#eskaya

This is one of the sweetest notes i’ve ever received. The boyfriend asked the management to leave me a note saying “After spending 5 days in a cave, you deserve to be pampered!” (because I had literally just come out of spending 5 days camping in a cave) and added the “Please let me know” to the management in the hopes that they could carry out his request. It ended up being the cutest accident. <3

We stayed at the incredible Eskaya Resort and Spa! For 3 out of the 4 days that we stayed here we were the only guests!!! (Totally felt like a baller)

Also, we had a private infinity pool in our villa. #winninginlife

Check them out here! Eskaya Resort

We decided to rent a boat and go island hopping!! AAAAAAANNNNDDDD I got to swim next to a BIG (Okay maybe the water magnified him a bit) Sea Turtle and it was one of the most AMAZING things i’ve ever experienced!!! He swam steadily next to me while I freaked out and tried to take a billion pictures and videos. #FanGirl

We then took the boat to the Balicasag Island Marine Sanctuary where we got to feed little (and pretty big) fish. I love holding the bread and making the fish come reeeaaaally close to me as they eat away at the crust. Then I freak out when the fish accidentally nibble my fingers. 

Next, we checked out Virgin Island!! We got there at high tide and therefor the sandbanks were covered with a layer of crystal clear water. During low tide you can walk between islands on the perfectly manicured sand.

Our next stop was the Loboc Riverwatch Floating Restaurant! 

We had a HUGE and delicious meal on a boat all to ourselves!!!

Coconut (or ‘buko’) is the BEST!

We were going upstream of the Loboc river when we stopped at a floating platform that had men and women playing their ukuleles and singing. They called us onto their stage to join in, and naturally, i’m not one to say no to trying anything new. They taught me the rhythm needed to successfully hop over 2 bamboo poles in a dance called ‘Tinikling’. (But of course I messed up)

We then took a tour of the oldest church in Bohol and the 2nd oldest church in the Philippines, Baclayon Church. Completed in 1727, you can’t help but feel tiny walking through its grand doors. Unfortunately in 2013, the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that ripped through Bohol destroyed many parts of the church, including sending the whole watch tower to the ground. 

Next, we stopped at the Blood Compact Shine or Sandugo shrine. It’s a monument depicting the pact made between The Philippines and Spain in 1565. They (Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, the chieftain of Bohol) each drew blood from themselves, added it to a glass, and each drank from it. I don’t know about you, but i’m pretty happy we don’t have to do that anymore. (Although that’s pretty gangsta)

We went to the Tarsier Sanctuary and I couldn’t help but squeal when I saw just how tiny these little primates are!! (Yes, they’re the world’s smallest primates) Measuring no bigger than the size of my fist, it’s no wonder these beautiful creatures are on the endangered list. Many people poach them and sell them as pets but because these solitary animals don’t do well in captivity and have suicidal tendencies, many of them stop eating or hit their heads against hard surfaces :(

The Simply Butterfly Conservation Center was filled with butterflies (and worms... shudder) The guides are filled with witty (and sometimes corny) jokes which had me in stitches. Our guide, Alex, told me “Don’t drop him or he won’t be a caterpillar anymore” “What do you mean?” I asked. “He’ll turn into a caterPILLAY” he replied. (Which in Tagalog means “injured”) Well done, guide. That was a pretty awesome one. 

Walking up to the lookout of the Chocolate Hills and seeing the signboard uprooted from the 2013 earthquake.

Despite my poor man having a knee injury, we climbed up to the Chocolate Hills lookout point. Gazing out, you just see rows of similarly shaped hills which during this season, looked less like chocolate and more like normal hills (despite the uncanny fact that there are thousands of them and they look very much alike.) It’s during the dryer seasons that the hills take on a more brown shade due to the loss of vegetation (nerd) thus making them look more chocolatey (and delicious)

On our last day I couldn’t help but sneak to get some sun before our return flight to Manila. 

Thank you Bohol!! You’ve been fantastic and I can’t wait to visit you again in October!! <3