In my previous article, I shared the different places like the Chocolate Hills, Bohol Forest and the Butterfly Farm which one can visit while touring Bohol in one day. But there are more attractions and activities that you can include in your day tour.

ENJOY BUFFET LUNCH DURING THE LOBOC RIVER CRUISE – The Loboc River is located about twenty one kilometres from Tagbilaran City. Aside from simply taking a look at the powerful river, visitors can extend their stay by joining a Loboc River Cruise Tour which usually includes buffet lunch. The fee that we paid the last time we were there was around P300.00 per person. As paying guests, you have the option to choose which boat to take. Since these boats belong to different operators, they serve different kinds of food and offer varied services.

In our case, we asked our tour guide to choose the boat for us.  He then led us to the booth of a particular boat and asked us to pay the fee. We noticed that the stall was decorated with pictures of local celebrities who we assumed also chose this particular boat for their Loboc River Cruise. When we boarded the boat and proceeded to the buffet table, we immediately knew that we made the right choice. We saw more than ten scrumptious dishes served on the buffet table. There was soup, noodles, mixed vegetables, roasted pork, fried chicken, steamed shrimps, grilled fish, barbecued pork, vegetable rolls, beef stew, and rice cakes for dessert.  Each person was also given a bottle of soda to enjoy. Fresh fruits like bananas and ripe mangoes were served for those who prefer fruits over rice cakes.

After we were done with lunch, we decided to stand by the side of the boat to enjoy the view. We saw a couple of local kids swimming in the river and doing some acrobatics before jumping into the river.  Apparently, these kids were trying to put on a show for the tourists so that they will be given some small change for their efforts afterwards. We gladly gave them money and applauded their “performance.”

We noticed that the motor boat started to turn back at the exact time when we saw the Tontonan Waterfalls, a small one but still relaxing to look at. Then the boat suddenly stopped and parked beside a floating stage made of bamboo. Then we saw a group of young people performing and singing local songs.  This performance is part of the entertainment of the cruise and the performers count on the tips that will be given to them by the cruise passengers. We had so much fun watching them that we found ourselves transferring to their floating stage and joining them in their performance!

Those who plan to visit Bohol must definitely include the Loboc River Cruise in their itineraries.

VISIT THE BACLAYON CHURCH – The Baclayon Church is considered the oldest among all the stone churches in the Philippines. This is enough reason why this church is considered a must-visit site in Bohol. The church is located about six kilometres from the center of Tagbilaran City. Visitors, most especially those who are fascinated with historical sites, would have a field day exploring the church and going through the different relics and artifacts came from the 16th century.

SAY HELLO TO THE ADORABLE TARSIERS – Tarsiers are usually described as peculiar looking and yet they are at the same time uber adorable. The Philippine Tarsier, Tarsius Syrichta, is known as the world’s smallest primates as they are very small and can fit in an adult’s hand. To be very specific, they measure only four to five inches in height and they have a long tail. They are nocturnal creatures meaning they are awake at night and actively hunt for food during this time as well. They feast on insects like crickets, moth, cockroaches but can also eat small reptiles and birds. Tarsiers live at the base of tree trunks, roots of plants or in tree holes.

These tarsiers are considered on the verge of extinction, which is why it is already highly protected by the government. There are existing laws against the catching and selling of tarsiers. Still, there are several local folks who keep tarsiers in cages or in their homes to try to make money out of them by showing them to tourists. These captive tarsiers can be seen along the Loboc River and are believed to be living unhappy lives and do not live long.

If you would like to see tarsiers in their natural habitat, it is highly recommended that you visit the Philippine Tarsier Foundation at the town of Corella which is located about ten kilometres from the city of Tagbilaran.

After visiting all those nice places in one day, you would surely be tired and looking forward to going back to your resort to rest. Make sure that you arrange for a comfortable room in a nice resort like the Flower Beach & Dive Resort Bohol. That way, you can rest and recharge for another day of sightseeing and adventure.

Posted in Attractions, Philippines, Things to do

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 12:10 am and is filed under Attractions, Philippines, Things to do. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.