For the final leg of our Philippine adventure we traveled by boat from Siquijor to Bohol Island, through rougher than anticipated seas. The usual 2.5 hour crossing took nearly twice that length of time, and there was a feeling of great relief once our ferry made it to the port on Bohol. We've based ourselves on Alona Beach on the connected (by bridge) Panglao Island on the far southern tip of Bohol. There's a traveler scene here reminiscent of Chaweng Beach on Koh Samui (Thailand) of the mid-90s - before the pavement and upscale boutiques and spas appeared. It's developed, but still relatively primitive and low-key.
The beach area has small hotels and many seaside eateries from which to choose, and persistent boatmen and touts continually vying for island hopping customers. None the less, we have enjoyed the beaches, shopping shacks, and warm, slow pace of life on this island.
Our three days on Bohol were only slightly hampered by afternoon rains and damp weather, but we managed to make the most of our time here. We found white sand beaches to wander for seashell gathering, and nearby islands to explore.
We had a couple fun days of snorkeling, dolphin spotting, and island hopping - visiting the offshore islet of Balicasag - cruising out to sea via one of the motor-powered outrigger-type boats that ply the waters.
Our boatman dropped us off on the island, then we boarded a much smaller outrigger paddled by two local guys, and out to a marine sanctuary off the coast of Balicasag.
The undersea life was awesome, once again we were surprised by the clear water visability and the abundent fish - large and small - and of course by the ever-present, multicolored, soft and hard coral that lay below the warm water.
We also had another chance to swim with the beautiful Hawksbill turtles that live and feed in the area. These animals aren't very shy and they allowed us to float above them as they seemingly flew through the sea, their four fins acting like wings in the water.
We had an opportunity to adventure deeper into the island of Bohol, seeing local life, a much slower and simpler way of living than what we experience in our own daliy existence. There were rice fields tended by men and oxen, cut through dense jungle. Thick forests filled with fruit trees, tall coconut palms, and giant bamboo, and some rather unusual wildlife and topography to see and explore.
We visited the famed chocloate hills, which were greener than usual due to the late-season storms.
A twin "hanging bridge" that spanned a green river, and a butterfly garden that was better than expected.
One highlight of our island exploration was our visit to a sanctuary specifically designed for the endangered tarsier, the smallest primate in the world. Tarsiers are only found on Bohol, in Borneo, and one spot in Indonesia, so it was a special treat to see a few of these cute guys upclose. They reminded us of a furry little Yoda-like critter with their huge eyes and pointy ears.
Our three weeks in the Philippines was quite memorable and held some unexpected surprises. We were pleased to see how clean and well-kept these island beaches were, especially in comparison to other islands worldwide. The Filipino people we encountered were happy, smiley, and always politely "sir-ing" and "ma'am-ing" us whenever we asked questions.
Also of interest were all of the basketball courts that abound. Even the smallest of traditional villages had full court hoops, some lighted, some covered, and the kids who could afford it loved to wear NBA jerseys - mostly Lakers and Warriors uniforms. Fortunately none of the regions that we visited had any significant damage from the recent super typhoon, and we felt it was a good thing that we spent our money, and gaving a little extra whenever we could, to aid the economic recovery.
All-in-all we loved our travels in the phenomenal Philippines and already are hoping to return for further fun and exploring in this 7000+ island nation.
