When in CeBohol…(Epic April Part 1)

02 May 2011 10 Comments

by Ren DC in Random Musings Tags: Bohol, bohol beach club, Cebu, chocolate hills, crown regency, edge coaster, lechon, loboc, philippines, skywalk, summer, sutukil, tarsier, travel, vacation

The past month was amazing. I was able to travel, try new things, attend exciting events, meet awesome new people..which is why I promised myself to write about it, so I have something to look back on to remind me how great life is. Also, to remind me that I’ve had too much fun last April, and thus must prepare for, and face head-on, the looming month of Self-Actualization May. Anyway, in fulfillment of that promise, I’m writing the first of my Epic April series

My first week of April was spent in Cebu and Bohol. Being the huge Boracay bum that I am, I never bothered going to Cebu whenever my parents went because for me, summer meant partying the nights away at Guilly’s or Paraw. It was a relatively good thing my bestfriend Janelle was saving for the most expensive Maroon 5 concert ticket, thus leaving me with a Bora-less April. So back to the topic at hand. I was finally able to travel to Cebu with my parents and my lola. We got there via the Airphil Express airbus, and met up with my cousin Nikki and her family, who were based there.  We stayed at the White Sands Beach Resort where, well, the sand was white  The accommodations there were quite pleasant, with welcome drinks and lei (which I wasn’t able to get ). The pool and the scenery were calming, and the ambiance relaxing and homey.

At the White Sands Beach Resort in Mactan, Cebu

Poolside at the White Sands Beach Resort with my Lulay and cousin Nikki

I don’t plan to recap our whole itinerary so I shall focus on my two main priorities which are of course: food and fun activities. For our first day we had lunch at Sutukil in Mactan, where the seafood was DELICIOUS. It was also right beside the Shrine of Lapulapu, so we had a bit of a photo op while walking around to relieve our very full tummies.

Enjoying the food at Sutukil, mom in her usual chatty self

Posing with the Shrine of Lapulapu as background

Another yummy Cebu must-try is of course, Cebu Lechon. I had my very first taste of the authentic dish at CNT Restaurant, where we arrived just in time to order the last two remaining plates of lechon! And as I predicted, it was heavenly – with the balat very juicy and crisp. Before eating it I actually asked for sauce, but my dad said the lechon was good enough without it. I initially had an eyebrow raised but it dropped down quickly enough as soon as I took my very first bite.

At the CNT Restaurant, home of the classic Cebu Lechon

I can finish off an entire plate of this..

We were able to explore the sights and sounds of the city as well, but the one thing no one should miss out on? The Sky Experience Adventure at Crown Regency Hotel‘s Club Ultima. The best time to go there is at night, when the city lights are shining as you view everything from atop the tallest building in Cebu. The Sky Experience consists of the Philippines’ first Skywalk and the world’s first Edge Coaster, but they’ve recently added a zipline and a wall-climbing  apparatus, both on top of the building as well. The Skywalk, located at the 37th floor (420 ft above the ground), is when you don a jumpsuit with harnesses and walk (skip, jump, lie, dance ) around the circumference of the tower, with only a metal plank of about three feet in width, to walk on. The Edge Coaster on the other hand, is on the 38th floor, and is a coaster ride around the building, facing out onto the view. Obviously, if you’re up for something exhilarating or want to conquer your fear of heights, Club Ultima’s Sky Experience is strongly recommended. Some reminders: if you feel queasy about the thought of shoe rentals, wear your rubber shoes! Nikki was wearing her sandals–she had to use their sneakers and buy socks as well. They also don’t allow you to bring your cameras (might have something to do with how high up you are if in case you suddenly drop it;) ) so be prepared to pay for pictures.

Nikki and I, psyched to go on the Sky Adventure

420 feet high! Check out the view

We (my family plus my cousin Nikki) headed to the Cebu port and got to our next destination, Bohol, via the Supercat. The ferry ride was almost two hours long, but the yummy club sandwiches and the huge flat screen showing Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants were enough to get by.  We stayed at the Bohol Beach Club, where we met up with my Ninang Era and her two kids, my childhood friends Kolleen and Karlo. After checking in, we took a tour around (the BBC is pretty big) then went to the beach. The moment we got there I was immediately a convert. The thing that made me love Bohol waters over Bora’s? CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER. The beach was so pristine, we were able to see the ground we were walking on while wading to the ocean. We also saw a lot of colorful starfish in different sizes.

Just arrived at the BBC - me, Nikki, Kolleen and Karlo

The beach was seriously postcard-perfect.

Of course a trip to Bohol won’t be complete without seeing two things: the Chocolate Hills, and the Tarsiers. I’veseen one too many pictures of both to assume that I’d be immune to the ooh’s and aah’s, but I was VERY wrong. To view the Chocolate Hills live is breathtaking. It’s such a far cry from the tall buildings and the busy, crowded streets of Manila, that standing there in full view of it all feels like you’re in a different country already. Or a different time. As for the cute little primates? They were a wonder, too. Our tour guide-slash-driver told us that they can rotate their heads 360 degrees, are very sensitive to light, and have a tendency to injure themselves or even commit suicide when they experience stress. A bit morbid, those little guys.

The view from the top was BREATHTAKING.

The cute little guy was as big as my fist!

One more thing to try when in Bohol: the Loboc River Cruise. It’s basically eating a delicious buffet while cruising along a serene river with an amazing view.  This is the best way to end your day if you’ve gone on a tiring tour across Bohol, trying to squeeze in as much tourist spots in your schedule as you can. The cruise helps you unwind, and the cliche “being one with nature” comes to mind, seriously.

Buffet along a river - nothing short of relaxing.

One with nature - the cliche holds true during the Loboc cruise.

To cap off our CeBohol trip, us young ones had a “can’t-believe-we’re leaving-tomorrow” inuman session outside our room, playing silly games and drawing on our faces  with lipstick . I woke up the next morning with a slight headache, and a big grin on my face–I know I’m going to go back for more.

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