Bohol’s premiere destination for luxurious accommodations

By Tessa Prieto-Valdes
Philippine Daily Inquirer

9:25 pm | Friday, January 4th, 2013

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LAMIAN Restaurant at Bellevue Resort

Properties along the sun-bleached, sandy coastline of Bohol are becoming scarce. The island of Panglao in the Western Visayan province of Bohol has become one of the world’s most desirable destinations for travelers who want resort living without losing the charm of an island setting.

The Bellevue Resort, the newest venture of brilliant entrepreneur Johnny Chan, recently opened its doors as the island’s premiere destination for luxurious accommodations and topnotch hospitality.

The entire island of Panglao is ringed with resorts, from its northern shores to the famous Alona Beach on its southwest end. The Bellevue Resort is quietly tucked away in a sliver of secluded beach along the western side of the island, just a few minutes from Panglao town itself.

Perfect getaway

The Bellevue has 159 luxury suites overlooking its picturesque Doljo Beach. The resort combines contemporary design and tropical lifestyle to create the perfect getaway in Bohol.

THE BELLEVUE Resort in Bohol

The large and welcoming lobby opens into an expansive infinity pool in front of the beach. Several koi ponds are designed around the sprawling garden leading to the pool area.

Rooms at the resort’s north wing are specifically designed with families in mind. With two queen beds in every masterfully designed guest room, The Bellevue Resort’s spacious rooms can easily accommodate up to four adults. With an addition of a rollaway bed, families of up to five can rest comfortably, and still have room to move about freely.

Rooms, pools

Couples have an option to stay in the resort’s deluxe rooms at the south wing which range from 35 to 45 square meters, or opt to indulge in any of the resort’s luxurious suites which range from 65 to over 170 square meters. The suites are all equipped with king beds and creature comforts like large LED TVs, and iPod-ready stereos.

Guests will also find it difficult to resist the temptation to swim in the resort’s magnificent infinity pool, which also has a kiddie area for toddlers going for a dip. The pool also has a diving area for those who really want to make a big splash. There is also an indoor playing area where children can enjoy themselves, while gym buffs need not to worry about skipping their routine while on vacation as the resort offers a well-equipped gym for guests to work on their muscles.

Restaurants, bars

The resort features several restaurants and bars, each with its own distinctive taste and style. Whether a quick snack, a buffet feast, or a special romantic dinner with a private table overlooking Doljo Beach, The Bellevue Resort offers various dining outlets to suit any appetite.

Flujo offers refreshing summer cocktails, tropical shakes and other bar chow, while Western and Filipino fusion cuisine takes center stage at Cena. Lamian offers a buffet of the best dishes from around the world, while seafood fans are in for a treat at the resort’s signature seafood restaurant, Marea, where the fine-dining experience is complemented by the stunning seaside ambiance.

Ideal sanctuary

John Patrick Chan, managing director of The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts, told me that the resort’s special location makes it an ideal sanctuary for privacy and indulgence. “The Bellevue stands for dedicated service, uncompromised quality and a penchant for innovation.” Check it all out at www.thebellevue.com or call (02) 771-8181 for info.

Personally I think it is amazing that we get entrepreneurs to invest in such great resorts for the increasing number of tourists coming to our country. I also discovered that the team behind The Bellevue Resort is the same group that put up The Bellevue Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Guests familiar with the five-star luxury and amenities of the preeminent hotel in the southern hub of Metro Manila can now be assured of the same quality, comfort and pampering level when they venture to Panglao.

Follow @tessavaldes on Twitter or email her at seaprincess@inquirer.com.ph.

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Bohol Aims For The Top

Danao Adventure Park

The province of Bohol is out to reclaim its post as the top tourist destination in the country.

This is the newfound vision of the government of Bohol, which recently launched its newest tourism campaign—dubbed as Bohol: Heart of the Islands, Truly Philippines—in partnership with Philippine Bohol Arts Foundation Institute (PABFI) and the province’s tourism stakeholders.

Aimed at immensely boosting local and foreign tourist arrivals and making the province the country’s preferred travel destination, the campaign showcases Bohol’s rich cultural and historical heritage, highlighting its rich eco-cultural value beyond the Chocolate Hills and the diminutive tarsiers, the world’s smallest primate.

"Other than the usual sites that are being promoted here—the Loboc River, the Chocolate Hills, the tarsiers, and the white sand beaches of Panglao—there is more to discover in Bohol that will make greater tourism impact, not only for the province, but also in relation to the Philippine context of promoting the country," said Bohol Governor Edgar Migriño Chatto.

The event, held at the Centennial Hall in Manila Hotel, gathered key public officials and tourism leaders, including Manila Hotel President and former senator Joey Lina, Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) President Cesar Cruz, and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr.

Located in Central Visayas, Bohol literally sits at the heart of the Philippine archipelago. Boasting of diving sites revered as among the best worlwide, the province is home to a number of natural wonders, such as—aside from the Chocolate Hills—the biggest mangrove plantation in Asia, and the Dajanon Bank, the lone double-barrier reef in the region and one of only six such marine structures in the world.

“Bohol and its people have a certain respect and appreciation for heritage and tradition,” Chatto shared. “This is why we have come up with this campaign to highlight the captivating charm that Bohol exudes and the heartwarming hospitality offered by Boholanos themselves.”

One of the things that Bohol would like to promote and enrich through its new tourism campaign is the element of nationalistic pride. “By showing everyone how Boholanos have preserved practices and beliefs that other Filipinos have already seemed to forget, we are also able to emphasize the value of cherishing their heritage,” PBAFI Executive Ria Cauton noted. “In an age when our culture are soaked in various colonial ideas and influences, that’s really something that has become rare.”

Bohol’s colorful history can be seen all over the province—especially when one looks upon its well-preserved Hispanic structures scattered all over, like the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Dauis, which attracts thousands of devout Catholics every year, and the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Baclayon, which is touted as Asia’s best-preserved Jesuit church.

In addition, other reasons that permit the province to say, ‘You can’t say you’ve been to the Philippines and truly experienced Filipino culture without having gone to Bohol,’ are its rich and distinct culinary offerings, vibrant nightlife, thriving art scene and ancestral craft-making practices. All of these underscore the fact that, indeed, one of Bohol’s main assets are its hospitable, constantly jovial and honest people.

“You don’t have to be from Bohol to love Bohol,” revealed Secretary Jimenez. “It’s simply being part of a rich cultural experience that makes a visit to Bohol unforgettable. The Loboc Children’s Choir, for example, has become a symbolic icon of the province precisely because, as an American friend who heard them once said, ‘You cannot sing the way they do if you are not happy.”

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Bohol is so cool this summer

It’s the year for local travel–and to have fun in the Philippines

By: Erica Paredes
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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GET INTERACTIVE at the Loboc River Cruise.

My resolution this year is to see more of my own country. In the past, traveling abroad was the thing to do, with domestic travel reserved for those doing business or visiting their provincial hometowns.

Plus, even just a decade ago, rural roads were not very tourist-friendly, or even nonexistent. More and more, though, Filipinos have become more open to local travel, and also eager to show off their homeland to the  international traveler.

In the race to become the go-to vacation spot in Asia, the Philippines has a few no-longer-secret destinations. Bohol is definitely one of them, with its mix of provincial charm, history and high-end resorts.

CHOCOLATE Hills

I had always wanted to go to Bohol, mostly for the Chocolate Hills, which was one of my favorite places on earth as a child, even if I had never been there. On this trip, I finally got to see them, plus  much more!

Beaches and resorts

Bohol has something for everyone. If you like socializing and meeting  people, find accommodations along Alona Beach, where you will meet people of all nationalities.

Don’t expect the Boracay nightlife, but there are a few bars sprinkled around the beach and nearby places if you want a night-out.

DAUIS Church

For a newer, more lavish stay, check out Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort, a place that seems right for both couples and families alike. There you will enjoy all the comforts of a hotel, but with native details, and also a very good international menu.

For those who want a more rustic setting, the Bohol Bee Farm might be your best bet. From fresh food to a shop where edible take-home items are available, and of course, the bee farm, it’s a charming place and perfect for a trip with girlfriends. Don’t forget to try their homemade ice cream and bring back their fresh spreads and honey!

History and tourist attractions

If you want to see more than just the beaches, there are many historical places you can check out.  Dauis Church is one of the oldest churches in the region, impressive even on the outside, and more so when you step in, look up, and see the artwork that dates back to 1916.

Baclayon Church is another must-see. One of the oldest churches in the country, it was built by Spanish settlers in the 1600s and still stands today. If you go to the side of the church, you will see a watermark from years of rainfall. Locals say it is the image of Padre Pio.

Watermark of Padre Pio on the side of Baclayon Church

Of course, a Bohol trip is not complete without seeing the Chocolate Hills. Whatever you have seen in books or television will never compare to the view when you get there. It is absolutely majestic and I found myself open-mouthed, in awe of the place. It was my childhood dream to see it, after all!

Another attraction on the must-see list is the tarsiers, the image-models of Bohol tourism. They recently built a more tarsier-friendly sanctuary for these endangered animals, and tourists can walk in a “forest” and see them in their natural habitat. Photographs holding or touching the tarsiers are no longer allowed.

Lastly, if you want to take a leisurely lunch, try the Loboc River Cruise, a one-hour ride down the river, with a buffet lunch and on-board live entertainment.

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Bohol: Cradle of Caves, Corals

My World in a Flashpack

By EMMIE V. ABADILLA

Hinagdanan cave interior

MANILA, Philippines — My ears thrummed in the silence as I crouched inside the maw of Panglao’s forbidden cave and shone my headlamp in its dark abyss.

Water glistened on the dripstones above and I smelled the wet chill breath of the giant fissure where the karst parted reluctantly, like a convoluted shell. I thrust myself further in, perched on a spur of the vertical drop and squinted at the thick blackness.

Just below me, I made out possible handholds and footholds, though too shallow and too far apart, on a limestone wall angled at 90 degrees. But even with my headlamp and flashlight combined, I cannot see the bottom.

This was my first time to steal alone in an unexplored, unnamed cave. I should have brought a rope. Too late now though. I picked up a broken rock and hurled it in the impenetrable blackness. It clattered down a long time before I heard an unmistakable splash.

I shucked off my shoes. My bare feet can purchase a better grip on the slippery rock though I have to take care not to cut myself on the jagged parts. Warily, I inched down the wall and lowered myself into a ledge less than two feet wide.

By now, I must be half a hundred feet inside the sinkhole. Much lower down, I can see another limestone buttress protruding like a serrated tooth out of still rippling blue waters.

Bohol cradles at least 1,400 caves. Some say the island province took its name from the local word “buho”, meaning “hole” because many of its caves are sinkholes like this – openings from which spring waters seep.

Bizarre creatures, such as albino crabs and blind fish, populate this world where the sun never shines. Humans also sought refuge in these secret passageways. In fact, Danao folks named the Francisco Dagohoy Cave after the patriot who hid away in its underwater mazes in 1744 after starting an 85-year revolt against Spain.

After some maneuvering and grappling with the karst, I managed to drop down to the lowest shelf and into the ice-cold water of a narrow pool which disappeared beneath a giant limestone tongue.

Right away, I suspected other passageways lay hidden beyond, in the wilderness of rocks. This is just a branch of a vast network of streams sunk deep inside the earth.

Unfortunately, I can go no further without risking life and limb. Among other things, I have no guideline, no underwater light and no scuba gear with me. And no one knew I’m here in case something bad happens. My forbidden cave has to wait.

But for an hour at least, I sat at the edge of the waters. I turned off my headlamp and lingered in the abyss, letting the womblike darkness and the silence of the karst walls engulf me. I felt an eerie comfort here, a strange peace.

I don’t wonder now why monks, warriors and mystics meditate and pursue vision quests inside caves. Ancient folks have always revered these subterranean labyrinths as the dwelling place of spirits and a gateway to the netherworld.

Anyway, the Panglao Island Nature Resort (PINR) where I was booked, has at least 20 caves running beneath its 14 hectare property.

Hinagdanan, which means “laddered” in the dialect, lies 150 meters from the hotel’s entrance. Stalactites and stalagmites stud a hallway which leads to an underground lagoon. Both ends of this public cave are open, permitting light to flood in through gaps in the ceiling.

On the other hand, Kambagat, a private cave, is just five minute’s walk from the lobby. The name means Camp in the Sea, or “kampo sa dagat”, and is also referred to as “Pinagtaguan”, or Hiding Place. Almost a hundred Japanese soldiers hid here during World War II. A Boholano guide showed them in and brought food to them until the war was over.

Now, the hotel owner had steps carved in the bedrock to make it easier for guests to negotiate the down climb to Kambagat’s outer chamber two stories below. Before, natives grappled with hanging vines and creepers to lower themselves into the entrance.

Developers also blasted off one rock wall of Kambagat to expose an inner chamber with a pool of brackish water sixteen feet deep. A dark tunnel branched out to a passage where countless bats roost.

The cave was empty when I descended. An outcrop shaped like a giant komodo dragon guarded the stalagmite island of the inner chamber. From the dimly lit waters, I made out canyons of ancient rock and collapsed stone shelves. The waters are bone-chilling cold but I lingered till dusk, savoring the silence.

Then I walked back to my Forest Cottage and rinsed off in the private Jacuzzi on my veranda. As I lay in the bubbles, I gazed at a bleached skeleton of a rainforest giant towering over what remained of the wilderness. On the other side, clusters of thatched roofs protruded from the tops of bamboos and palms.

Yet it’s hard to imagine that I’ve just landed in Tagbilaran on the Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight from Manila over an hour ago.

“Because it’s a nature resort, guests should understand and appreciate Mother Nature as it manifests itself,” the hotel advisory atop my dresser stated. “Lizards, big or small, may visit and don’t panic in case you see pythons.” Thank heavens, I love reptiles.

Before dinner, I took a dip at the twin eternity pools next to the buffet pavilion, watching the horizon fill with the lights of fishing boats. Swiftlets, “sayaw-sayaw” (literally “dance, dance”) dive-bombed the pool for insects, grazing my head with their wings.

Next morning, I sailed off for Balicasag, a coral atoll floating over the Bohol Sea, a stretch of blue which goes out into the Pacific Ocean.

Its 16-hectare Marine Sanctuary features a narrow fringe of coral reef ending abruptly in massive walls that formed overhangs, grottos and terraced gardens of giant sea fans and corals before they dropped off into nothingness.

The bottomless walls plunge on “forever,” over a thousand feet below, my dive master confirmed. In fact, many do decompression dives here.

I donned my scuba gear to peek in caves and crevices alive with lionfish, squirrelfish and moray eels. I inspected giant pink gorgonian sea fans and sponges - elephant ears, baskets and barrels. I even spotted some frogfish and scorpion fish as they hugged the rocks, perfectly camouflaged to be almost invisible.

Clouds of silver jacks, surgeon fish, baby barracudas, batfishes, parrot fishes and trevalies eyed me as I finned along the wall. They revolved slowly as I swam in their midst then dispersed in the violet black murk beneath.

Deeper down, I saw huge sweetlips, giant groupers, Napoleon Wrasses, some tuna and rainbow runners. Briefly, a grey shark materialized then vanished in the depths. The ocean’s top predators flock here to feed where the currents meet. Occasionally, hammerhead sharks and whale sharks turn up.

But beyond 50 feet, visibility suddenly dropped. The sea became a thick milky broth which enveloped me. At this time, of all times, my regulator began to leak and the tattered inside rubber of my mouthpiece started to disintegrate. Not a good prospect this deep.

Luckily, I’m not prone to panic. I clamped one hand on the reg. With the other, I traced where the hose of my octopus ended, unclipped my spare regulator and switched to another mouthpiece. When I checked my gauge, I have just enough air to turn back and do my safety stop before resurfacing.

Soon, I was on the boat again, bound for Panglao. I perched alone on the bow, watching dark rain-bloated clouds massing ahead. Forks of lightning rent the sky but the sea remained glassy calm in some parts, turbulent in others.

Suddenly, the back of a dolphin arched over the whitecaps. In the next second, the sea came alive with bottlenose dolphins, a baby breaching high in their midst.

From the bow, I watched the unexpected show while the rest of the people in the boat shrieked and fumbled for their cameras.

The tightly-bunched pod dispersed in all directions as our boat headed straight for them. But a handful of the more curious dolphins approached within two feet of me. A big one flung himself out of the sea, rolling his eyes to inspect me. Another torpedoed across our path.

I held my breath as a couple of dolphins swam up beside me to ride the bow waves. For a moment, I found myself between them, so close I can almost touch their glistening backs.

They vanished as fast as they came. But the weariness of my day was forgotten, riding away on the smiling beaks of half a hundred, frolicsome, wild dolphins.

(For questions, comments, suggestions, e-mail the author atemmieabadilla@yahoo.com.
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