While you’re in the Philippines, you’d probably be thinking about travelling from Cebu to Bohol by Ferry. In this post, we’ll highlight our process of …
Travelling from Cebu to Bohol by Ferry
bohol
4 Top Attractions and Things to do in Bohol Philippines!
When we think of Bohol, we think “ah…” and its simply because of the things to do and attractions in Bohol Philippines! In this post, we’ll tell you the “ah…” things to do in Bohol!
Things to do in Bohol
1. Bohol Countryside Tour
You may think that Bohol is only about beaches and clear waters? A Bohol countryside tour will change all of that perception and you’ll be thrilled to see some of the interesting things on this tour…
Lush green fields of Bohol
The famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol!
Cute nocturnal tarsiers
Loboc River Cruise
Baclayon Church – Can you spot a face on the walls due to weathering?
2. Bohol Dolphin and Island Hopping Tour
Dolphin watching and Island Hopping is most probably the single most MUST DO thing when you’re in Bohol. On this trip, you’ll be able to chase after the dolphins (have them dance right before you), snorkel with the turtles, laze on the sandbar and just enjoy the deep blue waters of Bohol!
Chasing schools of dolphins in Bohol!
Snorkeling with corals and turtles
Temporary stalls at the sand bar of Virgin Island
Our guide at Balicasag with deep blue waters and clear blue skies
MUST STAY hotels in Bohol?
3. Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden in Bohol easily ranks among our top 5 hotels we’ve ever stayed in and here’s why (we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves)
Celebrating our anniversary at Peacock Garden Bohol
Awesome view of the ocean and infinity pool
Mojito and Apple Pie at Heidelberg Restaurant of Peacock Garden Bohol
Massage table of Aurelia Spa Peacock Garden Bohol
4. Amorita Resort Bohol
What we love about Amorita Resort Bohol is its close proximity to the Alona Beach. From there, we were also able to book our private day trip for dolphin watching and island hopping. The hotel had a summer vacation resort cum Hawaiian feel to it. Simply relaxing…
Anniversary celebration at Amorita Resort
Pool of Amorita Resort Bohol with day beds
Alona Beach next to Amorita Resort
Marvellous view at sunset with sumptuous seafood BBQ buffet
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Bohol right here!
Before you head to Bohol next time, remember to check back with this post on the things to do and attractions in Bohol!
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Cebu/Bohol Trip: Day 6
It was an early start but we were not at all tired as we were looking forward to this trip to the islands and to spot dolphins! 🙂 Below are the highlights from the Dolphin and island Hopping Tour in Bohol…
Virgin Island Sandbar with locals selling coconuts and sea urchins…
We were back in Amorita Resort at around 2pm and we can’t wait to laze in the pool and sip our drinks! Wait a minute! Isn’t this what we already did yesterday???!!! 🙂 This time round we had Mojitos but the bartender took really long to make the drinks and they were greenish in colour. Hmmm…not the usual Mojitos we normally drank. Perhaps most people here go for the beer and the cocktails are not ordered that often. We also felt peckish and ordered a few dishes, but one at a time so that we can enjoy the food while it is still warm. Sorry, no photos of the food because we’ve kept the camera back in the room 😛 We highly recommend the pizza – the thickness of the crust was just right! 🙂
When we went back to the room, we were pleasantly surprised by the pastries in the room for the turndown service. We decided to order a cup of cappuccino (smiley face!) to go with the pastries, as well as the Turon de Bohol which turned out to be the nicest dessert we have eaten. Check out the photo!
Turon de bohol – Banana Jackfruit Springroll with caramel sauce and ice cream (210 pesos)
We did remember to brush our teeth after the sweet treats. Heh. Good night world!
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Bohol right here!
Too soon, it was time to return to Cebu. We spent a couple of days in Cebu to round our trip before returning home to Singapore. Stay tuned for day 7 of our Cebu/Bohol trip tomorrow!
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Cebu/Bohol Trip: Day 5
Day 5 is a lazy day for us. We woke up late and enjoyed the wonderful breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol.
We had some time to stroll around the compounds of Peacock Garden again before we packed our bags. We really cant bear to leave this place 🙁 Soon, we were at the reception checking out and paying the bills. It was a fast and smooth process. As the reservation included 2 way transportation, the car was ready to bring us to our next destination, Amorita Resort.
Lobby and surroundings of Amorita Resort…
The weather for the day was a cloudy 25deg Celsius and it was a nice walk along the beach. There were many local and foreign tourists enjoying the warm waters and very very soft sand. Many people were doing “mud bath” in the shallow waters, and some experienced locals were looking for sea urchins. I was offered to taste one…fresh from the sea! A new experience! However, my tummy wasn’t feeling too good that night though. Kate enjoyed an one-hour foot massage for 300 peso. It was soooooooo relaxing to lie on the beach, feeling the sea breeze, and getting the soles of your feet rubbed. After that, we went along the beach to share the joy with the kids by giving out our helium balloons. Many kids were thrilled by the balloons 🙂
Swimming pool and view of Alona Beach from Amorita Resort Bohol…
After washing the sand away, we dipped in the pool and enjoyed happy-hour priced San Miguel Light while watching the sun set before our eyes. We felt thankful for what we have been blessed with, and can’t wait to spend the brand new day ahead together.
To end of the day, we had a hearty meal at Saffron.
Grill Buffet Dinner at Amorita Resort…
Romantic Dinner for 2 at the Deck overlooking Alona Beach…
We slept early that night as we have to be at the beach gate at 5.30am the next day for our Dolphin and Island Hopping Tour! 🙂
What a lazy day indeed! Stay tuned for day 6 of our Cebu/Bohol trip! More beach activities and clear blue waters ahead!
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Cebu/Bohol Trip: Day 4
After a good night’s rest in the premier infinity and seaview room at Peacock Garden, we were curious what was going to be offered for breakfast by the hotel. We were pleasantly surprised by the choice of food especially the sides to go with the main course. We had sufficient time for a slow breakfast, enjoying the native sweets with our hot coffee, as our Bohol Countryside Tour started at 10am.
Healthy and yummy breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol…
Here are the highlights from the Bohol Countryside Tour:
Besides the main attractions of Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers of Bohol, we also visited the Baclayon Church, Blood Compact Memorial, Manmade Mahogany and the Loboc River Cruise!
Visit our Bohol Countryside Tour post for more details on this day trip!
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Bohol right here!
You must be wondering why we have not featured the beaches and clear waters of Cebu and Bohol. Well, we will show them in our upcoming posts tomorrow!
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Cebu/Bohol Trip: Day 3
There are several nice beaches in Cebu but most of them require at least a 4 hour car or bus ride to get to the north of Cebu. We reckon that Bohol is a decent distance away and it has a good mix of countryside and beach activities so we booked our Oceanjet ferry from Cebu to Bohol on the 3rd day of our trip.
Our driver from Peacock Garden greeted us at the arrival gate of Taglibaran City seaport with a nice wooden signage with our names on it. It really stood out as the other hotels used paper or whiteboard (starting to raise our expectation of this luxury hotel). The journey to Peacock Garden was about 20mins and we really liked the peaceful surroundings of the hotel. We spent the first hour walking around the compound and taking photos of the facade, fountains, garden and of course the view at the swimming pool.
Magnificent view over the infinity pool and ocean!
Kate then decided to splurge at Fontana Aurelia Spa and chose the Signature Indulgence: Gift of Gaea (3950 peso) because it has 2 of her favourite food: coffee and chocolate! While she was being pampered for 3 hours, I stayed in the infinity pool and was mesmerised by the different shades of blue: the sky, the sea, the pool (which inspired our “Guess and Win – Paradise” contest).
Dinner at the Old Heidelberg was exquisite. Classy and tasty (usually you get either or but at Old Heidelberg, you get both!) The hotel staff also prepared for us a heart-shaped chocolate cake for our wedding anniversary when we were done with our main course.
After dinner, we strolled past the swimming pool and took a couple of night shots. Back in the room, we were pleasantly surprised by the turndown service and we love Peanut Kisses!!! Yummy!
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Bohol right here!
What a relaxing time on the 3rd day of our Cebu/Bohol trip! We’re almost at the halfway mark of our Cebu/Bohol trip. But more awaits on day 4 of our trip! Stay tuned tomorrow to find out more!
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Dolphin and Island Hopping Tour (Pamilacan, Balicasag, Virgin sandbar): A day of chasing dolphins and turtles
Although we have already seen dolphins during our trip in Perth/Bunbury, we were excited to go for this dolphin and island hopping tour as we will be able to see the dolphins swim care-freely in the sea. We paid 2,900 pesos ($85 SGD) per pax for this 9hr tour (i know….many of you would comment that it is pricey. And I have read blogs written by the locals that they only pay probably the same amount for a 3D2N itinerary but we liked the fact that there’s only 2 of us in the boat, and the timing is very flexible. We can stay however long we want at each stop.) And anyways, we would like to think that we have boosted the tourism economy of Philippines 🙂
The day started early at 5.30am. The hotel staff at Amorita Resort greeted us at the beach gate with our packed breakfast for the journey which included a gourmet sandwich and a bottle of chilled water. The staff also carried our snorkeling equipment and life vests to the boat. We were then introduced to our boatman and his helper (who is his younger cousin). Not long after, we were ready to go look for our dolphins!
Leaving at 530 for dolphin watching!
Video taken from boat enroute to “Dolphin Hunting”!
We were one of the earliest boats to arrive at the location where the dolphins are frequently sighted. However, we were not so lucky this morning. After an hour of waiting, more boats joined us and we were all eager to see who could spot the dolphins first. Suddenly, like an action-packed movie (along with amazing race theme song), the boatman skillfully made a sharp right turn, gained speed, and told us where the dolphins were! It was initially hard to differentiate the reflection of the morning sun on the waters and the movement of the dolphins. But soon we were experts 🙂 We managed to spot more dolphins, including the spinner dolphins as we were making our way to Balicasag Island.
Dolphins sighted!
First glimpse of the dolphins at Bohol! Notice how our boatsman uses whistle to attract their attention
Clapping works too…
Snorkeling in the waters around Balicasag Island was next on the itinerary. The guide recommended that we rent the waterproof cover for our camera for 300 pesos ($9 – Quite ex for a cover no?). Initially we were reluctant but well, we had already come all the way here, why scrimp on this and miss the chance to take photos underwater? Our guide was very hardworking and was on a lookout for turtles for us. Twice he shouted “Turtle! Turtle!” and we could see the turtle but was not fast enough to take a photo of it.
Our guide who fixed the waterproof casing for us and points out all interesting sights to us!
Balicasag Island where we got to snorkel and see fish and turtles!
Tom with corals and fish!
More corals and fish at Balicasag Island!
We were soon hungry and was informed that there is no food on Virgin Island (our next stop), so we settled for a cold bottle of Coke and a plate of fried bihoon (but it is actually our “dang hoon” – green bean vermicelli) at Balicasag.
Shops selling trinkets and beach wear / HUGE plate of Bihoon
Virgin Island has very fine soft white sand and clear waters. One can just sit/lie on the sandbar and not worry about a thing in the world. Once again, we were one of the first few to arrive at the sandbar. This was good because we left before the place got really crowded with tourists.
Virgin Island Sandbar
Virgin Island Sandbar with locals selling coconuts and sea urchins
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Bohol right here!
The day trip was about $200SGD in total. But was it too expensive? For us, it was a tad on the high side. But the exclusivity, privacy and convenience we got was certainly quite worth it. Our guide took us wherever we wanted to go and allowed us to stay however long (or short) we would like at all the spots. This allowed us to stay longer for the dolphins and sandbar while shorter for the snorkeling (cause Kate did not like snorkeling – leaving earlier meants she “tanned” for a shorter time). If you ask us if we would do it again? We certainly would!
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Amorita Resort Bohol: My little love…
There are many hotels in Bohol that claimed to be beachfront and it is really quite hard to tell how the actual conditions of hotels/resorts are. Pictures can sometimes be REALLY deceiving… We finally chose Amorita Resort in Bohol because of its location and facilities (and also because Kate loves the fuschia pink logo! Hee.) We booked thru Agoda and the rate per night was about $224 (including tax).
Amorita Resort is about 30mins away from Peacock Garden Bohol. The entrance is a huge heavy gate at the end of the road that is guarded by a security guard. He dutifully checked our room reservation against a list that he had for the day before he let us in. We were impressed by the level of security at Amorita Resort.
Facilities of Amorita Resort Bohol
Lobby and surroundings of Amorita Resort
Swimming pool of Amorita Resort
Swimming pool and view of Alona Beach from Amorita Resort Bohol
See how clear the waters and how blue the skies are at Alona Beach Bohol
Amorita Resort Bohol – Deluxe Room
Welcome cookies and customised anniversary balloon decorations at Amorita Resort Bohol
Video of Deluxe Room Amorita Resort
Kate arranged for a surprise for Tom at Amorita Resort. As we entered, we were greeted by a HUGE balloon decoration as well as petal arrangements on the bed for our anniversary! There were also welcome cookies (which we devoured promptly) along with some fruits as well.
After checking out the room, we left our luggage in the room and went for a stroll along the beach with the balloons! On the 2nd day, Tom went to the beach again with the balloons and started to give them out 1 by 1. People were quite reluctant at first but as others watched many before them taking balloons from Tom, many started to approach to get for their kids. Some even asked us what the occasion was and congratulated us 🙂
Video taken on Alona Beach
The great thing about Alona Beach is that the sand is so fine that when mixed with the sea water, it becomes like a clay/mud. Tom started applying on his body and many others followed suit. It could be psychological, but the skin somehow felt smoother! The best part was, once you immerse yourself in water, the sand comes right off! As we were strolling on,there were many boat operators asking if we wanted to book a trip to the islands or hire a boat to catch the sunset. We also noticed several “divers” looking for something beneath the water. While Kate was doing her massage, Tom went and searched for…sea urchin! There were many old ladies with their baskets scouring for sea urchins. Tom managed to find one with the help of a local and savoured a freshly opened sea urchin – this is as fresh as it gets, eating in the ocean!
However, do be aware of the correct species of sea urchins (as well as the edible bits) before going to catch one on your own. Otherwise, approach one of the friendly locals and they will kindly help you out as well 🙂
Alona Beach and Kate enjoying a massage by the beach
Grill Buffet Dinner at Saffron Amorita Resort Bohol
Grill Buffet Dinner at Amorita Resort
Yummy grills and desserts – especially the sweet icy cold mangoes!
For Saturday nights, the hotel has grill buffet dinner (at 750pesos++ which is about $25SGD for seafood buffet!) and it was well-received by the hotel guests. The restaurant was full of guests by 6.30pm and the smell of grilled meats waft through the restaurant.
Romantic Dinner for 2 at the Deck overlooking Alona Beach
We had a table reserved at The Deck, overlooking Alona Beach…a romantic setting at sunset and as the candles kicked in after dark, it marked out a special place for 2. The seafood was really fresh. You definitely wont go wrong with additional servings of the prawns! After we finished our mains, we headed back to the restaurant for desserts!
Breakfast at Amorita Resort Bohol
Omelette Station and Buffet spread at Amorita Resort
Mains and Fruits – LOOOOOOOVE the mangoes!
Arroz porridge and mains
Breakfast at Amorita was pretty decent. You can choose from the various egg choices at the omelette station and have the usual western fare of milk, toast and bacon. Or you can have some rice with fish (side note : the fish looks terrible but tastes AWESOMELY FRESH!) or some local porridge. After which you can top it off with some of the sweetest and juiciest mangoes around! Not too bad for an idyllic breakfast overlooking the sun-blessed ocean!
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Bohol right here!
There are so many things we loved about staying at Amorita Resort Bohol. The close access to the beach, great base for island hopping, great views, fantastic food, excellent service and just that idyllic holiday resort feel in Bohol…give Amorita Resort Bohol a try the next time you’re there, you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!
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Bohol Countryside Tour: Chocolate Hills, Tarsiers and More!
Bohol is the home of the Tarsiers and Chocolate Hills. We definitely cannot visit Bohol without signing up for the Bohol Countryside Tour. We chose to book the tour with Peacock Garden even though it is slightly pricier (4,200 peso for 2 people) because we can trust the quality of the transport and the experience of the tour guide.
Bohol is known for its clear blue waters,beaches and fantastic snorkeling/dive spots. However, Bohol is also known for attractions on land. In fact, after we introduce the following attractions we saw during our Bohol countryside tour, you’ll go “Orh…I know them!”
Attractions in Bohol Countryside Tour
Bolo making, Beautiful Rice Field and the Manmade Mahogany Forest
Bolo is a traditional filipino knife or sword that is still being hand made today. This was one of the bolo making process that we saw during our Bohol Countryside Tour. In addition, we also came across this beautiful rice field that our guide insisted that we took a photo of…
One of the attractions that would make you go “Orh…” is this…the Manmade Mahogany Forest…
Manmade Mahogany Forest
Video of Manmade Mahogany Forest
Some scenic shots have been taken at this forest because of its peculiar growth (straight and high). It was initially an idea to re-forest the area to stabilise the soil (to prevent soil erosion). At first, the area was just “dead” in that there was only trees and no eco-system per se. So slowly, animals, insects and various plant species were introduced and the area sprung back to “life”. Today, it is a picturesque area for locals to enjoy and tourist to take some iconic pictures!
Chocolate Hills
Chocolate Hills of Bohol
Chocolate Hills got its name because in the summer months (or dry months), the vegetation atop the hills would wither, revealing the soil or “brown” of the hills. With a sea of brown hills, the name Chocolate Hills was coined. As to the story of whether Chocolate Hills or Hershey’s Chocolate (which is shaped like the Chocolate HIlls in Bohol) came first, we tend to believe that the former came first and inspired the latter. What do you think?
Video of the Chocolate Hills of Bohol
Oh and do remember, if you’re bringing kids to the Chocolate Hills, remember to bring chocolate candies (Hershey’s if possible). Our guide told us that many a times, kids would literally cry when they come to know that there’s no actual chocolates at Chocolate Hills Bohol. So parents, go prepared!
Shiphaus
Shiphaus Bohol
The Shiphaus was originally built by a Filipino sailor (sailors used to earn alot more than locals in the past) and when he came back to Bohol, he decided to build himself a house that is shaped like a ship. We guess that it is named “Shiphaus” and not “Shiphouse”, probably because he visited Germany during one of his many voyages.
Today, the Shiphaus is not only a tourist attractions (many visitors, including us, stop by the roadside to take a photo – remember to park safely and not disrupt traffic!) but also a hotel and restaurant all rolled into one!
Simply Butterfly Conservation Centre
Simply Butterfly Conservation Centre and our very knowledgeable guide Peter
Thanks to Peter our guide for the day, he showed us many interesting things about Butterflies. For one, we realised that there’s one easy way to differentiate between moths and butterflies. Moths usually have “feathery”-like antennae while butterflies do not. Of course, there are other ways as well. For instance, butterflies are USUALLY more vividly coloured (there are dull ones too) compared to the moths and they rest with their wings closed while moths rest flat with their wings open.
Peter also took pictures of us “in-flight”. Think Tinkerbell. We stood a distance away from some butterfly specimen and were told to jump. As it turns out, he’s excellent at it and it really seemed like we were flying! Remember to say “Hi” to Peter if you see him at the Simply Butterfly Conservation Centre!
Caterpillar and more pretty butterflies
Tarsier Conservation Centre
Our guide Alice paying for entry into the Tarsier Conservation Area – 60pesos per person
Tarsiers are just a badly mistaken species. Because of its long tail and body shape in general, they were mistaken in the past as rodents or rats. Which meant that they were frequently hunted and killed. The number of tarsiers quickly plummeted. So conservation efforts started. However, at first, people started by taking care of them at home. But they did not realise they are actually creatures that are pretty hard to take care of. Firstly, they are nocturnal and are pretty adverse to noise and sunlight. Noise especially. Hence, we were told to keep real quiet at the conservation area. There have been instances where high noise levels have driven tarsiers to be so stressed out that they take their own lives! The other thing is that they dont eat fruits. In fact, they are helpful to people in that they eat insects, live ones, as their main staple. So in the past, when fruits were fed, they did not take them readily and also started to die due to their diet.
Cute Tarsiers in Bohol soundly asleep
But with proper conservation techniques and extra care, tarsiers in Bohol are well taken care of. Look at how cute they are! It is also said that these are the creatures that gave inspiration to Steve Spielberg’s movie, ET in 1982.
Loboc River Cruise
As part of the Bohol Countryside Tour, we were treated to a seafood meal, great music, marvelous scenery and fantastic performances by the natives on the Loboc River Cruise!
Loboc River Cruise and Buffet Lunch
Performance by the Natives and Beautiful scenery enroute the Loboc River Cruise
We thoroughly enjoyed this leisurely cruise. The music was fantastic! Great voice and guitar playing! I think his singing really made the difference to an idyllic river cruise 🙂
Buffet with musical accompaniment onboard the Loboc River Cruise
Bamboo dance with the Natives
Singing performance by the Natives
Baclayon Church
Baclayon Church – The Oldest Coral Stone Church in the Region of Bohol
The Baclayon Church is not only the oldest coral stone church in the region. It also has an uniqueness to the facade of the church. If you look closely enough at the wall in the picture above. You will notice that there is a man there. Locals see him as Saint Pio. Strangely enough, there was no paint work whatsoever. Simply weathering taking place. Miraculous eh?
Blood Compact Memorial
Blood Compact Memorial
The blood compact memorial was erected as a remembrance of the initial compact between the early spanish explorers and the chieftain of Bohol. It was said that “drinking of one blood” is a sign of friendship which was done at this blood compact.
The controversy that surrounds the Blood Compact Memorial itself is its location. Apparently, there are 2 places that resembled a picture that was painted when the compact took place. So the current location may be eventually shifted.
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Bohol right here!
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Peacock Garden Bohol : Awesome Premier Infinity Pool and Seaview Room!
There is only one word to describe Peacock Garden Bohol: Awesome!
It costs us about SGD240 per night inclusive of taxes, and it was worth every single cent of it!
Reception at lobby of Peacock Garden and Welcome drinks
Map of Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden Bohol – Premier Infinity Pool and Seaview Room
Premier Infinity Pool and Seaview Room Peacock Garden Bohol
The Premier Infinity Pool and Seaview Room is simply the best room at Peacock Garden. Not only do you get to enjoy the luxuries of a huge bedroom (staff even decorated our bed for our anniversary!), classy bathroom, cable TV, L’Occitane toiletries and of course this…
Magnificent view over the infinity pool and ocean!
Tour of the Premier Infinity Pool and Seaview Room at Peacock Garden Bohol
Turndown service of Bohol Kisses / Night view of the pool
During our stay, we learnt something new (or at least Tom learnt something new). And that is turndown service. Turndown service is usually the practice of the housekeeping staff to make your bed and basically tidy up your room. However, at some hotels (such as Peacock Garden), they will leave an item of confectionery or chocolate and this time we got Bohol Kisses, a peanut based snack!
Facilities at Peacock Garden Bohol
Infinity Pool and Jacuzzi of Peacock Garden
Infinity pool and jaccuzi
Remember the contest we opened some time back? The video above was taken from the infinity pool and we asked our readers to guess where the video was taken from to win some memorabilia from 2bearbear.com. Unfortunately, the prizes were left unclaimed. Do look out for our next contest yah?
Interior and Exterior of Peacock Garden
As you approach Peacock Garden Bohol Hotel, you will notice the beautiful fountain lined by these lion figure heads. As you enter the lobby, you’d notice the collection of german mugs of the owners. There’s also a chess set – which we had a game on. Kate surprisingly does not know how to play international chess! Things we learn about each other on our travels… :p
Old Heidelberg Restaurant
Interior of Old Heidelberg Restaurant
Moving in, you’ll see the bar as well as the Old Heidelberg Restaurant where they serve quality german cuisine and of course local ones as well.
Angus the Peacock
Angus the peacock
Probably why Peacock Garden Hotel is named as such. Angus is the resident peacock and you’ll be able to see him walking around sometimes…
Fontana Aurelia Spa
Fontana Aurelia Spa at Peacock Garden Bohol
Interior of Fontana Aurelia Spa
Kate experienced a massage at the Fontana Aurelia Spa and she thoroughly enjoyed it. The interior of the spa was classy and one of the rooms has an angle view of the ocean as well. After the massage, there’s also a bath and foot spa treatments available. A great way to enjoy a staycation.
Dinner at Old Heidelberg
Speaking of staycations, to do so, the restaurants ought to have great food right? And at the Old Heidelberg, we were surprised by the excellent standard (really close in terms of authenticity to german fare) and we had 2 nights of dinner here…
Menu and server with selection of bread at Old Heidelberg Restaurant Peacock Garden
Kaderatang Baka – Filipino Beef Stew and Jaeger Schnitzel with Spaeztle – stewed pork with a type of starchy pasta
Complimentary Anniversary Cake, banana chocolate cake and apple pie with ice cream – with Mojito and Cappucino!
Frozen Margarita/San Miguel with selection of breads with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pork fat garlic mushroom apple sauce with clear chicken soup
Chicken Cordon Bleu and Norwegian Salmon with Prawns in dill sauce / Mango ice cream with cream of cassis
All the meals at Old Heidelberg Restaurant were a pleasant surprise. All of the above tasted great. In addition, the prawns were exceptionally fresh and succulent. The cream of cassis was also something new for us. Turned out that the liquer-based cream went really well with the mango ice cream – who knew?
Breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol
Peacock Garden may be not so accessible, tucked away in the countryside, but you do not have to worry about going hungry or finding good food. I think we cannot stress enough how delicious the food is at Peacock Garden. What we loved about the breakfast is that it is semi-buffet style. You can order your hot mains with the choice of different sides, and while waiting for your food, you can try the selection of cheese and cold cuts, cereals, and native sweets.
Healthy and yummy breakfast at Peacock Garden Bohol
Like the breakfast at Raffles Hotel, Peacock Garden Bohol offers a semi-buffet style where you can choose from a few choice of mains and enjoy the cold buffet/dessert separately. Food was great but dont try the chocolate rice porridge – unless you’re in an adventurous mood…
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For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Bohol right here!
The truth is, Peacock Garden could well be one of the best hotels that we’ve stayed in so far. The views from our room, the infinity pool, classy atmosphere, excellent food and impeccable service (did we mention that we were almost always greeted by all the staff in the hotel?). If you’re in Bohol and perhaps celebrating an anniversary like us, check in at Peacock Garden Bohol, you will certainly have a memorable time!
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Bohol is about 1 hour 40 mins away from Cebu if you take the fast craft ferry. The tourist class ticket for Oceanjet is 1000 peso per person (return ticket). I understand that there are other ferries or boats that will cost a lot cheaper than 500 peso (one way) but if you want comfort and safety, I highly recommend Oceanjet. Different ferry companies dock at different piers, so remember to double-check so that your taxi driver can drop you off at the right pier. Also, if you choose to alight outside of the gate of the pier, you do not have to pay a fee. Can’t remember how much it was…probably a very small amount but it was really not necessary to alight inside unless you have a lot of luggage.
Oceanjet Ferry from Cebu to Bohol
How to get from Cebu to Bohol
The check-in procedure was simple and fast. Soon we were waiting at Gate 1 for our ferry.
There are seats allocated so you do not have to rush to board. But there’s something I do not understand: there are sooooooo many people who just can’t sit in their designated seats! Either they can’t read the alphabet and numbers on their tickets or they ignore it. The Oceanjet staff was friendly and patient to get everyone in their right seats. And soon we were off!
People waiting to board Ocean Jet from Cebu to Bohol
Inside Oceanjet – 2 hours ride where we watched Hell Boy
Views from Cebu to Bohol
Is that really University of Cebu? Next to it – A grounded vessel
Sun, sea and clear blue skies from Cebu to Bohol
Blue skies and clear waters with the hills as the back drop made the ride really relaxing and we can’t wait for what was in store for us in Bohol! 🙂
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Bohol right here!
As we felt the ferry reduced its speed and we could see the clear aquamarine waters, we knew we have reached Taglibaran City, Bohol!
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