Well, all my fears were for nothing. That typhoon I mentioned steered clear of Cebu. Yes, my first day or so was a little on the cloudy side, but it was always warm, and by Friday, bright sunshine filled the air from dawn till dusk.
Loboc Cathedral, the second oldest church in Bohol
It was a fantastic vacation, evenly split between adventurous exploration of a new place and leisurely relaxation by the pool and beach. You see, the first two-and-a-half days of my five day trip were spent backpacking through the rugged island of Bohol, while the second half was spent on the grounds of the lushly landscaped Shangri-La Resort on Mactan Island. It was literally two vacations in one, and every moment was incredible.
I flew from Hong Kong to Cebu, with a connection in Manila. What I didn’t realize when I booked my $9.13 flight (on Zest Air, Asia's Freshest Airline) between MNL and CEB was that I would have to take a twenty minute taxi ride between the International Arrivals Hall and the far humbler Domestic Departure Terminal in midday Manila traffic. Luckily, everything worked out, but I was a little scared for a minute there.
When I found such a cheap airfare, I thought I might be risking my life on an old, worn plane, but it was surprisingly modern and large. The only cause for alarm came when they announced over the loudspeaker that passengers had to remain in their assigned seats—even though the flight was more than half empty—because switching might throw off the balance of the plane!!!
The no-frills Domestic Terminal of Manila Airport—at least it had a Cinnabon!
The name Cebu refers to several things: it is a province in the Visayas region of the Philippines, the name of a specific island and also the name of that island's major city. The airport is on Mactan Island, connected by bridge to Cebu City, where I spent the night.
That first night was a great change of pace from hectic Hong Kong. I checked into my quirky hostel, met the owner who gave me some tips on what to do, and then went for a filling and delicious al fresco Thai dinner for about $10. I even saw some of the Chinese New Year fireworks display! Early the next morning, after some tasty banana pancakes, I caught a boat to Bohol, an island about two hours from Cebu City by ferry. I stood outside for the majority of the ride, watching as we glided past endless Visayan islands, fisherman and boats.
One of the islands we passed on the boat ride to Bohol
The ferry docks in Tagbilaran City, and from there I had to take a tricyle to the bus terminal, catch a bus to Loboc, and then take a boat ride fifteen minutes upriver to a cool, bohemian hideaway called Nuts Huts. Originally my trip to Bohol was only going to be for the day, but as soon as I read about Nuts Huts in my Lonely Planet guide, I immediately had my heart set on spending at least one night there.
All the buses remind citizens to "pray the holy rosary daily" in Bohol.
By the way, I loved Bohol's buses, with their loud music, ever-present Virgin Mary and Jesus, and friendly fellow passengers. That's one thing about Southeast Asia—each country's unique modes of transport are so distinct and full of character that they turn what would ordinarily be a memorable experience into something unforgettable. I can't imagine Bangkok without its tuk tuks, or Hong Kong without its tram, or Manila without its jeepneys. And now I can't imagine Bohol without its yellow, old-fashioned buses. It sounds funny to say this, but those bus rides are some of my favorite memories of this trip.
Inside a Bohol bus
The town of Loboc
Driving past humble houses, rice paddies and cow pastures, the rural island was quite a juxtaposition with comparatively-frantic Cebu City, where I’d just come from. Making the ride even cooler was the soundtrack of current American pop music accentuating the surreal vibes. I got off the bus in Loboc, walked to a humble pier to find a boat, and when I finally got to Nuts Huts, I had arrived in a whole other world.
On the boat ride to Nuts Huts
Run by a Belgian couple who decided to leave their Western way of life behind them and set up a jungle paradise in the Philippines, the ‘resort’ is a stunning place. Nine movie-themed cabins perched on stilts overlook lush gardens and the Loboc River, and an arduous 200-step staircase links the cabins with the all-purpose office/dining room/recreation area and—further up—a long dirt path to the main road.
My hut for the night – note the goats eating the grass!
Nuts Huts is not necessarily an easy place to stay, but it was infinitely rewarding. The owners treat all guests like old friends and are a fountain of information. Whether meeting interesting international backpackers, watching the goats munch on my cabin’s front lawn, taking an early morning swim in the river (past a waterfall!) or simply lounging on the deck overlooking the water and greenery, the experience was one I will surely never forget.
The treacherous staircase at Nuts Huts
Bohol’s two signature attractions, the Chocolate Hills and the Tarsier Sanctuary, are both easily accessible from Nuts Huts, which is one of the major reasons why I chose to stay there. Sure—you could definitely do them both in one day and be back in Cebu City by nightfall, but why would you want to?
The huts and grounds of the 'resort'
Although there is surely a great deal more to see on the island, due to my limited time, I was only able to check these two items off of my Asia To Do List. But I plan to return in the future, as I was completely won over by the way of life in this fascinating corner of the world.
The dirt path connecting Nuts Huts to the main road
In the afternoon, one of my Belgian hosts suggested the most convenient schedule: catch a Carmen-bound bus to the Chocolate Hills that day and hit up the Tarsier Sanctuary on my way back to Tagbilaran the next morning. As you can imagine, I was delighted to take another hour-long bus ride!
Breathtaking: the Chocolate Hills
I had never seen anything quite like the Chocolate Hills. Although I had googled them when I first decided to take this trip, no photograph I’ve yet seen can truly do justice to this surreally beautiful landscape. It reminded me of a kindergartner's fanciful drawing of some far away planet. During rainy season, the hills are leafy and green, but during dry season they turn the chocolate brown color their name suggests.
On a clear day you can see forever!
The deliciously-named hills number almost 2,000 and stretch in all directions as far as the eye can see. Local legend attributes the quirky mounds to the debris field left over following an ancient battle between two giants, who fought so long that they eventually became friends, and so enjoyed their newfound friendship that they never bothered cleaning up their mess! A second, more romantic tale tells of a giant who so loved a mortal woman that when she died, he cried for weeks; as his tears fell to earth and dried, they became the hills.
The "Three Sisters" Hill
Of course, some boring scientists have their own less interesting theories as to how the hills were formed, but regardless of their origins, the sight of the never-ending mini-mountains was easily the most breathtaking natural wonder I’ve yet seen in Asia. To augment the experience, many people pay a man with a motorbike (called a habel habel) to drive around some of the hills, so, of course, that is exactly what I did.
Yet another view of the Chocolate Hills
My driver took me to the ‘Three Sisters’ and then over to another hill, which we proceeded to scale. The view from the top was unreal, but my driver probably thought I was crazy for the insane amount of pictures I was taking. Eventually I realized they were not capturing the otherworldly aura, so I just put the camera away and enjoyed the ride.
Typical Bohol: muddy road complete with water buffalo and motorbike
Back at Nuts Huts, I had dinner with a French couple I had met earlier. The next morning, I also ate breakfast with them before taking a dip in the river. I swam across it first, and then walked about 500 meters upstream to a waterfall, where I was told I should jump in and lazily float back down to the Nuts Huts dock. It was an awesome start to an awesome day.
View from my breakfast table at Nuts Huts
After checking out, I caught a bus to the Tarsier Sanctuary, which was another highlight of this trip. Tarsiers were once thought to be the world’s smallest monkey. Although they have lost that distinction to a newly-discovered Indonesian primate, they are still surely one of the coolest.
Bohol's most famous resident—the tarsier!
Hey, little fella!
Tarsiers are only about five inches long, and they have huge eyes. In fact, the size of their eyes in relation to their head is over 150 times greater than that ratio in human beings! I thought the monkeys looked like aliens from some 1980s sci-fi film, and it was great to get to see them so close.
Although many tourist attractions on the island keep one or two mistreated tarsiers in cages, the Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella is definitely the best place to see the animals in their natural environment. It is a center for research and does much work to protect the creatures and their habitat, so I was more than happy to make the extra effort to visit.
View of Tagbilaran City, near the ferry pier
That afternoon I caught the boat back to Cebu City. Before we left, a 'video prayer' played asking God to guide the captain during the trip and get us all safely to our destination. This underscores the intense spirituality of the Filipinos and the devotion to Catholicism in the Philippines, easily the most Christian country in Asia. It was a very refreshing and welcome start to another pleasant crossing. Also played (two times!) before our departure was a music video of a Tagalog-language song about the beauty of the Philippines. The song is a collaboration of some of the most well-known and talented Filipino musicians, and I was so happy when I found it online when I got back to Hong Kong. .
Back in Cebu City, the adventure ended and the relaxation started. That night I was supposed to meet my friends Stephanie and Long at the pool bar at the resort, but due to a combination of having to catch a later boat and not having a working cell phone, I didn’t find them! Still, I walked around the beautiful grounds, read by the pool, and listened to a Filipino band play some catchy local tunes.
The grounds of the Shangri-La Resort
The pool
The next morning, I was just about to kickstart the day's reading when I heard Stephanie’s unmistakable voice behind me. For the rest of the day, Stephanie, Long and I sat by the pool, overlooking a beach, alternating between naps, piña coladas, sunbathing and swimming. The day was pure heaven.
Reading in the sunshine
We had a light, early dinner overlooking the sea, as day turned to night and the stars came out. Dinner and drinks with great people in a beautiful setting—can the last night of a vacation be any better than that?
View from our table at dinner
With Long and Stephanie
Later that night, I hopped in a cab and asked the driver to take me to Tops, an observation deck high above the city. The ride was long—nearly an hour—but the view was unmatched. It was so serene up there, gazing down at the infinite lights below.
Loving the view from Tops
Cebu City is a very low metropolis with few iconic structures, so the view from Tops was quite different than most observation levels. Instead of looking for the famous buildings and parts of town, you kind of just gaze out over the twinkling lights of Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City, and enjoy breathing in the fresh mountain air.
The lights of Cebu
The next morning I crammed in two tourist attractions I really wanted to see: Magellan’s Cross and Fort San Pedro. The Cross is said to be on the very spot where Ferdinand Magellan first planted a humble wooden cross upon arriving in Cebu in 1521. It's probably Cebu's most famous attraction, so there was no way I was missing it.
Plaque commemorating Magellan's Cross
Murals on the ceiling depict the historical events of Magellan's arrival. I thought it was hilarious that it looks like all Magellan does is stand around and watch while the Filipinos do all the hard work.
Magellan's Cross and ceiling murals
Near the cross is an old church called the Basilica of Santo Niño, just one of many beautiful churches in the Philippines. Although these churches are certainly not as grandiose as the great cathedrals of Europe, they have a graceful, quiet charm all their own, and I find them just beautiful.
Statues outside the Basilica of Santo Niño
Next up was Fort San Pedro, an old Spanish fort that is now overgrown with trees and flowers. It was a beautiful and photogenic spot. When I went to Manila, I visited Fort Santiago in the walled city called Intramuros. That fort was very well restored, but Fort San Pedro is more of a historical ruin, and as such, it was a fascinating place to walk around and explore.
The façade of Fort San Pedro
Courtyard inside the fort
Old walls of the fort, covered in moss.
But even though I liked both sights, I just really enjoyed the atmosphere of walking around Cebu City. I felt like I was in a movie, with action going on all around me. Children playing, hawkers selling fruit, women shopping at street markets. The city might not be the cleanest or most beautiful in Asia, but it certainly has character, and I loved it for that.
Fruit stand in town
Cebu City!
After a few more hours reading and swimming in the pool at the Shangri-La, it was time to head to the airport. The three of us hopped in a taxi as our vacation came to an end, but I will never forget the five days of this Chinese New Year.
I never thought it would come close to last year’s trip to Thailand, but I’m happy to report that it gave it a good run for its money! The bar has been set very high for next year, so I better start thinking of my plans sometime soon!
Super-Philippines...a cow just chilling on the side of a busy road.
I’ve written before that Thailand is one of the most spectacular countries I’ve ever visited, and now I’m tempted to put the Philippines on a similar pedestal. I loved my weekend trip to Manila last January, but nothing could have prepared me for the splendor of the Visayas. If Thailand’s x factor is its cuisine, then the Philippines’ is definitely its people. When they saw I was confused on the bus, they went out of their way to explain how things worked, and whenever we drove past little kids, they always waved and said, "Hello!!" or "What is your name?" or "How are you?" They have got to be among the friendliest people in the world.
Little Filipino boy waving at me when I was on the bus to the Tarsier Sanctuary
Although the Philippines is full of stunning natural wonders, pristine beaches, and unique historic sights, it's ultimately the Filipinos themselves who truly make their country the very special place that it is. I look forward to many more hours exploring the wonders of this charming, extraordinary destination!
