One of the places I've been longing to visit is Bohol and I was fortunate enough that I was given a chance to visit this wonderful place last August 2010.
During our 3 days stay in Bohol, we first visited, as part of our itinerary the Blood Compact Shrine wherein you will see life-size diorama of pure bronze statue that depicts of what happened during the blood compact. It was said to be just few meters from the exact location where the ritual was made. The statues are of those of Datu Sikatuna a leader of Bohol and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi from Spain together with their followers. They actually drink their mixed blood as a sign of friendship and diplomatic relations and because of that Datu Sikatuna became the first Filipino ambassador of peace and goodwill.
Our next stop was at The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Baclayon otherwise known as the Baclayon Church. It is believed to be one of the oldest stone church in the Philippines. Nevertheless, the Baclayon Church is indeed the oldest church in Bohol. It is one of the best-preserved Jesuit build churches constructed in 1595. 
The construction of the Baclayon Church required two hundred native laborers who were forced to do the work. These artisans hauled coral stones from the sea, then skillfully cut them into square blocks, lifted the work using bamboo to move the stones into position, and piled them like bricks. About a million egg whites were used to cement the cut coral stones together. This was a testament to the great skill of these native artisans.
The church is one of breath taking beauty. This old church is facing the sea and made of coral blocks like other old churches in the Philippines.
The Baclayon Church was completed in 1727 and a large bell was added in 1835. The church building had a dungeon where violators of Roman Catholic Law were punished. Filipino natives were its usual occupants.
The attractions we’ll see in the Baclayon Church include an old convent with a small museum. And also, the Baclayon houses a museum containing lots of church material. There you’ll see some centuries-old relics. Most artifacts you’ll see in the Baclayon Church museum are religious in nature.
On our way to our next destination we pass by The Bohol Forest. This is a man-made mahogany forest stretching in a two-kilometer stretch of densely planted Mahogany trees located in the border of Loboc and Bilar towns. Before and after this man-made forest are the naturally grown forests of Loboc and Bilar which are thick with a kaleidoscope of green foliage, different species of trees and giant ferns lining the road.
The man-made forest stands out because of the uniformity in height of the big trees, the spread of its branches, thickness and design of leaves. Seedlings abound around the older trees. Trunks, some thick and others just a few months old, grow resplendently straight up towards the sky which is obscured by the branches and the thick leaves.
The terrain from both side of the road goes up; to I don’t know how high. What you see are only the Mahogany trees that look like thousands of sentinels guarding the road, standing erect. No other vegetation is growing among the Mahogany trees. One only sees the brown trunks stretching forth from the earth and the green canopy above. And that’s what makes them look so attractive!
Aside from beautiful sceneries you find in Bohol, this place is also the home of the tarsier, the big-eyed insect-eating monkey whose size is smaller than a man's fist. Scientists regard the tarsier as the oldest mammal now inhabiting the earth. Mostly active at night, it lives on a diet of insects. Folk traditions sometimes has it that tarsiers eat charcoal, but actually they retrieve the insects from (sometimes burned) wood. It can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao in the Philippines.
I've always wanted to visit Bohol because I really wanted to see the Chocolate Hills, I am amazed how these really look like. When I was young I thought these are real cone shaped chocolate like that of the Hershey’s Chocolate “Kisses”, but as I grew older I learned that they are just work of the mother nature and they are not really made of chocolate.
The Chocolate Hills are probably Bohol’s famous tourist attraction. They are featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attractions in the province. Chocolate Hills look like giant mole hills, or as some say, women's breast, and remind us of the hills in a small child's drawing. Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact.
In my trip to Bohol last August 2010, I’ve learned that the Chocolate Hills get their name from the brown-colored grass that covers them during the dry season, which makes it look good enough to eat like real chocolates. The rest of the time they are just as green as the forest that surrounds them. There are 1,268 cone-shaped hills spreading across 50 square kilometers, in the middle of Bohol Island. They may look like just a bunch of hills to some people, but they managed to put Bohol Island on the international tourist map long before its hot, sandy beaches became so popular. People travel from all over the world just to gaze at the spectacular scenery offered by the seemingly infinite ber of hills. The fact that they are all about the same size (between 30 and 50 meters) and shape makes the view even more surreal. Chocolate Hills have been cited as a Geological movement of the country and is also known as the Eight Wonder of the World.
During my trip to Bohol, Loboc River cruise is also one of our itinerary and finally been there. We enjoyed the buffet lunch and the cruise. After we ate, we float down the river with a singer on board playing a guitar and singing at the same time. It was an enjoyable experience because everyone on the boat was singing along and I remember the guy with a guitar singing “Top of the World” and we sang along with him.
The cruise itself lasted for about an hour and goes through some nice river scenery. The cruise I was on also stopped at the Ati tribe's village for about 15 minutes or so, which I found it pretty enjoyable.
The Loboc River Cruise is a must-do while you're in Bohol. This river is just so serene. The cruise is really a great part of the countryside tour.
In the orientation area, a local tour guide showed us the different stages of butterfly life cycle starting from the egg up to the full-grown butterfly. He showed us some images from the cardboard and pictures in frames found in the area. He gave us actual egg and caterpillars to hold and feel. He also nformed us many other things about butterflies before going to the garden.
The Butterfly Conservation Center has both a Butterfly garden and a Butterfly enclosure. The garden is in an open landscape with flower garden that attracts butterfly to feed on them. The place is visited by different species of local butterflies naturally. There are seats, pagoda and a hammock where one can relax under the shade and watch the butterflies flutter by.
We tried crossing over the hanging bridge after visiting the Butterfly Conservation Center. This bridge is made of bamboo that hangs across the Loboc River which is about 20 m long. Nothing fancy to see but the walk especially when it rains then it sways is real fun and very exciting. You can hear girls screaming trying to cross the bridge. If you are adventurous try this one. You can cross the bridge in 15 minutes if you are in a hurry. There is a store on the other side where you can buy some pasalubong.Our last stop was at the sanctum of the biggest python in captivity named “Prony”. Just a few hundred meters from the hanging bridge is a Python sanctum which is 5 years old in existence with a length of approximately 23 feet and an estimated weight of about 300 kg. The biggest python in captivity ever known. Named after its captor, Prony, it loves to eat during feeding time. The winding barangay road leading to the sanctuary and the majestic sights along the course keeps one feel the prime of nature.
My visit to Bohol is definitely a great experience. It made me appreciate more the beauty of nature. Places I've been with are all breathtaking sites and a must see places to visit....
