A quick tour of Dimiao Church, dedicated to San Nicolas Tolentino, is an old church with an uncertain history but the church was declared by National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure in 2011.


the picture-perfect facade of dimiao church taken late afternoon (the ideal time, actually if not early mornings)

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas, Churches, Visita Iglesia

An old stone church in Panglao Island, just a few minutes from Tagbilaran Airport, sporting a neo-gothic and neo-classical architecture on the facade an where devotees and faithful flock for a claimed miraculous water from a well inside the church, in front of the altar.

Update: this church was badly damaged during the earthquake of October 15, 2013




Dauis Church history: according to the NHI marker in front of the church, the current stone church began construction in 1863 and finished in 1879, declared a national historical treasure in 2009.

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas, Churches, Visita Iglesia

A lesser-known River Cruise on Loboc River in Loay town of Bohol with starting point near the Loay Bridge. It features the catamaran-style floating restaurant, using two single-hull bancas supporting the weight of the restaurant, using a diesel engine, where guests partake buffet lunch (or dinner) while being serenaded by musicians.


the Rio Verde I Floating Restaurant cruising the Loay part of Loboc River

buffet table being prepared with the usual seafood on the restaurant menu

a family on a native boat with the nipa palm-fringed river

Loay River cruise takes about an hour with a stop-over at an "authetic" Ati Tribe of aborigines upstream (more on this in a future post).

Loboc-Loay River Cruise Rate: PhP350.00/person
Trip Schedules: around lunch time usually 11am with actual boat departures depending on tourist arrivals

Related Bohol Posts:

Tagbilaran Airport
Bohol Van Rental rates
Bohol Beach Resorts
Loboc River Cruise

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas

Tutubi visited, for the second time, the old church of Baclayon, Bohol and again failed to enter the nearby Baclayon Museum. He just settled with taking a few pictures of the facade.

Not much has changed with the old stone church, there are now only more houses there, particularly along the shoreline, unlike the first time he went there in 2003.

Update: this church was badly damaged during the 7.2 magnitude earthquake of October 15, 2013 :(




Baclayon Church history, with the historical marker installed by the National Historical Institute (NHI), now National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP)

Constructed in 1727 (thus the claim of some Boholanos that it's the oldest stone church in the Philippines is false) and made of coral stones, using neo-classical architecture. Recognized as national historical treasure in 1994

people near church pointed to this image on the wall and buttress as that of Padre Pio. Seems there was a fire that imposed this image there

Baclayon Museum hours:
Monday to Saturday 8:45am to 11:45am; 1:30pm to 4:45pm

Sunday 9:30am to 11:45am, 1:30pm to 4:15pm
Museum Entrance Fee: PhP50.00

Bohol Travel Tip: the wharf in front of Baclayon Church is where you can catch boats that can take you to Pamalican Island (famous for dolphin wathching and the Punta Cruz Watchtower, at a cheap price, instead of renting your own boat that can set you back not less than PhP1000.00)

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas, Churches, Visita Iglesia

Quezon Memorial Circle used to be a scary place at night and just a jogger's place in the morning but lately there's been many improvements and added attractions like Paddle and Pedal (boat rides), Circle of Joy children's playground, Circle of Fun (ala carnival), various restaurants, bike rentals, tiangge stalls and there's this adventure: the zipline

there are now at least three ziplines in QC, the first one is at the La Mesa Ecopark, then another one at Circulo Verde in Libis, Quezon City and now this new attraction at Quezon City Circle.



Note that Tutubi has yet to try the zipline, height is about 20 meters, length is about 100 meters. safety? can't comment too so no reviews for now

Quezon City Memorial Circle Zipline Rates:
One way: PhP100.00
Two way: PhP150.00

Open daily from 8am to 9pm

no entrance fee at Quezon Memorial Circle
plenty of car parking spaces for PhP15 (cars/vans)

For an online map of Quezon Memorial Circle, click here. For directions and information on how to get there, click the link about if below.

Related Posts on Quezon City:
Quezon City Hall
Quezon Circle Monument

Labels: Adventure Tourism, Metro Manila, Quezon City

About 2.5 hours travel time from Tagbilaran City, Anda, Bohol is home to a long stretch of fine white sand beach that is open to the public and (backpackers who pitch tents on the beach front) and devoid of expensive and exclusive resorts (except a few including Anda White Beach Resort).

Tutubi visited this small zero-crime-rate town, located on the southeast of Bohol Island, to visit a mystical place.

Anda White Beach, Bohol:

Anda White Beach where Tutubi even found the mayor personally supervising workers clearing the beach front of rocks in preparation for the Timex Triathlon the morrow





Anda White Beach sand is indeed fine white sand, several kilometers long and backpacker-friendly, not much resorts and happenings here, just peace and quiet (Anda is a zero crime rate town where the prison is empty and police doesn't have anything to do)

A local told Tutubi the sand were quarried and hauled to neighboring Cebu and Mactan Island for use of some resorts there.

What did Tutubi do in Anda, Bohol that he actually travelled this far out?

Coming up: the Red Hematite Rock Paintings of Lamanoc Island and the ancient people of Bohol :P

---
Anda White Beach
Coordinates: N9 44 36.4 E124 34 36.1

Table Rental Rates

Big Table: PhP150.00 good for 8 persons
Small Table: PhP75.00, good for 4 persons
Chair: PhP25.00

* pay at the municipal treasurer's office nearby


Related Posts on Bohol:

Tagbilaran Aiport Guide
Bohol Tour Itinerary
Van Rental rate to Anda, Bohol

Labels: Beaches, Bohol, Central Visayas

For people looking for information on how to get to Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan, curious after it won as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

UPDATED: April 2013

how to get to Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan:

Getting there is really not easy the backpacking way, as there's still unreliable public transportation to get there but there were and are many foreigners who tried.

1. Book a flight to Puerto Princesa (via Philippine Airlines, PAL Express, Cebu Pacific or ZestAir, or slow ferry to Puerto Princesa via 2Go Travel SuperFerry if you have the the time but not the moolah) or a RORO bus to Puerto Princesa

2. Book your access to Puerto Princesa Underground River Online or visit the Booking office near PP Airport:

2.1 Book online by visit the official online booking website here


or visit the booking office:

2.2 From Puerto Princesa Airport, ride a tricycle to Underground River Booking Office. Don't forget this step, you can't just show up in Sabang as they limit tourists to about 600 per day.
Email: reservation@puerto-undergroundriver.com
Call Contact Number: +63.48.434.2509; +63.48.723.0904; +63.48.723.2563

Park Rates and Other Fees Local International

Underground River Entrance Fee
Adult P 100.00 P 150.00
Minor P 75.00 P 100.00

Underground River Tour Rate (Boat Ride Price):
Adult P 175.00 P 250.00
Minor P 100.00 P 150.00
Commercial Video Fee P 3,000.00


3. From your hotel, ride a tricycle to New Market terminal (fare: around PhP15.00)

4. At San Jose New Market Transportation terminal, ride jeepneys going to Sabang, Puerto Princesa (it's still part of mayor Hagedorn's city, not another town of Palawan). Fare: PhP125.00 (first trip at 7am, last trip at 3pm, travel time: 2 hours). Return trip from Sabang to Puerto Princesa last trip is at 2pm daily.

5. In Sabang, proceed to the Tourism office to book your boat to Puerto Princesa Underground River cave entrance

6. Near the cave entrance, enlist for another boat, good for 6 people, to ferry you inside and out of the longest navigable underwater river in the world.

7. Enjoy one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature! :P



Note that the Puerto Princesa public transportation terminal is at San Jose New Market, a jeepney ride (signboard: New Market, fare PhP12.00) or tricycle ride from Puerto Princesa Airport (fare: around PhP15.00)

How to Get to Sabang from El Nido:

Follow this post on How to get to El Nido from Sabang to get an idea as it's just the reverse.

Note: Prices, costs, rates and fares may change without prior notice, mainly due to skyrocketing gasoline prices. Expect fare hikes anytime soon. Tutubi will update this from time to time by calling his friend in Palawan (sorry, can't post his contact number here for privacy)


Related posts on Palawan:
Puerto Princesa Airport
How to get to El Nido from Sabang
Palawan Underground River
Jungle Trek to Puerto Princesa Underground River
Palawan Accommodations in Sabang, Puerto Princesa, Cheap Palawan Package Tours

Labels: Caves, Mimaropa, Palawan, Rivers, UNESCO

Probably the most expensive and exclusive beach resort on Panglao Island, Bohol, Eskaya Beach Resort and Spa was visited by Tutubi just for one purpose:

To take a picture of the exclusive Eskaya Beach Resort's entrance and ask about entrance fee and day tour rates, something not posted on the official website of Eskaya Beach Resort and Spa

picture of the Eskaya Beach Resort and Spa gate, taken in the late afternoon/early dusk. Other pictures are simply blurred (no tripod, as usual)

Eskaya Beach Resort Entrance Fee/Day Tour Rate: PhP1000.00/person, consumable on resort food at the restaurant or spa services. Tutubi was not able to see sample menu food prices so he can't comment if how far the PhP1000 entrance can take you. With Eskaya beach resort's room rates that is astronomically high due to their exclusivity and niche market, don't be surprised if your PhP1000 can only buy you drinks, light meal and desserts.

The meaning of Eskaya? Eskaya is a group people in Bohol, surrounded by controversies, with their own language, culture and script. This explains the syllabary writing on the resort's gate written in Eskaya (the script)

Now, is there such a thing as an exclusive Amanpulo day tour rate? :P

Tutubi is a budget traveler but it doesn't mean he doesn't want to experience being pampered.

Related Posts on Bohol:

Bohol Tour Itinerary
Tagbilaran Airport
Bohol Van Rental rates
Bohol Beach Resorts

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas, Hotels and Resorts

Just for your information, herewith are the standard rates for van rentals, car rentals and Bohol tour packages if you don't feel like taking public transportation. These are convenient and safe for big groups but quite pricey for penny-pinching couples.

Information taken from a Bohol tourism billboard on van rental rates on Bohol just outside Tagbilaran Airport:


Chocolate Hills Tour Rate car/van rental
1 person up to 4 pax= PhP2500 (car)
5 person up to 10 pax= PhP3000.00 (van)
11 persons up to 14 pax = PhP3500.00

Chocolate Hills - Sagbayan Tour
car= PhP3000; van = PhP4000

EAT Danao Tour rate = PhP3500 (car), PhP4500 (van)

Loboc Tour = PhP2000 (car), P2500 (van)

Panglao Island Tour = PhP2000 (car), PhP 2500 (van)

Tagbilaran City Tour (1st three hours) = PhP1000 (car), PhP1500 (van)
additional PhP250/excess hour

Punta Cruz and Mag-aso Falls = PhP 1500 (car), PhP2000 (van)

Cambuhat Mangrove, Nipa Plantation, Fishing Activities (Dait, Buenavista, Bohol) = PhP3500 (car), PhP4000 (van)

Transportation Type

Transportation in and out of Panglao Beach PhP600 (car), PhP700 (van)

Transportation in/out of Anda beach Resort PhP2500 (car), PhP3000 (van)

Related Bohol Posts:
Bohol Tour Itinerary
Tagbilaran Airport terminal fee

bohol van for hire rate, bohol car rental rates, bohol vhire rates, bohol tour packages, tagbilaran airport van for hire, tagbilaran car rental, tagbilaran van for hir rate, cheap bohol package tour 3d/2n, bohol transportation rental rates, motorcylce rental, motorcycle for hire rates, motorbike for rent

Labels: Bohol, Central Visayas