Puerto Princesa, Palawan: KaLui Restaurant

Before heading to Palawan, a lot of my friends told me that I MUST have at least one of my meals in my three-day stay at Puerto Princesa, at KaLui Restaurant. They said that a visit to Puerto Princesa is never complete without the KaLui “experience.”

So the moment we arrived at our hotel, we asked one of the staff about KaLui. They quickly told us that if we wanted to have our dinner at the restaurant, we would need to call for reservation.

The staff at Raq Pensionne was kind enough to make the call and make sure that we would be able to experience the feast at 6pm that day.

We were the first to arrive that evening. Unlike your usual restaurants which are open from day to night, KaLui is only open from 11 am to 2 pm for lunch, and 6 pm to 11 pm for dinner. They are also ready to serve their patrons daily, except on Sundays. Since the restaurant only serves meals at limited hours each day, there is a NEED to make a reservation, as early as possible. When we were there the place was packed, so it would be impossible to dine without making a call.

What also makes KaLui exceptional is its “look” or ambiance, as the restaurant is actually a HUGE wooden house, divided into several areas. Despite the rainy weather when we arrived, there was something in the restaurant that reminded me of summer. Maybe its because of the colorful decors and the random fruits artistically placed all over the restaurant.

The tables and seats were also a feast for the eyes, as they were not all the same. The chairs and tables are of different heights, and different designs. Guests could also sit on the pillows and have their meal, Japanese style.

As for the cleanliness of the floor, there’s no need to worry. One of the restaurant’s staff is assigned in the receiving area to take the guests’ footwear and place them in tiny wooden shoeboxes. Yes, KaLui’s diners have to roam around, barefoot.

When we checked out the menu, we noticed that KaLui serves a wide array of seafood. We wanted to try a lot of KaLui’s dishes, but we didn’t want to over-order. So instead of ordering the main viands, we just had the “Choice Catch,” which is a set meal, allowing you to have a taste of KaLui’s seafood with some side dishes.

In the “Choice Catch,” you have to choose from four kinds of seafood, and this would serve as your main dish. And these are Tuna Steak, Fish Cordon Bleu, Shrimps, and Blue Marlin.

I had the Shrimps with rice, some veggies, and seaweeds. My mom on the other hand, had the Blue Marlin with mashed potato (I think the green toppings are avocado bits), veggies, and seaweeds.

For our drinks, my mom had the avocado shake while I ordered the mango shake.

To be honest, there was nothing spectacular about KaLui’s meals. It was delicious, and the seafood was fresh. But it wasn’t something that would stand out when compared to other seafood restaurants.

What makes KaLui worth visiting is the presentation of its VERY HEALTHY meals, and the restaurant’s interesting look. It was like a native art museum, with a few paintings and little knick-knacks which also serve as art decors. What fascinated me most was the arrangement of fruits in the restaurant, which also adds color and beauty to the place.

Don’t get me wrong, the food was really tasty, and it’s enough to make me visit KaLui again in my next trip to Puerto Princesa. It’s just that, the way the seafood was cooked is also similar to how our own mothers would cook our food. It’s not the best, but it would remind you of home.

Oh by the way, KaLui also serves some complimentary fruits after the meal, which is placed inside a coconut shell (and I think it’s sprinkled with cinnamon powder). Thumbs up for that!:)

Total bill: P583 (for two)

KaLui Restaurant

369 Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

(048) 433-2580/+63928-753-9621

—ms. eaturista—

Puerto Princesa, Palawan: Badjao Seafront Restaurant

The Badjao Seafront Restaurant in Puerto Princesa, Palawan is one of the most recommended restaurants in the city. It is placed above a mangrove habitat, and is also facing the sea. Despite the warm weather in Palawan during our visit, there was a sudden change in temperature once we entered the restaurant as the mangroves help to keep it cool.

The restaurant specializes in seafood, so I expected to have the freshest and the tastiest fishes, crabs, and squids.

We ordered a set meal for four, even though we were only three. This was probably one of the healthiest (and heaviest) meals I ever had.

Included in the set meal are the halaan or clam soup, ensaladang talong (eggplant) with onions and tomatoes, crabs, sizzling squid, and a fish with seaweeds on the side. Fresh fruits were served for dessert.

The clam soup tasted a lot like sea water.=P I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to taste that way, but I’m not a fan of clams so I gave my share to my companions.

The ensaladang talong tasted like your ordinary eggplant, except that it has a slightly sour taste.

We don’t know what the fish was. It was good, though not exceptional. It just tasted like your average fish. I liked the seaweeds though. It was fresh, and I had fun bursting the seaweeds in my mouth.:)

I liked the crabs (with oyster sauce?) and the sizzling squid best.

As you will see in the next photo, the crabs were FILLED with aligue, or crab fat, which would surely make your cholesterol level shoot up. The crab meat has a sweet, salty taste because of the sauce. Being the youngest in the group, I was OBLIGATED to eat this all by myself. (As if I would say no.:D)

The squid also tasted great, and it was cooked just right, making it easy to chew. I hate squids which are overcooked, they usually become rubbery, and I get choked just trying to swallow them.

For drinks, we had the fresh buko (coconut) juice, and for dessert, we had some fresh fruits which were really sweet that even though our tummies were about to burst, we managed to eat a few slices.

I also love the restaurant’s interiors, with the colorful cloths hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant itself looks like a giant bahay kubo, with large windows.

We spent P1,232 for the entire meal. That would be P308 per person, if four persons had the meal. Don’t worry, they have big servings so it would be enough to satisfy your tummy.:)

Note: Ask the staff in your hotel if they could bring you to the restaurant, or ask a tricycle to wait for you. It’s a bit far from the city proper and the main road.

Badjao Seafront Restaurant

Abueg Road, Puerto Princesa City

(048) 433-9912

—ms. eaturista—

 

Hong Kong Disneyland: A Dream Come True

“A dream is a wish your heart makes

When you’re fast asleep.

In dreams you lose your heartaches

Whatever you wish for, you keep.

Have faith in your dreams and someday

Your rainbow will come smiling thru.

No matter how your heart is grieving

If you keep on believing

The dream that you wish will come true.”

-Cinderella

When I was a little kid, I regularly watched Cinderella and Snow White, Lion King and Aladdin, and the Disney TV Series. Growing up, I continued to watch Disney movies, such as Dumbo, Mulan, Pocahontas, Toy Story, and Beauty and the Beast. I’m also a fan of Disney movies like Mary Poppins, The Parent Trap, The Love Bug, and the 101 Dalmatians, and even now that I’m in my early 20s, Toy Story 3, Up, and Enchanted still wakes up the kid in me. I could go on and on, But this might end up as a list of Disney movies.

I was not only a Disney baby. I was a Disney toddler, kid, pre-teen, teenager, and now, a “Disney adult.” My age has nothing to do with my love for Disney. There’s just a “switch” in my heart that goes on everytime I watch Disney movies.

So when I found out that I had to go to Hong Kong for work, I told myself that whatever happens and no matter how busy we could get, I HAVE to visit Disneyland. I just have to.

And so even though I had to go to Disneyland by myself since my companions have already visited the place a year ago, I decided to go on with my journey. I thought that I would be lonely, going around Disneyland by myself. On the contrary, I was able to fully enjoy the experience, and going on a trip alone, in a foreign place is an achievement that I am definitely proud of!

I came from Madam Tussauds during the earlier part of the day, and I left the place at around 2:30 pm. I was rushing since I wanted to reach Disneyland by 4pm, just in time for the parade. I rode the tram from The Peak Tower, a bus to the Pier, and walked to the MTR Hong Kong Station. I can’t remember the exact fare from the Hong Kong Station to the Disneyland Station, maybe because of excitement, but I’m sure that it’s more than HK$20. The ride is about 30 to 45 minutes long. From Hong Kong Station, we had to come down at Sunny Bay station, and transfer to the Disney train that was especially made for Disneyland. That’s sooo cool.:) *geekmode*

I reached Disneyland at exactly 4pm. It was HOT, HOT, HOT. I was sweating, but the sun was not strong enough to kill my excitement. I was smiling from ear-to-ear when I reached the Disney arch. I took a few pictures, then I rushed to the entrance since I could hear some music, and I knew the parade has already started.

When I entered Disneyland, I thought that I missed the “Flights of Fantasy Parade” but when I asked one of the staff, it was just about to end. So I waited near the entrance, exactly where the parade was going to end. And then, I saw it. It was coming in my direction, with Dumbo leading the Disney characters. I felt so much joy that I couldn’t help but SOB (yes, sob). It was my childhood dream, turning into reality. There they were, out of the movie and TV screens, and I was literally bursting with happiness. The festive mood made my heart swell, and I just couldn’t stop crying until the parade ended.

I didn’t know what to do next after the parade. So I walked along “Main Street, USA.” Disneyland is divided into four areas, with Main Street nearest the entrance, while the others are Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. I wanted to visit each shop along Main Street, but it was TOO HOT, so I decided to look for the “Theater in the Wild” and watch one of Hong Kong Disneyland’s stage shows, “The Festival of the Lion King.”

I found the theater in Adventureland. But I was too early since the show starts at 6 pm. So I headed back to Main Street to check out which Disney characters are there, so I could have my picture taken with them. Since I arrived late, I wasn’t expecting the best characters to be around. But to my surprise, both Mickey and Minnie were theeere! I was so happy that I patiently waited for 30 minutes in line just to have my picture taken with both of them.:)

It was already quarter to six when I had my picture taken, so I went back to the Theater in the Wild to watch The Festival of the Lion King. There were a lot of people there, so it’s best to be around the theater 20 minutes before the show.

The show is at the center of the theater, and it’s like a stadium, with the people seated around the stage. I didn’t know what to expect, but I decided to take my friends’ advice, since they said that this was the best stage show among those that are being presented in Hong Kong Disneyland. (The other shows are “The Golden Mickeys” and “Stitch Encounter.”)

In The Festival of The Lion King, the people remind Simba about he’s journey before he became King. It was a musical play, and the actors were really incredible. I expected it to be a simple stage play, but it was like a Broadway show, with the amazing props, lights, and stage. The stage actors sang and danced really well, and I really, really wanted to record the entire play on video, if I just wasn’t saving my battery for the castle illumination and the fireworks display.

The actors sang the original Lion King songs, and again, I was in teeeears.

After the show, I walked around Disneyland, and decided not to line up in any of the rides, since it will eat up a lot of my time. Maybe I’ll be able to take some of the rides in my next visit.:D

I ended up at the Fantasy Gardens in Fantasyland, where you could take more pictures with the Disney characters. Mickey was there and Minnie was also there, but since I was already satisfied with my picture with both of them, I decided to have my photo with Goofy (a very heavy goofy), and Winnie the Pooh. The lines were short, and I was able to have my pictures taken with both characters in 15 to 20 minutes.

I then walked towards Tomorrowland. But even before I reached the area, I saw something in Fantasyland that caught my attention. Lights. So I tried to find out what they were, and I saw this village filled with Christmas Lights. It was one of Disneyland’s famous attractions: “It’s A Small World.” One would ride a boat that would go through several areas, where there are hundreds of dolls dancing and singing, “It’s a small world,” in different languages. The areas are divided according to continents, with “underwater world” and “the islands: included.:D The last area is all white, but there wasn’t any label (unless I missed it), so I guess that would be heaven.

I was happy to see some Filipina dolls singing the song in Tagalog.:)

I then walked towards Tomorrowland and had my dinner at the Comet Cafe where they serve Chinese food, such as the soy chicken with rice that I had. It costs around HK$58, plus $HK22 for the bottled iced tea.

After dinner, I went in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle just in time for “Tinker Bell’s Castle Illumination.” The lights in Disneyland were turned off at exactly 8:30. And then, Tinker Bell showered her magical pixie dust on the castle, making it a magical evening for all of Mickey’s visitors.:)

But that’s not all. After the illumination, at around 9pm, everyone sat around the castle to watch the “Disney in the Stars” Fireworks. For the third time that day, the “Disney princess” cried.:) I tried to take in everything that’s happening, as the fireworks display lit the sky for about 20 minutes. What made my heart swell (again) were the Disney songs playing in the background, together with the fireworks, and the Disney castle seen in different colored lights.

“A whole new world

A new fantastic point of view

No one to tell us “no,” or where to

Or say we’re only dreaming.

A whole new world

A dazzling place I never knew

But when I’m way up here

It’s crystal clear

That now I’m in a whole new world with you.”

-Aladdin

It’s been a week since I visited Disneyland, and I still think and dream about it. I still sing random Disney songs, or have them stuck in my head. I was really bursting with happiness, and I couldn’t help but be excited and think about my next visit to Disneyland, whenever that may be.:)

“Up where they walk

Up where they run

Up where they stay all day in the sun

Wandering free

Wish I could be

Part of that world.”

-The Little Mermaid

Hong Disneyland one-day ticket: HK$400

Park hours: 10:00am to 9:00pm

Hong Kong Disneyland website

As of Aug. 12, 2011: HK$1 = P5.45 (source: BSP)

—ms. eaturista—

Hong Kong: Madam Tussauds

I’ve been wanting to visit Madam Tussauds ever since I found out that they’ve put up a branch in Hong Kong. I can’t remember the first time that I heard about the wax museum, but I always wanted to visit one of its branches, and I was hoping that I’ll be able to have the chance to visit the one in Hong Kong since it’s the nearest one to the Philippines.

So last weekend, when I had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong, thanks to my work, I made sure that I’d be able to go to Madam Tussauds.

Madam Tussauds is located at the Peak Tower, which means that we’ll also be able to ride the famous tram to get there!:)

At around 11:30 am last Saturday, a friend and I headed to the Star Ferry Pier in Kowloon. We were staying at the Marco Polo Hotel Hong Kong, and the pier was just behind the hotel. We had to pay HK$2.40 each for the ferry ride to the Central Pier which lasts for only about 10 minutes.

When we arrived at the Central Pier, we walked towards Pier 8. Right in front of Pier 8 is the bus stop for bus 15C, which goes to Garden Road at the Peak Tram Station. The fare per person is HK$4.20. Hong Kong Buses require the exact amount of fare, or else, you won’t get your change. The trip from the pier to the tram station takes about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on traffic.

We were surprised when we arrived at the tram station. There were a LOT of people. So I think it would be best to go on a weekday, or make sure that you’re going really early if you plan to be there on a weekend.

A two-way ride in the tram costs around HK$30. The regular entrance fee to Madam Tussauds is HK$160. But we availed of Madam Tussauds special offer, the “2-in-1 combo package”(two-way peak tram + admission ticket) which costs HK$185.

We waited for more than 30 minutes before we were able to ride the tram, which I thought was kind of fast since with the huge crowd, I expected that we would have to wait for about an hour.

“The Peak Tram, one of the world’s oldest and most famous funicular railways, rises to 396 metres (about 1,300 feet) above sea level. It is so steep that the buildings you pass look like they are leaning as you travel on a gradient of between 4 to 27 degrees.” – Peak Tram flier

The tram goes all the way up to the Victoria gap, where you can have a beautiful view of Hong Kong’s buildings. It is like riding on a roller coaster, although a bit slower. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the top. While a tram ride would certainly hurt your lower back, it is also a one-of-a-kind experience that tourists shouldn’t miss.

Upon reaching the Peak Tower, we headed straight to Madam Tussauds. The first figure that one would see is Jackie Chan. Personal cameras however are not allowed to be used when taking photos with Jackie Chan. A professional photographer would be there to take the picture, and a hard copy can be purchased near the exit of the wax museum. But for the rest of the wax figures, personal cameras can be used.:)

Madam Tussauds museum is divided into several areas. You can meet Kung Fu Stars, such as Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and of course, Jackie Chan.

You could also hug some Hollywood stars such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Humphrey Bogart, Pierce Brosnan, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Eddie Murphy, Johnny Depp, and Robert Pattinson.

There’s also no need to wish for time machines as you can have your pictures taken with historical figures such as Mozart, Pablo Picasso, William Shakespeare, and Madam Tussaud herself.

For sports enthusiasts, there’s Yao Ming, David Beckham, Muhammad Ali, and Tiger Woods.

Feel like a star with music icons like The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

There’s also no need to have an appointment with royalties and world leaders such as Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, Mahatma Gandhi, Bill Clinton, and Barrack Obama. You can also find Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein there.;)

You can also have your pictures taken with cartoon characters such as Spiderman and Astroboy, and other Asian and Hong Kong stars. (We honestly don’t know who they are.:D)

You would be able to see all the wax figures in 45 minutes to one hour. Quite short, but since there are only a few wax museums in the world, this is really worth it!:)

For more information about Madam Tussauds and The Peak Tram, visit:

http://www.madametussauds.com/HongKong/en/Default.aspx

http://www.thepeak.com.hk/en/5_5_1.asp

As of Aug. 12, 2011: HK$1 = P5.45 (source: BSP)

—ms. eaturista—

Bohol: Bohol Bee Farm

We had the Panglao Island tour on our second day in Bohol, and included in the itinerary list is a visit to the Bohol Bee Farm.

I’ve heard a lot of great things about the Bee Farm, that’s why even though we arrived there at 10 am, early for lunch, I insisted that we stay there for a while and have our afternoon meal.

The Bohol Bee Farm has restaurants, a bakeshop, a souvenir shop, and an ice cream store. They also have an area where they make their own crafts. Of course worth mentioning is the huge garden where they practice organic farming.

Our first stop: the bakeshop. The store was filled with different colors, food, and even crafts, that it was so hard to decide which area to check out first. The different kinds of spread caught our attention, and the shop has a free taste test for these products. We all think that the Pesto Spread was the best.

They also sell different kinds of honey, but we weren’t able to buy any since we were too busy looking at all the other stuff.

Just right beside the bakeshop is the souvenir store, which has products like mats, baskets, home decorations, accessories, key chains, and other kinds of souvenirs. Most of their products are made by their own staff in the livelihood area.

We still wanted to stay and look at the products, but we had a scheduled tour, inside the farm, at 11am. So we left the shop and joined our tour group.

Our guide first explained that they have organically-grown products in the farm, which they also use in their meals in the restaurants. She also said that some of the flowers grown in the farm are used in their salads. And yes, the flowers are edible.:)

The most exciting part of the tour was when our guide showed us their bee boxes. And they contain hundreds (or thousands) of bees. Well this is why it’s called the Bee Farm.=P They gather honey from these bees, which they sell at their bakeshop and use at their restaurant. I barely understood what our guide was talking about since I was too focused on not getting stung.

We also headed to the handicraft production area, where there were some staff busy making the products being sold in the Bee Farm’s shop.

After the tour, we headed to the farm’s Bamboo Restaurant to have our lunch. And it wasn’t just a meal, it was an EXPERIENCE.:)

We had a beautiful view of the sea from the open-space restaurant, and we really felt relaxed the moment we arrived. We had this sudden urge to extend our stay at the Bee Farm.=P

We ordered the famous organic garden salad with honey mustard dressing; honey glazed chicken served with organic red rice, boiled camote (sweet potato), and the garden salad; and fresh herb pasta.

The organic salad (P160-single order) has actual flowers mixed with it. I expected it to have a bitter taste, but surprisingly, it was really good! The flowers tasted like all the other vegetables, and the dressing has a sweet, tangy taste that went perfectly well with the salad. They also serve this with three slices of bread (I forgot to ask what kind of bread it was), with pesto and mango spread. It was gone in 15 minutes.:)

They had a generous serving of the honeyglazed chicken (P220), with three pieces for each order. It was juicy and had a similar taste to chicken barbeque since it also tasted sweet.

We were surprised with the fresh herb pasta (P190) since we expected it to taste like pesto pasta. Instead, it had a bitter taste, and we even asked the waitress if they mixed some flowers while cooking the pasta. I liked this least.

Finally, for desert, we had their homemade ice cream (P70), and we shared one cone with two scoops, in buko (coconut) and avocado flavors. It was served in a “Cabcab” cone, made from cassava.

The ice cream was HEAVENLY. HEAVENLY. HEAVENLY. (Yes, that’s it. HEAVENLY.) ❤

The lunch at the Bee Farm was the best meal we had during our three-day stay in Bohol. Make sure that this is included in your next visit to Bohol!

They also have room accommodations. Check out http://www.boholbeefarm.com for their room rates.

P.s. Also, check out their comfort room signs. ❤

<img class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-92″ title=”

Bohol Bee Farm, Dao, Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol

—ms. eaturista—

Bohol: Prawn Farm Restaurant

On our first night in Bohol, right after our countryside tour, we decided to have our dinner at the Prawn Farm Restaurant, located at the second floor of Island City Mall. It is one of the most (if not the only) recommended restaurants in Tagbilaran City.

The Prawn Farm Restaurant is placed between your usual fastfood chains, and it really stood out because it looks like a fine dining restaurant. We were hesitant to enter thinking that the food might be too expensive. But, thanks to the menu which was placed outside the restaurant, we immediately saw that there were meals that ranged from P150 to P300 each.:)

Placed near the entrance of the restaurant are seafood tanks which contained fresh fish, prawns, crabs. etc. This assured us that the food that will be served are really fresh, and not frozen or preserved.

Although the Prawn Farm also serves chicken, pork, and beef, we decided to focus on seafoods since the restaurant seems to be really well known for it.

We ordered the seafood bouillabaisse (Why does it have to be spelled this way?), prawns in chili garlic sauce, and sizzling blue marlin. We also ordered their yang chow fried rice.

I’d say that the seafood bouillabaisse is the best. It was really tasty, and perfect for the then cold weather. It was drizzling the entire day, so the soup was perfect for the night.

Not only do they have a generous serving of the bouillabaisse (around P150+ for six servings), they also filled it with different kinds of seafoods, such as squids and crabs.

The prawns also tasted great, but one order is only equivalent to four pieces, and I expected more.

Three pieces of blue marlin were served to us in a sizzling plate. It was fresh and it was delicious. But it wasn’t really the best of its kind, since it just tasted like your usual blue marlin.

The yang chow fried rice, good for three people, also tasted great, but again, it’s nothing to rave about.

I wasn’t able to get the exact price for each, but we spent P704 for everything. Not bad, considering that three hungry tourists were able to feast on this meal.:)

The Prawn Farm also has some set meals, which includes rice, some seafood and veggies, soup, and drinks, for P250 each.

Overall, we enjoyed our Prawn Farm experience, and it’s definitely worth re-visiting. You should have your own Prawn Farm experience too!:)

—ms. eaturista—

Bohol: Panglao Island Tour

We started our second day in Bohol by visiting the Blood Compact “Sandugo” Shrine in Tagbilaran City. Photos of this shrine are usually seen in our elementary books, specifically for the History subject.

The Sandugo visit was originally part of the countryside tour, but we spent a lot of time buying our pasalubongs, so we decided to see the shrine on our second day.

By the time we got there, there were so much visitors trying to have their pictures taken beside the monument. It was so stressful watching everyone trying to have the best shots, and making sure that there were no “extra people” in their pictures, which was close to impossible. So just like them, we weren’t able to take great photos as well.

Next, we visited the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Dauis.

Bohol has a LOT of old churches, but this is one that you shouldn’t miss. Right in front of the main altar is a well, with water said to have healing powers.

One of the guides in the church said that the well has never gone dry, and it is safe for everyone to drink. It also doesn’t have a salty taste, despite being a few meters away from the sea.

Each visitor could take one bottle of healing water for free, which they could get at the back of the church.

The church also has a beautifully painted ceiling, which was created by some of Bohol’s local artists.

Our driver/tour guide, then brought us to a house just a few meters away from the church. “Bayoyoy,” who has a condition called dwarfism, lives there and he has become some sort of tourist attraction in Bohol.

He is already 64 years old, but is only two and a half feet tall. He’s blind and he couldn’t talk either. The family is accepting donations for Bayoyoy who could only eat oatmeal and drink milk.

Next on our list is the Bohol Bee Farm. But I am just too amazed with the farm that it deserves an entirely separate post.=P

After having a short tour and a wonderful, healthy lunch at the Bee Farm, we headed to the Hinagdanan Cave in Panglao.

Visitors must go down through a small hole which serves as the main entrance of the cave. Our tour guide, Tonton, led us towards the cave and warned us of water droplets, which could either be water or bird urine.:) The cave is home to the balinsasayaw birds, and they provide the main ingredient for the soup called, “Bird’s nest.”

Tonton lead us to a wall a few steps from the entrance. It may seem like your average wall, but when you take a picture of it, it shows some paintings which our guide said was drawn for a movie shot a few years ago. They have kept it, since it has become an added tourist attraction.

Towards the center of the cave is a pool of fresh water. I’m not sure if swimming is allowed though since the cave is quite dark and there’s the risk of getting drowned.

At the end of the cave are two noticeable holes located at the ceiling, which Tonton said was the original main entrances of the cave. But eventually, they found a better hole which provides easier and safer access for tourists.

I’m sorry if I couldn’t provide better shots of the cave. It was quite dark and our guide was busy taking photos of us.=P But this gives you more reason to see the beautiful cave for yourselves.:)

We then went to see the Panglao Tower, located right next to San Agustin Parish Church, 18 kms from Tagbilaran City.

The five-storey watch tower was built in 1851. However, people are no longer allowed to climb the tower as it was left unmaintained and is in need of serious renovation and repair.

At last, we then headed to the beach and stayed in Dumaluan Beach Resort in Panglao Island. It is right next to the famous Bohol Beach Club, so you could actually swim on the beach in front of the exclusive resort.:)

What really amazed me was the extremely fine white sand, which becomes clay-like when wet. It reminds me of Arce Dairy coffee ice cream when mixed with water.=P

We slept for the rest of the afternoon and finally went to the beach at around 5:30. The water wasn’t that salty, and it wasn’t too deep.

One thing that I should warn you about though is that there were sea urchins which went inside my mom and cousin’s clothes. They started to itch like crazy so we had to get out of the water. The resort staff told us that there were times when there were sea urchins nearby. Good thing that it didn’t happen again when we swam the following morning though.

We just spent the rest of the night and the following morning strolling and swimming in the beach.:) It’s one of the best beaches I’ve been to, and I can’t wait to go back to Bohol again and visit the nearby islands which, some friends said, are even waaaay better than Panglao island.:)

–

expenses:

around P250 for tips and donations

dinner = P720, restogrill by the beach (3 pax)

—ms. eaturista—

Bohol: countryside tour

We had the countryside tour on the first day of our three-day vacation in Bohol. Our first stop: The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in the Municipality of Baclayon (also known as Baclayon Church).

Baclayon is around 6 kms. from Tagbilaran, the city capital of Bohol. The Baclayon Church is one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines. It was built in the early 17th century, and it consists of coral stones shaped into blocks.

The church has a few “attractions,” such as the face of Padre Pio and the image of the “Mother and Child” which mysteriously appeared in the outer pillars of the Church.

Locals also say that first-time visitors must knock on the doors of Baclayon Church, and make a wish.

At the side of the church is a museum which contains some of the church’s oldest treasures, such as old ecclesiastical vestments, books, and statues. Picture-taking is not allowed inside the museum though.

After going around the museum, we went to visit the world famous Philippine Tarsiers. Next to Chocolate Hills, Bohol is famous for these creatures.

Most tarsiers are asleep in the morning. So when we went to see the tarsiers, most of them were asleep. They were slowly waking up though, as more people came to see them.

Our guide said that tarsiers must not be touched, and no flash must be used in taking pictures. They also can’t tolerate noise as they easily get stressed. When stressed, they commit suicide by banging their head on hard objects.:s

After having our pictures taken with the tarsiers, we went to Loboc, to experience the Loboc River Cruise in a floating restaurant. The lunch buffet starts at 11:30 am and the cruise begins at 12 nn. There are several floating restaurants, but we recommend the Busai Monark, since it seems to be the only one which has a “balcony” at the front area of the restaurant. (Great for taking photos.:D)

The food itself was not all that great, and it was a bit difficult to eat since you tend to get dizzy, especially when the boat is still tied up to the dock. But it was a different kind of experience that tourists need to try in Bohol.:)

Loboc is around 24 km from Tagbilaran, and you can see the Saint Peter the Apostle Church from the river, the second oldest stone church in Bohol (next to Baclayon Church).

Next on the list is the world famous chocolate hills!:)

“Sa elementary books lang natin yan nakikita dati!” – Mom:)

The center of the Chocolate Hills is located at the Municipality of Carmen, 59 km. from Tagbilaran. To have a better view, we climbed 214 steps to reach the view deck of the Chocolate Hills complex. It was really tiring and hot, but the view was worth it.:)

We also went to visit the Butterfly Sanctuary, but after seeing the one in Mambukal Resort in Bacolod, I barely paid any attention to this. A python visit was also included in the itinerary, but we were disappointed since you’re just going to stare at one big python sleeping inside an unmaintained cage. Best to skip this.

We also went to visit the 2 km-long man-made forest in Bilar, 40 km from Tagbilaran City. It’s great to take some photos here, and the real challenge is how to take pictures in the middle of the road, when a vehicle is fast approaching.:) (Run fast!)

Also included in the tour is the bamboo hanging bridge in Sevilla, 36 km from Tagbilaran. It becomes sort of a challenge for tourists, as the bridge bounces and sways as you cross it.

After the tour, Ryan brought us to the Aproniana Souvenir Shop, where you can find all sorts of pasalubong to bring home to family and friends. They also have coupons which you can avail to have 13 percent off your purchases!

The Blood Compact Shrine was also included in the list, but since it was already raining, we decided to visit the shrine the next day.

—

expenses:

Baclayon museum entrance fee: P25 per person (This will be increased to P50 starting Aug. 1, 2011.)

around P100 for tips

around P750 for pasalubongs, per person

P100 = driver’s lunch

*entrance fees already included in the tour package payment

–some facts in this post were derived from http://www.bohol.ph.

—ms. eaturista—

Bohol adventure!

Bohol is fast becoming the top tourist destination in the Philippines, as it offers spots and activities that caters to different types of tourists.

The countryside tour is perfect for those who are interested in historic and religious attractions. Panglao island, and neighboring islands as well, are perfect for all the beach lovers.

Since more and more people are visiting Bohol, I decided to go and see what this island has to offer.

I started my trip on July 21, Thursday, with my mom and my cousin. Thanks to Cebu Pacific’s airfare promos, we were able to purchase round-trip tickets for around P2,000 each.

It takes only about more than an hour to travel to Bohol from Manila, by plane. (The two hours stay in the airport is actually longer than the travel time itself.=D)

It was raining when we arrived in Bohol, but Cebu Pacific was ready as they lent us some umbrellas to use as we walked from the plane to the arrival area. The airport is located at the city capital, Tagbilaran. The runway still needs to be improved though, since we noticed that the landing was a bit bumpy.

We already arranged our trip a week before we headed to Bohol, and we availed of a “three days, two nights package.” Our contact in Bohol was referred to us by some friends.

Our driver/tour guide, Ryan Wagner, was waiting for us in the van when we arrived in the airport. I thought that there would be others who would join us in the tour, but to my surprise, we had the van to ourselves for those three days in Bohol.

I also thought that there would still be some time for us to leave our bags in the place where we would stay in, and that we would be able to rest for awhile. But the tour started as soon as we left the airport.:)

We had the countryside tour for that day, and we were able to visit nine spots! It was exhausting, but it was definitely fun.:)

After the tour, we went to Johnny Calulo’s apartment in Tagbilaran, and this is where we stayed for the night. Mang Johnny was our contact in Bohol, and he arranged the package for us.

We were so surprised when we saw the apartment. The two-storey pad can fit eleven people! And only the three of us were going to stay there!

If I would rate the place, I’d give it a 7 out of 10.:) It’s great for barkadas and families, and it has this homey feel. The only downside is the blankets and sheets are a bit old, so it would be best to request for brand new blankets. Thick blankets, since the aircon is too strong that I had to wrap myself in three blankets.

After fixing our stuff and washing up, Mang Johnny brought us to Island City Mall. We had our dinner at Prawn Farm Restaurant, and we were served with wonderful food.:)

We rode the tricycle going back to Mang Johnny’s apartment, which is just 8 to 10 minutes away from the mall. The tricycle ride costs P8 per person.

On our second day, Ryan fetched us in the apartment and we had the Panglao Island tour. We also had our lunch in Bohol Bee Farm, and it was HEAVEN!:)

We stayed at Dumaluan Beach Resort in Panglao Island, and stayed there until we had to pack our things and leave for the aiport the next day.

There’s so much to do in Bohol, that I now understand why a lot of people are looking forward to their own visit in this beautiful island. We were able to see a lot of places, and while it was exhausting, it was also one of the best vacation spots I ever visited.:) I definitely have to visit Bohol again, and the next time, I’ll be trying the Balicasag tour, dolphin watching, and the Danao Extreme Adventure Tour.:)

Come and visit Bohol, Philippines!:)

3days/2nights package (3pax)

P11,000 = 3 pax (or P3,667 per person)

inclusions:

overnight accommodation in Tagbilaran

overnight accommodation in beachfront resort

city tour

Dauis/Panglao Tour

one breakfast

lunch buffet at Loboc river

airport transfers

entrance fees

guide fees

for inquiries, contact:

Johnny Calulo

Mabuhay Village, Tagbilaran City, Bohol

09268075694/09177031664/09228213055

johnnycalulo@yahoo.com

Ryan Wagner

09261182800/09237114296/09309286419

terminal fee = (NAIA 3) P200 per person; (Tagbilaran airport) P20 per person [yes, that’s twenty.:)]

NOTE:

If you’d rather not avail of the tour package, an overnight stay at Mang Johnny’s apartment is P350, per person. An overnight stay meanwhile at the Dumaluan Beach Resort costs P1,600 for two (plus P150 for the extra person).

RELATED POSTS:

Bohol Countryside Tour

Panglao Island Tour

Prawn Farm Restaurant

Bohol Bee Farm

—ms. eaturista—