Manila Guide Online

Bohol as a tourist attraction holds one the most interesting caves in the country. There are several caves in Bohol which is opened for the public. These caves have been well known and has gained tourist both locally and abroad.

Bohol Philippines summary of their caves:

The Hinagdanan Cave is the most popular and easy to reach among the caves of Bohol province. Classified as a karst cave, it is located in the town of Dauis in Panglao Island.
The cave boasts of a large number of stalactites and stalagmites and leads to an underground spring pool where visitors can take a dip. Water is icy cold where the spring gushes forth yet a bit warm at the outlet where it meets the sea.

The Kamira Cave is one of three caves in Danao declared by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as safe to explore. The area where the cave is located is a sanctuary, protected by the municipality in a careful attempt to preserve the natural beauty of the place. Even at the cave site, only ropes are allowed to be used to maneuver in and out of the cave and not ladders.

The Buhong Tiawan Cave is located one and a half kilometer from the town center of Antequera, Bohol. The entrance of the cave can be found in the wall of a limestone hill and to reach it one has to walk one kilometer through dense vegetation. The entrance is estimated to be 3 by 5 meters wide, and leads to a cavern that is less than 100 meters long. Dripstones, of various types, can be found inside. In the annals of history, this cave served as a hideout of the locals during the Japanese occupation. At present, the cave is the home of birds and bats.

The Hagakgak Cave is located two kilometers from the center of Antequera town. The cave can be reached via a dense trail whose entrance is estimated to be 15 meters wide at the base of a sinkhole. The cave is literally undisturbed and is difficult to maneuver because the inside can be wet and muddy at times. There are portions where one has to pass thru narrow passages in order to enter a cavern where majestic formations of stalagmites and stalactites can be viewed. The rare albino crabs of the species sundathelphosa Filipina and fishes have adapted themselves to this dark habitat.

There’s more at http://www.bohol-philippines.com/

Watch dolphins at play and get close to friendly whales near Pamilacan Island guided by former whale and dolphin hunters whose boats have been refitted for tourists.

For only Php3,500/head for 3pax and much lower if you are more in a group. Package price may differ slightly during peak season. Be billeted in an air-conditioned room at our partner hotel based at Alona, Panglao Island for a 3D/2N stay. Package covers daily breakfast, all transfers (RTT port and tour), tour guide, river cruise lunch, all entrance fees, other charges and government tax included. Tell us how many you are and we will quote you the price per head.Best season is from March to June and early in the morning for positive results although one can see resident dolphins and whales the whole year round. Get on board local outrigger boats that are covered and can accommodate up to 7 passengers. Feel safe for life vests are provided.

The large whales most often spotted are the Bryde’s whales and the sperm whales. Bryde’s whales are massive yet plankton eaters that can grow up to 15 meters. The sperm whales, the largest predator, reach up to 18 meters. The later is the prime target of whalers the world over.

Smaller whales found near Pamilacan are the short-finned pilot whale, the melon-headed whale, and the pygmy killer whale. Dolphins commonly sighted are the Risso’s dolphin, the playful spinner dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin, the spotted dolphin and the Fraser’s dolphin.

Imagine sitting bellow a spring with waters flowing from your back. The euphoria is simply addictive and it is one of the greatest things to do, especially on holidays. At Bohol, same as Cebu has Springs that allow tourist and locals to enjoy the waters and relax while cold water run through their body. Badiang Spring which is situated in Bohol has a resort with pools for friends and family to unwind.

he Badiang Spring is located along the coast of Valencia town, at barrio Anas, in the province of Bohol. This is one province of the Philippine archipelago that has developed into a tourist destination.

Valencia town is 42 kilometers away from Tagbilaran City, the lone city of the province and its capital. It lies east along the coastal highway. The town is a 4th class municipality with a population of over 7,000 spread into 35 barangays.The Badiang Spring Resort is relatively small and fenced in. At the top level and thru openings in between trees and dense foliage, one sees the blue sea beyond. Wide cement steps provided with metal handrails lead down a cliff towards two (2) swimming pools: one big and the other designed for children.As you go down the steps, the waterfall is at your left-hand side. The water gush forth from two pipes and the side of the falls, instead of a rugged cliff, has been landscaped. It is now easier to rest on the wall and allow the cool rushing water to engulf oneself.

Badiang Spring is an underground freshwater spring that gushes forth over a cliff only a few meters high forming an attractive waterfall. The water is icy cold and flows directly to the sea which is only a few steps away.

The area where the spring is located is scenic. The top of the cliff is full of trees and from there you look towards the mesmerizing blue expanse of the sea. Under and on the sides are rugged cliffs with intermittent tall coconut palm trees, old talisay trees, and other tropical foliage.

The area is a favorite haunt of the locals, who either bathe under the falls or go swimming in the crystal clear water of the sea beyond. It is also a source of drinking water of the surrounding neighborhood. Likewise, the water that flows to the sea is where the locals wash their soiled clothes.

The beach is not of fine sand. It is a beach of round and smooth stones – a joy for pebble collectors. The crystal clear blue sea beyond is ok for swimming and for snorkeling. The water is icy cool near the spring’s outlet and warmer further off.

Nowadays, the area where the spring is located looks different: more attractive and convenient to bathers. Gone were the days when I bathe in the spring under its natural surroundings . . . and for free
Before, only a small pathway leads down a rugged cliff towards the spring’s natural outlet. Coming out from the top side of a cliff, the rushing water flows naturally over it, forming a waterfall. The water then winds its way thru a stony ground towards the sea.

Now, due to the ever increasing influx of tourists, local and foreign alike, the LGU (Local Government Unit) and the eco-tourism council of the town where it is located developed the area into a tourist haven.

With an entrance of P20 per adult and rental fee of cottages, huts and shelters, the municipality earns and is able to give jobs to some of their constituents. With the resort as an initial project, the government is aiming to develop more income-generating ventures and turn the sleepy town into a tourist destination.

In Cebu, there is a rather big island that you need to visit which is full of high end resorts and historical spots. Upon reaching there, you need to pass the bridge from Cebu to Mactan. Incase if your from the airport then there is no need to use the bridges since airports are located at the commercialized island. One of the monuments is the Lapu Lapu shrine. It relays to us the story of how a local, Lapu Lapu fight of with Magellan to win our place.

The Lapu-Lapu shrine is a 20-meter bronze statue in Punta Engaño, Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines, erected in honor of Datu Lapu-Lapu, a native chieftain who defeated Spanish soldiers, and Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan on 1521.

The Magellan shrine is a large memorial tower erected in honor of the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The spot is believed to be the area was Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan on 1521, Philippines. The monument measures 30 meters high and it is located in the place of Punta Engaño, Mactan Island, Cebu.

Living Cebu Network will help us understand more.

The place where Lapu-Lapu and his men triumphed over the Spanish invaders on April 27, 1521 has been turned into a shrine. The shrine sits along the boundaries of the villages of Punta Enga?o and Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City on the island of Mactan.

Magellan had come to Cebu through Homonhon, an uninhabited island in the province of Eastern Samar. There, he and his crew were sighted by Rajah Calambu of Limasawa and he guided them to Cebu on April 7.

In Cebu, Magellan became friends with Rajah Humabon who prevailed upon the Portuguese explorer to go to Mactan and punish Lapu-Lapu. It is widely believed that Humabon was at odds with Lapu-Lapu and that they fought over control of land.

Antonio Pigafetta, chronicler of Magellan’s trip, survived the battle in Mactan and told of how they were overwhelmingly overpowered on the island’s shores by at least 1,500 native warriors, a report that has been held by historians as questionable and grossly exaggerated.

Three monuments in the Mactan Shrine are worthy of note: the Magellan Marker, the Magellan monument, and chieftain Lapu-Lapu’s statue.

If you plan to visit Cebu, try and see the monument with its park and enjoy history with your family.