In support of our tourism campaign, I promised myself to do a lot more local travelling this year. Since I've never been to Bohol (and after seeing all the great it's more fun in the Philippines pictures), it made sense to take a trip there. Will be going there next month I just have a question -- our hotel is charging us PhP3,000 for a car tour to: Chocolate Hills, Butterfly Garden, BACLAYON Church, LOBOC River, Tarsier Watching, Blood Compact, Hanging Bridge, Man Made Forest. Is this a good price or is there a better/more affordable tour provider? Thanks in advance!
You may want to check with Tatsky (0915 794 5556) We availed his service when we went there...charged us I think 2k for a car good for 4 pax. I got his number from different local travel blogs/forum and he's highly recommended. They also have the a sea tour package aside from that countryside tour. I recommend the sea tour for the dolphins
try "Mang Presing" 09107201209 (i hope this is his current number though). used him thrice already, last time he charged us PhP2k for a van (much better than a car). and he takes you to other sites on top of standard itinerary (even accompanied us to a supermarket after our tour!). enjoy boho!
The best time is around 5:45 to 6:00 AM. Although there are still dolphins after 6AM, it's better to be early cause the boats gather around a certain spot and it becomes crowded. There are whales too.
^thanks for that info. I actuallly meant what time of year, as in season. Or does this phenomenon happen all year round?
timely thread! me and wifey will be travelling to Bohol on May. Thanks for the contact numbers posted, i'll keep them for future use.
we were told that dolphins are there whole-year round. we went there november and saw a lot of dolphins (literally jumping from the water in a group) and yup, you have to wake up early I think it will also depend on how good your "spotter" is.
July is a good month to visit in time for the Sandugo festival. But if you want a "peaceful" vacation, avoid the peak months just like Boracay.
I also suggest around lunch time (or earlier) to go dolphin watching. We got lucky to witness a lot of dolphins (jumping and showing off!) when we were in the middle of our trip going to Virgin island coming for Balicasag island. We were the only boat there. While if watching in the morning, there will be a bunch of boats in the dolphin watching area, which I think can be a downside - the accelerating motor of the boats disturbs the dolphins when they are gasping for air. Just my 2 cents. Bohol is so pristine, it is currently 2nd on my travelled list, just below Batanes.
Ive been to Bohol twice. Bohol FTW! On a serious note... 3k for a tour is quite expensive. 2k is the normal rate. Book the tour separate from your hotel reservation to save some money. They're charging you more since the hotel serves as a middleman - and of course... may kumisyon sila.
if you have time after Bohol, YOu may want to take a fast Ferry and visit Dumaguete and Siquijor. Spend a night in Siquijor and try for your hotel to arrange a private viewing of dancing paper dolls. This will make your skin crawl. I stayed in Siquijor for 3 nights (nice quiet place, nice patches of beaches) and a hotel employee arranged for a viewing of the dancing paper dolls and after I only told her that I witnessed this as a kid. I just hope that the "practioner" that you get will allow you to be inches away from the dancing paper dolls as we were.
off to bohol on the 25th!! we'll stay in panglao. thank you for posting those numbers; i'll contact them too.
I just got back from Bohol this week. Been there too last October 2011. On our first Bohol trip, we stayed 1 night in Bohol Beach Club and then transferred to Amorita in Alona side for 2 nights. The two beaches (Bohol Beach Club side and Alona Beach) are totally different as apples and oranges. I recommend Amorita for their top-notch service. My daughter was won over by having a jar of cookies in our room refilled each day, compliments of the resort. Our 2012 Bohol trip is unplanned. My balikbayan relatives suddenly decided to go to Bohol for some R & R last Monday and we're all off to Bohol that Thursday. Since the trip is unplanned, we have limited choices for accommodations. Since I wanted them to experience the two famous sides of Panglao, I booked one night in Dumaluan 2 and another night in Lost Horizon's in Alona. Based on the 2 trips, I like the Bohol Beach Club side better since the beach is much wider and cleaner and there's less crowd. However, accommodations are limited and often lackluster. Alona side was full of sea grass and saw 3 jellyfishes swimming near us.
Just came from Bohol last week of March and we still saw dolphins around 7am. The key to dolphin watching is that you leave as early as you can so that there are not too many boats yet crowding the radius where the dolphins appear. The thing is the dolphins don't jump at a fixed spot. So the boats and "spotters" need to move around and chase the spot where the dolphins appear. So if there are just too many boats, it's hard to run after the dolphins and go near. The fewer the boats, the better, the easier and faster you can go to the dolphin's spot. Get your zoom lenses ready for this. Enjoy and good luck! Hope you get close enough to the dolphins.
Has anybody tried out "the plunge" at Danao Adventure Park? Its kinda like bungee jumping. Was wondering how to get there from Bohol Beach Club, would anybody have any tips?
I went to Bohol last November 2011 and had a wonderful experience. I booked tours from the famous Tatsky Cubero (courtesy of some of our local forums) and was very much satisfied! We stayed at Alona Tropical Resort at the Alona side where the Bohol night scene is. We did the Countryside Tour on our 2nd day for PHP 2000 plus entrance fees. We did the SEA tour on the 3rd day for PHP 1400. * all photos taken with an iPhone 4 Also sharing my detailed IT for those interested: > Day 1 > 5:00 PM Arrived at Tagbilaran Airport > 5:30 PM Check in at Alona Tropical Resort > Dinner at Alona Beach restos > > Day 2 Countryside Tour - PHP 2,000 car rental for 2-4 pax (excluding entrance fees, food, etc) > 8:00 AM pickup > Hanging Bridge - 10 / person > Tarsier Sanctuary 50/person > Man-made forest > Choco Hills ATV - 400/30 mins > Chocolate Hills 50/person > Butterfly center 30/person > Loboc River Cruise (c/o Riverwatch) - 400/person > Blood compact > a Mini zoo with the ostrich and python and the cheapest Peanut Kisses > Hinagdanan Cave 15/ person 15 parking > Bohol Bee Farm just in time for the last tour at 4:30 PM 30 / person > (we skipped the Churches but can still be part of the Itinerary) > * BTW, there's no time limit so you can still have dinner before you go back to your resort > > Day 3 SEA tour PHP 1,400 2-6 pax if coming from Alona Beach > 6:00 pickup > Dolphin Watching > Balicasag Marine Sanctuary Snorkeling (100 / person bangka guide) > Brunch at Balicasag Island (as in turo turo style) > Virgin Island (not so virgin anymore...) > 1:00 pm return to resort (or anytime you want to return) > Beach - Alona > > Day 4 > Beach - Alona > 12:00 noon checkout > Lunch at Prawn Farm, Island Mall (Tagbilaran city) > 2:30PM Tagbilaran Airport
