Misadventures can often become stumbling blocks while traveling, but they can also lead you to unexpected plot twists and valuable lessons. As I mentioned in my previous article, "Bohol Travel Tales: Adventures and Misadventures," we visited Bohol during the Lenten Season or Holy Week, following a pre-planned itinerary with budgeted expenses. Therefore, we did not anticipate some of the unexpected expenses we encountered along the way.
Tagbilaran, Bohol
Tagbilaran, Bohol is the capital city of Bohol province, situated on the southwestern part of the island. We stayed overnight at a hotel in Tagbilaran before checking out early at 6:00 AM to catch a van from the Tagbilaran Bus Station to our next destination.
06:40 AM - The van departed at the Tagbilaran Terminal.
Candijay, Bohol
Candijay, Bohol is a 4th class municipality located on the eastern part of the island, 96 kilometers from Tagbilaran City. The town is renowned for its natural attractions.
08:40 AM - After a two-hour ride, we arrived at the Lungsodaan Public Market, located at the junction leading to our next destination. There are several karenderias there, so you don't have to worry about where to eat.
09:00 AM - Twenty minutes later, we reached the entrance of Cadapdapan Rice Terraces, where we paid a minimal entrance fee.
The LGUs provided us with a local guide who took us to a nearby hill, passing through private land to get a better view of the rice paddies below.
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These terraces are a series of rice paddies that are carved into the hillside, offering beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
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Just a few meters from the Cadapdapan Rice Terraces is another stunning attraction, the Can-umantad Falls, which is around 60 meters high.
The falls are surrounded by lush greenery and offer a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.
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After taking a dip in the falls and capturing a few shots on our camera, we decided to leave the place and head to our next destination.
10:50 AM - We returned to the Lungsodaan Public Market to catch a jeepney going to the next town of Guindulman, Bohol.
Guindulman, Bohol
Guindulman, Bohol is a municipality located beside the town of Candijay in Bohol.
11:20 AM - We reached Poblacion, Guindulman and waited for a tricycle to take us to our last municipality in Bohol. It felt like we were hopping from one municipality to another! Haha
Anda, Bohol
Anda, Bohol, the last municipality that we were going to visit (Huhu, back to reality).
11:50 AM - Thirty minutes passed, and we arrived at Quinale Beach at lunchtime, our next destination. Our plan was to pitch our tents by the beach, but since we arrived super early, we decided to visit Cabagnow Cave, which is just under 2 kilometers from the beach.
01:00 PM - We decided to walk all the way there.
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On our way, we passed a freshwater pool, but it looked scary to dip in, so we walked for a few meters, and when we arrived, we were surprised by how crowded the place was.
Cabagnow Cave has a natural pool that is fed by underground springs and is believed to be connected to the sea. The freshwater pool is located on private land, so the owner decided to fence the perimeter and asked for an entrance fee. LOL.
Inside, we couldn't even take a decent photo without getting a photobomber.
To be able to swim in the pool, you have to jump 15-18 feet, which is a no for me, HAHA. There's also a ladder, but since it was super crowded at that time, I gladly passed.
02:00 PM - After staying for an hour, we decided to go back to the beach and just chill.
05:00 PM - I had time to stroll around the beach waiting for the sun to set. Also, I had the chance to take some pictures of the beach during low tide.
06:00 PM - At Quinale Beach, you are not allowed to pitch a tent on the beach before 06:00 PM. That is why we waited for hours before we could pitch our tents, Haha.
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We pitched our tents, cooked our dinner with a view of the beach, Haha. There were also a few people camping that night, so it was not that peaceful, LOL.
And the next day, vacations were over! Hahahuhu.
05:30 AM - We broke our camp early because tents are only allowed until 6:00 AM, Haha.
Going home, we traveled in the same path of how we arrived in Anda, Bohol.
06:00 AM - Without breakfast, we rode a tricycle going to Poblacion, Guindulman Bohol. At 06:45 AM, the bus departed from their terminal, and we rode a bus going to Tagbilaran City for 2 hours.
08:55 AM - We were like on a connecting flight, haha. We arrived at Tagbilaran Bus Terminal and had a quick breakfast at McDonald's and managed to buy some Kalamay for pasalubong for my family at home.
The next bus we were going to ride was the last bus going to the port of Tubigon, Bohol, which travels for another 1.5 hours.
10:30 AM - We safely arrived at the port, secured a ticket, and waited for the departure time.
During our Bohol trip, I kept yapping about how we spent money on things that were not in our budget, Haha. Luckily, I did not run short of cash during the trip. Another lesson learned is to bring more cash on the trip, especially if the place or the island has limited or no access to ATMs.
Overall, our trip to Bohol was definitely one for the books. It was truly worth the time and effort we put into planning and executing the trip. The beautiful places we visited and the wonderful people we met along the way made the experience even more memorable. It has left such an impression on me that I am already excited on returning to Bohol with a group of like-minded friends. Moreover, it was also the first time that I went on a 4-day vacation that didn't involve a major climb, which made it a unique experience in itself.
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About the Author
Meet Kevin de Arca, a Data Analyst by profession and an adventurous wanderer at heart. With a passion for exploring new places and cultures, he uses traveling as a way of distressing and making unforgettable memories. He is always wondering where to wander next.✈️ 🏖 🌅