The Chocolate Hills
It rained throughout the day sometimes quite heavily. Fortunately for us, the rains came down only when we were in the van and traveling from one place to the next. Each time we got out, the sun was up. Talk about good luck! Our first stop was The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Dauis, simply known as Dauis Church. Located on the shore of Panglao, it is one of the most beautiful churches in Bohol.
Dauis Church
Similar to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu, this church was rebuilt a few times, with the present church being started in 1863 by Fr. Julio Saldana. There are a lot of beautiful ceiling paintings inside the church.
Ceiling painting inside Dauis Church
Another point of interest inside the church is Mama Mary's Well. It is believed that this well was formed when the townspeople were forced to seek refuge and lock themselves inside the church when pirates invaded Dauis. They eventually ran out of food and water, and at this point, the well miraculously appeared. Despite the church being located right next to the sea, the water is fresh and potable. Locals believe the water from this well has healing power.
Mama Mary's Well inside Dauis Church
After this, we paid a visit to the Blood Compact Shrine in Tagbilaran. This monument was built by the Philippine Historical Committee and the National Historical Institute to commemorate the blood compact between Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna the chieftain of Bohol on March 16, 1565. This is considered as the first treaty of friendship between the Spaniards and Filipinos.
The Blood Compact Shrine in Tagbilaran
Our next stop was the Tarsier Sanctuary. When I visited Bohol years ago, there was a spot by the Loboc river where people could go right up to the tarsiers to take photos right next to them. However, this proximity to humans apparently causes the tarsiers a lot of stress, especially since these animals are nocturnal and sleep mostly during the day. As such, the Tarsier Sanctuary was established, providing visitors a better understanding of this endangered species endemic to the Philippines.
Philippine Tarsier
The Chocolate Hills is one of the most famous natural landmarks in the country. These limestone hills are covered by green grass that turns brown during the dry season, giving the hills a chocolate brown color. There's a viewing area at the top of what I think is the highest hill but it's a bit of a climb so my grandmother 'Nanay' waited for us at the base while everyone else went up to take photos. There were some sections at the base with good views of the hills though so we still managed to take photos with Nanay once we got back down.
Me at the Chocolate Hills
It was late afternoon when we left the Chocolate Hills and by now it was time to head back to the pier. However, we passed a few beautiful churches on the way to the hills so we took quick stops at each to take some photos. The first we passed by on the way back was the San Pedro y San Pablo Parish Church in Loboc.
San Pedro y San Pablo Parish Church in Loboc
Next was the Santa Monica Parish Church in Alburquerque, Bohol. I love the facade and the architecture of this church, and its grounds are filled with palm trees. However, upon entering the building, it seemed like it was being used for something else as so many people were sitting on the pews while filling out forms or answering an exam.
Santa Monica Parish Church in Alburquerque
Finally, we visited Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish Church. Known simply as Baclayon Church, it was built in 1595 by the Jesuits and is considered to be one of the oldest in the Philippines. The doors were closed by the time we got there which is too bad because it has an opulent interior and an impressive altar. Nevertheless, we still took a few photos of the church while we were there.
Baclayon Church
It was a full day in Bohol that perfectly complemented our great experience in Cebu. This is the second time I visited Bohol, and both times, the group I was with rented a van to take us around the island. I think this is the best approach when traveling here since the places of interest are all quite far from each other. This trip didn't include a visit to the beach so I have a reason to take my family here again in the future.
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