Visiting
Bohol
Getting There Excursions |
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GETTING THERE You will most likely be approaching Bohol from Cebu but there are direct flights to Tagbilaran from Manila that probably depart at least once a day. Check with Philippine Airlines (PAL) or your international carrier about transfers. From Cebu, Bohol is easily visible from any vantage point that provides view across the 20-mile wide Bohol Strait. You can fly the short distance on PAL or you can check one of the competing domestic airlines such as Grand Air. Tickets can be purchased at Mactan Airport or in Cebu City. If you do fly, remember to confirm your return trip as soon as you arrive at the Tagbilaran Airport. I've never flown to Bohol. There are many ferries that ply the Cebu-Bohol route throughout the day. Besides saving a few pesos, there's nothing like an inter-island ferry for catching the beautiful vistas that the archipelago has to offer. In recent years, fast and smooth catamaran ferries have been put into service. What was a 4-hour trip now takes just 90 minutes. The ferries go by such names as "Supercat" or "Water Jet". "Jet" because the interior seating is setup much like an airplane. There are even snappily-clad "float" attendants to demonstrate use of life preservers (makes more sense on water than at 20,000 feet up) and emergency exits. In-float videos are shown. These "fast cats" leave several
times a day from Pier 1 located a few blocks from Fort San Pedro which
houses the tourism office and also has a refreshment stand. The fort is
worth seeing and is a good place to check schedules and get your last minute
travel questions answered. The post office is also nearby.
Many vendors sell their goods
or ply their trades along the pier. You'll see a Boholano delicacy called
calamay that comes in a coconut shell that is taped together. Inside
is a thick sweet paste made of coconut milk and rice with peanuts added.
It can be used as a spread on crackers. Other snacks include fresh and
cooked banana, other fresh fruits (the best mangos come from Cebu and Bohol),
and roasted or boiled peanuts. You'll also find bar-b-que shrimp, pork
and chicken along with boiled eggs and balut (boiled duck embryo
in the shell). Add puso, which translates to "hanging rice" because
it is cooked inside woven palm-leaf pouches, for a quick meal. If you have
time, how about a manicure, haircut, massage or having your fortune read?
Cebu City is a long and expensive
(up to $20) taxi ride from Mactan Airport. If you'd like to bypass Cebu
City altogether and go directly to Bohol saving some pesos along the way,
take a taxi from the airport to Lapu-Lapu City which is still on Mactan
Island. Ask the driver to drop you off at the pier. Here you can catch
a small ferry that goes directly to the Cebu pier about every hour for
10 pesos more or less. This is also a scenic ride. Since you arrive at
the ferry pier you can go direct to the next catamaran or ship to Bohol.
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