The hotel provided transport back to Tagbilaran, but from there we were on our own to make our way around Bohol. Jeepneys are the signature transportation system of the Philippines and we were committed to packing my brother into at least one before he left. Jeepneys are inexpensive, go just about everywhere, and transport just about anything. Jeepneys are ideally suited to sit say 12 people comfortably - six on each side. But it is not uncommon to see them hold at least three times that many people. This was the case for our trip from Tagbilaran to Corella. At the peak, we had about 35 people and four chickens on board. Most were inside the jeep, but there were always 3-4 holding on the handrail and hanging off the back. Its a crazy way to get around to be packed like sardines in the back of a jeep riding on bumpy roads in hot, humid weather. That said, we have a strange fondness for the beasts. And hey, it cost only 52 pesos (a little more than a dollar) to transport all three of us to a town about an hour a way. Can't beat that for cost effectiveness!
We got off the Jeepneys in Corella with the intention of heading to the Tarsier Sanctuary. Jordan was anxious to get a chance to look at these bizarre little primates. We thought the Jeep would drop us off at the sanctuary, but instead we were dropped at a motorcycle stand. So, with our luggage strapped on our backs, we each hired a motorcycle and made our way down the road another 15 minutes or so to the Tarsier Sanctuary. I am sure it will come as no surprise to you to hear that Jordan had a smile a mile wide pasted on his face as we raced along on our motorbikes (no...there were no helmets just like there are no seatbelts here....what can you do). Frankly, we all had fun on the ride.
We spent the next hour wandering through the sanctuary aided by a guide who ably directed us to several Tarsiers hanging out in their favorite trees. The little critters are nocturnal and also territorial. So, in the mornings the guides walk through and look through each "territory" to see where they have chosen to sleep the day away. Then, when guests arrive they easily take us to those trees and we get a close look at these primative little creatures. You can see them in cages and enclosures all through the area, but the sanctuary is a nice place to see them in a more natural setting. Jordan was thrilled and took probably close to 50 pictures!
With our tour of the sanctuary complete, we looked for another Jeepney to continue on to Loboc where we would stay in small huts on the river. Much to our chagrin, there were no jeeps to be caught from Corella - we would have to go back to Tagbilaran and catch a jeep from there. Doing so would add more than an hour to the trip. So....we decided it was time to head back to the motorcycle stand. We negotiated with them, and after a little wrangling, they agreed to take us on to Loboc. It was more expensive than a Jeep (closer to $5.00 per person) but it was worth every peso. We drove through the interior of Bohol rather than along the coast and got to take in spectacular sights of rural life and the rice harvest. It is a scene we would have missed had we taken a jeep because they run along the coast. The roads were a mess - muddy, bumpy, and windy - so the ride was a bit nerve-wracking at times. But, for the most part, we enjoyed the open air and easy sight seeing as we passed through the countryside. We stopped in Loboc and found a roadside cafe for lunch. We invited our drivers to eat with us and enjoyed lively conversation before making our way to the Loboc River.
On the Loboc we caught a small bangka and made our way to Nuts Huts. Nuts Huts is a simple place, a favorite of backpackers and bicyclists - on the Loboc. Simple nipa huts are nestled in the trees along the river and you feel very much immersed in the jungle. You are surrounded by the river, the mountains, and a "sea" trees. It is breathtakingly beautiful. We hiked around to check out the plants and animals and gave my brother a good experience with humidity. It was HOT and HUMID.
After our hike, we climbed 200 stairs up to the restaurant for dinner. The restaurant served some very good food and offered spectacular views of the river below and the surrounding mountains. We watched bats flying across the ravine, fireflies flickering from tree to tree, and the moon and stars lighting up the hillside. Simply awesome.
After falling asleep to symphony of frogs we woke to the sounds of birds and crickets. Hans and Bob explored a bit while I lazily read on the veranda. We climbed the stairs again for breakfast and then climbed up further still to the roadside to catch a jeep to the Chocolate Hills. Here is where the story gets a bit ugly. We were on something of a tight schedule to see everything and still make it back to Tagbilaran in time for our flight home to Manila. A jeep arrived after only a short wait and we boarded. Now, as usual, the jeep was packed to standing room only so it was hot and crowded. We drove for about 30 minutes and the jeep just died...couldn't get the thing started.
As we sat there, Hans mentioned something about Tagbilaran. It was then that I realized we were heading in the wrong direction. Somehow Hans thought we needed to return to Tagbilaran rather than head straight to the Chocolate Hills. So we had spent 30 minutes driving the wrong way and were now sitting in a broken down jeep going nowhere. I lost my temper and nearly beat Hans senselsss for sending us in the wrong direction. Jordan was nearly in tears at the thought of not getting to see the Chocolate Hills. Thankfully we manged to catch a bus going in the right direction and had an hour long ride to simmer down, put things in perspective, and opt out of flogging Hans. Thus, our trip - and Hans - was saved...
We made it to the Chocolate Hills and though we didn't have much time to tour, we did get to climb another 100 or so stairs to the viewing area and take in the scene. Jordan had read about the hills prior to our trip so was primed to see them and was delighted. He marveled at the sheer number of them and the amazing conical shapes. The Chocolate Hills were green rather than brown given the rainy season had just come to an end so things appeared lush and dense in a hundred hues of green. We took our requisite 100 pictures and made our way back down the stairs to catch a ride back to Tagbilaran.
We had done the beach, the jungle, and the hills of Bohol in just about 5 days. It was a lot to take in during such a short time, but we enjoyed every moment and every scene. We would soon be on a plane returning to Manila. We would have just a few short hours in the city before getting on yet another bus and making our way to the mountains in the northern provinces of Luzon.
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