Wednesday, 23 April 2014

Accommodations in Panglao Island, Bohol

The first two mentioned are the ones we have stayed in during our trip in Bohol. Rest of the items are other affordable options that are near the beach.

1. Cherry's @ Home

Cherry's @ Home is the cheapest accommodations I can find in Panglao Island priced at Php 1,000 only per night for single/double occupancy.

Pros:
  • Cheap accommodation
  • Free WiFi connection
  • Well-maintained beddings and pillows
  • Refrigerator
  • Cabled TV
  • Safety deposit box
Cons:
  • No breakfast
  • No food nearby
  • No hot shower
  • Salty water supply
  • Air-condition is too small for the big room
  • No Queen bed room
  • Long walk to Alona Beach

They have a sister hotel named Cherry's @ Home Too Inland Resort which is nearer Alona Beach but their room rate starts at Php 1,450. Rate includes complimentary breakfast and free use of their swimming pool.

Cherry's @ Home Too
Mobile No.: 0908-8921412, 0949-7172333
Email Address: reservation@cherryshome.com

2. Aquatica Beach Resort

We wanted to explore night life in Alona Beach on our last day in Panglao Island, so we decided to transfer to another accommodation along the beach. After several inquiries along the beach, we settled for Aquatica Beach Resort. Their room rates start at Php 1,500 for air-conditioned rooms and Php 1,000 for fan rooms.

Pros:
  • Located along Alona Beach
  • Free WiFi connection
  • Cabled TV
  • Air-condition is okay
Cons:
  • No hot shower
  • Salty water supply
  • No cabinets
  • Beddings are not maintained (found holes in it)
  • Pillows are not comfortable (uneven fillers)
Aquatica Beach Resort
Manila Tel. No.: 02-741-1779
Bohol Tel. No.: 038-502-9350
Email Address: aquadole@yahoo.com

3. Alona Garden & Dae Jang Guem

Their cottages can be found at the back of their Korean restaurant which is steps away from the beach. Rates start at Php 999 per night. No TV. With free WiFi.

Mobile No.: 0917-707-7780
Email Address: babo020712@hanmail.net

4. Trudis Place Resort and Restaurant

Located along Alona beach. Rates start at Php 2,000 for single or double occupancy with complimentary breakfast. With free WiFi. With hot and cold shower. With cable TV.

Mobile No.: 0928-346-3780, 0917-487-4230, 0923-201-5260
Email Address: gerlin16@yahoo.com

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Bohol Pasalubongs

There are lots of Bohol shirts sold at Php 99 each just outside of the Hinagdanan Cave entrance.

But if you want more quality (thicker fabric) shirts, you can buy them at an RTW shop located on the ground floor of Buen Bella Pension House building. Shirts here are sold at Php 130 each. You can also find key chains, magnets and other souvenir items here.

Bohol is also well-known for their peanut and ube products, calamay (priced at Php 40 above) and honey products from Bohol Bee Farms. We bought our pasalubongs at BQ Mall's grocery. There are lots of peanut products to choose from but our personal favorite was Star Peanuts which was also cheaper than Peanut Kisses. Peanut Fingers tasted the same as Star Peanuts it just comes in a different shape.

Peanut Kisses 7's Php 9

Star Peanuts 25g Php 8, pack of 15's 25g Php 118

Peanut Fingers 30g Php 8, pack of 15's 30g Php 118

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Tuesday, 22 April 2014

A Walk in Tagbilaran City

We had one free day to roam around Bohol's capital, Tagbilaran City.

There were lots of people going about with their daily lives. Tricycles are also abundant in the city. A ride will cost you a flat rate of Php 8 going to anywhere in the city. Convenient way to travel especially on hot summer days.

We took a tricycle going to the St. Joseph Cathedral. The St. Joseph Church is one of the oldest churches in Bohol. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1798 then later re-built during the 19th century.

Fronting the church is Bohol's Rizal Plaza which has miniature chocolate hills displayed. Locals and tourists sat on benches to feed the pigeons.

If you want to learn how the Chocolate Hills came to existence, you may want to view the National Museum just across the plaza. You can learn about Bohol's history, their livelihood and their ecosystem here. Entrance fee is only Php 10.

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Bohol Sea Tour

Sea Tours in Bohol normally starts at Php 1,500 per boat which is already good for 4-6 persons. But since tourism is low in Bohol it looks like you can actually haggle the price to as low as Php 1,000. Try strolling around Alona Beach when the sun sets and you will be surprised that there will be people offering you their tours at really low prices. We got ours at Php 900! Snorkeling masks included as a package.

Alona Beach

The day before our scheduled sea tour, we strolled along the white sandy beach of Alona just before the sun sets. The beach stretches for 1.5 kms and borders by rocks on both ends. Its sand were fine but not as fine as that to Boracay's.

Balicasag Island

Sea tours start early around 6 AM to be able to see the dolphins swim near Balicasag Island. We departed from Alona beach quite late around 7AM because unknowingly we were waiting for two more tourists to join. Luckily we were still able to see the dolphins swim in groups, many of which were still babies. They were so cute. Unfortunately we were not able to take pictures of the dolphins.

After watching the dolphins swim around for 15 minutes, we started heading towards Balicasag Island which is one of the best dive and snorkeling sites in Bohol.

The sandy shell shore of the island is lined-up with make-shift stores offering visitors seafood to be cooked while we are away for snorkeling. Be warned that prices are really expensive. You will be charged Php 500 per kilo for any seafood plus Php 100 for each viand. We ordered half a kilo of their Jack Fish and a buko for Php 75.

When in Balicasag Island, you will also be approached by a resident guide to do the snorkeling. Snorkeling costs Php 200 per head. Your guide will lead you to a smaller boat where you will be taken to the snorkeling site which was declared a marine sanctuary. Water shoes are also offered for rental because the snorkeling area is surrounded by hard corals. We opted to skip renting the shoes and used our slippers instead.

Truly this island is a really nice snorkeling spot as there was a diversity of marine life in it. I can rank this one as second best from our Coron snorkeling experiences. What's unique about our snorkeling experience is that we get to see bigger fishes like Mackerels on the cliff of the reef. Scary yet fascinating!


After snorkeling, we went back to the island to have our early lunch. Even though food are expensive there we still wanted to buy some to help the locals there as we believe that tourism is their main livelihood.

After taking some relaxing time in Balicasag Island, we are off to the Virgin Island. It took around 30 minutes to reach the island but sadly the tide was high that time that the sand bar was still submerged in water.


Lined up along the sand bar were several bankas and stalls selling coconut, banana-Q, and urchins! I got the chance to try eating a sand dollar urchin at Php 20 a piece (you can haggle for it to be at Php 10 each). It was slimy but I especially liked their spiced vinegar to go with it.
Sand Dollar Urchins
Stalls selling fried bananas. Yummy!
Giant Sea Urchins! These are the ones used in Unagi sushi
We took our time strolling in the island's fine white sand in bare foot. The Virgin Island was called so because there was no inhabitants there, but from the looks of it - I think it will soon become a resort because there were several workers there constructing a building.

When in Bohol, don't fail to experience their Sea Tour - it's definitely worth it. If you still have time, you may also want to swim with the Whale Sharks (Butanding) in Oslob - this tour is also available in Panglao Island at Php 2,000.

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Resto Review: Payag Restaurant, Bohol

Payag Restaurant is a famous Chicken Inato restaurant in Bohol. We were not able to go to their Tagbilaran City branch while we were staying in the city - luckily they have a branch just outside Alona Beach. This branch is only open on specific times in the morning and late afternoon.

They offer unlimited rice for their chicken meals: Jo's Chicken Inato Php 105, Pork BBQ Meal Php 79, and Super Inato Combo Php 127. You may also want to try their other specialties like Binakhaw (Kilawin with mayo) Php 115 and Sizzling Gambas Php 185.

Since we want to try both their chicken and BBQ we ordered their combo and both were delicious. But after taking several bites into the chicken, I realized that it was kind of salty or maybe it was just the soy sauce.

We ended our meals with their Halo Halo (Php 75 - not sure with the price) which is also available with coconut at Php 95. They will provide a container of sugar for you to add according to your liking. Their Halo Halo had camote, beans, bits of langka, tons of jellies and topped with ube ice cream then sprinkled with crispies. Perfect way to end a meal in one hot summer day.

Payag Restaurant is definitely a go-to place for affordable and fast meals when in Bohol.

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)