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/

Photo and copyright by Jeroen Hellingman

The Loboc River in Bohol is one of the most famous and sought places in Bohol. The place allows you to relax and enjoy lunch in the middle of the river. I went there few years ago and thry had the best food and view to offer.

Loboc is a 5th class municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. It is mere 24 km away from Tagbilaran City, the provincial capital of Bohol. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 16,299 people. It is the Music Capital of Bohol.

Loboc is known for its floating restaurants along the scenic and winding Loboc River. Tourists also come to see the tarsier, a small nocturnal animal with large eyes. It is one of the world’s smallest primates. Unfortunately, the tarsiers here are kept in an inadequate cage, and better be observed in the Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella.

Portions of the St. Peter Parish Church Complex (specifically parts of what is now the Convento or Priests’ Residence) are thought to be the oldest standing ecclesiastical structures in Bohol Province. The Loboc Children’s Choir has won numerous competitions both local and international, most notably festival competition in Barcelona, Spain, entitled “Europe and its Songs”, on September 17-21, 2003.

There is so much to see at Bohol aside from the Loboc River. Just several minutes from Loboc are the chocolate hills and Sandugo Monument, and Baclayon, which has one of the nicest old churches in Bohol, and a small museum with old church relics.

Back when I was young, my family visited Bohol. If you plan to take a trip to Bohol, you will realize that there are plenty of sites to visit and beaches to lounge in. Aside from that, it is most famous for its Chocolate Hills. Everyone is bound to find the place appealing. With mere curiosity from tourist, one might consider it as real chocolates. The chocolate hills are just inspirations from the chocolate kisses and colors. The hills are very attractive and the place is well maintained. Today, Chocolate hill still stands as one of the famous tourist attractions of the Philippines.

The Chocolate Hills are an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines.^[1] According to the latest accurate survey done,^[ there are 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers (20 sq mi). They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name.

The Chocolate Hills are a famous tourist attraction of Bohol. They are featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attractions in the province. They are in the Philippine Tourism Authority’s list of tourist destinations in the Philippines; they have been declared the country’s 3rd National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Chocolate Hills are Bohol’s most famous attraction.

The Chocolate Hills are not the only example of conical karst hills on earth. Slovenia and Croatia both have conical karst hills, except that the Chocolate Hills are simpler examples because the Chocolate Hills have no caves. The Bungle Bungles in the Purnululu National Park in Western Australia feature similar sedimentary formations.

The Chocolate Hills is a rolling terrain of haycock hills – mounds of general shape which are conical and almost symmetrical. Estimated to be at least 1,268 individual mounds to about 1,776, these cone-shaped or dome-shaped hills are actually made of grass-covered limestone. The domes vary in sizes from 30 to 50 metres (98 to 160 ft) high with the largest being 120 metres (390 ft) in height. They are scattered throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan in Bohol. Bohol’s “main attraction”, these unique mound-shaped hills are scattered by the hundreds on the island’s central plain, concentrated near the town of Carmen.

The unique land form known as the Chocolate Hills of Bohol was formed ages ago by the uplift of coral deposits and the action of rain water and erosion

If you decide to visit Cebu or Visayas, you might as well drop by Bohol. It has a large number of tourist attractions, delicacies and 5 star hotel and resorts. And don’t forget about the Chocolate hills and the man made forest. If you’re at Chocolate Hills you might as well drop by and see the famous Tarsier.

5 inches and is considered as the world’s smallest primate. Its size is no longer than an adult man’s hand and weigh only about 113 to 142 grams or four to five ounces. The primate belongs to the more primitive sub-order Prosimii or prosimian that dates back 45 million years.

With its tail longer than its body, it has large brown eyes, hairless ears and long finger-like claws. It has gray fur and a nearly naked tail that is more often than not about 232 mm in length. The tails arc over their back when they hop on the ground apparently to balance themselves. The underside of the tail has dermal ridges such as those found on human hands and feet.

Tarsiers have large mesmerizing eyes whose bony eye sockets are larger than that of its brain case as well as of its stomach. The eye sockets have post-orbital closure which keeps the eyeballs from being pressed against by the powerful temporal muscles to their sides.

Much like the owl, the tarsier can rotate its head 180 degrees in each direction. It has a joint between its skull base and spine to allow this particular head movement. Its upper lip lacks a cleft yet, but still has muscles, so that it can make facial expressions. The adult brain weighs about 4 grams. Tarsiers have sharp teeth, enabling them to catch their prey easier. Unique among primates, tarsiers have only two, rather than four, incisors in their lower jaw.