Bohol Countryside Tour Guides: A Quick Guide to Service and Rates

Bohol Countryside Tour Guides: 

A Quick Guide to Service and Rates

The following tour guides have been recommended by Filipino travelers/tourists to Bohol. The recommendations can be found at the Pinoyexchange forum on Bohol. Personally, I have only experienced the guide services of Tatsky. See my review here.

Since foreign tourists or non-Tagalog speaking tourists cannot understand the discussion at the forum mentioned above, I'm making this post to make such information available to them.


My tip: These local tour guides are the cheaper and better option than those offered by resorts. Resorts usually charge a per person rate while these tour guides usually charge on a per vehicle rate with more places to go for sightseeing.

	Tatsky Cubero	Incon Tours	RJ Tours
Rates	P2,700 for one van  good for 12 people	Sedan                                                     2-4 pax                                                               2000.00  S.U.V.                                                      5-9 pax                                                               2500.00  van                                                           10-14 pax                                                          3000.00	1,050 per person or P4200 for 4 persons
What is included in the rate	included: tour guide no time limit pick up and return to resort not included in the rate: guest will pay additional P130 per person for entrance fees and P400 per person for the floating restaurant buffet at the Loboc  River Cruise	included:  tour guide no time limit pick up and return to resort not included: guest will pay additional for entrance fees and floating restaurant buffet at the Loboc  River Cruise	included: tour guide with time limit (rate is good for tours from 830am-5pm only) buffet lunch aboard a floating restaurant along Loboc River, river cruise, all fees.
What sights are included in the rate	visit to 13 sights: Blood Compact Shrine, Baclayon Church, Biggest Python in Captivity, Actual Blood Compact Site, Hanging Bridge, Manmade forest, Chocolate Hills, Hinagdanan Cave, Dauis Church, Bohol Bee Farm	visit to 12 sights: Blood Compact Shrine, Baclayon Church, Biggest Python in Captivity, Tarsier, Floating Restaurant at Loboc River, Hanging Bridge, Manmade forest, Chocolate Hills, Hinagdanan Cave, Bohol Bee Farm, butterfly garden, zip lining in Loboc	visit to 10 sights: Blood Compact Shrine, Baclayon Church, Biggest Python in Captivity, Tarsier, Floating Restaurant at Loboc River, Hanging Bridge, Manmade forest, Chocolate Hills,  butterfly garden, Aproniana Souvenir shop
How to contact	Sun: 0922-367-1051 Globe: 0914-794-5556 Smart: 0912-747-2737 PLDT: 038 415-6040 jessercubero@yahoo.com	09297623614 boholtour.incon45@gmail.com	0927-349-6197 rjtoursbohol@gmail.com
Other notes	Hard to contact via email; answers immediately to cellphone inquiries	Answers through email and cellphone inquiries	Answers through email and cellphone inquiries

Isis Bungalows Resort, Bohol: Traveler's Photos

Isis Bungalows Resort, Bohol: Traveler's Photos

Check out my review: Isis Bungalows: Budget-friendly Bohol Accomodations for a Family of Six

Standard rooms located on the ground floor.
Further to the right  of this structure is a view of the sea.
Going further to the left side of this structure is the reception.

The reception located at the ground floor.

You can request luggage to be stored here in case you're leaving the place several hours after checkout time

This is our deluxe room located beside the reception.
The reception is at the right side of the photo.
One advantage of getting the room beside the reception is that you have strong wifi. The wifi router is apparently located in the reception.

The view a few steps from our room

The beachfront

The small beachfront in front of Isis Bungalows.
The structure behind is the Isis Thai Restaurant.

Isis Thai restaurant.

The room above the Isis Thai Restaurant is Bungalow 8.

It's the best room for a big family.

Next time we go to Bohol, we will reserve Bungalow 8 far in advance.

As you can can see, Bungalow 8 also has the view of the sea from it's window.

The view from Isis Thai Restaurant.
This view can also be seen from the window of Bungalow 8

This path, to the left of the Isis Bungalows Resort, leads to the center of Alona Beach.
It took us around 5 minutes to leisurely walk to the center 

From the path shown above, compare the location of Isis Bungalows with the other accomodation from the map below:

Isis Bungalows Resort  is at no. 49. Check out http://jimspears.net/alona/map.htm for more details. 

Thanks to jimspears.net for the map

Hennan Resort Alona Beach Opens in Bohol!!

Great News!!!

Hennan Resort Alona Beach 

(formerly Alona Palm Beach Resort) 

Opens in Bohol!!

For those of you who were fans of Alona Palm Beach Resort and were sad to see it close, here is some great news. I'd like to share with you the official announcement of Henna Resort Alona Beach (highlights are mine):

" Experience the pristine beauty of Bohol like never before as Hennan Resort Alona Beach formally opens its doors to guests beginning March 15, 2011. Located along the immaculate shores of Panglao Island, the luxury resort has 12 exclusive villas amidst lush tropical gardens with refreshing views of the sea, palm groves and infinity edge pool.

Formerly Alona Palm Beach Resort, Henann Resort Alona Beach is the newest acquisition of Boracay Regency Group of Resorts also known as Henann Resorts, owner and operator of Boracay Regency, Boracay Garden Resort and Regency Lagoon.

“We are very excited and pleased to announce the re-opening of this well-loved resort. Our ideal location, spacious rooms, sumptuous food, and efficient staff make Henann Resort Alona Beach your dream destination in Bohol,” said Henry O. Chusuey, Chairman of Henann Hotel Management, Inc. 

Chusuey chanced upon the property during one of his ocular visits in Panglao in November last year. He was captured by its natural beauty and saw its potential to be the next big tourist destination in the country. This led him to quickly strike a deal with the former Swiss owner.

Henann Resort Alona Beach is situated on a slightly elevated area along the powdery white stretch of Alona Beach . Offering the utmost privacy to guests, the villas are separated by 70-meter wide coconut palm groves from the white beach. The resort has the widest beach front along Alona Beach and also features a 450-meter fresh water swimming pool with bar.

            

Each villa has a split-type air conditioner and ceiling fan, terrace with sun beds, LCD TV with cable, telephone with IDD and NDD, WIFI access, personal safety box, and mini bar. 

Henann Resorts also brings to Bohol one of its famous restaurant chains now operating in Boracay -- Christina’s, which offers international cuisine specially prepared by experienced chefs. 

With only 12 villas currently available, the sprawling 6.5 hectare-property is the future site of a 350-room paradise resort that will offer full service convention facilities, lagoon shaped pools, luxury spa, international restaurants, fitness center, and a chapel for intimate weddings.         

“Over the next two years, we plan to develop a world-class resort to answer the demand of our foreign and local clients,” added Chusuey.

The province of Bohol is centrally located in the Visayas region and is only an hour away by plane from Manila . Land transfers from provincial capital Tagbilaran City to Henann Resort Alona Beach takes less than 30 minutes.

Aside from the Chocolate Hills and the Philippine Tarsier, Bohol is also famous for landmarks and attractions such as the Dauis Church , Blood Compact Shrine, Magsaysay Camp, and Loboc River . Popular tourist activities include bird spotting in Rajah Sikatuna National Park , diving in Panglao Island and whale and dolphin watching in Bohol Sea , among others.

For reservations and inquiries, please call Henann Resort Alona Beach at +632 5231234 or email manila@henann.com."

Henna Tatoo at Alona Beach

Henna Tatoo at Alona Beach

In the Philippines, a beach vacation is not complete without getting a henna tattoo. It's part of your outfit as much as your swimsuit is. It's a form of self-expression.

First, you choose the motif from several pages of sample designs. The price depends on how complicated the design is. The cheapest is at 100 pesos

Then you choose where to place it.

On the arm

On the chest

On the hand

Where to have it:

There are a lot of places along Alona Beach where you can get a henna tattoo. But we got ours at Baywatch Divers. 

Baywatch Divers is at no. 12. Check out http://jimspears.net/alona/map.htm for more details. Thanks to jimspears.net for the map

How long does the henna tattoo last: 

One week

Caution: 

When my daughter was 8 years old, she got an allergic reaction from the henna tattoo. The part where the henna touched the skin became inflamed. So even after the black tint was gone, the motif remained and showed on the inflamed skin. I suggest you test the henna first on a small area of the skin to find out whether or not your child is allergic to it. Years later, my daughter outgrew her allergy and was able to have a henna tattoo on our Bohol trip.

Hinagdanan Underground Cave

Hinagdanan Underground Cave

Where It Is Located
It is located in Bingag, Dauis. Dauis is one of the 2 towns of Panglao Island. The other town is named Panglao


What Kids Will Like
If you want your kids to have a taste of how it's like to be inside a cave without intimidating them, this cave is a perfect place to introduce them to caves. The cave is not too deep or very hard to navigate. But it has the same air of mystery that bigger caves have. 


For the elderly: They will not find it difficult to enter the cave because there are no slippery steps. But you have to be very careful since the cave entrance is not well lighted.


Note: Tatsky, our guide for the city tour, hired another person to guide as through the cave. He is very adept at adjusting our camera to the right settings to be able to capture photos inside the cave. 

Entrance of Hinagdanan Cave

Stairs going down to Hinagdanan Cave

The cave opening

Inside the cave

The belly of the cave

Drawings made by a movie production who shot a movie inside the cave

This is the cave stairs that leads to the entrance of the cave

See our next stop: The Bohol Bee Farm

See previous post:

Dauis Church

The Blood Compact Shrine

Baclayon Church

Prony, the Biggest Python in Captivity

The Actual Blood Compact Site

The Tarsiers of Bohol

Loboc River Cruise

Hanging Bridge

Manmade Forest

Chocolate Hills of Bohol

Dauis Church

(Photo taken from Original uploader was Pinay06 at en.wikipedia)

Dauis Church

(known as Shrine of Our Lady of the Assumption)

Where it is located
Panglao Island is the island where Alona Beach and most of the beaches of Bohol are located. Bohol is a province and Panglao Island is part of the Bohol province.


The island of Panglao is divided into 2 municipalities: Panglao and Dauis. Because the island is named Panglao, it is often forgotten that Dauis is also located in Panglao island and is one of its municipalities. 


In Panglao Island, there are 2 major churches, each one located in each municipality. They have Panglao Church and Dauis Church. If you are staying at Alona Beach, Panglao Church is  around 15min tricycle ride from your location. Dauis Church is nearer the bridge linking Panglao Island and the main island of Bohol

In 2009, Dauis Church was declared a national historical landmark by the National Historical Institute. The historical marker above is translated as follows:

"Dauis Church Complex: It is composed of the church, the convent, the watch tower and the belltower made of corals. 

1697: It was built by the Jesuit priests as visita of Baclayon and became the parish of Our Lady of the Assumption.

1753-1758: The convent was built by Fr. Joseph Nepomuceno, S.J., which became the official residence of the Jesuits from Loboc from . 

1768: It came under the Recollects. 

1774: The belltower was built by Fr. Santiago del Corazon de Jesus, O.A.R.

1885: The fences was strengthened as defense against the invasion of the Moro.

1863-1879: The present church was built by Fr. Julio Saldana, OAR.

1919-1923. The church was finished by Fr. Natalio del Mar with paintings by Ray Francia and Canuto Avila.

August 23, 1923: It was inaugurated by Msgr. Juan Gorordo of Cebu.

During World War II: The convent became the shelter of nuns from Tagbilaran City.

August 15, 2004: The church was declared the Shrine of Our Lady of the Assumption.

This is an example of neo-gothic and neo-classical architecture.

The convent

The side of the convent

The back of the convent, also at the back of the Church.
The land beyond the waters in the foreground is the main island of Bohol.
Remember, we are at Panglao Island right now.

The large tree forms a huge canopy. Wedding receptions and parties are held here underneath the tree. Lamps are hung on the tree to illuminate the guests dining underneath it.

See our next stop: Hinagdanan Cave

See previous post:

The Blood Compact Shrine

Baclayon Church

Prony, the Biggest Python in Captivity

The Actual Blood Compact Site

The Tarsiers of Bohol

Loboc River Cruise

Hanging Bridge

Manmade Forest

Chocolate Hills of Bohol