Day 2: Bohol City Tour

Maraming nagbebenta ng pasalubong sa mga tourist spots so be prepared. Our first stop was at the Blood Compact Shrine. I was able to score a nice set of pearl bracelet and necklace for a cheap price of PHP 800 ($40). A pair of fresh pearl earrings normally costs PHP 300 - P500 pesos at the mall.

We then headed off to Baclayon Church. We didn't visit the museum because we wanted to complete our tour on time.

We were supposed to try Villagio's Pizza for breakfast kaso 4:00 PM pa pala sila nagbubukas so we ended up eating breakfast at Tres Hermanas which is located just in front of Loboc Town Plaza. Sa mga napuntahan namin, dito ka lang ata makakabili ng murang tablea.

We enjoyed our tour at the Butterfly sanctuary which by the way also had a mini zoo!

As you drive your way to the Tarsier Conservation Area you will pass by the famous Man-made forest. It took us about 10 minutes to reach this spot from the Butterfly Sanctuary.

Once you arrive at the Tarsier Conservation Area, you will be required to take a short briefing about the tarsiers and proper behavior while inside the sanctuary. Guides are available everywhere to help you spot the tarsiers.

Finally, the last stop of our city tour, Chocolate Hills located at Carmen, Bohol. Prepare to climb 214 steps to the peak of the observation hill to get the best view of this famous tourist spot.

Day 1: Manila to Bohol

At NAIA Terminal 2 for our much awaited vacation

A big lesson to make sure you always have your IDs with you when travelling by plane, no exceptions to pati kids dapat may identification. Birth certificate will do if hindi pa schooling ang inyong bagets. Unfortunately we forgot our youngest daughter's ID at home kaya no choice kami kundi bumalik ng bahay. We spent additional PHP 1800 ($36) Grab transportaion back and forth to the airport just to get the ID kasi from Cavite pa kami. Buti na lang mabilis magmaneho si manong Grab driver kaya nakarating kami ng airport just in time.

Review of Villa Almedilla

Ok na rin ang Villa Almedilla for a family on tight budget. Location is just a few meters away from the beach dahil likod lang ng mga hotel fronting the beach.

PROS: There's hot and cold shower, cabinet with hangers for your clothes, bottled water, clean bedding, cold AC, cable TV and wifi, friendly staffs.

CONS: Soap, shampoo, at tissues lang ang free toiletries nila.

You can ask the staff ahead of time if you want to be picked up from the airport para makapag-arrange sila ng service for you. We paid additional PHP 360 ($8) lang for this. Sorry was not able to take any decent photo here.


Review of Cici Restaurant

We were supposed to eat at a vegetarian restaurant but seeing those line up of bars and resto grilling fresh seafood instantly changed our minds haha

Sulit ang dinner namin sa Cici Restaurant. Freshly grilled and seafood plus refreshing fruit shakes. :)

Here's their menu:

   

Our 5D4N Bohol and Cebu DIY Travel Itinerary

We are supposed to be travelling somewhere north of Luzon for our Labor Day celebration. But since we are still under ECQ, I though it would be good to share our first family adventure instead in Bohol and Cebu.

The news about the third case of COVID-19 patient who flew into Cebu came in a week shy away before our planned week long vacation. At that time we were contemplating if we were to push through with our plan or move it to a summer vacation sometime May or June. I double checked if we can move all our booked and fully paid airline tickets, hotels, car service and results showed that we can do it at the same rate except for our plane tickets for Bohol because we bought the tickets at a promo rate. We didn't want to spend more and so we prayed and traveled as planned. 

Without further adieu, here's our one week travel itinerary for our Bohol and Cebu adventure:

DAY 1 

• Travel from Manila to Bohol
• Check in at Villa Almedilla
• Dinner at Cici Restaurant

DAY 2

• Bohol City Tour

           *visited the following tourist spots:
               - Blood Compact Shrine, 
               - Baclayon Church, 
               - Butterfly Sanctuary, 
               - Man-made forest, 
               - Tarsier Conservation Area
               - Chocolate Hills View deck

• Check in at Blue Ocean Bohol Beach Front
• Dinner at Bohol Bee farm

DAY 3

• Swimming sa beach/free time 
• Travel from Bohol to Cebu
• Travel from Cebu Pier 1  to South Bus Terminal
• Travel from South Bus Terminal to Fantasy Lodge
• Check-in at Fantasy Lodge

DAY 4

• Oslob whaleshark encounter 
• Binalayan falls
• Free time at the hotel

Day 5

• Travel from south Cebu to the city
• Basillica de Sto Nino
• Magellan's Cross
• Travel from Cebu to Manila

EXPENSES

Transportation:

• PHP 600 ($12) - Car service from Cavite to NAIA Terminal 2
• PHP 3,000 ($60) - Manila to Cebu (Cebu Pacific promo fare)
• PHP 8,157 ($164) - Cebu to Manila (AirAsia promo fare)
• PHP 360 ($8) - car service from Panglao airport to hotel
• PHP 2,500 ($50) - car service for Bohol city tour (via JMRC Travel and Transportation)
• PHP 500 ($10) - van service from Panglao to Tagbiliran port
• PHP 2,000 ($40) - Bohol to Cebu via OceanJet ferry
• PHP 120 ($3) - Grab ride from Cebu Pier 1 to Southbus Terminal
• PHP 920 ($19) - Bus ride from Cebu City to Samboan (P230/head) 
• PHP 1200 ($24) - Tricycle service tour around south - P1200 (Contact kuya driver: 09222187364)
• PHP 920 ($19) - Bus ride from Samboan to Cebu City (P230/head) 
• PHP 120 ($3) - Grab ride from Southbus terminal to Basillica de Sto Nino
• PHP 320 ($7) - Grab ride from Magellan's Cross to airport

Food:

• PHP 1,700 ($34) - Dinner at Cici Restaurant (Day 1)
• PHP 800 ($16) - Breakfast at Tres Hermanas (Day 2) 
• PHP 1,700 ($34) - Lunch at Chocolate Hills Complex (Day 2)
• PHP 2,000 ($40) - Dinner at Bohol Bee Farm (Day 2)  
• PHP 1,000 ($20) - Merienda/midnight snacks
• PHP 1,500 ($30) - Lunch at Fantasy Lodge (Day 3)
• PHP 2,000 ($40) - Dinner at Fantasy Lodge (Day 4)
• PHP 900 ($18) - Lunch at Cebu's original lechon Belly (Day 5)
• PHP 1000 ($20) - Dinner at Jollibee Mactan airport (Day 5)

Hotel:

• PHP 2,350 ($47) - Day 1 at Villa Almedilla (booked via Agoda)
• PHP 5,757 ($116) - Day 2 at Blue Ocean Bohol Beach Front (booked via Agoda. includes complementary breakfast)
• PHP 12,200 ($244) - Day 3 and 4 at Fantasy Lodge (booked via Agoda. includes complementary breakfast)

Others (Entrance fees/pasalubong):

• PHP 280 ($6) - Butterfly Sanctuary entrance fee (P70/pax)
• PHP 280 ($6)- Tarsier Conservation Area entrance fee (P70/pax
• PHP 3,000 ($60) - Oslob Whaleshark encounter (P600 per head with gears + P600 for goPro camera) thru Aaron Beach Resort (09435097295)
• PHP 460 ($10) - Binalayan falls (P40 per head plush tip for tour guides)
• PHP 3,600 ($72) - Pasalubong

NOTE: Conversion rounded off to a dollar and assumed exchange rate is at PHP 50.00 = $1.00

Thank God for allowing our family to experience the beautify of nature in Bohol and Cebu! Travel expense is worth nothing because we enjoyed every minute and painted priceless colorful memories as a family. Will share with you tips on a separate post. :)