At half past ten in the morning, we were in front of an ice cream display freezer while choosing the flavor we wanted. I was immediately drawn to avocado while Christian chose cheese and Akira got chocolate. The ice cream was given to us one-by-one on a cone made from cassava. We then settled on one of the rustic wood benches and enjoyed the yummy treat overlooking the Bohol Sea. So much has changed at Bohol Bee Farm, but the signature ice cream from their Buzz Café is truly a must-try.
It was the ninth day of our Bohol trip when we decided to spend a day away from the beach as we’ve been swimming and doing nothing else for the past eight days. What I love about the island province of Bohol is that there’s so much to see and do that you’ll never run out of things like water activities, cultural immersion, natural wonders, flora and fauna, food, and more.
Christian and I have already visited almost all of the spots during our past visits to Bohol, so it was only Akira that we wanted to show around. We started the tour at around eight in the morning and we rented a tricycle for half a day at ₱800.
Bohol was our first stop during our annual backpacking trip that brought us to some provinces around the Philippines and Japan. It was the school break before our son, Akira, started school so we named this trip #PreKinderTrip2024.
Panglao Church
Our first stop was the Panglao Church or the St. Augustine Church in the town of Panglao. The façade of the church is believed to be inspired by neoclassical architecture with the Corinthian columns as the focal point. The church was built from white coral stones and the construction began in 1894 by the Augustinian Recollects.
There was a halt in its construction because of the Philippine Revolution. It was consecrated on August 31, 1924, by Most Reverend Juan Gorordo, Bishop of Cebu.
In 2011, the Panglao Church Complex—the parish church, the Escuelas de Niños and Niñas, archway, mortuary chapel, plaza, and municipio—was declared as an Important Cultural Property by The National Museum of the Philippines.
During the 2013 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the province, the church suffered damages and the National Museum of the Philippines undertook restoration which was completed on December 13, 2017.
Hinagdanan Cave
Our next stop should be the Shell Museum, but when we got there it was still closed so we went to our next spot, the Hinagdanan Cave in the town of Dauis.
Souvenir shops lined the entryway to the cave, and from our experiences in the past, the prices here can be cheaper because of the stiff competition. We paid ₱50 to enter while Akira was free-of-charge. There’s a separate fee for swimming but we opted not to try it.
The discovery of the cave dates back to the 16th century when a local farmer accidentally dug up the cave while clearing the area. He then noticed a hole in the ground where he threw a rock and heard a splashing sound. Using a bamboo ladder, he climbed down the opening and discovered the cave. He called it “Hinagdanan” because in Cebuano language, the term translates to “laddered”.
The entrance to the cave is quite narrow and the concrete steps were steep. Some of the staff helped us go inside and even carried Akira. The cave itself is around 100 meters long and it is a dry or dead cave as the stalactites and stalagmites are already dried up and are not growing anymore. The cave is naturally lighted by sunlight that filters through the holes in the ceiling.
There’s an underground lagoon that was formed because of the water from rainfall. The lagoon is quite deep at 10 to 12 meters deep. We found a small and shallow pool that was perfect for Akira’s size. He asked if he could swim in that pool, and because it wasn’t slippery and it actually looked fun, we allowed him to do so.
Bohol Farms (formerly known as Bohol Bee Farm)
There was no entrance fee to get into the farm. The moment we stepped into the vicinity of the resort, we were greeted by a gracious staff who asked us if we needed anything or if we might want to be guided around. We politely declined and mentioned that we wanted to go around on our own.
The farm has evolved from its original farm with a thriving bee population into an organic farm complex with accommodation options, restaurants/cafes, and workshops.
I’ve been to Bohol Bee Farm several times in the past and the last time I was there was a decade ago. I was surprised when I saw the developments, like the swimming pool and numerous shops. I like how it actually turned out into a place where artistry and craftsmanship flourish, I just don’t like the location of the swimming pool though.
Regardless of the current developments, what I love the most is how organic their growth is. It’s a big complex of interesting workshops where you could see them make different flavors of ice cream, handicrafts, baked products, and more.
They also offer tours and activities such as farm tours, crafting workshops, cooking classes, and wellness workshops.
If there’s one thing that shouldn’t be missed when you’re at Bohol Bee Farm, it's their famous ice cream. At ₱80 per scoop, you get to enjoy the freshest ingredients from their farm or whatever fruit is in season. I had avocado, Akira had chocolate, and Christian had cheese. The cassava cone was equally great!
Oceanica Resort
Our tour practically ended around lunchtime at Oceanica Resort formerly South Palms Resort. Christian and I stayed here before during one of our media trips and we love the beach here as the shore is longer and wider than Alona Beach.
Beside the resort are Bohol Beach Club and Dumaluan Beach Resort. We didn’t take advantage of Oceanica Resort’s day tour package and chose to chill on the beach chairs, ordering some snacks and beer from the bar.
Akira enjoyed playing with his sand toys while Christian and I enjoyed our endless chatter, but people-watched most of the time.
Afterwards, we decided to walk along the shore until we reached Dumaluan Beach, where we spent the rest of the afternoon swimming at the beach.
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