2nd January 2023
Road Trip to Tarsier Sanctuary and Chocolate Hills
This was one of our favourite experiences on our stay in Panglao. We rented mopeds from our accommodation – Bohol Beach Club in Panglao, to visit the Tarsier Sanctuary and the famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol. They were around 450 PHP a day.
We passed through villages, by farms, spotted carabaos and storks, rice fields and hills. It was a great way to soak in the beauty of Bohol, and go off the beaten track, as it were.
The route we took was around 150km round trip, from Bohol Beach Club, to the Tarsier Sanctuary, to the Chocolate Hills (the long way round see below!), to Corella, Tagbilaran City and back to Bohol Beach Club.
Tarsier Sanctuary Rd, Corella, Bohol, Philippines
Our first stop was the Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella. We trundled down the laneway, enjoying the feeling of the vegetation becoming more dense as we neared the entrance of the sanctuary. The endemic Philippine tarsier, endangered due to hunting and slash and burn farming destroying their natural habitats which include primary, secondary and tropical rainforests with dense vegetation with bamboo, bushes and grasses where the tiny tarsiers can perch.
They are around 85-160mm, Wikipedia describes the size as being the size as a ‘human adult fist’. They are nocturnal, unique, precious primates that the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, who run the Sanctuary, is working to protect in a number of ways, including establishing protected wild areas of habitat in Bohol for the tarsiers; increasing environmental awareness; research programs and providing eco-tourism related opportunities for local populations.
For visitors of the sanctuary, there is a small entrance fee and a visitor centre with information about the tarsiers, the foundation and the sanctuary. We went on a guided walk in a limited part of the sanctuary, with a very small group – there were 6 of us in total. Instructed to be extremely quiet or silent where possible, we were cautious and walked slowly around the space. Our guide carefully pointed out the tarsiers when he spotted them in the vegetation, mindfully showing us where they were.
As a long time avoider of zoos, wildlife parks and animals in captivity, I am extremely cautious of establishments of that kind. The Tarsier Foundation clearly do a lot of positive work for the tarsiers, it was a new experience for me being so close to such precious and unique wildlife and the walk was done as mindfully as possible, and I hope we weren’t disturbing them. It felt like a privilege to meet them and being in their space brought tears to my eyes.
Chocolate Hills
Loay Interior Road, Carmen, Bohol, Philippines
Next stop on our road trip were the famous Chocolate Hills. Formed by coral deposits being uplifted in conjunction with rainfall and erosion, this spectacular geological phenomenon is realised as perfect mounds like chocolate drops dotted all across the landscape in this part of Bohol.
If using Google Maps, I recommend using the location of ‘Chocolate Hills Complex’ and look out for the ‘Parking Area’ on the left if coming from the south or on the right if coming from the north. You can park here and then take one of the minibuses up to the complex itself.
Circling up the hill on the minibus, the extent of the formations start to come into view. Arising from the grassy fields, and foliage of forests and woods, the extent of the number of the hills and how far they surrounded us, come into view. The minibus dropped us off a good way up one of the hills. Beautiful steps led us to the very top.
It’s difficult to describe the affect, other than ‘awesome’, filling me with awe, quite literally – to borrow a friend’s description of the Grand Canyon, that when I saw it, I knew exactly what she meant. Photographs cannot do it justice. It really is a sight to behold. If coming to Bohol, do not miss the Chocolate Hills.
Corella
E Calio St, Corella, Bohol, Philippines
We spontaneously stopped off in the town of Corella, as there was a hub of stalls at the Corella Town Plaza. There was a little market happening and we had some of the best banana cue we’d found!
Tagbilaran City
We then went back via Tagbilaran to find some snacks for our excursion the next day. We found the market, which was incredible, full of baskets of delicious looking vegetables amongs other things. We went to the Island City Mall to check out there wares, where there is a supermarket with lots of vegan snacks.
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