wanderLUST DISCOVERING Bohol ver the past 10 years I a week lounging on White Beach, asking have visited almost every Filipinos for suggestions. The answer was country in Southeast surprisingly unanimous: Bohol. With Asia, from Laos to promises of dreamy tropical beaches, Indonesia. But until cuddly miniature primates and surreal recently the Philippines landscapes, I was sold. had eluded me. To be honest, I had Frankly, I had never even heard of Onever really considered traveling to the Bohol before my trip to the Philippines. Philippines, mainly because I knew very Located a stone’s throw from Cebu City, little about it. the tropical island is wildly popular with Then, after fi nding a cheap promo domestic tourists. Despite remaining ticket through AirAsia, I suddenly found under the international tourist radar, it myself boarding a last-minute fl ight is actually one of the most frequented SAMPLING THE DELIGHTFUL to Cebu City. As the archipelago was destinations in the country. The few uncharted territory for me, I was clueless foreign visitors who venture there do so CHOCOLATE HILLS OF THE PHILIPPINES. about where to go, other than visiting the to explore the pristine coral reefs that WORDS JUSTINE LOPEZ | PHOTOS TONY KUEHN world-famous beaches of Boracay. I spent surround the island and give Bohol its 10 JPLUS November 23, 2014 wanderLUST reputation as one of the top 10 dive spots in place is so great, why had I never heard of it the world. before? And why don’t more people visit it? Because I’m not a diver, I came to check `I booked a hotel room in the quaint were surprisingly few tourists. Strolling through most hotels, I was craving a bit of out the island’s other attractions. My goal resort town of Alona Beach. After scoping along the shore, I quickly spotted an adventure. So I rented a scooter and set was simple: I wanted to play in the azure out the beach, I quickly decided that my isolated patch of sand, laid out my sarong, out to explore the island’s attractions on waters of Alona Beach, spot a Philippine fi rst day in Bohol would be a dedicated and nestled into the sand. I spent the day my own. After a 30-minute jaunt, I felt tarsier in the semi-wild at the tarsier beach day. Unlike the hyper-touristy alternating between sunning on the beach like I was worlds away from Alona Beach. sanctuary, and gaze at the otherworldly beaches of Boracay, Alona Beach was and cooling off in the bathtub warm Chocolate Hills. Made up of more than far less presumptuous. It only took 15 water. LITTLE ATTRACTIONS 1,200 conical and symmetrical limestone minutes to walk the length of its shore, The following morning I was tempted As I snaked along the windy mountain formations, the hills are touted as one but despite its small size there was no to spend another day lazing around Alona roads, the temperature dropped of the most beautiful landscapes in the questioning its beauty. Fishing boats Beach, but Bohol’s interior beckoned. dramatically and I was surrounded by country. For most of the year the rolling bobbed in the cobalt water, the sand was a While it’s simple to arrange tours to the vibrantly green jungle. Although my mounds are covered by a dense layer of powdery white, and the shore was fringed see the tarsiers and Chocolate Hills face was thwacked by a few bugs, my hair green grass, but in the dry season the sun with windswept palms. roasts them into a chocolaty brown color, The beachfront was peppered with dive hence their name. shops, hotels, and modest eateries, where I have to admit I was a little skeptical I sampled traditional Filipino dishes and about Bohol; I couldn’t help but wonder if purchased fruity cocktails. the island would live up to the hype. If this Despite being the high season, there JPLUS November 23, 2014 11 wanderLUST IF YOU GO … Getting there: There is no international airport on Bohol, but the airport receives daily domestic flights from Manila and Cebu City. Another option is to take the 1.5-hour ferry ride from Cebu City. Touring the island: Tours are incredibly affordable. It’s possible to book a tour through most hotels and tourist shops, or you can arrange private tours with the local guides who hang out near the entrance to Alona Beach. Feel free to haggle on the price. Renting a scooter: Scooters can be rented from any of the island’s residents. If you’re staying near Alona Beach, locals will approach you about rentals. Seeing the tarsiers: There are numerous tarsier sanctuaries in Bohol. It’s best to avoid any “sanctuary” that allows tourists to hold tarsiers or confines the animals to cages. Tarsiers are an endangered species and should not mistreated in this way. Where to eat: The Bohol Bee Farm boasts some of the best food on the island. Located on Panglao Island, the restaurant incorporates homegrown organic produce into their delicious culinary creations. was a tangled mess from the wind, and After I had my fill of the adorable my clothes were damp from sporadic rain tarsiers I hopped back on my scooter showers, the ride was spectacular and I and made my way up the road to the was grinning from ear to ear when I pulled Chocolate Hills. Soon enough I found up to my first stop, the tarsier sanctuary. myself coasting alongside lime green rice The sanctuary itself is a simple place. It patties which were framed by a sea of houses about a dozen of the endangered perfectly conical hills. I decided to park creatures in a forested area. Tarsiers are my scooter and hike up to the designated mistakenly known as the world’s smallest viewpoint. primate, a title that actually belongs to a The second I reached the top, I instantly lemur in Madagascar. Still, they are so understood why everyone had raved about unbelievably tiny they could easily curl the Chocolate Hills. The symmetrical up in the palm of your hand. With their mounds rolled as far as the eye could comically large and bulbous eyes, adhesive see, creating one of the most magical and froglike hands and long rat-like tail, they surreal landscapes I have ever laid eyes on. look more like an alien species than Not only did the Chocolate Hills live something that’s native to this planet. up to the hype but Bohol exceeded my Inside the sanctuary, I was accompanied wildest expectations. It only took two by a guide whose primary purpose was days for Bohol to become one of my to protect the tiny primates. Tarsiers are favorite destinations in all of Southeast extremely sensitive creatures, physically Asia. This island really does have it and emotionally. And the sound of tourists all, from beautiful beaches to magical chattering, the flash of a camera, or the Chocolate Hills to world-class diving. touch of a human, are all things that can After traveling there, it shocks me that stress these guys out to such a degree Bohol has managed to remain relatively they are known to commit suicide. As my undiscovered by international visitors. guide happily pointed out the hard-to-spot Bohol might be well known by Filipino tarsiers, I was perfectly content to quietly tourists, but if you ask me it’s still one of observe the funny looking animals. the best kept secrets in Southeast Asia. 12 JPLUS November 23, 2014.