Cebu and Bohol, Philippines

Cebu Island
Cebu & Bohol Islands

In July, 1996, I flew down to the Philippines. My flight arrived too late to continue straight on, so I spent one night in Manila and continued on the following morning to the island of Cebu. I've done my best to completely obliterate it here on the left, I know, but you may be able to make out that it is a big, north-and-south cigar-shaped island. Next to it to the southeast is the island of Bohol, which is basically round. I spent about half of my trip in Moalboal, which is down near the bottom of Cebu Island on the west side. After a few days there I went back to Cebu City and took a ferry over to Bohol. The trip is one of my fondest memories, and I could recommend Cebu and especially Bohol to anyone.

Cebu
	As I said, Moalboal is a little village located on Cebu Island, a two-hour bus ride southwest from Cebu City. It's a very quiet little place. Unfortunately, a typhoon washed away its beach in the 80's, but its lovely coral around Pescador Island was spared. It's known now as a divers' haven.
I rented a motorcycle from a local guy looking to make a few extra bucks. What I really needed was a dirt bike, but it got me down to the southern tip of the island, where I took this picture. Some sky, huh?
	My accommodations were very nice, and the hotel owner and the guys who took me out diving were very friendly. The coral was gorgeous and I was able to get a few nice shots.
On the way down the coast I got scenic view after scenic view, so I think I was off the motorcycle taking pictures more than I was on it riding. Here's a representative shot of a little fishing village.
Bohol
	After a few enjoyable days in Moalboal, I went back to Cebu City and then took a ferry over to the island of Bohol. There I rented another motorcycle and started to explore. In about the center of the island I came across this Spanish church, of which there are many. In case the beaches all start to look the same, the churches remind you that you are indeed in the Philippines.
What would the Philippines be without jeepneys? This scene was close by the church
	The real reason I'd rented the motorcycle was to visit the famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol. On the way I missed a turn and got pretty lost, which made the trip all the more interesting. I stumbled onto this rice field, and everybody turned around and stared at this misplaced American on a Honda 125.
Sooner or later, I did make it to the Chocolate Hills. There are over 1000 of these grass covered mounds, named for their chocolate-drop appearance. No one is sure, but the consensus is that they are marine limestone deposits from an ancient sea bed. Quite strange to think that this ancient sea bed is right in the middle of the island of Bohol, in the highest elevations.
	The Chocolate Hills are surrounded by farmers' houses and lovely rice fields, some with their own tree-covered Chocolate Hill behind. As I took this picture I thought how different this farmer's existence was from mine in the center of Tokyo.
I was actually staying on the island of Panglao, off the southwest corner of Bohol but connected by a bridge. It hasn't really been "discovered" by tourists, although divers know it well. It really is a little bit of paradise. I didn't actually stay at this hotel, but the A-frame shape added to the tropical atmosphere.
	The diving was really quite good, maybe the best I've seen. If you go out to the island of Balicasag, you will see a fantastic swirling school of silver jacks - incredible. At the end of the dive you swim over beds of luscious corals.
If you don't ride a motorcycle yourself, no problem. There are plenty of motorcycle taxis waiting to take you around the island. This gentleman took me back to the pier to catch my ferry back to Cebu.
So there you have it. If you're looking for great diving or just want to get away to an island paradise that's well off the beaten path, try Moalboal, Cebu or Panglao, Bohol.