A standard landscape snapshot of the Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol, taken from the viewdeck where all the other thousands of tourists take their snapshots

Our second day in Bohol was spent going around the usual tourist spots in the province. With just a day, we could only cover so much.

Our first destination was the world-famous Chocolate Hills, a two hour drive from Panglao Island. It started to drizzle while we were on the way to Carmen, Bohol where many of the hills are located. The hills, numbering more than a thousand, are actually spread over two other municipalities in the center of the island province. Named Chocolate Hills because of their Kisses-like shape and their brown color during the summer, they were apparently formed through thousands of years of tidal and land movements.

Thankfully, the skies cleared up a bit just as we arrived at the hill with the tourist view deck, just in time for a few snapshots. There were hundreds of local and foreign tourists, too. The hike up the hill can be very tiring. There is a zig-zag concrete ramp up the hill for those who can’t take hiking up a hundred or more steps straight up.

Along the highway from Tagbilaran to the Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol, a few hectares of tall mahogany trees make for a beautiful and serene route. Located in the town of Bilar, the trees were artificially planted as part of an environmental project in the 60's of then-President Carlos Garcia, himself a son of Bohol

From Carmen, Bohol, we stopped by a place along the highway to cross a bamboo hanging bridge to the other side of the river. When we got to the other side, there were some souvenir shops selling peanut kisses. There was also a local showing off his talent of shaving coconut husks with his teeth. There was another bamboo hanging bridge for those wanting to go back to the other side. I don’t really know what’s so special about this stop, but it seems to be in the standard itinerary for tourists with a tour guide. There were dozens of other tourists in the area.

Bamboo hanging bridges at Loboc, Bohol. I'm not sure what's so extraordinary about this tourist stop.

For lunch, we had a feast onboard a floating restaurant that cruised a few kilometers along the picturesque Loboc River. It was a short but beautiful river cruise along what seemed to be a very healthy river with lush foliage along the banks. Young girls and boys in their teens are also game to show off their diving stunts along the way, jumping and tumbling from tall trees. Some residents, mostly women, were also bathing along the river, though I’m not too sure if it was all a show or if they were genuinely taking baths. It can feel quite contrived, it looks so picturesque a countryside scene for me. Depending on which river cruise company you choose to board on, you may stop over a floating stage where some residents will sing and dance to native tunes to entertain visitors.

Loboc River, Loboc, Bohol

The river cruise will take almost two hours, an hour upstream and another hour going back to the river docks right across the historic Loboc Church. There was an unfinished concrete bridge near the docks that would have smacked right into the church had it been completed that serves as a major eyesore, however. It’s a monument of stupidity, if you ask me, and a source of frustration at the government too.

Loboc River, Loboc, Bohol

On the way back to Panglao Island, we stopped over a small zoo-like sanctuary along the highway where some live tarsiers and other native animals were displayed.

We also stopped by another place where they were displaying a giant python (in a cage) to hundreds of tourists. I also don’t know what’s so special about that tourist trap, but it seemed to be in everyone’s itinerary–at least those who chose to go with standard tourist guides.

Baclayon Church, Baclayon, Bohol

We also stopped over at Baclayon Church, the second oldest stone church in the country. We went inside and toured the church museum. Outside, you can cross the highway and walk along the sea-side plaza where you can see the pier from a distance. The crystal clear and shallow waters may make you want to jump in the sea.

Baclayon Church, Baclayon, Bohol

The pier fronting the town plaza of Baclayon, Bohol, near the historic stone church

Our tour ended with a visit at the “Blood Compact” monument in Tagbilaran City. I’m not sure why we erected a monument commemorating foreign invaders’ victory in coopting some of our ancestors into submission. Did I miss something in my Philippine history?

Blood Compact Site Memorial, Tagbilaran, Bohol

Bohol is much deserving to be one of the country’s best tourist destinations. It is not only a beach or resort destination, with many white sand beaches and dive spots to choose from. It also offers a picturesque countryside, one-of-a-kind landscapes, historical monuments and churches, a beautiful river cruise, unique wildlife from tarsiers to dolphins, eco-adventure activities all within minutes of each other. It’s like having a complete tropical tourist package compressed in one lovely island province, or being in an all-natural tropical theme park. We of course, were not able to experience the entire thing, which makes for a very good reason to come back.