— not the next Boracay,
he qualified, but the next
Bali, where art, culture,
and history meet beautiful
rivers and beaches among
other natural wonders and
breathtaking landscapes.
It was a sentiment
shared by many who
preferred Bohol’s gentler
pace, spaciousness and
more varied topography
(the Chocolate Hills,
for instance, are best
explained in mythic
language as the thrown
stones of quarreling
giants). The main island
and the smaller islands
surrounding it, including
Panglao, range from laid-
back to lively but none are
bathed in a neon glow or
throb to the pounding beat
that defines other party
beaches in the Philippines.
Bohol is known as much
for its cultural life and
natural wonders as it is for
its beachside recreation. In
fact, among the highlights
of any Bohol vacation is
a tour of its many well-
preserved Spanish-era
churches. Four of these —
Baclayon, Loboc, Loon and
Maribojoc — are National
Cultural Treasures whose
upkeep is managed by the
National Museum and its
patrons.
I land in Bohol to find
the walls of the Tagbilaran
Airport plastered with
“It’s more fun in the
Philippines” posters
showing the Chocolate
Hills. This seems a bit
cruel and a tad ironic given
the recent heartbreaking
news reports.
Bayanihan in
Bohol
After the quake, Bohol
experienced a steep
drop in tourist arrivals.
This may be because
people think the usual
attractions are gone. To
help fight this notion,
Andrea Echavez, who
works with the USAID,
a humanitarian agency,
has been organizing tours
with the help of the local
government, private
establishments and
USAID. She hopes to get
the word out that Bohol
is still standing and still
beautiful.
It’s not just the big
outfits that understand
55
PHOTOS
PAOLO PINEDA; JOREM CATILO; LESTER LEDESMA
ON MODEL
DRESSES BY SE LA VI; NECKLACE SET BY NOTHING BUT H20
B O H O L
Clockwise from above left:
Bohol Bee Farm; enjoying a
refreshing coconut drink in
Pamilacan; school kids crowd a
passenger jeepney; dancing with
the locals along a stop on the
Loboc River cruise; more dried
sea urchins
