If there is a heaven on earth, it is definitely Bohol Island. It is above him that a particularly bright sun shines, reflecting in the azure sea waters. It is here that the picturesque jungle is located, richly inhabited by unique inhabitants. Bohol Island is the very place where you can feel like a part of nature, while enjoying a comfortable stay. If you move about 630 km from the capital of the Philippines - Manila, you will see one of the most famous of the Visayas - Bohol (Bohol). It is considered to be quite large and ranks 10th in size in the archipelago. Bohol is surrounded by almost 70 smaller islets.
Interesting facts about the origin of the island
Like many other islands, Bohol originated from volcanic activity. The island's highest altitude is 870 meters above sea level.
The beauty of the island first appeared to Europeans in 1521. It was then that the ships of the Magellan expedition passed by him, which were returning to Spain after the death of their leader. However, the landing on the island was made only in 1565 by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. After some time, the Spanish traveler managed to conclude a blood alliance with the leader of the local aborigines - Sikatuna. To confirm the union, each of the men dropped his blood into a glass of wine, after which they drank from it. This great event, which made Bohol a Spanish colony, is to this day the most revered day among the local population. And not far from the capital of the island - the city of Tagbiliran, there is a monument called "Blood Compact", which immortalized this historical event forever.
It is believed that the island got its name from the word "boho", which is translated from the language of the local population as "hole". It is due to the fact that the entire island is riddled with a multiple network of caves. Near each city located on Bohol (and there are 47 of them) about 30 caves of various sizes are fenced, many of which have not yet been studied.
What makes Bohol Island especially interesting?
Chocolate hills
Every year hundreds of tourists come to Bohol Island to enjoy the spectacle of the famous Chocolate Hills.
These wonderful natural formations are small hills of perfect rounded shape, covered with fluffy grass. Their height ranges from 30 to 50 meters. In total, there are almost 1,500 chocolate hills on the island, which, like the works of an experienced sculptor, absolutely repeat each other.
The hills have such an appetizing name thanks to the grass, which hides them, like a fluffy cape. Green at the beginning of the season, by the end it fades in the sun, which is why it acquires a brownish tint. Against the background of the rest of the bright greenery, the new color of neat mounds looks especially juicy. Until now, the phenomenon of such “partial” grass burnout has not been scientifically explained. Similarly, scientists argue about the origin of the hills themselves. One of the versions says that these natural formations are only limestone, which does not lend itself to weathering due to some processes.
Local residents have their own versions of the appearance of such an unusual landscape. According to one of them, in ancient times, a battle of two giants took place on the island. For several days, the giants threw stones and sand at each other. Realizing that such behavior could not achieve anything, they made peace and left the island, but after their massacre in Bohol, mountains of stones and sand remained, which later became chocolate hills.
There is also a more romantic legend of their appearance. It is dedicated to the love between a mighty young giant named Argo and a mortal girl, Aloya. Their love was beautiful and lasted for several years, but one day Aloya died. Argo could not come to terms with the death of his beloved, the giant cried for a long time, and his tears then turned into hills - a beautiful reflection of great grief.
Filipino tarsiers
There are lovely inhabitants on the island of Bohol, for which many tourists also come here. These are the Filipino tarsiers - tiny monkeys, whose huge eyes and neat ears provided them with the love of people from all over the world. It is quite difficult to meet tarsiers in their natural environment - these animals are extremely cautious and in no hurry to catch the eye of a casual passer-by.
But Bohol Island is unique for its theme park - the Tarsier Center. Fans of these animals will have a fascinating and full of discoveries journey along the Loboc River, during which many interesting facts about the life of adorable monkeys will be told. But most of all, this trip is unique in that at the end of it it will be possible not only to see the charming tarsiers live, but also to treat them with permitted sweets, hold them in your hands and capture them in pictures.
For diving enthusiasts, it is difficult to find a better place than Bohol Island. The local waters have everything to impress even the most avid diver. Whole walls and gardens, completely consisting of rare species of exotic corals, sunken ships luring with their silhouettes in the enveloping blue waters, unique marine inhabitants, which include rare surgeon fish, scorpion fish and other inhabitants of the local fauna.
As mentioned earlier, the island is rich in caves: large and small, empty and inhabited. Those who love the thrill can find a guided tour to their liking. In addition, there is also the famous Butterfly Garden, where you can get unprecedented emotions from such close communication with these magical insects. Bohol is also rich in waterfalls of extraordinary beauty and hiking trails passing through the most picturesque places of the island.
The island of Bohol is notable for the fact that despite the fact that there are many hotels and entertainment here that offer tourists all the amenities, it has nevertheless managed to preserve its identity. The local population remembers their relationship with nature, which is why there is even a "Manifesto of Mother Nature" here, calling to respect every living inhabitant of the island. It is thanks to this that an atmosphere of harmony and endless joy of life reigns in Bohol.
