But it’s worth it. I got to see the famous CHOCOLATE HILLS that I had only seen in books and postcards before. What a dream come true. I was so happy and sad at that time. I was happy because I got to see it but also disappointed because it’s not like the pictures I saw. Perhaps, my eyes and the camera are really different. It really is. LoL! But I really enjoyed it.

The excitement, the adrenaline rush, and the happiness that I felt when I reached the top (not what I saw LoL) were worth it. LoL! I’m not saying that I did not like the CHOCOLATE HILLS, maybe I wasn’t surprised anymore because I saw a lot of them on our way to the location. I was already fascinated at that time and it ruined the surprise. However, you must still visit it because the world is changing so fast. Those CHOCOLATE HILLS might become a chocolate dip in the future if we do not protect them today. It’s funny but it’s true. Let’s protect our world. We only have one.

THE TARSIER SANCTUARY

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So, after CHOCOLATE HILLS, we visited my friend, THE TARSIER. Again, only in the Philippines. Look what rare places and species you can find here. It’s cool, right? So, do not forget to include THE TARSIER SANCTUARY in your list of THINGS TO DO IN BOHOL.

It’s not that far from the CHOCOLATE HILLS viewing site and there are no cars on the road. I feel like I own the road and it was closed for me. LoL!

Then we arrived at the TARSIER SANCTUARY and went straight to the ticketing booth, very touristy. Tickets, tickets, tickets, and more tickets. Haha! Again, I can’t remember the price because I did not pay for it but I know it was cheap. You’ll pay a cheap price to see the only living TARSIERS in the world, it’s worth it, right?

So, we went inside. We had to follow a trail to see the TARSIERS. Too much noise is not allowed and even the camera flash needs to be turned off, too. Tarsier’s eyes are so sensitive to the light so it’s not allowed. But taking a picture is allowed. Touching them and talking to them is strictly prohibited because they might answer back. LoL!

It’s hard to notice them because they’re so tiny, they’re as small as an adult fist and their color is blending with the three branches.

Are you still there? Okay, are you hungry? Because I am. So, we’re hungry after doing a lot of exercise. We went to Loboc Floating restaurant to eat, it's also one of the best THINGS TO DO IN BOHOL. It was a little bit far from the TARSIER SANCTUARY because I remember I was so hungry at that time and it feels like forever to get there. Or, maybe I was just so hungry that I thought it was far.

But the good thing is, it’s a buffet. Yes, Loboc Floating Restaurant is an all-you-can-eat buffet. Cool, right? I’m drooling now just thinking about what I ate at that time. But… before we can eat, we had to wait for a long queue and guess why? Of course, to buy a ticket. A never-ending ticket. LoL! But literally, the line there was never-ending. I never thought that we’ll make it for lunch, perhaps dinner was more possible haha. But we managed to get a ticket and eat lunch. Magic and Skills… LoL!

LOBOC RIVER CRUISE

There are plenty of floating restaurants in Loboc and one can accommodate a lot so don’t worry about not being able to hop on. I’m sure they’ll accommodate all and the long wait will be worth it. At that time, the buffet costs P500 to P1000. It was 3 years ago so maybe they have increased already.

They offer Filipino food and drinks so you’ll really feel the culture while being serenaded by Filipino Musicians. I like the vibes there because the people are really friendly. It felt like they feel you for being able to survive the long queue and now you became friends for having the same experience because you understand each other haha.

I forgot to say that the floating restaurant was moving, it’s being pushed by a motorboat and it will take you to different locations (stops) to watch performances by the locals. The boat will travel I think 1 kilometer then back to where you started after you eat.

Once you’re done, there are plenty of “Pasalubong” stores outside where you can find the good stuff.

After our Lunch at Loboc, we went straight to the Adventure that I was talking about at the beginning of this blog. The Zipline adventure. The best of the best THINGS TO DO IN BOHOL. I can still feel my excitement at that time but I never thought that something will happen.

We arrived at the location really fast because it was so near to Loboc River Cruise, it’s like a zip line away LoL. The river where Loboc River Cruise is cruising is the same river underneath the zipline. It's 520 meters in length and 120 meters high. If I remember correctly, it was the longest zipline adventure in the Philippines during that time. It’s also high like your dreams. What I mean is, that you should dream high. LoL!

ZIPLINE ADVENTURE

So, there are only a few people there, and the queue at the ticketing booth is not that long. Just to mention, the CR has an entrance fee but you can use it all day as long as you keep the ticket.

The ticket to the zipline costs P400 at that time. You can also pay for the pictures after. If I remember correctly, we paid P500 for the pictures but that’s for the whole group already. The photos were stored on a CD.

The ticketing booth is a little bit far from the zipline point, I don’t know what it’s called but you know my point, right? It’s the beginning of your end. LoL! I was so excited while hiking then I hear people screaming while getting near the zipline.

When we arrived, there was already a group of beautiful people there. There are foreigners who look like a doll. They’re Russians, I knew because of their language, hearing them was mind-blowing, but they’re gorgeous.

I don’t feel nervous yet while watching them because they look like actors filming a movie, they’re pore-less. How to be them? LoL!

So, their screaming stopped, I guess it's my time to scream. I’m nervous already but I was glad that my cousins were the first to try it because they’re younger than me. They had to obey. LoL!

So, I heard them scream and I started to tremble. I was really shaking like I’m cold and inside a freezer. I don’t know if I’m going to back out or what.

But I decided to do it. It’s now or never, I said. So, it’s time. They put me in a cloth or whatever it was that smells so bad, it smells like sweat from 10 years ago LoL. I guess that distracted me and turn my nervousness away. But it was still exciting.

So, I was planking on the cloth, it was a very safe cloth and I don’t know what it’s called. LoL. Safety belts are all set up and I’m good to go.

I can still remember what I was thinking at that time. I was thinking that no matter what happens, I’ll open my eyes and enjoy the view because it will only take a few seconds and I don’t want to waste the moment and ruin the experience.

Then they pushed me. Of course, I screamed so loud but when I saw the view, Wow, it was magical. I felt like a divergent in the “Divergent” movie. There was a scene in the movie where they also do zipline.

Being up there with the wind on your face and seeing the trees and the river below was really satisfying and refreshing. I felt strong and brave. Being up there made me realize that life is full of opportunities and you can do more. You just have to look around you and try.

So, I reached the end. But of course, it’s not going to end there. I had to do it again to go back. But at that time, I wasn’t that nervous. See, we just have to try the things that we’re afraid of because our emotions are just trying to hinder us.

Doing the things that we’re afraid of are the most fulfilling thing to do. And once we’ve done it, we’re becoming better, a newer version of ourselves.

So, it’s time to go back to Cebu but we visited another tourist destination along the way, it’s the twin bamboo bridge, another destination that you can add to your list of THINGS TO DO IN BOHOL. It’s a famous bridge in Bohol made of Bamboo. And located at the end of the bridge are Pasalubong Stores. It’s called direct selling; the bridge will direct you to the sellers. LoL!

SIPATAN TWIN HANGING BRIDGE

We left the bridge and headed to the port. The boat was there waiting for us. We left Bohol with a little bit of Sun above us until the Sun left while we were in the middle of the sea.

But first, let me tell you a little bit about Cebu. The Philippines is divided into three big islands called Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Cebu is located in the Visayas and it’s an hour and a half flight from Manila to Mactan Airport, Cebu. I paid P4,000 for a roundtrip ticket (Philippine Airlines). The ticket comes with bread and a drink. You may opt for Coffee, Tea, or Water, so I chose tea cause’ I love tea, it's refreshing, right?

We went to Cebu for my Aunt's wedding but of course, we don't want to miss seeing the beautiful City of Cebu.

MACTAN SHRINE

A lot happened before the wedding and of course, I and my cousins were not just there for the wedding. We planned some extra trips to explore and visit a lot of beautiful places in Cebu. Places that we only see in books when we were still studying. One of the historic places is the Mactan Shrine.

It is where Lapu-Lapu defeated Ferdinand Magellan who is a Spanish Explorer who went to the Philippines a long time ago. So, don't forget MACTAN SHRINE on your list of THINGS TO DO IN CEBU CITY. Near the shrine is the seashore where the battle happened. I mean, the shrine is part of the seashore but it’s a little bit far because of a low tide at that time.

"SUTUKIL" FOOD TRIP

We took a lunch break at "SuTuKil" after visiting the shrine. There are a lot of restaurants near the place and it’s not just an ordinary restaurant. Restaurants there sell fresh seafood, you’ll choose what seafood you want to eat then they will cook it for you. For me, eating here is a must in your list of THINGS TO DO IN CEBU CITY.

We ordered a lot cause’ we’ve never seen some of the seafood there so we tried it. The price was reasonable (below P5,000 for a group of 10) and it’s not just the food that you’ll enjoy, the place is great, too. It’s overlooking the seashore that I was talking about earlier. It’s not just a typical seashore, it looks like a mangrove, or maybe it’s a mangrove, and it's beautiful. What a great experience!

So, we went back to the Hotel for a swim and then went to Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa in the evening for a dinner before the wedding that was going to happen the next day. The wedding was held on the beach and the weather was really good that day. It was really a day to remember because it was so magical. I’ve never seen a beach wedding in real life, but at that moment I understand why most couples dream of marrying by the beach.

FORT SAN PEDRO and MAGELLAN'S CROSS

The next morning after the wedding, we transferred to a transient house (below P10,000 for 2 nights) which is cheaper. We’ll be visiting a lot of places during the day so it’s not practical to stay in a hotel where we won’t be staying most of the time, right? So, we started exploring Cebu City. We rented a Van which is P3,000 - P4,000 for the whole day. We went to Fort San Pedro, then see Magellan’s Cross at the Basilica del Santo Nino.  Don't forget to add these two to your list of THINGS TO DO IN CEBU CITY.

So, the 1st day we visited Mactan Shrine and then attended the dinner before the wedding. The Wedding is on the 2nd day. On the 3rd day, we visited Fort San Pedro, Magellan’s Cross, and the Basilica del Santo Nino. So, what happened on the 4th day?

On the 4th day, we visited Oslob Cebu to see the Whale Shark or “Butanding.” We rented a van again for the whole day because going to Oslob from Mactan takes 3 hours. I never thought that it was really far. I know it’s far because the driver drives really fast and the traffic is very light. But it was a smooth ride and the scenery is also fascinating. You’ll see the ocean on the way to Oslob and it’s really blue. I don’t know if it’s just me thinking that the ocean in Cebu is oh so Blue, bluer than blue. LoL!

So, we departed in Mactan at around 3 to 4 AM and arrived in Oslob at 6:30 to 7 AM. The time is limited because we can only see the Whale Sharks while they’re feeding at a certain time so we need to be there early. The place was very crowded and most of the people there were foreigners. If I’m not mistaken, the fee for the viewing was 400 to 500 pesos for 15-30 minutes at that time. There are several places there where you can buy a ticket, they’re very coordinated so you don’t need to do anything. Just stay at the place where you bought your ticket and they’ll just pick you up on a truck to bring you to a place near the seashore for a brief orientation. We ordered food at our place while waiting. They also offer "go pro" for rent for 500 pesos. They’ll give you the soft copy so you need to provide a flash drive or digital storage.​

All of the tourists are lined up on the seashore while waiting for their turn. There are several boats that carry passengers for viewing. The boat will take the passengers maybe 100 to 300 meters away from the seashore to see the Whale Sharks while feeding. The water was so cold and blue. It’s also super salty, unlike the usual seawater. It’s also hard to submerge into the water because you are really going to float even if you don’t swim which I did not try, cause I haven’t tried swimming in open water and I don’t want to try it there. I don’t want to be the Whale Shark’s breakfast LoL. Don’t worry, Whale Sharks are harmless though they are as big as a bus LoL. I never imagined that they are that big, they really are huge. They are not allowed to be touched so expect a marine biologist watching/scuba diving underneath.

So, each boat has a guide that will help you take pictures and videos. They’re like a director and you’re an actor. LoL! They will tell you where and when to submerge into the water, where to face, and they’ll even count for you. They’re really helpful, right?

After the viewing, there are souvenir shops that you can visit. There are also plenty of restaurants that you can dine in.

Miraculous Mama Mary Simala Church

In the afternoon, we went back to Mactan but we visited Miraculous Mama Mary Simala Church along the way. The church was intricately made and the view there was fascinating so don't forget to include this on your list of THINGS TO DO IN CEBU CITY, too. After visiting the church, we had our lunch in Lantaw Floating Native Restaurant. It was a fun experience, too. There are some delicacies that I’ve never heard of and seen before. The place is also cool because it looks like you’re in the middle of the sea. You can see the SM City Seaside Cebu far from there. For the price of the food, I actually forgot how much I paid but I can remember that it’s below 500 pesos individually.

SM CITY SEASIDE CEBU

We went to SM City Seaside Cebu after lunch to see modernity and I was not disappointed. This is also a place to visit and must be added to your list of THINGS TO DO IN CEBU CITY. The architecture is great. I can still remember the cube outside the mall. I think it’s the icon or symbol of SM City Seaside Cebu like the Globe outside The Mall of Asia. I heard that it is a cube because if you jumble the word “CEBU” you can also spell “CUBE.” Amazing, right?

On the 5th day, we traveled to Bohol from Cebu. Exciting, right? I have a different blog for that because a lot has happened in Bohol, too. And this blog is all about Cebu, so please read my Bohol Blog, too.

We only stayed in Bohol for a day and went back to Cebu in the evening. So, what happened on the 6th day, or let me say the last day? (The day we realize that the vacation is almost over and we're going back to our normal lives. LoL.)

THE TAOIST TEMPLE

Even though it was the last day, we still enjoyed it. The first destination that we visited on our last day was The Taoist Temple. Another must-see and should be included in your list of THINGS TO DO IN CEBU CITY. We did not stay there for so long but the place is good and the view there was fascinating. It was located at the top of the hills of Cebu so you can see the view of the whole city there. It’s very relaxing there and the temperature is good. There’s an entrance fee of 100 pesos, I think. I can’t remember exactly but it’s below 200 pesos. We enjoyed seeing how intricately made the temples there.