Hello World!
Welcome to Bohol!
Bohol,
in the heart of Central Visayas, is the 10th largest island in the Philippines.
Approx. 803 km south of Manila and 79 km southeast of Cebu, Bohol is the
Heritage Province, the eco-cultural tourism destination of the new millennium.
An oval-shaped island dotted with 72 small islets comprising an area of 4,117
sq. km., it has 47 towns and the capital city of Tagbilaran. It has roughly a
million people.
Geography
The Island of Bohol is oval-shaped mainland surrounded with
73 smaller islands, having a gently rolling terrain, ideal for commercial and
industrial site development. Bohol’s mountainous interior is home to rare and
endangered flora and fauna. At certain points, hills drop steeply to the coast
from a maximum elevation of 870 meters above sea level. The interior uplands
are fit for agro-forestry and high value agricultural production. The central
and northern lowlands have also fertile grounds and abundant water supply. Over
a hundred caves have been identified, the biggest of which is found in the
eastern part which makes Bohol ideal for spelunking adventures.
Geology
Bohol’s geological formation may be
explained under the karst theory. According to this theory, sea level changes
and uplift (combined with terrestrial erosion), and air exposure of biognic
reef regions gave rise to hummocky landscapes that are often impregnated with
sinkholes and caves. The chocolate hills are among the examples of striking
karts topography. According to the National Committee on Geological Sciences
(NCGS), the chocolate hills were formed "ages ago by the uplift of coral
deposits and the action of rain, water and erosion."
Map
of Bohol
Municipalities of Bohol
Congressional
Districts
First
District
Municipalities
Ø Baclayon
Ø Calape
Ø Corella
Ø Cortes
Ø Dauis
Ø Loon
Ø Panglao
Ø Sikatuna
Ø Tubigon
Second
District
Municipalities
Ø Clarin
Ø Dagohoy
Ø Danao
Ø Getafe
Ø Inabanga
Ø Sagbayan
Ø Talibon
Ø Trinidad
Ø Ubay
Third
District
Municipalities
Ø Alicia
Ø Anda
Ø Batuan
Ø Bilar
Ø Candijay
Ø Carmen
Ø Dimiao
Ø Duero
Ø Jagna
Ø Lila
Ø Loay
Ø Loboc
Ø Mabini
Ø Pilar
Ø Sevilla
Ø Valencia
How to get there?
Bohol is located in the central Philippines, and can be
conveniently reached by air and boat.
Coming
from abroad, you have two options: you can fly to Manila or Cebu. Cebu is the
most convenient, but only a limited number of international flights will arrive
there. Coming from Europe, you'll need to have a stop-over in Singapore, Kuala
Lumpur or Hong Kong; however, it will save you the hassle of going through
Manila (including a transfer from NAIA to the domestic airport, and dealing
with stricter luggage-weight restrictions on domestic flights).
Among
others, the following airlines fly international routes to Cebu: Silk Air, Malaysia Airlines,
and Cathay Pacific.
If
you come via Manila, you'll probably want to take a connecting flight to
Tagbilaran, which takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. It is also possible to
take a boat to Bohol, but will take 25 hours, and is only advisable if you have
plenty of time at hand and enjoy a trip on sea, or have to travel on a
rock-bottom budget or with a lot of luggage. Currently, there are numerous
daily flights from Manila to Tagbilaran.
If
you fail to catch a direct flight, you can also fly from Manila to Cebu, and
then continue by boat. The flying time is about 50 minutes. The transfer by
taxi from the airport to the pier takes about 30 minutes in normal traffic
conditions, and should cost 165 pesos (2007). The following airlines fly from
Manila to Cebu: PAL, Cebu
Pacific, Air Philippines, Asian Spirit, Astro Air, and Grand Air.
It
is always worthwhile to look for a promotional fare if you fly. You can save a
considerable amount of money by asking around a little.
If
you come via Cebu, you can take the one and a half hour trip with a fast boat
to Tagbilaran. The regular boat to Tagbilaran will take about four hours. It is
also possible to take a boat to Tubigon and Talibon, and a number of other
towns on Bohol, which may be more convenient if you want to be on the west or
north coast of the island.
The
most economical way to get from Cebu to Tagbilaran by boat is to catch a ferry
to Tubigon, and continue by bus or V-hire from Tubigon to Tagbilaran. This is
sometimes both faster and cheaper than taking a boat directly to Tagbilaran.
Note
that security regulations on domestic flights in the Philippines no longer
allow bringing liquids (such as perfumes and bottles of wine) as carry-on items
into the cabin. Even if you had those liquids sealed by duty-free shops on the
airport of origin, you may be forced to throw them away if you are not able to
place them in your checked-in luggage.
