Summer is in a few weeks’ time and everybody is surely thinking of their own ultimate summer holiday getaway. While most of us may be wishing to visit tourist destinations abroad such as Hongkong, Singapore, Malaysia or Thailand, which are among the top destinations in the Southeast Asia, I highly recommend that we visit our tourist spots here in the Philippines. Through this, we can support local tourism and at the same time make ourselves aware that our country has a wealth of exquisite locations which we can all be truly proud of.
In fact, we don’t need a catchy tourism slogan such as “WOW Philippines” or even the controversial “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” to speak for our beautiful and breathtaking sceneries, pristine beaches and historical sites. The wonders of the Palawan caves, the stretch of the clean and clear waters of the Loboc River, or the historic structures of Vigan are just few of the many local spots which are picture-perfect images that are no less to famous and world renowned tourist destinations outside of the country.
Boracay Island may be number one in everybody’s tourist wish list because of its white sand beaches, but there’s one place in the Visayan region I consider as my ultimate getaway destination and that is the lovely island of Bohol. I got to come to Tagbilaran City when we visited my best friend’s home when we were still in college. It was both work and leisure as we also completed a tourism audio-video presentation about Bohol as a class project.
As an island, Bohol is surrounded by a long line of beaches. Bohol boasts of its own stretch of white sand beaches found in the small island of Panglao, which is located southwest of the island of Bohol and east of Cebu. The island, which is still part of the Bohol province is divided into two municipalities, Dauis and Panglao. When we were there during our visit, we were able to enjoy and relax at the Panglao Island Natures Park and Spa, which is the best resort in the island. It’s a perfect venue for those who are in a honeymoon vacation, or for families or groups of friends just wanting to relax and enjoy the beach.
Another famous location in Bohol is the mythological Chocolate Hills that, according to one of four legends, were formed when two giants “hurled rocks, boulders, and sand at each other. The fighting lasted for days, and exhausted the two giants. In their exhaustion, they forgot about their feud and became friends, but when they left they forgot to clean up the mess they had made during their battle, hence the Chocolate Hills.” As of the latest survey, there are 1,776 hills which can be best viewed in two locations which are the Sagbayan Peak and in Carmen, Batuan. They are called chocolate hills because the hills dry up during the dry season. Meanwhile, they are covered with green grass during the rainy season.
The town of Loboc is also a must-see site for Bohol tourists, as it is popular for its floating restaurants along the scenic and unsoiled Loboc River. Aside from this, Loboc is also known to be the home of the world’s smallest primate, the tarsier, in the Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella. A few kilometres away from the sanctuary is the Bilar Man-Made Forest, which is a stretch of road way covered with tall mahogany trees giving it a cool shade.
Getting around Bohol is very easy. Both the airport and seaport are found within the capital city of Tagbilaran, and transfers to and from these points is readily available. The province offers a wealth of accommodations, whether tourists are looking for reasonably priced or expensive places to stay at during their visit. Aside from nature tripping, tourists can also go around the city for shopping and dining in malls and local eateries that are found within Tagbilaran.
Those who have been to Bohol will certainly agree with me that it is indeed an ultimate getaway destination. So for those who haven’t been there, visit Bohol and enjoy all the tourist spots this summer!