Bohol is the 10th largest island in the country, nestled securely at the heart of the Visayas, between southeast of Cebu and southwest of Leyte.
Bohol is very accessible by air and sea travel, it is the closest province to Cebu city, with travel time of 1 hour and 30 minutes by fastcraft and 20 minutes by plane.
Typhoons and earthquakes are very rare.
Origin of the Name
Bohol, derived from the word Bo-ho or Bo-ol, is the seat of the first international treaty of peace and unity between Datu Sikatuna, a native chieftain and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, a Spanish conquistador on March 16, 1565 through a blood compact known today as Sandugo.
Bohol, God's Little Paradise, as it is sometimes called by the Boholanos
themselves. This is not fully unjustified, as the island is one of the most diverse
and attractive destinations in the Philippines. Within its area of about 4200 square
kilometers, it houses countless white sandy beaches, numerous historic churches and
watchtowers, enchanting waterfalls and caves, and, unique in the world, its amazing
and stunning Chocolate Hills.
Scenic Bohol casts an enigmatic charm drawn from the many archaic mementos spread
throughout the oval-shaped island - from unique rock formations to a 45-million-year-old
mammal species, from massive stone watchtowers built by the Spaniards in the 18th century.
Surrounding the mainland are 73 other smaller offshore islands and islets whose
palm-fringed coastlines are rimmed by white sand and sheltering coves. Serpentine coastal
highways wind along unsullied beaches and rustic rivers where the tourist can stop at any
point and jump in for a dip.
Bohol is famous for whale watching, river cruising, smallest primate-Tarsier,
Sandugo Festival, beaches, scuba diving, mountain climbing, caving, cambuhat oyster farm
(ecotourism activity), Bird watching.
Bohol is an anchor tourist destination and one of the 7,000 times more islands that make
up the Philippine archipelago.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Chocolate Hills
More than 1000 hills in number - consisting of thousands of cone-shaped mounds scattered
over 50 sq kiliometers around the towns of Sagbayan, Carmen and Sierra Bullones in central
Bohol. Each hill rises 30 to 120 metes above the surrounding plateau. The hills look like
chocolate drops when the grass turns brown, hence the name. Two of the hills have been
developed into a resort with youth hostels, cottages, a swimming pool, and tennis court.
Also on top of one is an observation deck 213 concrete steps. In the dry season when the
grass is dry, the grass become chocolate coloured, because of that, the name "Chocolate
Hills". The most lovely time to see the Chocolate Hills is early in the morning, so you
can see it in the sunrise!
Origin of the Chocolate Hills
The first legend tells of a fight between two giants who threw stones and sand at each other
for days, until they were so tired and exhausted they made friends and left the island.
They didn´t however, tidy up the battlefield, leaving the Chocolate Hills.The second legend
is a lot more romantic. Arogo, a young and unusually strong giant, fell in love with an
ordinary mortal, Aloya. After Aloya´s death, Arogo cried bitterly. The Chocolate Hills are
proof of his grief, for his tears turned into hills.
Some geologist, means Bohol lay under water in prehistoric times. Volcanic eruptions caused
unevenness in th bottom of the sea which was gradually smoothed and rounded by the movement
of the water.
Most serious geologist means the explanation as nonsense. Even though the geological origin
of the hills has not yet been explained beyond doubt, the consensus is that they are weathered
formations of a kind of marine limestone laying on the top of impermeable clay soil.
Comparisons have been made with hundred Islands of North Luzon.
