Tarsier time

Tarsier time 

Often what happens when booking a big trip is we decide on the destination and the specifics tend to happen a month or so before leaving. So when we decided to go to the Philippines we weren't exactly sure where we were going when we got there. We formed a loose plan of going to both Palawan and another island called Bohol. 

So after a brief stop over in the fun seeming Manila, we headed out on an Air Asia flight to Tagbilaran - the capital of the island of Bohol. It quickly became apparent there wasn't going to be too much to do in Tagbilaran - the town centre appeared to be a set of dusty huts with the odd 'tasty chuck' fried chicken shop. Fortunately our hotel ticked the boxes - quiet, sea view, two gorgeous swimming pools. We ordered two mango juices and settled into a lounger. That evening the fun of Asia came flooding back to us - we got a tricycle into town - the Philippine equivalent of a Tuk Tuk and basically laughed all the way there.  

Day 2 involved a trip to nearby Alona beach on neighbouring Panglao island - stunning spot - and we spent an easy day cooling off in the turquoise ocean. Tricycle trip to dinner followed at an incredible Philippine restaurant Gerarda's. 

Day 3 was a busy damn day in paradise - after a breakfast of a truly terrible Philippine attempt at eggs benedict we hired a car to take us on the chocolate hills loop. First stop was to the far more environmentally sensitive Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella - the other sanctuary nearer the chocolate hills gets bad reviews for how sensitively they treat the tarsiers. The sanctuary is small but perfect - Maartje and I were walked around by a volunteer who showed us 4 tarsiers all sleeping in nearby trees. I didn't imagine we would get to see them as well as we did - tiny but incredibly cute. They are an endangered species and come from a primate group > 45 million years old - the sanctuary has a breeding programme - fingers crossed they make it.

From the sanctuary we wound our way through the jungly interior up to the chocolate hills. So named because in dry season the grassy hillocks turn from lush green to burnt chocolate colour. For us they were the green hills but I get how the transformation would look. The locals amused us with their worried looks that we didn't have litres of water with us for the climb of 240 steps.....I'm unfit but blimey 240 steps is not a big deal even to me......once we reached ' the summit' we breathed in the fresh air and laughed about how the alternative reason the hills came about was that they are tears from a heartbroken giant. 

Our final stop on the chocolate hills loop was a stop into the butterfly sanctuary - there we got shown living cocoon's of various butterflies and moths ( creepy) -  we consoled ourselves with homemade ice cream.

Next stop : Palawan

We stayed: Ocean Suites, Tagbilaran

We ate: Philippine family restaurant 'Gerardas', the bee hive cafe on Avalon's beach but I wouldn't recommend it