The Island of Bohol

The main attraction which I intended to visit in the Philippines was the Tarsier Sanctuary in Bohol. We took a ferry from Dumaguete (which ended up being quite a hassle as the weather was choppy and the boats were canceled for a couple of days) and settled for a breathtaking bus ride in Bohol. Aboard the  full-up, old local bus, we saw some of the most dramatic scenery of rice terraces, fields and picturesque villages so far. Our fellow passengers carried live chickens, huge sacks of rice and dried fish, while starring at us shamelessly. We stopped directly at the Tarsier Sanctuary, with our heavy backpacks and hours of traveling tiring us down. Because its location is in the middle of nowhere (between the towns of Corella and Sikatuna, to be more precise), it was the easiest way for us to visit it without too much detour.

The extremely charming bug-eyed tarsiers are small, endangered primates which make Bohol a famous destination for animal lovers. They can fit in the palm of your hand and their eyes are 150 times bigger than a human’s in relation to their body size. The main threats to its survival are habitat destruction and the pet trade. Many touristic destinations in Asia use cute animals such as primates to attract tourists and invite them to take pictures with the cuddly animals. Unfortunately, this is not in the animal’s best interest. Indeed, tarsiers have been known to commit suicide while in captivity! The nocturnal animal cannot cope with have its routine disrupted by humans and its small and delicate bones can easily be broken when handled.

Tarsiers are possibly the cutest creatures on Earth!

The visitors centre includes information boards, a captive breeding program, wildlife sanctuary and hiking trail. There is a small patch of forest for guided walks and discreet viewing of several tarsiers. What a feeling it was to capture a sight of the little creatures hanging on the tree branches!

Just hangin'!

After this fun pit-stop, it was time to continue our journey to find a hotel for the night. We made our way by bus to Loboc, then Carmen. It was quite an ordeal to find a guesthouse and once again, we felt like the only tourists in town! We finally discovered a little farm which offered home stays so we settled down for the night. We found ourselves in the middle of nowhere and finding a restaurant was also a mission! There was one shack which sold grilled chicken and rice so that was our only option! We ate there every day.

Our farm stay in Carmen

The following day, we went to the iconic Chocolate Hills, Bohol’s premier tourist attraction. They are a “series of majestic, grassy hillocks that span far into the horizon and get their name from the lawnlike vegetation that roasts to chocolate brown in the dry season”. It was quite a romantic excursion to walk up the winding staircase and have the view slowly unfold before our eyes. The hills (1,268 of them!) are scattered all around and make for really peculiar, yet breathtaking scenery.

The Chocolate Hills

It was a bit disappointing to receive only 21 days on our visa for the Philippines. We were hoping to spend more time exploring this rich country but got cut short. It was with regret that we made our way out of the country through Cebu, then Manila.

Our next destination : Vietnam!