Dauis Church, Panglao Island, Bohol

Fifth and last stop of our Panglao Island Tour, Day 1 in Bohol.

We were not able to pass by Panglao Church anymore as it was already late. Our driver decided to bring us to Dauis Church instead.

Dauis Church is one of the oldest churches in the country. It was built as early as the 17th century and has undergone many renovations until 1879. The church's interior is very beautiful with its intricate designs. The walls are painted with a cool light blue paint which made the church even more serene.

My dad, who recently recovered from a major stroke during the Christmas season of 2008, was with us. I know he prayed fervently to thank God for healing him and letting him walk again. My dad's left arm is still paralyzed, though and he has occasional lapses in memory.

The caretaker must have noticed how I assisted my father while we were walking towards the exit. He led us to the back of the church where we were given bottled water which was collected from the well by the church's altar. I immediately remembered the church that was featured in Korina Sanchez's show and the caretaker confirmed that it was Dauis Church. He then led us to the altar and showed us the well where they get the water.

The caretaker related that they only collect water during the nighttime when the church is closed. They give the bottled water for free and they only accept donations. We left the church feeling blessed with 6 bottles of miracle water for my dad.

View more photos of our 2010 Bohol Weekend Trip here.

Dauis Church is located in Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol. To go there, tourists can rent a tricycle from Tagbilaran City (mainland) or take a cab. It would be best if you visit Dauis Church as part of a van rental package. We got ours for Php 2,200 for 6 hours.

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Bohol Bee Farm, Panglao Island, Bohol

Fourth stop of our Panglao Island Tour, Day 1 in Bohol.

I've never been this close to bees in my entire life! But I did not let the opportunity pass so I went ahead and held that thing with the bees. See the nervous smile?

Bohol Bee Farm is actually one of the many resort hotels in Panglao Island. However, Bohol Bee Farm offers its guests something different from the rest - that is, providing organic food and products and exposing them to organic farm activities. Indeed, our tour inside the place is memorable and educational as well.


After I paid our entrance fees (Php 20 per head), we were given straw hats to wear while we go tour the facility. After that, our guide brought us to the are where their potted herbs were displayed. She described each herb and its uses plus and she gave us leaf samples to smell, too.


Next, we were brought to the area where they keep the artificial beehives. Our guide shared some trivia about the bees and their role in ecology while carefully taking out one compartment from the box. That was when the first photo above was shot.




Then, we were brought to the farm's two livelihood areas. The first one was the Crafts and Livelihood area where we witnessed how the staff manufactured various handicrafts made of rafia. The second one was the food manufacturing area where we saw how their cassava ice cream cones were made. Their ice cream is homemade, too. Aside from the usual ice cream flavors, it also comes in exotic flavors such as durian and garlic. I loved the cassava ice cream cone because it isn't sweet unlike the sugar cones that I usually cannot devour.


The last leg of our Bohol Bee Farm tour brought us to the viewing deck facing the sea. It was a very beautiful sight! It is also the area where guests can avail of the traditional hilot (massage) using virgin coconut oil infused with different herbs. Rap and I went down the stairs and dipped our feet in the water. There's no white sandy beach there but guests can still swim especially when it's low tide.

All of a sudden, I felt bad that we did not push through with our hotel reservation. It made me really want to come back and stay in Bohol Bee Farm even just for a night so we can also get to try their organic food.

View more photos of our 2010 Bohol Weekend Trip here.

Bohol Bee Farm is located in Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol. To go there, tourists can rent a tricycle from Tagbilaran City (mainland) or take a cab. It would be best if you visit Bohol Bee Farm as part of a van rental package. We got ours for Php 2,200 for 6 hours. You can also avail of the the free hotel to airport/seaport transfers if you will be staying in the place.

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Alona Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol

Third stop of our Panglao Island Tour, Day 1 in Bohol.

Alona Beach is a one and a half kilometer stretch of white sandy beach in Panglao Island, Bohol. Being in Alona Beach brought back memories of Boracay back when I was younger and the waters were cleaner.

We chose to have some snacks at Trudis' Place while Rap went for a dip in water. Swimming in the beach is free, it would be up to you if you choose to stay and dine in one of the many snack bars and restaurants of the tourist inns surrounding the beach.


As with any other beach front, expect to be frequently visited by peddlers of sunshades and beach accessories, massage therapists, and boatmen who offer a tour to Balicasag Island which is an hour's ride away. If only we had more time, we would have agreed on riding on one of the boats. We'll probably do this the next time we come back and spend more time in Panglao Island.


After having our snacks, we walked towards Alona Kew resort which was on the opposite side of Trudis Place. The beach front over there was wider and the boats were fewer which made it better for swimming in the beach. We stayed for a while to relax in the sand and have some pictures taken. I bet it's better to stay there in the evening for some stargazing by the beach.

View more photos of our 2010 Bohol Weekend Trip here.

Alona Beach is located in Tawala, Panglao Island, Bohol. To go there, tourists can rent a tricycle from Tagbilaran City (mainland) or take a cab. It would be best if you visit Alona Beach as part of a van rental package. We got ours for Php 2,200 for 6 hours.

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Daks and Gams Wildlife Park, Panglao Island, Bohol

Second stop of our Panglao Island tour, Day 1 in Bohol.

From Hinagdanan Cave, our driver brought us to Daks and Gams Wildlife Park in Tangnan, Panglao Island. It was just a few minutes drive away from where we came from. We paid an entrance fee of Php 15 per person to see the "wildlife" in the "park". Isn't it obvious that I'm a little disappointed?

Pardon my utter disappointment but I was expecting a wildlife park or, somehow, a mini-zoo where we can see wild animals in cages. Instead, what greeted us were a handful of live animals and a lot (and I say a lot!) of stuffed dead animals!


Stuffed dead frogs playing basketball.


Stuffed dead birds.
These are only the stuffed dead animals. I think we saw a dead crocodile under the murky waters of their makeshift crocodile cage! Meanwhile, below are some of the live animals that we saw that day.


DogMonCat: A dog, a monkey, and a cat living in one cage.


Flying lemurs... I guess.


Don't know what bird this is as there wasn't a sign to describe what it was!


Hen and rooster with curly feathers.
There was not a single guide to tour us around the place. Quite a bummer for a place that collects an entrance fee, eh? Fortunately, I can share something about the history of the place. Thanks to a big marker near the stuffed birds that tells the story of how the place began.

So, in 2001, the Diez family acquired the lot where the wildlife park now stands. They were supposed to build a residential abode away from the beaches of Panglao Island. However, while clearing the lot, they discovered living creatures inhabiting the place such as monitor lizards, snakes, rodents, birds, butterflies, turtles, frogs, and many more. This started the hobby that eventually became a lifelong pursuit of creating a habitat park and bird sanctuary in Bohol. Daks and Gams was named after the couple's sons. "Dako" means older son while "Gamay" means younger son.

I can only imagine how beautiful the place was when it started. The place needs a major renovation. Should you visit the place? I think so. Just don't expect too much. Your 15 pesos will make a huge contribution to the animals' feeds. Then again, I hope the management can make some improvements so as not to disappoint future guests.

View more photos of our 2010 Bohol Weekend Trip here.

Daks and Gams Wildlife Park is located at Tangnan, Panglao Island, Bohol. To go there, tourists can rent a tricycle from Tagbilaran City (mainland) or take a cab. It would be best if you visit Daks and Gams Wildlife Park as part of a van rental package. We got ours for Php 2,200 for 6 hours.

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Hinagdanan Cave, Bohol

The first day of our short Bohol trip last January 29 to 31 started with our Panglao Island tour. We arrived in Tagbilaran City around 10 in the morning and, after having a quick but yummy lunch at El Portal Inn where we were billeted, our van arrived at 11 in the morning.

From Tagbilaran City, our driver slash tour guide drove for twenty minutes to the island of Panglao. Our van crossed the bridge that connected the island to the mainland. We were informed that there was no bridge yet a few years back. The only way to reach Panglao was to ride boats.

Hinagdanan Cave in Dauis, Panglao was our first stop. This destination is maintained by the provincial government of Bohol. After paying Php 15 per person for the entrance fees plus another Php 15 parking fee, I was given tickets that looked like postage stamps. Then, we proceeded to the entrance of the cave where we were greeted by our guide, Norman.

Hinagdanan Cave was named as such because of the flight of steps (hagdan) that brings visitors down into the cave. The cave was a haven to the swiftlets or balinsasayaw birds. These birds build their nest between the crevices of the cave and their nests are prized as they are the main ingredients in making Bird's Nest or Nido Soup.


As Norman toured us inside the cave, he pointed towards the different formations that looked like significant forms from afar. For instance, there was a group of rocks that looked like the Holy Family. We were very careful walking inside the cave as the floors is slippery because of the moisture. During high tide, the cave's floor also becomes covered with water from the pool.


See the white spots on the water? Those are bird poop, lol!
It was so tempting to take a dip into the clear waters of the pool inside the cave if it were not for the bird droppings that I saw floating above it. Apparently, the water can be as deep as ten feet but we still saw the floor underneath.


Norman was the one who took all these shots. Surprisingly, our tour guide is a trained photographer! He related that they were trained to take shots inside the dimly lit Hinagdanan Cave that's why he knew the ISO, aperture, and shutter speed settings to use. I was lucky that I didn't have to tinker with my Nikon before handing it over to him. Plus, I get to be in the shots!


Before heading out of the cave and up to ground level, Norman showed us some paintings that were drawn on one side of the cave by the entrance. He told us that the paintings were not ancient and that they were painted there as part of the set of a foreign movie that was shot inside the cave a couple of years ago.

Hinagdanan Cave is a well-kept tourism spot in Panglao Island, Bohol. Tourist guides are more than willing to show guests around to tell them bits and pieces of the history of the place and to take souvenir photos of them as well. Although tips are unnecessary, we gave Norman a little tip for a job well done!

Souvenir shops are strategically placed around the site's parking area. We did not buy pasalubong from there yet since it was still our first day. Nevertheless, I think the prices here are within the normal price range of souvenir items compared to those sold in the Chocolate Hills Complex.

View more photos of our 2010 Bohol Weekend Trip here.

Hinagdanan Cave is located at Bingag, Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol. To go there, tourists can rent a tricycle from Tagbilaran City (mainland) or take a cab. It would be best if you visit Hinagdanan Cave as part of a van rental package. We got ours for Php 2,200 for 6 hours.

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15th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (February 11 to 14, 2010)

Witness the 15th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta on February 11 to 14, 2010. The event will be held at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) grounds within Clark Freeport, Pampanga.

The event is held annually featuring balloons of participants from all over the world. Over the years, the event evolved into a convention of sorts featuring not only hot air balloon exhibitions but aerosports and other aviation-related pursuits as well.

Click here to see the event schedule.

Tickets are available at the gate for Php 150. Riding the hot air balloons are subject to a first-come-first-served basis and costs 150 USD. Don't worry if you don't get to ride a hot air balloon, just enjoy the awesome sights and the food from the food booths set up in the grounds. You may also avail of the ramp tour that will allow you to walk around the active flight line and interact with aircraft pilots and the ground crew.

Visit www.philballoonfest.net for more details about this wonderful event.

Clark Freeport is located at the Clark Special Economic Zone, Angeles City, Pampanga. Click here to view the instructions on how to get there.

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Our First Cebu Pacific Flight to Naga City

It;s our first time to fly to Naga City. We took advantage of the availability of Cebu Pacific's Manila-Naga flights since we only had five days worth of vacation to spend in my husband's hometown. Besides, we traveled with four young kids including a one-year old tot who'd surely be uncomfortable with a 9-hour bus ride. Flying, really, was the best option.

We bought our tickets as early as the second week of September. Ar round trip ticket cost each of us around Php 3,100 inclusive of taxes, fees, travel insurance and sure seats. I realized, a few months later, that we could have saved a lot if only we chose not to reserve seats anymore which cost us Php 200 per person. My brother told me that the trick for Cebu Pacific passengers traveling in groups to be seated together is to be early in the check-in counter. Food for thought, it will come in handy the next time I book tickets.

Our flight was at 1:40 PM but we arrived at Terminal 3 before 10 in the morning. The driver of the van that we hired made sure that we avoid the terrible Ortigas Ave. traffic and that we arrive on time. Better be early that spoiling the tickets!

Checkin in tat the Cebu-Pacific counter in NAIA Terminal 3 was a breeze. I had our travel itineraries printed and ready and, having a roll call of all the names of the members of our group, the lady behind the counter asked for our bags for check-in. We weren't even asked to present IDs anymore. Thank God our baggages did not exceed the 105 kilo weight allowance for our party. My sis-in-law had so much pasalubong from the United Kingdom that we were bringing that day.

After we had our big bags checked in, we proceeded to the other counter by the exit to have our body weight plus hand carried luggage checked. After that, we went up to the departure lounge area where we had lunch. The friendly T3 staff advised us to proceed to the food court in the 2nd level since the food there is much cheaper than those served inside the enclosed departure area. I'm glad we followed his advise since our balikbayan nephews enjoyed their Jollibee lunch while us adults had dimsum and congee from Dimsum n Dumplings.



We stayed within the food court area until 12:45 PM. Our ticket showed 1:10 PM as our boarding time but we went down early so the kids and our senior aunt won't have to rush. I payed the terminal fee worth Php 200 per passenger. Then, our hand-carried luggages passed through the X-ray machines while we entered the scanners barefoot. What followed after was a 5-minute walk to the gate where we awaited advise to board the plane.


I didn't expect that we will be getting on a Cebu Pacific bus to reach our plane. Now I know why the other passengers rushed in line once they heard the boarding announcement, hahaha! Three of us, including my 9-year old, ended up standing inside the shuttle. It was only a 2-minute ride to the plane, by the way.

It was uncomfortable hot inside the plane when we boarded. The cabin crew did not start the aircon of the plane yet until the last batch of passengers arrived. We were like in an over for ten minutes. By the time the airconditioner was switched on, the kids were already sweaty and uncomfortable. I was also coughing already from the sudden change in cabin temperature.


As it turned out, it wasn't the last of our problems. Our plane had to wait in line before take off. We were informed that there were a lot of planes coming in and going out of the airport that time so we had to wait. Guess what? After being delayed for 15 minutes, we reached Naga Airport, which was actually in Pili, Camarines Sur, according to our expected time of arrival! The entire flight only took around 40 minutes as opposed to the 55-minute travel time posted in our tickets.

Naga Airport is totally opposite from Manila's Terminal 3. Getting our checked-in luggages was an entirely do-it-yourself activity. We had to go directly to the trolleys to identify each of our luggages that were mixed up with the others. We ended up getting only 5 out of 6 and claiming the "misplaced" one inside the Cebu Pacific ticket counter. It was a surprise actually that one bag ended up inside the ticket counter. None was lost though. The bag was just full of my nephews' clothes and other baby stuff. We were the last passengers to leave the luggage check-out counter because of that.

In a nutshell, the entire Manila-Naga flight was full of delays but we were not really that affected. I guess it's the excitement of meeting our relatives in Naga that made us all forget about the hassles.

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