panglao island tour

10 august 2011, bohol

dauis church, hinagdanan cave, shell museum, bohol bee farm

since we arrived in the morning and we cannot check in yet, we had a short panglao tour as indicated in kuya dodong's itinerary. it was a bit raining that morning, but we still went on with  the tour.

dauis church

the church of our lady of the assumption, also known as dauis church is located in the town of dauis in panglao. it is an old church, built during the spanish regime. there were some devotees, mostly are of old age, when we arrived in the church.  

there is a well, known for its water’s healing power, at the foot of the main altar. local history tells that this well originated from the spanish era.the church is near the shorelines but the water in the well is not salty (according to our driver-guide).  i was not able to take pictures inside the church, because i was wearing shorts and i have to put on something to cover which i did not bother doing. hehe.

http://www.bohol-philippines.com/dauis-church.html

http://www.bohol-philippines.com/dauis-church.html

hinagdanan cave

this cave is so called 'hinagdanan' because stairs were created to reach it. it is an underground cave, discovered by the owner of the land. he got curious when he discovered holes in the ground and was amazed when saw that there is actually a cave under his terrain.

in the cave is a body of water, about 12-15ft, very inviting for swimming :)

a tour guide led us to the cave. he was really funny and lively. he also took the pictures of us.he always shouts 'fantabulous!' after he takes a shot.

my louie

after the cave tour

there are souvenir shops within the area. shirts are available for as low as 100 pesos. we bought our shirts here. :)

nova shell museum

i haven't seen a shell collection as many as what nova shell museum has. from the biggest to the tiniest (needs magnifying glass) shell, and shells gathered from the rich island of bohol and other places are being stored here.

we had a short tour in the museum, to give us a little knowledge about shells. there is a shell in this museum that costs hundreds of dollars because it is very rare. there is also these little shells that can only be found in balicasag island in bohol.

bohol bee farm

our last stop was bohol bee farm. we were not able to have the tour to see the bees, because it was raining. we just had lunch there and see the amenities.

the food was great! it was a bit pricey but it was worth it. i love the apple-banana shake!

back to bohol main blog                          next blog: dumaluan resort check-in

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tagbilaran airport, bohol

tagbilaran airport (paliparan ng tagbilaran), is a domestic airport in the island of bohol.  it has a 1.7-kilometer runway and one terminal. travel time from/to manila is 1 hour and 15 minutes.

the airport has basic facilities, enough to cater to the needs of the travelers. it also has a lounge with seats to accommodate people who are waiting for their loved ones to arrive. upon arrival, the checkin baggages can be claimed in the conveyor area.

louie upon arrival

louie and lexine, while we were getting our baggages

this is me outside the aiport, looking for our van

there are numerous taxis and transports outside which can bring you to any point of the province.

airlines

all trips are bound to manila

• cebu pacific air
• airphil express
• philippine airlines
• zest airways

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cheap bohol tour package

it is always convenient to get a tour package for a hassle free travel. since i will be with my family, i did not want our bohol getaway to be a diy trip. i have searched the net for bohol tour packages, and most travel agencies' offer range from 5000 pesos and up. i almost availed a package worth 6,400 per head, but good thing was i bumped into mark maranga's site talking about this cheap bohol tour package. i was not able to get the same deal as his, but still a cheap one for a complete package.

i immediately emailed kuya dodong (jeconias ursos, jr.) after getting the info from mark's site. in less than 24 hours, he replied back. below are the package details:

dumaluan 1 family beach resort, panglao - vast fine white beach front 

group tour pkg of  5 pax @ P4,000.00 per person (at discounted rate, children below 5 y.o. w/o pay)

itinerary:

day 01 = panglao/dauis tour - 4 hours start upon arrival

• bohol bee farm - guest may have their lunch in the farm- guest expense 
• panglao shell museum
• hinagdanan cave
• dauis church
• bayoyoy d' dwarfman 

day 02 = dolphin watching and island hopping 6-8hours

• on-board motorized banca with life saving gadgets, boat operator and crew. 
• jump-off time 5:30-6:00am
• guests will be the one to pay for:

                 # swimming gadgets at p100/set of snorkel & face mask.

                 # p150 per pax payment for swimming guide
                 #  payment food in the island
 

day 03 = bohol countryside tour - 8 hours

• blood compact shrine 
• baclayon church
• python snake ( the largest in captivity 250kg.)
• loboc river cruise and luncheon
• tarsier watch (smallest primate)
• manmade forest 
• hanging bridge
• butterfly sanctuary
• chocolate hills

day 04 =  check-out  to airport - 8am pick-up time
 

inclusions : (pls note of the inclusions)

• 1 family air-con room, shower, t.v. 
• transfers in/out
• air con transport for day tours
• motorized banca for sea tour
• entrance fees 
• buffet lunch at loboc river on board floating resto
• fuel
• tour driver - guide

he only asked me deposit P1500 to his account for room accommodation reservation.

upon arrival, he texted me to give 10,000 to his driver. i paid the remaining 8,500 during our checkout.

 

kuya allan our driver-guide and lexine

i was not able to meet kuya dodong in person, but i am truly grateful about his services. we just communicated through text messages but he has taken really good care of us during our stay. his service his highly recommended. 

contact 
Kuya Dodong

+63 9292742015

boholgrandscenery@yahoo.com

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bohol : the island paradise

i was really excited about this trip, because it is the first time that i'm gonna be traveling with my family. i was excited more about the kids, it was their first airplane ride. i remember my nephew louie asking me why do airplanes have eyes and nose, but do not have ears. haha. so cute.

i really wanted to go to bohol not with my friends but with my family. i don't know, i just feel that bohol is perfect for a family getaway. i have planned everything ahead, as early as the first quarter of the year. the trip was last august 10-13.

our stay in bohol was extraordinary. we had fun!

background

bohol is an island province of the philippines located in the central visayas region, consisting of bohol island and 75 minor surrounding islands. its capital is tagbilaran city. with a land area of 4,117.26 square kilometres (1,589.68 sq mi) and a coastline 261 kilometres (162 mi) long, bohol is the tenth largest island of the philippines. to the west of bohol is cebu, to the northeast is the island of leyte and to the south, across the bohol sea is mindanao.

the province is a popular tourist destination with its beaches and resorts. the chocolate hills, numerous mounds of limestone formation, is the most popular attraction. panglao island, located just southwest of tagbilaran city, is famous for its diving locations and routinely listed as one of the top ten diving locations in the world. numerous tourist resorts dot the southern beaches and cater to divers from around the world. the philippine tarsier, considered the second-smallest primate in the world, is indigenous to the island.

boholanos refer to their island homeland as the "republic of bohol" with both conviction and pride. a narrow strait separates the island of cebu and bohol and both share a common language, but the boholanos retain a conscious distinction from the cebuanos. bohol's climate is generally dry, with maximum rainfall between the months of june and october. the interior is cooler than the coast. (source: wikipedia)

how to get there
we booked at cebu pacific, manila to tagbilaran city which took 1 hour and 15 minutes of travel. it is always the most convenient way to travel. bohol can also be reached through a ferry but will take longer travel time, less than 24 hours i guess. another way is having a connecting flight to cebu, then travel by boat to bohol.

mom and louie ready to board

itinerary

day 1 
     arrival at tagbilaran airport

     dauis church

     hinagdanan cave

     shell museum

     lunch at bee farm restaurant

     check in at dumaluan beach resort 

     dinner at dbr grill

day 2

     dolphin watching

     balicasag island

     virgin island

     dinner at dbr grill

day 3

     chocolate hills

     butterfly sanctuary

     man-made forest

     tarsier watch

     hanging bridge

     loboc river cruise and luncheon

     prony the biggest python in captivity

     baclayon church

     blood compact shrine

     dinner at dbr grill

day 4

     check out

budget
*our total budget (5 adults, 2 kids)
17,400 - airfaire
  1,200 - naia terminal fee
20,000 - bohol tour package
  1,800 - bee farm lunch
  2,400 - dinner (3 nights at dbr grill)
  1,400 - lunch at balicasag island
     850 - boat ride and swimming guide (coral sanctuary), 150/adult, 100/child (louie only)
     300 - snorkeling gear rent (100/set)
     120 - tagbilaran terminal fee
45,470 - total

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touch of glory prayer mountain

30 july 2011, antipolo city

there is always a time for everything - time to work, time to relax, time to have fun and time to pray. for the past few months i've to some difficulties. i know i needed to pray. of course we can always pray wherever we are, but it's always a different thing if you are in an isolated place, alone with God, a much closer encounter.

i was happy when the young professionals department in our church planned to go to antipolo to visit the prayer mountain. this activity is very timely for me. the date was set - july 30.

it was a 3-hour travel from laguna to antipolo. it was my longest drive to date. we left at around 8 in the morning, and arrived at pass 11. i don't know if the travel time will be shorter if we left earlier. well actually our call time was 6 am. ooops, i was one of the late comers (with bestie).

the place is not as what i imagined it to be. i thought it is all some kind of basic stuff - muddy pathways, no modern constructions, cave, tents to cover, an exhausting hike to reach the place, etc. but when we arrived, we parked right in front of the gate of the prayer lodge. no need to hike. upon entering you will see a chapel, services are being held here on saturdays and sundays.

touch of glory prayer mountain is a protestant evangelical christian retreat center operated by bread of life ministries, located in sitio calumpang, antipolo. it is the first prayer mountain facility in southeast asia. inspired by the prayer mountains of south korea that brought about the spread of christianity in that country, bread of life's senior pastor butch conde and the leadership of bread of life set out to build the prayer mountain to provide a place of solitude for filipino evangelicals of different denominations.(wikipilipinas)

 

it is a perfect place for prayer and reflection. when i entered my prayer cell, i know i'll be talking to Him personally. i haven't pray that way for the longest time. i asked Him first if still listens. but i believe God never forgets. He is always there, patiently waiting for us to talk to Him. it's just sad that we remember Him more often in times of trouble. still, He remains the same.

our long travel is all worth it.

facilities

for large groups, there is a big chapel where services and fellowships can be done. this center also has prayer cells - these are small rooms with a table inside where you can rest your elbows while you are praying on your knees. a pillow, light and a fan is also provided. these cells are perfect for self-reflection and personal encounter with God. for those who want to stay overnight, there are also dorms and rooms available.

how to get there

we took bicutan exit, via C6. this will take you to taguig, then rizal, then antipolo. i can't remember the detailed landmarks. ^_^

rates

entrance fee is only P50.00. for an overnight stay, P100 for the deck and P200 for the dorm.

schedule of services 

saturdays 

     whole day: 9-3pm

     pastor: alternate pastors

sundays

     morning: 7:30am

     pastor: alternate pastors

contact: (02) 986 1527

 

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