Tagbilaran, Ormoc, Cebu City Traveling outside Bohol, I get glimpses of the same old thing defining the local culture - shameless politicians, deceptive promos, and garbage by Neanderthals.
Ice cream
Ice cream
(October 22, 2024 Ormoc, Leyte, Philippines) With my senior discount, I get this 4-scoop mega ice cream for only P60. Biggest bang for the buck! I would default to this treat everytime I visit SM Center Ormoc.
Epal Politicians
Epal Politicians
(October 16, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) At the CPG Park where I do my morning yoga, there is a bronze plague by the flagpole that was supposed to honor the late great Boholano president, Carlos P. Garcia. When I read the inscription, there was nothing about the late president. It was all about the incumbent politician at the time, immortalizing his name. This practice of squeezing your name in every inappropriate scenario has earned a name for the practice - epal. This is the shameless self-promotion of politicians to their constituents. Such is the state of Philippine politics.
Globe Sim Promo
Globe Sim
(October 13, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Smart wifi signal is weak where I stay so I bought a P59 Globe sim card with a free 5-GB promo for 3 days. When I installed the sim card, I was not prompted to activate any promo. I didn't know what to do. I went back to the store and asked - they didn't know. I asked my neighbors - they didn't know. I was then forced to look for the Globe office and ask. I found it - but they didn't know as well. WTF??? The Globe office gave excuses that they were just a distribution point. One industrious employee called up HQ and asked their technical guy. It was only then that the promo was activated. Whoa! WTF was that? So what happened to everyone else who bought a Globe sim with a free promo? They just shrugged it away?
Garbage
Garbage
(October 2, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Every morning at the Old Airport, I sweep the area where I do yoga. I make sure it's clean where I can put my mat on and do my asana. Sometimes, I see garbage left by people who hung out at my clean spot. I cannot help feeling that these people just came out of the stone age. I mentally refer to them as the Neanderthals.
Ending Thoughts When foreigners come to the Philippines and start complaining, I tell them to go home. But what do you do when this is your home?
(November 1-31, 2024) After being in Ormoc and Cebu, it's good to go back home to Tagbilaran despite the garbage episodes, the ruined good roads and the slow cashiers. Oh well, I should really just leave the place if I can't stand it....more »»
Tagbilaran Map
Tagbilaran Local Info
- xxxxxxxxxxx
Tagbilaran to Cebu by Boat
Lite Ferries (Roro) T-Th-Sun, departs 11:59pm, 5 hours, arrives 5 am Daily, departs 12 noon, arrives 5pm
As a Roro, you can load your motorbike or car, no Senior Citizen discount for online ticket purchase
Can-umantad Falls - long narrow drop until it hits a bulbous mound spreading it into a a curtain-like water canopy and down into a splash pool
Canawa Cold Spring - deep refreshing cold spring with developed pool area
Firefly Tour - evening boat ride into the river to watch fireflies
hotel
Fox & The Firefly Cottages - SUP paddle boarding, luxury riverside native cottages, mountain bike tours, SUP yoga
Baranggay Valladolid, Loboc, Bohol
Bohol Tropics Resort - seafront location, manicured surroundings, swimming pool, resto/bar
0133 Graham Avenue, Brgy. Cogon, Tagbilaran, Bohol 6300
Oasis Resort - Alona Beach location, dive center, resto / bar
Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol
yoga
Jing Yoga - health & well being through yoga
The Courtyard - Airport Road fronting the church
Bohol Meditation and Yoga Center - 2nd Floor Lim Magtajas Bldg. CPG Avenue
Bohol Travel Info/Tips
Bohol FYI / Tips
the tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants, ticket offices, tour operators are, is located within the Alona Beach area
the tourist attractions in Bohol are far apart and spread-out. It would be difficult to visit them all using public mass transit. Better hire a van (P3500/day) if in a big group, or rent a motorcycle (P400/day + gas)
Bohol relies on its tourism for revenue. As expected, everything they can capitalize on from tourism is extensively used and developed
Tagbilaran Port to Panglao
You can charter any tricycle from the port all the way to Panglao (~P300), but if you want to do it on the cheap,
don't take the tricycles lined-up inside the port. Walk past the port gate and immediately outside, you'll see many tricycles. Take one to the bus terminal in Dao (~P15)
in Dao, take the jeep that plies the Panglao route (~P20)
Tagbilaran (Bohol) to Cebu City by boat
** schedules and rates keep changing, call for latest schedule
Weesam Express - departs 6:15 AM, 11:30 AM, 4:00 PM
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - departs 6-7:05-8:20-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 1-2-3:30-4:20-5:30-6:30PM, 2 hours, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63(32)255 7560 / +63 (32) 255 0115 / 0917 638 0000
SuperCat (2GO) - departs 5:50-11AM, 3:45-5:25-8:15PM, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
P 500.00
+63 32 233 7000
Things to do, Places to go in Bohol
Chocolate Hills - this is a clustering of more than 1200 hills within a 50km2 area. They range in height from 30-50 meters. What's unusual is their near-perfect conical shape resembling an individual chocolate chip. No one knows how they were formed. Entrance is P50/pax.
Tarsier Conservation Area - located Upper Bonbon, Loboc. The tarsiers are no longer being played at by tourists as circus props, but instead, visitors now view them in cordoned-off areas in their natural 6ha habitat. As they are territorial and nocturnal, they are predictable on where they can be viewed. P50/pax.
Alona Beach (Panglao) - Alona Beach is the tourist hub of Bohol. It has 1.5 kms of white sand beach lined-up by bars, hotels and restos. Alona is also the jump-off point for Balicasag Island, a world class dive destination.
Danao Adventure Park - located in Barangay Magtangtang, 72 kms (2 hours ride) from Tagbilaran. Adventure activities include river trekking, tyrolean traverse, rappelling, bouldering, rock climbing and ziplining.