Making the Most of an Overnight Trip to Boracay

Yes, you read it right. Overnight at Boracay. Crazy idea, isn't it? It all started with the Airphil Express 12-Peso Fare Sale last New Year's Eve. Our fare from Manila to Caticlan and vice-versa was only PhP 448.00 each. We chose the month of June so the rates of hotels are lower and the beach will be less crowded compared during summer season. Also, we wanted to treat our father and youngest sister to a vacation.

The newly-renovated Caticlan
(Godofredo P. Ramos Airport)

So there you have it. Fast forward to June and we're on our way now to Boracay. Our flight was early in the morning so I planned our itinerary in such a way that we can do all activities we wanted to do in a day since our flight back to Manila is also early in the morning the following day.

After being fetched at the Caticlan Airport by our hotel at Station 1, we checked-in immediately to our penthouse suite at Shore Time Hotel. While resting since we had to get up early to get to the airport, I grabbed the opportunity to contact Zorb Park, the latest adventure park in Boracay. Good thing they offer free shuttle service to and from the park. Zorb Park is located at Barangay Lapuz Lapuz. We waited for the shuttle to pass by our hotel and after a 15-minute drive, we arrived at Zorb Park.

At the veranda of Shore Time Hotel's penthouse suite

It was still a bit early so only a few were in line wanting to try the famous Hydro Zorb. By the way, the view up the hill is amazing. We all tried the Hydro Zorb, even our father. The experience was so exhilarating. I actually felt dizzy afterwards. My sister Malou and our father did the Hydro Zorb together. Here's the video of their trip down the hill. I still laugh out loud every time I see this.

After that funny experience, we headed back to Station 1 to grab lunch and came back again to our hotel to rest for a while before going to the White Beach. 

We started at around 2pm from Station 1 to Station 3. Then we went to Bulabog Beach to try the Fly Fish after seeing it in Fun Philippines' page. The Fly Fish ride was enjoyable but very tiring. Good thing we scheduled that in the afternoon. Unfortunately, I don't have a video so I won't be able to share that hilarious experience. 

Who wouldn't enjoy walking along the
fine white sands of the beach?

The rest of the day, we just walked around, took pictures, and of course, we tried Jonah's Shake. No matter how tiring it was, we just kept thinking that we had to endure it because we only got 1 day to enjoy this lovely island of Boracay. There's actually so many things to do and places to go in Boracay that's why I promised myself next time I'll see to it that we won't be pressured anymore by time in order for us to explore and experience this wonderful tourist destination.

Sky Experience Adventure at Crown Regency Cebu

One of the first places we went to upon our arrival in Cebu last February 2011 is Crown Regency Hotel and Towers. This trip to Cebu was my sister Maan's second time so she was our tour guide. It's actually an advantage having someone in the group who already knows the way around a place. That way you will have an idea of the costs and routes so you can plan ahead of time. 

Upon landing in Cebu and after checking in our hotel, we immediately proceeded to Crown Regency for the Sky Experience Adventure. Maan said there might be a long line so it would be better if we go there early. True enough, the counter was full of people. We registered first, kept our belongings in safety boxes they provide, and waited for our number to get called. 

Me and my sisters just before our walk.

Waiting wasn't that long enough. The staff assisted us in wearing our safety gears. We weren't able to take pictures since it is a strict policy not to allow bringing of cameras or cell phones. They will be the ones taking pictures of you and your group that you can claim and have them printed after the ride.

From left: Me, Marilen, Mildred, and Maan

We availed the Sky Walk Extreme. It is walking around the translucent flooring of Crown's 37th floor. It was breath taking since you can see a great view of the city of Cebu. While walking around, you will have your picture taken solo or in group. I marveled at the city lights of Cebu that I didn't realize we were actually at the 37th floor of the hotel. It was a fun experience, indeed!

When I get the chance to come back to Cebu, I will surely try the Edge Coaster. We weren't able to try it due to lack of time. 

Me and the breath taking view of the city of Cebu.

For the list of activities that you can avail at Crown Regency Cebu, please visit their site at: http://www.skyexperienceadventure.com/page/rates-and-schedules.

Loboc River Night Cruise

View of Loay Bridge

If you want to experience the Loboc River's floating restaurant differently, try its river night cruise. The package is the same with the usual river cruise tourists go to: buffet meal, round-trip river cruise, and the chance to watch the Loboc Youth Ambassador Band Concert. Unlike the day cruise which only costs PhP 400 per head, the river night cruise is PhP 550 per head.

Dinner is served by 6:30 pm and the cruise will start at 7:30 pm. Unlike the day cruise, you will be eating in a separate boat during the night cruise. I guess because it's a little dark and the boats won't accommodate enough lighting facilities. Then you will be asked to transfer to the adjacent boat that will take you to a round-trip cruise from the docking area at the Loay Bridge to the Busay Falls which at night won't be seen, unfortunately.

What's enchanting are the different colors of lights on the riverbank, lighting up the trees and houses creating shadows along the water. It's also more peaceful at night and the air is cool leaving you more relaxed while traversing the river.

Before going back to the docking area, the boat will stop by a floating cottage where a local group will entertain you with Boholano song-and-dance numbers. You can join them, have pictures taken with them, or even dance with them if you want to. Giving donations are encouraged.

There are also local singers on board who will serenade you both with local and foreign songs. Again, giving donations are encouraged.

Loboc River Cruise is fast becoming a major tourist destination in Bohol. The river is located at the municipality of Loboc, around 30 minutes away from Tagbilaran City.

The Loboc Youth Ambassador Band

Organic Feast at Bohol Bee Farm

Welcome to Bohol Bee Farm!

Squash Bread with Homemade Pesto and
Mango Spread

If you want a taste of what Bohol has to offer, don't forget to eat at Bohol Bee Farm, a hotel/farm/restaurant located at Dauis, Panglao, Bohol. The Bee Farm is famous for its organic menu available at The Buzzz Cafe at very affordable prices. You can also choose among their themed-rooms if you want to avail of the farm's accommodations and amenities. 


You can get a glimpse of Bee Farm's nature-themed accommodations with their corresponding rates, you can view them here: http://www.boholbeefarm.com/bee-farm-room-rates.


During our trip to Bohol last February, we went to Bohol Bee Farm for lunch before we started our countryside tour courtesy of Bohol Day Tour. We went straight to the restaurant to try their organic menu. The waitress even brought us complimentary squash bread with homemade pesto and mango spread. Yummy!

Special Honeyed Fruit Veggie Drink

I ordered Grilled Marlin with Organic Garden Salad and Red Rice. Rod ordered Fresh Herb Pasta (according to them, it's their best-seller pasta). JP ordered Grilled Squid with Organic Garden Salad and Red Rice, while Emy wanted to try Spare Ribs, also with Organic Garden Salad and Red Rice. We all asked the waitress what drink she can recommend and she asked us to try their Special Honeyed Fruit Veggie Drink.



10 minutes after, our orders arrived. At first, I was quite hesitant to try the Organic Garden Salad because it has indigenous flowers in it. I actually saw bougainvilleas and calachuchi petals, aside from the usual lettuce leaves in salads. I took a petal and tasted it. It was bitter at first but if you still don't want its taste, try complementing it with honey mustard sauce.


The table beside us got intrigued by our orders that they even took pictures of our food saying they looked interesting. 


After that big feast, we got the chance to walk around to see the bees. Too bad we didn't have enough time to complete the farm tour as we need to leave early for the rest of our Countryside Tour.

The Buzzz Ice Cream's Various Flavors

When you get to Bohol, don't forget to visit Bohol Bee Farm. Also a must-try is their The Buzzz Ice Cream that we weren't able to try. Now I have a reason to come back there!



Don't miss the chance of going to Bohol Bee Farm. Even if you won't stay there,  just try eating at their restaurant, get a taste of their healthy and sumptuous menu, and get charmed by its location which is overlooking the sea.

From left: Emy, Rod, me, and JP with the lady who took
pictures of our food because she thought they' were
interesting.

A One of A Kind Adventure at Danao

You've probably heard about an adventure park in Bohol known as E.A.T. Danao which stands for Eco-Educational-Extreme Adventure Tour. Danao Adventure Park is located at Magtangtang, Danao, Bohol and it features extreme activities perfectly suited for all adrenaline junkies. Danao is about 2 to 3 hours ride away from Tagbilaran City, but the long ride is worth it once you get to experience its famous "The Plunge" and "Suislide".

Photo courtesy of Rod Acuzar.

When we planned our itinerary for our trip to Bohol last February, my friends and I made sure Danao is included. We all wanted to experience the adrenaline rush of the extreme activities the park has to offer.

Our driver advised us that we should leave Alona early in order for us to do as many activities as we can and so that we can come back before dawn and have enough time to rest for another day of tour. We left before 7:00 am and after 2 1/2 hours of travel, we finally arrived at Danao Adventure Park. 

Me and my friends (from left: Emy, Rod, and JP)
just before our "suislide" ride.

Since our purpose of going there was to experience "The Plunge", my friends and I thought of doing "Suislide" first, as also recommended by the staff of the park. "Suislide" is a zipline and they called it "suislide" because of, according to E.A.T. Danao's website, "suis" (the sound of the cable ride once you get to the slide) and "slide". 

The ride only costs PhP 350 per person and you'll be treated to half a kilometer ride from one mountain to another giving you a perfect view of the Wahig River. You can choose to ride either with a pair or by yourself. Emy rode with Rod, while JP and I rode together. After the first ride, we decided to go by ourselves for the second stop. Of course I made sure we had videos of our "suislide" rides. 

     

After that fun ride, we opted for the most extreme of all: "The Plunge". "The Plunge" is gaining popularity since this is the first ride being offered in the Philippines closest to bungee jumping. In "The Plunge", you will be hanged by the end of a pendulum swing, either sitting down or head upside down (head upside down is best recommended for a full experience), and then released after the operators shout "Bombs away!". You will then fall 45 meters down and get plunged to open air for about 5 minutes. The ride costs PhP 700 per head. Thanks to my friend Rod, he was able to take a full video of my "The Plunge".

There are several activities that you can do at E.A.T. Danao. You can even choose to stay there overnight since the park offers accommodations for those who would want to avail their complete tour and adventure packages. For those who would only prefer a day tour and for those whose hotels are outside Danao, I recommend renting a car or a van for a comfortable ride. For those who want to avail transportation services, you can contact Mr. RJ Intano of Bohol Day Tour. For a list of all activities at Danao Adventure Park and their corresponding rates, visit http://www.eatdanao.com/.

The park's staff takes pictures of you that you can claim for just
PhP 50 per photo.

Where to Stay in Bohol

Last February, my friends and I went to Bohol for a 4 days/3 nights vacation. We booked a flight only a month before so we had a short time preparing and planning our itinerary (I'd be happy to share those with you in a separate blog post). Fortunately, I had been to Bohol twice before so I had already an idea as to what we can do and where we can stay in Bohol. 

You'd be amazed by Boholanos' hospitality.
Photo courtesy of Rod Acuzar.

Bohol has a large number of hotels and resorts where tourists can choose to stay in for vacation. Most hotels and resorts are located at Tagbilaran City, Bohol's capital and is the nearest town to the airport. If you want a place with great accessibility to restaurants and shopping malls, book a hotel within Tagbilaran. There are hotels in the city that are cozy enough but are still affordable, especially for a budget traveler like me.

But if you planned an itinerary that includes island hopping or you prefer to just relax by the beach, spend time being away from the busy streets and noise of the city for a change, or you want a place to stay where everything you need is all in one place yet you're still within budget, I highly recommend booking a hotel or resort in Panglao Island. It's only about 30 minutes away from Tagbilaran City. Panglao boasts of its wonderful white beaches and good thing it has a number of resorts and hotels located near or fronting the beach that with actually just a few steps away, you can already enjoy the sun and walk along its fine white sand. The most famous beach that is now becoming a top tourist destination particularly among foreigners with its powdery white sand just like Boracay, but more intimate I guess, is Alona Beach.

View of Alona Beach just before sunset.

    
Alona Beach is the perfect destination because it is easy to go to and there you can find affordable rooms with accessibility to the beach and is also near famous Bohol tourist destinations such as the Chocolate Hills, Tarsier Sanctuary, and Loboc River. It's also a jump-off point if you plan to go diving and for dolphin and whale watching in Pamilacan Island, snorkeling in Balicasag Island, or island hopping in Virgin Island. Alona Beach, I can say, is in the middle of everything.

If you plan to just enjoy the peace and quiet, you can just walk around the one-kilometer stretch of white sand. You can also sit at one of the bars there and order a bottle of beer or two and just feel the calming waves of the sea. 

When the night comes, don't expect Alona to be like Boracay with loud music and a great partying vibe. Unlike Boracay, Alona is peaceful. There may only be a bar or two that plays loud music. Most of the time they only hold acoustic jam sessions. But if you are in for a barbecue feast, by sunset, the beach transforms into a grilling station where restaurants and bars set up grills "dampa" style where you can order fresh food and have them grilled, barbecued, or cooked the way you like them. You just have to be patient since they only cook the food upon order. Don't mind waiting for 10 to 15 minutes because you're in for a sumptuous feast!

Variety of meat, seafood, and vegetables cooked the way you like them.
Photo courtesy of Rod Acuzar.

Bohol is a marvelous tourist destination. One can have lots of things to do in Bohol that you cannot find in one place. Bohol has wonderful beaches, amazing tourist spots, exhilarating adventure parks, good food, and friendly and accommodating people that you will never think twice of coming back and exploring the province and experiencing it more. Wherever you choose to stay, I assure you, you'll have the time of your life. ;)