Top 30 Favorite Spots in the Philippines: 17.Panglao Island

Among the many spots I love in Bohol is this amazing island that's home to some of the best beaches in the country -- Panglao Island. Located southwest of the island of Bohol and east of Cebu, and about 1 hour land drive from Tagbilaran City, Panglao is a favorite travel destination for those gunning for a beach retreat after a day touring the countryside of Bohol. Although the beaches get crowded during peak season, you may still find some peace and quiet in most time of the year in this island. With its white sand beaches, beautiful sunset, clear blue sea, and gentle people, Panglao is definitely a must-visit.

While in Panglao, you may want to rent a motorcycle and tour the island. Some spots worth seeing are: Bohol Bee Farm (they sell organic products and would even teach you a bit about farming), Dauis Church (home to a miraculous spring that's believed to have healing powers. As of today, Dauis Church may be under repair due to the damage brought by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the island last October 15, 2013), Hinagdanan Cave (I liked the clear, cold, and large lagoon inside), Panglao Watch Tower ( a Spanish-era structure that's still standing today a few meters from Panglao Church and near the shore) and the Shell Museum (an extensive collection of sea shells from Bohol and other parts of the country.) Another must-try is diving in the underwater garden of the nearby island, Balicasag.

For more details, check out my posts about Panglao Island here.

Sunset at Bohol Beach Club, Panglao Island

Summer Series: How to Spend a Day in Cebu

Cha and I boarded the first Cebu-bound ferry from Tagbilaran City in Bohol. Despite time constraints, we were up to the challenge to explore the Queen City of the South for a day.

After two-hour ferry ride, we reached the port in Cebu. We wasted no time and went straight to the Tourism Office near the port to get a map of the province. Because we were pressed for time, we decided to just rent a cab (P1,500) to tour us around. With just a map in hand, we went on to tour Metro Cebu - one of the most visited provinces in the country - from 11am to 5pm.

The first thing that struck me while going around Cebu is its certain semblance to Manila. And like its counterpart in Luzon, it gives an impression that it is just a place with the accumulation of buildings and people. But at the end of our day tour, I learned that Cebu is not called Queen City of the South for nothing. Suffice it to say, a day is not enough to roam around its many historical sights. But I think Cha and I covered some of the most important ones.

Cebu lies at the very heart of the Philippines. Located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands, Cebu Island is stretching 225 kilometers from north to south and surrounded by 167 smaller islands, which include Mactan, Bantayan, Malapascua, Olango and the Camotes Islands.

Its capital Cebu City is the oldest city in the Philippines. It is part of the Cebu Metropolitan Area together with four neighboring cities including Danao City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Talisay City and eight other municipalities.

Cebu is also one of the most developed provinces in the country. Its main industries include furniture making, tourism, business processing services and heavy industry. Most of the population are Roman Catholic and the main languages spoken there are Cebuano, Tagalog and English.

Here are some of the places we've visited during our six-hour stay in this metropolis.

Basilica Minore del Sto Nino (Cebu City)- Our first stop is the Basilica del Sto. Nino. This beautiful basilica houses the image of the Sto. Nino, considered the oldest religious relic in the Philippines. This relic is said to be the same image that Magellan gave to Queen Juana as a gift during the baptism of King Humabon and his wife Queen Juana on April 14, 1521.

 

Summer Series: Top 5 Reasons to Love Bohol

I was going through my files and realized that there are a lot of past travels that I haven’t really blogged about. One of which was my adventure-filled weekend in Bohol with my sister, Cha.  As I was reviewing our photos from the trip, I feel compelled to share a better feature of that amazing island in the Visayas.  

Bohol is undeniably one of the most visited and most beautiful places in the country. Every year, it enjoys a steady influx of both local and foreign tourists. And its visitors are always in for a treat – from the powdery white sand beaches, to centuries-old heritage churches, to green meandering rivers, to world-famous hills, to adrenaline-hyped adventures, to the best deep dives, and to endearing and exotic wildlife encounters.

Here’s a list of my personal favorites in Bohol:

1. Panglao Island – About an hour away from Tagbilaran City is where one of my favorite places in Bohol is located --Panglao Island. It has a lot of pretty beaches without the party and the noisy crowd. The most famous is Alona Beach which is about 800-meter stretch of pristine white sand. 

A pretty beach without the party crowd

Exploring Bohol-Cebu-Panglao Island

February 20-22, 2010

Cha and I went on a three-day tour to three of the most visited and beautiful places in our country—Bohol, Cebu and Panglao Island. This trip turned out to be one of the most fun that we've had. I’d like to share our itinerary:

Day 1

08:35- Mla ETD, NAIA Terminal 3 (Cebu Pacific)

09:50- Tag ETA

10:00- Start of the Bohol Countryside Tour

Blood Compact (historical site)

Baclayon Church (old church)