When in Bohol: Take a Trip to Anda

I fell in love with going to the not so touristy areas of different provinces. These hidden gems are what make me fall in love with my country. It has so much to offer. You just have to sometimes to head towards the unbeaten path. And last December, R and I went to Anda, Bohol for a quick vacation after a grueling journey in South Asia. 

Hello, Anda!

Anda is on the southeast side of Bohol. It is not a very popular tourist spot due to its far proximity from Panglao where most luxurious resorts are situated. In fact, from Panglao International Airport, you have to take a 30-minute ride to get to Tagbilaran and about three hours to get to Anda.

What Mary Loves: Amorita's New Saffron Dishes

Bohol is one of my favorite islands in the Philippines. Aside from its chill vibe and beautiful beaches, I love that this place is a gold mine for sea urchin. But I found another reason to like Bohol. And that's Amorita and its scrumptious new dishes at Saffron.

Hello, Amorita. 

Amorita is one of the luxury resorts situated in the famous Alona Beach in Panglao. It sits on top of a cliff giving its guests a wonderful view of the beach and sea. 

Birthday Getaway: Amarela Resort in Panglao, Bohol

I knew that this year's birthday celebration would be a lot different as I will be tagging along R on his business trip. Though I was expecting that we'd find time to at least have a mini celebration together, it didn't exactly turned out as such given that we had a packed schedule to follow. But just when I was frowning and at the verge of crying, R surprised me with a lovely stay at Amarela Resort in Panglao, Bohol the day after my birthday. 

Hello, Amarela Resort.

When in Bohol: Tarsier Conservation Center

Tarsiers are closely associated to Bohol so it would be lame to not visit the Tarsier Conservation Center when in Loboc. And I was so glad when R's dealer drove us to the place right after visiting Chocolate Hills. 

Hello, Tarsier Conservation Center. 

The Tarsier Conservation Center is just a few minutes away from the famous Chocolate Hills so you could definitely visit these two tourist spots in half a day or even in two hours. 

When in Bohol: Alona Beach

One of the things I love about Visayas is that it is filled with so many beautiful islands and beaches. And Panglao's Alona Beach does not disappoint with its white sand and clear water. 

Hello, Alona Beach. 

Alona Beach is one of the busiest areas in Panglao. The long strip is filled with resorts, restaurants and tourist, predominantly Koreans and Chinese. On our last day in Bohol, we decided to spend the morning in Alona Beach since we spent the first two days touring the city and the island hopping. 

When in Bohol: Isola di Francesco

One of the perks of having a local contact in Bohol is that they'd know the best places to visit in the area. And if they have their own boat, you don't even have to worry about transportation. And that was pretty much what happened when R and I visited Panglao. It is still one of my favorite vacations to date as everything was well prepared by R's dealer, I. And for our second and last stop for island hopping, we went to Isola di Francesco. 

Hello, Isola di Francesco. 

Isola di Francesco is located at Pontod Island and owned by St. Pio devotee, Mr. Ramon Rodriguez. Designed to be a place suitable for retreat and reflection, the place is adorned with several religious sculptures. It also holds regular mass in the island's chapel. 

When in Bohol: Virgin Island, Panglao

I always look forward to island hopping whenever I'm in Visayas. I enjoy bringing out the Ariel of The Little Mermaid in me with snorkling gear and life vest in tow. And one of my favorite spots to date is the Virgin Island in Panglao, Bohol. 

Hello, Virgin Island, Panglao. 

This small island is far from the Virgin Island of Bantayan Island. It doesn't have the hipster vibe of the latter. There are no hammocks, cottages, washroom, benches or tables in sight. It is indeed what a virgin island should be... pure. 

Several visitors will drop by to be immersed in a place untainted by civilization. 

Aside from the Virgin Island signage, there are only two vendors selling seafood and fresh buco and a handful of vendors selling pearls. Since I'm not fond of jewelry, I zeroed in on seafood. 

Only a handful are available--sea urchin, sea cucumber and a bunch of shelled fish-- which they could cook adobo style for you.

And one of the things I love about the province is that sea urchin's super affordable. We got five sea urchins for just PHP100 or PHP20 each! Not bad at all. 

We also got abalones for PHP50 a piece and had it cooked adobo style. But we realized that it would have been better raw and just drizzled with calamansi. 

We also got one fresh buco for PHP50.

Since we came in a small boat, we decided to eat our roasted chicken and steamed prawns there. And the seafood vendor was nice enough to let us use a portion of his prep table.

Though this is often visited or included in island hopping, I was impressed with how the locals keep the place as clean as possible. And the vendors sure know how to speak Chinese! This is enough to prove that several Chinese tourists visit Panglao. (I have to admit, I was a bit envious because I could only say three phrases in Chinese.)

True, there's nothing much to see in this island and all you can do here are to eat and buy pearls. But there are times when I just want to spend time in places like this... away from the chaos of Manila. My short stay here definitely recharged me and I'd love to drop by again for more sea urchin and abalone. 

Till next time!

When in Bohol: Chocolate Hills

I'm definitely no mountaineer but I can climb hills. Well, sort of. Okay, it was far from what could be called a hike but I did witness one of the most popular tourist spots in Bohol... the famous Chocolate Hills. 

Hello, Chocolate Hills.

I visited Bohol for the first time last December and one of the places I was dying to visit was Chocolate Hills. Though I've heard that it has lost its charm throughout time, I still wanted to take those few hundred steps up to see the famous local Kisses' inspiration. 

When in Bohol: Bohol Bee Farm

I’ve never been a beach loving person till a few years back when I was dragged out of my house to bask under the scorching sun. The usual me would dread the idea of being burnt black and having to cut down on carbs just to look decent in photos. But for some reason, it became a lot more interesting. I’m not sure if it has something to do with getting older but the relaxing sound of the water hitting the shore or boat and having a carefree life (for at least a few days) were just some of the things I look forward to whenever I visit an island. Of course, good food is also in the picture. And a trip to Bohol is not complete without visiting Bohol Bee Farm. 

Hello, Bohol Bee Farm.

This popular dining destination in Panglao has been a favorite of tourists and locals alike. Aside from its spacious restaurant, the huge compound also houses a nursery of herbs and various plants, spa, and several cottages as B&B accommodations. There are also water sports equipment available for rent for those interested to enjoy the sea.