Sunday, October 26, 2014

A Taste Of Bohol And Negros Oriental


What to eat?


Let's first have a sneak peak at Bohol...

Boholano Ubi Polvoron



Ubi is a purple variety of yam, for which Bohol is famous. Polvoron is a delicacy that has its roots in Andalucia, Spain, but has become part of the Spanish legacy in the Philippines. According to Spanish tradition, you'll have to say "Pamplona" as quickly as possible after eating polvoron.


Calamay



Calamay 

Photo: bohol.ph


One of the Boholano delicacies is Calamay. The famous of Calamay is Jagna. Traditionally calamay is packaged in a coconut shell, with the two halves put together with a red tape; however, nowadays it is also sold in smaller plastic cups.
Ubi Powder



Boholano Ubi Polvoron. Ubi is a purple variety of yam, for which Bohol is famous. Polvoron is a delicacy that has its roots in Andalucia, Spain, but has become part of the Spanish legacy in the Philippines. According to Spanish tradition, you'll have to say "Pamplona" as quickly as possible after eating polvoron.


How about in Negros Oriental?

Budbud Kabog





Budbud kabog is a native delicacy similar to suman (sweet, sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves) but made from millet which is a whole grain used to make bread like chapatti and roti. In some Eastern European and African countries, millet is also used in porridge and as baby food. It has a sweet, nutty flavor and is known to be rich in fiber, vitamins and phytochemicals. One of those rare food that's both tasty and good for you!

Dumaguete Express

Dumaguete Express



“Kapag nagta-travel ka, gusto mong i-isolate yung mga kakaibang pagkain. In this case, try the Dumaguete Express,” said Drew. A mix of fish, squid, shrimp, coconut meat and bagnet all cooked in gata, the Dumaguete Express is a heavy dish and favorite among backpackers looking for a quick fix. The resto can be found at Flores Ave. cor E.J. Blanco Drive.

Fried Ice Cream Of Panda




Their fried ice cream is made of a crispy breaded shell like the ones in Cordon Bleu. Size is about 2.5 inches height. Price is Php 55 for the first piece, and Php 45 on your succeeding pieces.

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Saturday, October 18, 2014

Top Natural Attractions in Bohol & Negros Oriental


Bohol


Chocolate Hills


The famous tourist attraction in Bohol is located in Brgy. Buenos Aires, town of Carmen, Bohol, 55 kilometers from Tagbilaran City. It has 1,268 nearby perfect cone-shaped hills which abound in Central Bohol while two of the hills have been developed into a resort. On top of the hill are two youth hostels with a conference room, cozy cottages with private rooms and accommodation and restaurant. The second hill is an observation deck with 213 concrete steps.



Loboc River


Located 21 kilometers away from Tagbilaran City, a fascinating boat ride along the Loboc river has been recently discovered. Motorized pumpboat start the exciting boat ride from Loay bridge which is the outlet of Loboc river and cruise along palm-fringed banks inland and serene waters. The boat ride ends near the Tontonan Falls providing a pleasant bathing session.




Mag-aso Falls


Located in the town of Antequera, the Mag-aso Falls is a twin falls of about 25 feet high. The word mag-aso, which means “smoking”, is a description of how the area near the falls looks like because of the sprays of water from the falls. The falls is a favorite destination of those who want to go nature trekking. Every summer, locals and people from neighboring towns frequent the area to enjoy the cool waters.





Candijay Mangrove Forest


A mangrove haven in the province is the one in barangay Panadtaran in Candijay town, some 92 kilometers from Tagbilaran City. The barangay used to be considered poverty-stricken but the development of the mangrove forest into a tourism destination has helped improve the lives of the residents.




Cambuhat Village

Buenavista, 83 km. from Tagbilaran CityTake the Cambuhat Village Ecotour in Buenavista and observe the local community. The tour starts with a relaxing 30-minute paddled boat ride down the placid Cambuhat River, where you can learn about the values and local management of the rich estuarine and mangrove ecosystem. Mangroves and nipa-plantations abound by the riverside. The boat ride will take you to the oyster culture farms along the tranquil river. Feast on fresh and delectable local cuisine —“slipper oysters” and other seafood. Take a hike to the village and watch how the local craftmakers transform buri palm into raffia cloth, brooms and doormats.



Negros Oriental

Mount Talinis

Dubbed "Cuernos de Negros" or Horns of Negros, this mountain can be reached through Valencia or Calungan, Bacong. It has five lakes in the vicinity. Estimated nine (9) kilometers west of poblacion, 1,800 meters above sea level, the highest peak of the Cuernos de Negros. Nature trails need experienced guides. Rich variety of flora and fauna including rare species of wildlife. Cascades and lakes.
Mt. Talinis Valenci Negros Oriental

Cayaso Cave and Underground River

Located 1 km. from the Poblacion Municipal Hall of Mabinay. Cayaso cave goes down 20 feet into a winding path of stone and behold, a gushing underground river of potable drinking water without a visible outlet.

Mambajao Cave

Casaroro Falls

One of the few great looking and very popular waterfalls here in Negros Oriental. Casaroro is a tall waterfall, one the three waterfalls in Kampesa.

The Majestic Casaroro Falls
Photo: touroriental.com 
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Saturday, October 11, 2014

What to do in Negros Oriental?





1. APO DIVING SAFARI - (Part of Dauin, Negros Oriental)




(Photos Source: Southtravels.com)


Apo Island is the best diving destination in the Visayas. Only four metres from the beach, the dive shop is perfect for you to get the most out of your diving holiday. It is part of town of Dauin, 25 km south of Dumaguete City, the provincial capital. From Dumaguete’s Silliman Beach, you can go directly to Apo on a two-hour pumpboat ride. Or you can go down first to Dauin or the next town of Zamboanguita, and from there take a 30-45 minute trip to the island via motorized outrigger. Apo Island is one of the Worlds best known Community Organized Marine Sanctuary's, and as such it has been well documented, by the Global science community. The project was started in 1982. It is home to over 650 documented species of fish and estimated to have over 400 species of corals.



2. ANTULANG ACTIVITIES - Antulang Diving (Siation, Negros Oriental)




Manta rays, hawksbill turtles, groupers and a multitude of marine life await the most discriminating diver. Our night dives come highly recommended--guests swear it's like diving in your very own private aquarium!


Antulang Snorkeling


Strip of white pebble beaches between Zamboanguita and Siaton; interesting rock formations on the beach; clear waters and underwater scenery ideal for snorkeling. 

Antulang Kayaking


Whether alone or in tandem, kayaking at Antulang is always fun. For the more adventurous, exploring nearby Tambobo Bay by kayak has proved an even more exhilarating experience!

Antulang Fishing


Drop a line from the resort's Sandbar, and you're almost sure to get an eel or a triggerfish. But our more determined guests go out and rent boats from passing fishermen, coming back with sunburns from hell and a whopper of a story--sometimes, with the catch to match it!


Antulang Rappeling


To quote an eager participant, rappeling is "all about conquering your fears." Easier said than done when it's your turn to go down that cliff with the 20-meter drop, albeit a picturesque 20-meter drop! But seriously, our guide says the rope can hold up to 4 tons, so it's worth at least one try!


Antulang Horseback Riding


With a thoroughbred (Siaton's Best), a Morgan (Lightning) and 2 native ponies (1997 and Small One) to choose from, we urge our guests to have a go at horseback riding, either around the resort, at the beach or to a nearby hill peppered with boulders and fossilized giant clams. Seasoned trail riders will be glad to know we use western saddles built for comfort and safety.



3. GOLFING

ANG TAY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 
(Bantayan, Dumaguete)




Located at Rovira Road Bantayan, right beside St. Paul University, it’s a good 10 minute ride from the heart of the city, and 5 minute ride from the Dumaguete – Sibulan airport. A 21 hectar well maintained nine-hole golf course, it’s ideal for golfers, young and old alike. Their restaurant offers a variety of sumptuous food, with clean, fast and reliable service by our restaurant personnel. They also accept parties, birthdays, wedding reception for all occasions. The driving range is appropriate for practice and to harness your golf swings. With a cool and good variety of music, one can experience the friendly and relaxing atmosphere at their clubhouse. When in Dumaguete city, visit Ang Tay Golf & Country Club. 

BRAVO GOLF HOTEL
(Sibulan, Negros Oriental)



The nine-hole golf course has a par of 35 and rated at 68.8 by the NGAP and having a slope of 119. Gilding the fairways are abundant 50-year old mango trees planted by Don Serafin Teves during the hotel's establishment before the 1950's. Amenities include a driving range, pro shop and men's and ladies room. Golf sets are available for rent for out of town visitor's convenience.


4. DOLPHIN WATCHING IN BAIS - (Bais City, Negros Oriental)



Regular cruises supervised by the Bais City Hall can take visitors out to Tañon Strait to view playful dolphins and pygmy sperm whales. Dolphin and whale watching activities are ideal between May and September. Spectacular underwater scenes reward snorkeling and diving.


5. TAMBOBO BAY TOUR - (Siaton, Negros Oriental)



Take a motorized outrigger from the resort to get to the island's best-kept secret: Tambobo Bay. A natural marina encompassed by mangroves and bamboo, the bay is a haven for more than two dozen sailboats and yachts from all over the world. If preferred, cruises can be timed for sunset, with cocktails served onboard.



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What to do in Bohol?

 

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(Photo: goseasia.about.com)
The island of Bohol in the Philippines is still backward in many ways, but its closeness to nature is part of the island's charm. Amidst the rice fields and fishing villages, you'll find some very surprising things: unnatural-looking rounded hills as far as the eye can see, a mysterious island past a mangrove forest, a goggle-eyed primate that fits in your hand, and dazzling white-sand beaches on the next island across the bridge.

 In the next few paragraphs, we'll count down the most interesting sights you'll see when you visit Bohol, less than an hour's plane ride from the Philippine capital Manila. Visitors can reach Bohol via Tagbilaran Airport, then take a tricycle, hotel airport transfer, or hired car to any of the destinations in this list.

1. Check Out the Chocolate Hills

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Seen from atop the main viewing deck in Carmen town, the Chocolate Hills look absolutely unnatural: a series of giant grass-covered dome-shaped mounds stretching as far as the eye can see. These hills - about 1,200 in all - are distributed over 18 square miles of Bohol's land; the grass cover on the hills dries up and browns in summer, giving the Chocolate Hills their name.
The main tourist complex from which to best view the Chocolate Hills can be found in Carmen town, where a restaurant, resort, and view deck have been built on two of the area's highest hills. You'll need to climb about 214 steps up from the driveway to the top of the main observation deck (pictured above), but the view is worth the long, hard slog.
For more on these spectacular limestone formations, check out our article on the Chocolate Hills of Bohol.

2. Explore Panglao Island's Diving Spots

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Only a few minutes' speedboat ride from Panglao Island stand between you and the excellent diving to be had around the island. A sanctuary just five minutes from Alona Beach delivers a wall with a wealth of small fish, nudibranches and anemone. Doljo Beach gives you an eyeful of huge gorgonians and sponges, and the Balicasag marine sanctuary presents an overwhelming variety of sea life, all year round.
Most resorts in Panglao have a dive shop attached to the premises; ask your local dive master about the best dive spots for the time of the year you're visiting, and you'll have plenty of options within spitting distance of the resort.

3. Wander Around Mysterious Lamanoc Island

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The town of Anda, Bohol is as far from civilization as you can get - it's so distant, cellphone coverage only sporadically touches a single point on a local hilltop. This distant hamlet is the jumping-off point for a "mystical" tour of Lamanoc Island, an uninhabited limestone outcrop that is rumored to be haunted by spirits.
Getting to Lamanoc Island involves sailing aboard a small outrigger canoe (pictured above). Getting through the tourist trail around the island involves plenty of climbing steep stairs and walking on slippery limestone; as you proceed, the local guide will tell you about the prehistoric relics found in the island's caves, the shamanistic rites performed here by local witch doctors, and the legends associated with the town.
Beyond Lamanoc Island, Anda and its challenging terrain has also become the setting for the Timex 226 Bohol Triathlon.

4. Get Your Adrenaline High at Eco Adventure Tour (EAT) Danao

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This adventure center straddles a canyon carved into the limestone by the Wahig River. This gaping maw in the earth provides the setting for much of the fun: from the Skyride's tame cable car traversing the gap, to the more adventurous "Suislide" (pun on "suicide", get it?), a two-way zipline across the ravine, to the even more death-defying "the Plunge" that drops you off of a platform with only a bungee cord keeping you from hitting the rocks below.
The local terrain offers plenty of other adventures, too: guests can go trekking through the canyon (which used to be the hideout of a Filipino revolutionary in the 19th century); go kayaking or tubing right on the Wahig river; or climb up one of the canyon walls. Getting to EAT Danao is difficult without a rented car, though.
  • Address: Danao Adventure Park, 6344 Danao, Bohol, Philippines (Google Maps)
  • Phone: +63 917 3021 701
  • Site: eatdanao.com

5. Make a Pilgrimage to Baclayon Church

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The Baclayon Church (officially the "Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception") is regarded as the second-oldest church in the Philippines; only the San Agustin Church in Intramuros is older. Symbolizing Catholicism's influence in the island, the Baclayon Church was built from corals bound together by mortar mixed from eggwhite.
Inside the vast, dark interior of Baclayon Church, all eyes are drawn to the gildedretablo behind the altar, a baroque confection bedecked with backlit icons. Walk to the back of the church and you'll find carroza, or carriages for religious processions; some walls and part of the floors are engraved with the names of devotees presumably buried under the tiles.
The Baclayon parish museum is particularly interesting, as the church has been quite assiduous in preserving religious mementoes since the parish's founding. Among the relics you'll find at the museum are ivory icons of Jesus and Mary; relics of Jesuit saints; church music written on sheepskin; priestly vestments; and religious artwork. Photography is not allowed in the museum.
By Michael Aquino | Southeast Asia Travel Expert
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"Whale and Dolphin Haven"

Apo_Island_rocks
(Photo: en.wikipedia.org)
Negros Oriental is perhaps the best-kept tourist secret in the Philippines. From mountain top to the vast expanse of plains, to the recesses of the earth, to the sea bed, the province has something exciting to offer to every guest. And yet very few people know about its natural bounty which is almost in its pristine form.
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(Photo: metrodeal.com)
Come and unravel the hidden charm of this idyllic hideaway, before the rest of the world does. A first-time visitor should familiarize himself with the dazzling capital of Dumaguete, "The City of Gentle People", before exploring the great outdoors of Negros Oriental.
250px-Ph_locator_map_negros_oriental
(Photo: en.wikipedia.org)
orientalnegrosmap
The land, sea and air transportation hub of the province, all the tourist destinations can be reached from the city. Dumaguete derived its name from the vernacular word "dumaguit" or "to snatch" because pirates and Moros often swooped down on this town to snatch women and loot the populace during the Spanish period. Today, visitors still get snatched, not by raiders, but by natural allure and laid-back pace of life.
www.visitmyphilippines.com | www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.com
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"Splendor Underwater and Over Hills"

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Bohol has long been a place of wonder and diversity. An island filled with both natural and historic attractions, it is truly a visitor's dream and an eco cultural paradise.
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(Photo: myboholguide.com)
Bohol-Map
Easy to travel via both sea and air from a number of destinations makes getting to the island simpler. Further aiding to the visitor's enjoyment is the impressive infrastructure of the island's road system, which now permits quick and smooth travel to all of the island's wonders.
bohol
Known worldwide for the unique Chocolate Hills, visitors can enjoy these amazing limestone humps scattered all across the center of the island. While the area close to Carmen is the most famous view, you can also enjoy this natural phenomenon from Batuan, Sagbayan and even from coastal road north of Inabanga. Created through many millennia of water erosion on limestone atop impermeable clay, the hills are most notable for their chocolate color when the low scrub dries out fully in the months of April & May - though these natural wonders are a joy to view at any time of the year.
www.visitmyphilippines.com | www.itsmorefuninthephilippines.com
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