The Island Explorer

Alona beach is the premier beach destination in the famous Panglao Island of Bohol. Fine white powdery sand is matched with a chill out ambience that Alona is known for. The water wasn't as clear, since the weather was quite disturbed. Nevertheless, Alona Beach had its fair share of visitors and bums. Alona Beach stretches for about a kilometer. A lot of resorts with restaurants and bars dot the shore, similar to Boracay. There are also more resorts and restaurants inland, like the famous Bohol Bee Farm, around 1 km away. Though it can't be helped that Alona is compared to Boracay, I conclude that Alona is more laid back and relaxed. Hence, there are really no loud parties left and right. There is a bar that plays dance music, but that's just it. Alona is perfect for families, or couples who just want to spend a quiet time in a nice beach. Though there are more beaches in the Philippines that are better than Alona, its more structured tourism facilities draw the crowds. Alo

We descended from the Chocolate Hills, and realized it was too late to tour the other attractions of Bohol. So, we tried our luck in seeing the tarsiers near the Loboc River. When we arrived, the tarsier sanctuary was closed already, so we tried to talk to the caretakers to let us in for a while. We agreed to pay a higher than average price (P100) to have a glimpse of the world's smallest monkeys. We were surprised that we were allowed to hold the tarsiers! I knew it wasn't allowed, but since we were a special case (meaning no other tourists), the caretakers let out the furry little creatures and let us take pictures of them while they were in our arms. We took so long taking pictures, and I guess some of the tarsiers got stressed. I was even bitten by one, but it was just a shallow bite. The Loboc River was beautiful at dusk. It looked so mysterious and alluring. The sun has set, so we headed our way back to check-in in Alona Tropical Beach Resort in Panglao. NOTE: On the way

When I wrote about the Chocolate Hills landing in the Forbes list of most astonishing landscapes, I was so eager to book a trip to Bohol. One day, while I was in Cebu, we spontaneously decided to spend a night in Bohol. We travelled via ferry at noontime, hoping to see the hills by 4PM. From the Tagbilaran port, we hired a van for P2,000 to take us around Bohol in the little time we had left. The Chocolate Hills were our priority so we drove there instantly. It was also the furthest of the well known attractions in Bohol. We passed by the Baclayon Church, the Loboc River and the Tarsier sanctuary. We didn't stop though, and decided to just try our luck on our way back. We did stop to take a snapshot of the picturesque man-made forest (pic above). I didn't expect anything great from the hills, because I knew the photo I saw in the Forbes list was enhanced already. I was in for a surprise. As soon as the first hills rolled out into the horizon, my eyes opened wide. The landscape

I never thought getting into Bohol would be this easy. Sure, I've heard from most Cebuanos that it's just two hours away by boat. Some of my other friends say you can even do just a day trip to Bohol and be back in Cebu by night time. Bohol has been an elusive destination for me. I've been meaning to go for so long. Unfortunately, all my planned trips to Bohol get messed up. So, one day, while in Cebu, we decided to be spontaneous and head for Bohol, just to spend one night. Our trip started by going to the Supercat terminal in Cebu (near SM City). The ferry terminal was efficient, and had ample security. It actually felt like an old airport. There are 3 to 4 ferry companies going to Bohol, and Supercat is just one of them. I heard they have the best fleet. Weesam is the next best thing. I was surprised to see a modern catamaran, much like the ones used in the Macau-HK link. And this one was quite new. We got business class tickets (P850 one way), because the economy seats

Club Serena is probably the most upscale resort in Moalboal. It is located in Bas Daku, just 100 meters from Ravenala Resort (where I usually stay). The place looks cozy, with the nice day beds scattered all across the resort. There are limited rooms, like 10 only, making it a quiet getaway. Club Serena has a swimming pool, which accounts for the higher price. The pool looks so inviting in a hot day, or after swimming in the salty beach waters of Moalboal. We happened to get into Club Serena because Ravenala had no more stocks for breakfast. So we had our morning brunch in Club Serena. The service took so long though, since there was only one wait staff to tend to all the guests. And the resort was full. Club Serena has a clean beach front. We even spotted a boat named Karylle docking (hey, K, you have a boat here!) Club Serena is a colorful resort, I guess with better room accommodations. We weren't able to check out the rooms, since they were all occupied. I heard that President

When a friend told me if I wanted to visit the Kenneth Cobonpue showroom, I became speechless for a moment. Afterwards, I burst out a grateful OF COURSE. Being an avid admirer of good furniture design, I always wanted to have a Cobonpue piece. The showroom is located near SM City, on the road to Mango Avenue and near the burned down White Gold. It doesn't have a glaring sign, since the showroom is not open to the public. It is strictly by appointment only and they also pick who to get to go inside. Talk about being selective with clients. But it works for the Cobonpue brand, which has become world renowned already. The showroom was a huge warehouse, and beside it, was where the magic happens - their production area. I wasn't allowed to take pictures, so I just hurried inside the showroom. I was like a little boy going in a huge toy store. Kenneth Cobonpue has been featured in a lot of local and international magazines, and his works are published in design journals. Hi

CnT Lechon needs no introduction. It is perhaps the most popular lechon pasalubong from Cebu. Their stall in SM City Cebu (below) is always packed. CnT used to have a restaurant in front of SM that looked like a huge nipa hut. Now, they have transferred in a building just off the corner of their original location (still in front of SM Cebu, or back of Northwing side). Their lechon goes out of stock in the late afternoon, so it's best to come early if you want to order. I have been eating here the past weeks at 5PM, and we always get the last pieces (which is not as tasty anymore). The new CnT looks like a canteen and though is way bigger than its previous location, I like the original better. CnT Lechon is one of the more popular lechon de cebu outlets. I have yet to taste more lechon here in Cebu.

We were supposed to have a light dinner and some drinks in Olio, which is one of my favorite restaurants in Cebu. But as we got down our van, a new imposing restaurant caught my sight. The sign said, Maya. Maya is a Mexican fine dining restaurant in Crossroads in Banilad. The place doesn't look like your typical bright Mexican restaurant. it was modern and ancient at the same time, owing its design to the great Mayan civilization of Mexico. You would be surprised that Maya is actually not that expensive, for a place looking so upscale. It is owned by the same people who put up Abaca in Mactan (soon in another post). The prices range from P120 to P400 only. If it were in Manila, the prices would definitely be higher. We weren't there to eat dinner, since we just had lechon from CNT. So we ordered appetizers and some drinks. The one below is called Volcanes (grilled tortillas with cheese and salsa roja, P125). It was a volcanic dish indeed, as it was hot and spicy. We also ordere