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The Island Experience
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Daytime shot of the hotel balcony and ocean beyond
at the Panglao Island Nature Resort |
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There’s just something about the ocean.
Maybe it’s the sound of the waves gently rolling onto the sand, or the way the wind softly whistles through your ears. Maybe it’s the crisp, blue mosaic you just can’t see anywhere else. Whatever it is, the ocean has an almost unparalleled power to relax.
Right now I could not be more relaxed.
I’m sitting on a balcony off the back of my second-story hotel room (which is actually a small, secluded, free-standing cottage) at the Panglao Island Nature Resort, and staring straight into the Bohol Strait, which leads to the China Sea. Waves are rolling into the shore directly below me. Across the way, maybe two miles out, is the island of Bohol, where earlier my plane from Manila landed. It’s just past 6 p.m. and darkness has fallen here on Panglao Island. The stars are out, and a few lights in Bohol are flickering faintly. These are heady times, America; as good a time as any for a recap.
Bohol and Panglao Islands—they are connected by two bridges—are common vacation destinations for native Filipinos, as well as Koreans and Japanese. Really not hard to see why. While Manila is bustling, vibrant and full of history, Bohol is slow, sleepy, and chock full of ways to chill out. Along the way, here are a few sights worth seeing:
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The Bohol Bee Farm. Yes, you heard me. A bee farm. This 4.8 acre experience sidles up to the Mindanao Sea and offers lodging, dining and tours. Besides incredible food and quaint lodging, the farm also offers educational tours. Did you know that a queen bee is twice the size of a worker bee? Did you know that worker bees are also female, and that male bees are almost impossibly lazy and barely contribute to the betterment of the hive? You're probably now expecting me to make some sort of camparison with bees to the human race, but frankly I just don't see one.
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The Chocolate Hills, which are 1,268 of the most unique natural land formations you will find anywhere. Formed from centuries-long erosion of coral and limestone deposits, the hills rise out of the earth in the shape of Hershey’s Kisses, and in March—at the end of the dry season—the grasses turn a shade of deep brown. Just a weirdly incredible sight. |
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Believe it or not, no PhotoShop was
used in this picture. |
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Churches, churches, churches. The Philippines are more than 80 percent Catholic, and some churches date back centuries. One of the oldest is Baclayon Church, where construction began in 1596. That’s right. 1596. It’s still open, and now, of course, there’s a museum and gift shop connected. For a more austere setting, also visit Dauis Church on Panglao. It’s more than a century old and has a serene pier leading out to the sea directly behind it that is open to the public.
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Tarsiers (pronounced “Tar-Sheers”). They are officially classified as neither a monkey nor an alien, but these fist-sized critters are a pretty good approximation of how crossing the two might turn out. They have huge, saucer-like eyes, heads that can rotate 180 degrees, and E.T.-esque hands with elongated middle fingers. With eyes open, the closest comparison might be a Koala bear on hallucinogenics. Bohol is the only place in the Philippines where they exist, and “Tarsier Viewing Centers” are not too difficult to find. I’m warning you: these things are really creepy. |
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| "Tricycles." Another uniquely Filipino mode of transport. They are basically little motorcycles with a roof and sidecab attached. They come in every color under the rainbow, and most are adorned with religious images and messages. For just a few Pesos, it's much more fun than taking a taxi. |
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What doesn’t Bohol have? Ironically enough, golf courses. For golf, you can take a short ferry ride to the Island of Cebu, which is exactly what’s in store for the group tomorrow. That said, when you’re planning a golf excursion to the Philippines, book at least one night in Bohol or Panglao. Thank me later.
Tomorrow I’ll bring you the island of Cebu. Until then: relax, America.
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Read more about the Scenes from the Philippines!
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