it is only bones. They are blind and only respond to moving things around the,  so don't wiggle your finger in front of it (just like I did!!). It thinks your fingers are food.

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