It was July when my friends and I, full of excitement and enthusiasm, booked our flights to Bohol. Our trip was set on September 22-25 and the 3-month interval was for saving up and preparation for our hotel and tour packages. Weeks before our Bohol trip, my friends and I contacted some travel agencies and travel guides we found on the Internet. The best option that we thought was to avail of the services of Kuya Dodong, a local in Bohol, which was recommended by a blogger/traveler. We negotiated with Kuya Dodong and he gave us a tour package costing P2, 500/pax with arrangements that we would be the ones to reserve our hotel accommodations in Tierra Azul. And days after it was all set, we left Manila on Thursday at 12:45pm. We arrived at Tagbilaran, the City of Friendship, around 2pm.
And the moment that our feet landed on the Tagbilaran Airport, our Bohol adventure officially started! Kuya German, our driver/tour guide picked us up and drove us to our first stop — the Dauis Church. On the way, we passed many churches and chapels, which made it evident that Bohol has been one of the sites of the Catholic faith. We arrived at the Dauis Church around 4pm and I was amazed by the facade of the church. It is obviously old, but the bell tower in front of the church stands tall and mighty beyond its years.
I was even more amazed when we got inside the church. (Shorts, sleeveless shirts and dresses, short pants, slippers, and other informal casual wear are not allowed. Tourists who wear these clothes are given cover-ups before they get inside the church.) A guide explained some interesting facts about the church. She said that Dauis Church is the second oldest church in the Philippines. Also, according to her, the paintings on the ceiling are Renaissance-inspired. They bear no biblical sense, but they were painted intricately. She also said that they have not been repainted since they were done, but they are incredibly free from spider webs and dirt. I even asked the guide if they always clean the church and she said yes.
The ceiling above the altar, on the other hand, is painted with biblical scenes. But the most interesting part of the altar is a well, which is known for its water’s healing power. The well lies at the foot of the main altar and according to the guide, its water never runs out. The water also tastes fresh and not salty, even though the church is near the sea. Churchgoers and tourists always get water from the well, which is also considered as holy water.
The other interesting fixture in the church is the stained glass windows, which give a colorful yet sanctified ambience to the altar. Another one is the elevated wooden pulpit near the altar. After the walk-through, we said a prayer of thanks and guidance for our safe journey in Bohol.
Our next stop was the Bohol Bee Farm. In this place, we had a very educational farm tour, which seems like a crash course on horticulture and bee culture.
The guide introduced us to different organic herbs and plants and explained how they are used for cooking and how to cultivate them.
But the highlight of the tour was the segment on bees. The guide gave details about the life and culture of the bees. He showed us the honeycombs and the real bees. I even touched and lifted up the honeycombs full of bees!
Another part of the farm tour was the walk-through on the products and how tenants in the farm make them. As the curious little girl that I am, I asked one weaver to teach me how to weave. It looks easy when you see them do it, but when I tried weaving, it was complex and tedious. But I had fun weaving!
Then, the guide led us to the restaurant area, which is overlooking the sea. It gives a cozy and relaxing feel to the people who go there. The place is very breezy and tranquil.
Then, we went to the bakery and ice cream store where they sell organic products. There is an array of baked goods and we got camote bread for P20. It was very tasty and made us feel full with just one bread.
Another famous product in the farm is the Malunggay-flavored ice cream, which we bought and tasted. Aside from the malunggay, I also had another scoop of the spicy ginger. The malunggay-flavored ice cream is a must-try! As for the spicy ginger, it tasted like chilled salabat. If mint gives a kick to an ice cream, the spiciness of the ginger gives a stronger kick and an aftertaste that lasts for hours!
Another tourist spot in Bohol that we visited was the Hinagdanan Cave. According to Kuya German, it was called as such because hinagdanan means “laddered,” which is also used to get inside the cave. I asked him if we need flashlight to get through the opening of the cave, which is about 1 meter wide in diameter, but he said that the cave is lighted. After a few steps down the stairs, we found out that the cave is lit by sunlight, which goes through the holes in the ceiling. Climbing down, the cave is a little slippery, but there’s a railing that guided us in. When we got inside, we were stunned by the many large stalactites and stalagmites, which seem as if they are trying to meet each other.
These beautiful rock formations, which bring tourists in awe, embellish the cave. There is also an underground lake, and according to Kuya German, when he was a kid, he used to swim in this lake.
After our cave “exploration,” we went to the Shell Museum. According to the guide, the museum houses one of the biggest shell collections in the world. We were amazed by the shells of different sizes and shapes.
We saw many interesting shells, which turn out to be etymologies of famous places like GloriaMaris. The most interesting shells for me are the ones that bear rare black pearls and the tiny shells that can only be seen using a magnifying glass. Collections other than shells which can be found in the museum are the seahorses, sea urchins, and sand dollars.
Another part of the museum is a souvenir shop, located at the back area. They sell bracelets, necklaces, shells in bundles, keychains, bells, wind chimes, wall decors, ceiling decors and others.
The Shell Museum was our last stop and after this, Kuya German took us to our hotel. We checked-in at Tierra Azul, which is okay for travelers who are on a tight budget, but prefer to have a room near the beachfront of Panglao Island. In order to save money, we only had a fan room. But it was alright since the weather was cool. Our room is for quadsharing, which costs P1, 700 per night.
Even though we only had a half-day tour, which took us about 4 hrs, we felt tired but happy. We visited many places in Bohol already and there are many more sights to go to on the next 3 days. Day 1 of our Bohol adventure was fun! And the rest of our stay in Bohol was even more exciting! 
(To be continued…)
*To avail the Bohol Tour Package, you can can contact JECONIAS D. URSOS, JR a.ka. ”Kuya Dodong” at 09292742015/09166396347.
*For our hotel accomodation, you can contact Tierra Azul:
Tierra Azul Alona Beach House
Contact Person: Mrs. Anecita N. Arcay
Address: 6340 Panglao, Bohol, Philippines
Mobile no.: 0928-521-9410
Phone: +63 38 502-9065
Telefax: +63 38 5000694
Email: tierraazul_beach(at)yahoo.com
