Superwomom: Going Back to Bohol

Ramir and I had our first taste of Bohol in 2003. We had our honeymoon there. It was love at first sight. We promised to return. Nine years after, we're back with our two kids in tow.

Then and Now

After our little glitch with Airphilexpress (you may read it here), we accepted our fate. We boarded the 5am flight of PAL bound for Bohol. We were pleasantly surprised that the 3 of us (we're a party of six), were flying business class. Ramir told me that I can accompany the Rainbow Sisters and he'll be with Yayay and L. Ok, I knew I wouldn't be able to afford business class, or the practical, uhmmm, should I say the makunat person in me wouldn't go for it. So to be able to get an upgrade for free was really a nice treat, especially after what happened. For the record, I wrote about the incident and emailed it to their customer service. I didn't hear from them and I didn't follow up. I didn't ask for anything. If the upgrade has anything to do with the incident, or it was just a stroke of luck, I'm still grateful. Because really, I've moved on and they don't need to do it.

Business Class
Ganito pala ang business class, sosyal! Spacious. Only two seats per row. You'll have decent food, you can choose your drink. You can read the newspaper and best of all you have your own TV monitor. It was the first time that I wished the flight was a little bit longer. The sisters had a grand time.

Ready for take off

The good thing about a 5am flight is that we're in Bohol early. We got to maximize our van service and we were able to start and end our tour early.

We contacted Tatsky Cubero (09157945556) for our tour. And he gave us Kuya Jojo Mendez (09176339502) to be our driver and guide. Super kind and very accommodating. He picked us up at the airport and we immediately started our day.

Day 1 - Panglao Tour
Since our hotel was in Panglao, we decided to do the Panglao Tour. We finished the tour by 2pm. We checked in at Alona Swiss Resort, took a nap and by 5pm we're all up. We visited Alona Beach, a good 8 to 10 minutes walk from our hotel. The place was like a mini Boracay, far from how it was 9 years ago. The Alona Tropical side (farthest end of the beach) was probably the one place that hasn't changed much. But nevertheless, it still has its charms. Ganda ng Pinas!

Dauis Church and Grounds
Probably one of the oldest churches in Bohol. I love visiting old churches. It's like reading a novel of Rizal and seeing the churches come to life.

Some of the church's details

Looking around

Enjoying the grounds

Bayoyoy Visit
We went to see the Philippines' smallest man. This was more like a charity visit. Donations are not required but any amount would be helpful to him and his family. If you're curious, like we were, you can drop by and meet him. But I must say, this part of the tour, is skippable.

Hinagdanan Cave
Amazing rock formations. Stalactites and stalagmites galore. Their guide was very good in explaining the facts and myths about the cave and he took good pictures too.

Nova Shell Museum
Shell collections. All shapes and sizes. Good educational treat for the kids.

Panglao Church
Another old church with very nice interiors. I love old churches for its romanticism and Spanish-era vibe.

Bohol Bee Farm
When Ramir and I went here in 2003, there wasn't much to see yet. What they did to the place was very impressive. From just few rooms, it now has not several well-appointed ones. It also has a restaurant, a bakery, a playground, and a covered pool. We had our late lunch here. I love their breads and spreads. And their cabcab (made from cassava flour that tastes like kropek). And they have red rice too. Since I don't eat white rice anymore, this was the most pleasant treat for me.

We went around the place. My kids had a grand time with the hammock. We sampled some ice cream and took home some bread.

Alona Swiss Resort
It was an 8 to 10 minutes walk to Alona beach. But we loved the place because it was the cheapest and has the best offer. It was like a mini apartment with two rooms, two bathrooms, a functional kitchen and a living room with a tv set. All these for 2400 a night. The best part is, they have a pool and the kids were all so glad . Ayaw na ngang umuwi ni S. Truly, value for money.